Hocus Pocus! It's Almost Halloween!

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script> (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-47423994-1', 'fortunecity.ws'); ga('send', 'pageview'); </script> <center> <br> <div> <script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="http://ad.broadcaststation.net/ads/show_ad.php?width=728&height=90"></script> </div> </center> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="040a11c3.gif"> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Hocus Pocus! It's Almost Halloween!</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="03ff4010.gif" border=0 width="500" height="1" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <HTML></div> <div> <HEAD></div> <div> </HEAD></div> <div> <BODY onUnload="spawntopfivewindow();" BACKGROUND="pumponsidebck.jpg" TEXT="#FFFF00" LINK="#006600" ALINK="#009900" VLINK="#00CC00" MARGINWIDTH="0" LEFTMARGIN="0" RIGHTMARGIN="0" TOPMARGIN="0"></div> <div> <bgsound src="spooky2.mid" loop="02"></div> <div> <br></div> <div> <CENTER><b><font face="Bony Bones"</div> <div> FONT SIZE="36" font color="00CC00">Pumpkin Carving</B><P></div> <div> <CENTER><font color="#FFFF00" size="4">Nothing better signifies the Halloween spirit than a glowing Jack-O-Lantern,<BR></div> <div> particularly a scary one. Whether it's simply carving a pumpkin to sit<BR> </div> <div> on the door step or holding pumpkin carving parties and contests, this<BR> </div> <div> age old tradition is a main event for young and old alike. Here you will<BR> </div> <div> find both basic and advanced techniques to carve and display your Halloween<BR> </div> <div> pumpkins and have a lot of fun doing it. Please be sure and visit our <a href="http://www.fortunecity.com/bennyhills/elfman/95/patterns.html">Pumpkin<BR> </div> <div> Patterns Link</A> and pick up a pattern or two to use.<p></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Pumpkin Selection</u><br></div> <div> <font color="#FFFF00" size="4">Advance planning is the key to pumpkin carving success. First, decide before<BR> </div> <div> buying your pumpkins what designs you will be carving into them. This will<BR> </div> <div> allow you to create a shopping list or at least a mental idea of the shapes<BR> </div> <div> and sizes of pumpkins you will need. For standard carving decide if it should<br></div> <div> be tall and narrow, or more rounded based on your ideas. Select a pumpkin that is<br></div> <div> ripe, has no bruises, cuts or nicks. If you will be using a template to carve<br></div> <div> your pumpkin, select a pumpkin that is large enough and as close to the same<br></div> <div> shape as the pattern you're going to carve. It should be as smooth as possible<BR></div> <div> and free of scratches, dents or gouges. Care should be taken not to bruise during<BR></div> <div> transport or storage, as this will shorten their life span.<br></div> <div> <img src="moonbat2.gif"><br></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Basic Carving Tools and Tool Care</u><br></div> <div> <font color="#FFFF00" size="4">Care should be taken not to bend knife blades or carving saw blades. Carving<br></div> <div> blades are thin and brittle and are particularly subject to breaking. If you take<br></div> <div> good care of your carving tools they'll last much longer. Always clean your<br></div> <div> tools after use and store them for the next Halloween.<p></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Boning Knife</u></font><br></div> <div> We use this long, thin bladed knife to cut the top hole and any other large<BR> </div> <div> pieces out of the pumpkin.<p></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Modified Paring Knife</u></font><br></div> <div> We took a small paring knife to the grinder to make a very thin bladed<BR> </div> <div> knife for small detail work.<p></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Sharpening Stone</u></font><br></div> <div> Knives work best when sharp and are actually safer because they require less<BR> </div> <div> force to provide the necessary cuts. We sharpen our knives before and during<BR> </div> <div> our pumpkin carving.<p></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Gutting Spoon</u></font><br> </div> <div> We use a large metal ladle type to scrap the inside of the pumpkin to remove the<BR> </div> <div> guts. You can use a grinder to sharpen one edge of the spoon to help speed<BR> </div> <div> up the gutting process.<p></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Tooth Picks</u></font><br></div> <div> If you make a mistake that removes a piece of needed pumpkin, you can use a<BR> </div> <div> tooth pick or two to hold the piece in place.<p></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">All Purpose Saw</u></font><br></div> <div> The All Purpose Saw is used for cutting lids or bottoms of pumpkins. It is also<BR> </div> <div> good for fast carving of larger areas and to develop your skills.<p></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Detail Saw</u></font><br></div> <div> The Detail Saw is essential for carving fine, detailed areas, but can be used<BR> </div> <div> for the entire Jack-O-Lantern.<p></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Poker Tool</u></font><br></div> <div> The Poker Tool is used to transfer your designs onto the face of the pumpkin.<BR> </div> <div> It can also be used for creating small holes.