Halloween is a time of year when it is socially accepted to dress up, so it’s one of my favorite holidays. I love the decorations for sure, and one of my favorite traditions is carving spooky pumpkins.
Dear diary:
This week I had to visit my children’s schools to participate in one of my favorite activities of the season: pumpkin carving. I first went with my son on Monday. It was quite an experience since I brought the pumpkins without cleaning them out first, and it was a lot of work. I ended up with some cuts–nothing serious of course–but that part was not the best. In the end, the pumpkins came out spectacular, and I had a lot of fun working with my little one, but he was very tired.
On Wednesday, it was my daughter’s turn. This time I was prepared and brought pre-cleaned pumpkins. I left the seeds inside to create the illusion that we were cleaning them out in the classroom (that’ll be our little secret!). This was an amazing decision because the pumpkin also came out great—just without any more cuts on my hands! I love to put candles inside the pumpkins. I think it gives it a spooky touch no matter if it is day or night.
On Wednesday, I opted for a look that had good mobility and in which I felt comfortable–of course while still being in style. I chose an off-white wool knit jacket with black details, a pair of light blue denim jeans, and the Blade slingback pumps in black patent leather with a metal toe, all from Saint Laurent. I added a touch of color to my outfit in the form of one of my favorite bags: my Hermès Kelly in navy blue.
I loved this outfit because it was a natural reflection of my style, but at the same time provided the necessary comfort to walk around everywhere with the little ones. I think we could call it a “Sira off-duty” look or maybe a “Mom on-duty” look? I don’t know yet. LOL!
Now back to the Halloween celebrations. For those who love this time of year and want to venture into carving their own pumpkins, here is a little guide on how to do it correctly.
- Choose the perfect pumpkin: You have to pay attention when choosing a pumpkin. Look for one that is ripe, and make sure the skin is resistant and doesn’t feels soft or indented anywhere. Try to find a medium or large pumpkin as it will be easier to work with.
- Clean the pumpkin: I am not referring to opening the pumpkin and removing the seeds. I mean that you need to clean the outside well.
- Cut off the stem: First draw a circle around the stem of the pumpkin, then cut around the line with a knife from a pumpkin carving kit. Work slowly and carefully to avoid accidents. An adult should do this step.
- Take out the pumpkin seeds: Now that you have opened the pumpkin, take a large spoon, an ice cream scoop, or the spatula from a pumpkin carving set and clean out all the seeds, fibers, and pulp. This is a difficult job and takes time. The little ones can help but always with adult supervision.
- Draw the face: You can use a stencil to draw the face of the pumpkin or let your imagination and creativity run free (I prefer the second option).
- Cut out the face: With one of the smaller carving knives, very carefully cut out each of the elements of the face. You can work with the kids, just be sure to help.
This is a brief tutorial on how to carve pumpkins, and I hope it helps! As I mentioned, I love doing this activity with my kids since it’s fun and we create something they like. Plus, you end up with an excellent decoration for Halloween.
Happy Halloween everyone!
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