Home DIY Tips for Halloween decoration: Making a carved pumpkin

Tips for Halloween decoration: Making a carved pumpkin

by Eva

Halloween carved pumpkin decoration ideas

Whether as an autumnal table decoration or as decoration for Halloween – the carved pumpkin gives the house and garden character from September and gives every room with its natural charm homely touch. But mold and strong sun rays can damage it quickly – so you can marvel at your masterpiece long, you have to make the pumpkin durable. We will help you with some tips – try the tricks yourself and save time and nerves the next time you make an autumn decoration with natural treasures.

36 Halloween pumpkin decorating ideas

 

Preserving pumpkin – Proper storage plays a crucial role

Whether and how long her decoration will last with a carved pumpkin depends closely on the pumpkin. Here are some tips on keeping it fresh longer:

  • So pay attention when you buy so you can choose the best possible pumpkin. He should have a thick stem and a firm shell. Fresh pumpkins can be recognized by the uniform color. An injured shell provides the best conditions for mold growth, as the bacteria can invade the pumpkin.
  • Store the pumpkins in a cool, darkened and well-ventilated room. The less a pumpkin is exposed to strong sunlight, the more durable it is.
  • Turn over the pumpkins daily to avoid pressure marks.
  • Heat and artificial light contribute to decay.
  • Wait with the carving – a carved pumpkin will stay fresh for 2-3 weeks. Save yourself the trouble and duplicate work and instead of carving it, you can paint it first and showcase for 2 weeks. Then you can wipe the colors carefully and hollow out the same pumpkin and flaunt it as a lantern for Halloween.

Halloween Decoration Crafts – pumpkins decorate attractively

 

Make the carved pumpkin last longer

And when you’re ready and want to carve the pumpkin, these tips will help keep it longer:

  • Wash all fruits thoroughly and let them dry completely. This will help prevent germ formation during carving.
  • Do not cut lids – the longer the stem stays, the longer the pumpkin stays fresh. If you want to make a lantern, then you can hollow out a hole in the back.
  • Carefully scoop up the pumpkin with a spoon and adjust as you go. Be extra careful that there are no torn corners.
  • Dilute 15ml of bleach in 1 L of water and immerse the hollowed pumpkin in the solution. Optionally you can mix lemon juice and water 1: 1 and spray with it. The bleach or the lemon juice prevents bacteria and thus forms mold and the pumpkin in a few days does not look so beautiful.
  • Completely dry the pumpkin for a few days in a cool room before carving it. For this purpose, you can wipe the drops of water with a soft cloth, and possibly turn on a fan.
  • Rub the cut edges with petroleum jelly or brush the edges with olive oil. The moisture can also be sealed with other home remedies: nail polish, paint spray, white glue on the pumpkin edge.
  • Make yourself peppermint pumpkin protection from 6 drops of peppermint oil, a cap of peppermint soap, an empty 250ml bottle. Fill the bottle with lukewarm water, add first the soap and then the peppermint oil. Stir well, shake the bottle vigorously and spray the pumpkin inside and out. Optionally you can buy a pumpkin preservative to treat the fruit surface.

Should the pumpkin begin to decay, ice-cold water can help. Simply fill a pot (or deep vessel) with cold water and immerse the pumpkin for 1-2 hours. Then you can apply Vaseline again at the cut edges.

You are planning a theme party for Halloween and you would like to make several lanterns yourself? A tip – to make the carved pumpkin last longer, you can wrap it in cling film and store it in the refrigerator or in the gazebo at temperatures between 2-5 degrees. Store the pumpkins for a maximum of 2-3 days in the refrigerator, otherwise, they can contribute to mold growth.

The lantern in the garden, on the other hand, should be displayed in a wind and rain protected location. Normally, an arrangement with a pumpkin decorates the entrance, the external staircase or the conservatory.

Many pumpkin tools are sold on the market – they should be thoroughly cleaned before and after each use so that no pumpkin flesh remains. To carve the pumpkin as clean as possible, you can first cut out a template and transfer the desired motif to the pumpkin. Only then should you start carving. Beginners will find it much easier to cut out a particular pattern with cookie cutters. At least that’s possible with smaller pumpkins. Medium and large pumpkins, on the other hand, can be perfectly shaped with a sharp cutter. A Jack O’Lantern face arises in no time.

If you want to preserve a pumpkin, then you can hollow it out and cut out a big hole in front. Pumpkin dioramas last the longest because the pumpkin is well ventilated inside. At the same time everything is possible in the design – let your creativity run wild and decorate the pumpkin with homemade ghost silhouettes, bats and co. made of paper!

Carving a pumpkin is not an easy task in itself – if you want to save the effort, you can use several tricks to preserve the pumpkin that has been carved for Halloween. First of all, you should pay extra attention to the fact that the pumpkin has a thick shell and no pressure marks can be seen. Then the pumpkin is thoroughly cleaned and left to dry in a cool room. When carving then the rule of thumb is: always use sharp tools, treat the edges with petroleum jelly or paint spray and carefully excavate the pumpkin with a spoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may also like

3 comments

Pumpkin Lanterns in 20 great DIY ideas | My desired home October 24, 2018 - 6:06 pm

[…] Tips for Halloween decoration: Making a carved pumpkin […]

Original ideas for Halloween stairs decoration | My desired home October 14, 2019 - 7:23 pm

[…] stairs decoration to decorate your home or your business on this unique date. Your decorated Halloween stairs will attract the attention of your visitors or your clients. If your home, your store or […]

Fresh dose with recycling DIY outdoor Halloween decoration ideas | My desired home September 30, 2020 - 7:30 am

[…] scared at all costs is not everyone’s goal. So a few beautifully decorated fall flowers and pumpkins might be enough to create a composition that is meant to be elegant and stylish. As for pumpkins, […]

Comments are closed.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More