<p></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Drill Tool</u></font><br></div> <div> The Drill Tool is a must for carving round holes.<br></div> <div> <img src="moonbat.gif"><br></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Carving Basics</u></font><br></div> <div> Start by placing the pumpkin on several layers of newspaper, this makes<BR> </div> <div> it much less messy and allows for easier cleanup. With a long, thin bladed<BR> </div> <div> knife, cut out the top of the pumpkin around the stem of the pumpkin. While<BR> </div> <div> you can cut a round circle out, you'll find that cutting a five or six<BR> </div> <div> sided opening will work the best. The hole should be large enough to easily<BR> </div> <div> remove the guts, seeds and stringy membrane by hand or with a large spoon.<BR> </div> <div> When you are finished cutting, simply push out the pieces to view the final<BR> </div> <div> results. Now you're all set to light up your home on Halloween night. Lastly, you<BR> </div> <div> will want to cut one or two small holes in the top of the pumpkin to allow<BR> </div> <div> heat from the candle to escape.<p></div> <div> If you have your opening in the bottom, you can just set the candle </div> <div> down<BR> </div> <div> in a holder and put the pumpkin over it. You can also have a one-bulb holder<BR> </div> <div> replace the candle and plug your pumpkin in. This is good due to the fact that<BR> </div> <div> it lets so much more light glow though the shell of your little demon, the glowing<BR> </div> <div> iron effect again. We prefer the candle though because the flicker is so much<BR> </div> <div> more woodland creepy. Take some nutmeg and cinnamon and rub it into the inner<BR> </div> <div> top of your pumpkin. When the light is turned on or the candle lit, the heat<BR> </div> <div> will bake the spices and fill your home or porch with the smell of pumpkin pie!<BR> </div> <div> Visitors will love knocking on your door with these smells lingering in the air.<P> </div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Carving with Stencils</u></font><br></div> <div> Prepare the pumpkin as you would for basic carving, cut top hole and gut<BR> </div> <div> it out. The only difference is that it is important to scrape the inner<BR> </div> <div> wall of the pumpkin, so that it is no more than 1" thick. This is usually<BR> </div> <div> only a problem with large pumpkins. Select the pattern you want to use<BR> </div> <div> and trim the excess paper from the pattern with scissors. Now attach the<BR> </div> <div> pattern to the face of the pumpkin with tape. If you have difficulty smoothing<BR> </div> <div> the pattern on the round pumpkin you can soak the paper pattern with water<BR> </div> <div> first. Then carefully position the wet pattern over the face of the pumpkin.<BR> </div> <div> The water will allow the paper to better conform to the contours of the<BR> </div> <div> pumpkin. Since the paper will be wet you won't be able to use tape to attach<BR> </div> <div> it to the pumpkin, but you can use thumbtacks. Be sure to allow the paper<BR> </div> <div> to completely dry before attempting to transfer the design.<p></div> <div> With the Poker Tool press the pointed tip into and through the design lines<BR> </div> <div> of the pattern spaced about an 1/8" apart. Complex designs might require<BR> </div> <div> dots closer together. It should be pushed in just enough to go through<BR> </div> <div> the paper and the skin of the pumpkin, not all the way into the pumpkin.<BR> </div> <div> Before removing the pattern, look it over very carefully to make sure that<BR> </div> <div> all the lines have been transferred.<p></div> <div> Now you can start carving or actually sawing. Carefully cut the design<BR> </div> <div> out using both the All Purpose Saw and Detail Saw. It's important to remember<BR> </div> <div> that these are saws, not knives. If you bend or twist the tool to much<BR> </div> <div> it will break the blade. Align the saw blade to make the cuts straight<BR> </div> <div> into the pumpkin. When making sharp corners, remove the saw and re-insert<BR> </div> <div> it at the new angle. Starting from the center of the design and working<BR> </div> <div> outward, push the tip of the saw blade into a hole and saw down the design<BR> </div> <div> lines with a short back and forth motion, while applying light pressure<BR> </div> <div> in the direction of the line you are working on. Basically you're playing<BR> </div> <div> connect the dots. Saw steadily with a continuous up and down motion. Carefully<BR> </div> <div> push cut pieces out with your finger or an unsharpened pencil. Lastly,<BR> </div> <div> cut or drill the vent hole in the top to allow heat from the candle to escape<br></div> <div> <img src="moonbat2.gif"><br></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Lighting and Safety</u></font><br></div> <div> We prefer the traditional use of lit candles in our pumpkins. Votive candles,<BR> </div> <div> placed in clear glass candle holders are safer and last longer. Plain white<BR> </div> <div> candles give off the most light. Remember, any fire, no matter how small<BR> </div> <div> or protected has the potential for becoming a large and potentially disastrous<BR> </div> <div> fire. This should always be the number one concern. Never leave a lit candle<BR> </div> <div> unsupervised. Have a plan just in case a fire does break out and keep<BR> </div> <div> a fire extinguisher readily available and see that everyone knows how to use<BR> </div> <div> it. Never leave children unattended with a lit pumpkin, candles or other<BR> </div> <div> sources of fire. You can also hang pumpkins in wire plant hangers to make them<BR> </div> <div> easier to see and safer from young trick-or-treaters who get overly curious.<br></div> <div> <img src="moonbat.gif"><br></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">A Pumpkin's Life Span</u></font><br></div> <div> Depending on your local weather, a pumpkin can have a carved life of from a<BR> </div> <div> week to only a day. The best way to make a carved pumpkin last longer is to<BR> </div> <div> slow down the dehydration process that accompanies a carved pumpkin. When<BR> </div> <div> pumpkins shrivel up, it's because they have lost moisture. You can usually<BR></div> <div> restore them back to their original condition by soaking them in water<BR> </div> <div> overnight. Once the carving of a pumpkin is complete, we coat all cut surfaces<BR> </div> <div> of the pumpkin with petroleum jelly. This includes a light coating of the<BR> </div> <div> entire inside of the pumpkin. This will help to seal in much of the pumpkins<BR></div> <div> internal moisture and slow down the dehydration of the pumpkin. Because<BR></div> <div> of the amount of pumpkins we carve for Halloween, we usually carve most,<BR> </div> <div> if not all the pumpkins the day before Halloween. Because temperature,<BR> </div> <div> particularly heat, has such an effect on pumpkins, we place them in a refrigerator<BR> </div> <div> immediately after the carving is complete. Depending on the temperature<BR> </div> <div> and humidity, you should be able to get anywhere from 3 to 5 days out of your<BR> </div> <div> carved Jack-O- Lantern.<br></div> <div> <img src="moonbat2.gif"><br></div> <div> <u><font color="#00CC00" size="5">Photographing your Pumpkins</u></font><br></div> <div> Ideally, what you want is to capture the glow from within the pumpkin and the<BR> </div> <div> outside of the pumpkin it's self. The light used to illuminate the outside<BR> </div> <div> of the pumpkin and that of the candles inside is actually a delicate balance.<BR> </div> <div> If you use a flash, you'll over light the surface of the pumpkin and drown<BR> </div> <div> out the light from the candles inside. First off, turn the flash on your<BR> </div> <div> camera off, you don't want it. To help avoid the light inside the pumpkin<BR> </div> <div> from being to faint, we use two or even three candles.<p></div> <div> The best bet is to do one of two things. Wait until dark, illuminate the outside<BR> </div> <div> of the pumpkin with in-direct artificial light, like a lamp and light the<BR> </div> <div> candles inside the pumpkin. The other technique is to take your pictures<BR> </div> <div> around dusk, before it becomes totally dark. Be sure to use a fast film,<BR> </div> <div> ISO 400 or faster is best.<p><br></div> <div> <center><a href="http://www.geocities.com/jdezts/zackshalloween.html"><img src="zackshallo.jpg"></a><br></div> <div> <FONT FACE="Boney Bones" SIZE="4">Presented on October 4, 2000<P></center></div> <div> <CENTER><FONT FACE="Boney Bones" SIZE="5"><a href="http://www.fortunecity.com/bennyhills/elfman/95/funnies.html">Frightening Funnies</A><br></div> <div> <a href="http://www.fortunecity.com/bennyhills/elfman/95/halloween.html">It's Almost Halloween</A><br></div> <div> <a href="http://www.fortunecity.com/bennyhills/elfman/95/pumporig.html">Jack-O-Lantern Origins</A><br></div> <div> <a href="http://www.fortunecity.com/bennyhills/elfman/95/patterns.html">Pumpkin Patterns</A><br></div> <div> <a href="http://www.fortunecity.com/bennyhills/elfman/95/treats.html">Terrifying Treats</A><br></div> <div> <a href="http://www.fortunecity.com/bennyhills/elfman/95/newfile.html">The Twelve Days Of Halloween</A><br></div> <div> <a href="http://www.fortunecity.com/bennyhills/elfman/95/legends.html">Urban Legends</A></b></center><P></div> <div> </div> <div> <CENTER></div> <div> <TABLE CELLPADDING="2" ALIGN="Center" WIDTH="60%"></div> <div> <TR></div> <div> <TD></div> <div> <IMG SRC="http://www.fortunecity.com/bennyhills/elfman/95/pkin7a.gif" WIDTH="105" HEIGHT="130" ALT="[The Bloem's pumpkin]" BORDER="0" ALIGN="Middle" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="10"></div> <div> </TD></div> <div> <TD></div> <div> <P ALIGN=Center></div> <div> <BIG>~ Scream ~</BIG><BR></div> <div> Scream is a screaming Jack-O-Lantern. Scream was adopted by The Bloem's on October 11, 2000 from Nightlyre's <A HREF="http://wolfofyarn.simplenet.com/halloween/adoptahaunt/" TARGET="_top">Adopt-A-Haunt</A> program.</div> <div> <P ALIGN=Center></div> <div> Adopt a haunt today!</div> <div> </TD></div> <div> </TR></div> <div> </TABLE></div> <div> </CENTER></div> <div> </div> <div> <BR></div> <div> <script language=javascript src="http://ss.webring.yahoo.com/navbar?f=j&y=DiSiLLuZioN&u=97146671110042449"></script></div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> <script src='http://files.cometsystems.com/javascript/lc2000.js'</div> <div> language=javascript></script></div> <div> <script language=javascript>TheCometCursor('pumpkin',0,0);</script></div> <div> </div> <div> </BODY></div> <div> </HTML></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>