Preserve it. You can preserve your
pumpkin to make it last longer by
spraying or soaking it in bleach or cold
water. After you soak it, make sure to
dry it completely to avoid mold. As an
added preservative, apply petroleum
jelly to the cuts. This jelly acts as a bar-
rier to lock in moisture and slow down
the dehydration process.

OTHER PUMPKIN DIY IDEAS
You don’t have to carve a pumpkin to
decorate it. There are also many beau-
tiful but spooky alternatives to carving
a pumpkin for your Halloween decor.

You can paint them, decoupage them,
or cover them in fabric or tulle. You can
embellish them with flowers, gems or
gauze. You can even repurpose them
and turn them into fall-inspired serving
bowls, drink coolers or flower vases.

Here are two easy alternatives:
DECOUPAGE To decoupage fabric onto a pumpkin,
cut strips of fabric one or two inches
wide. To determine the length needed,
measure from the stem to the bottom
center of the pumpkin. Apply decoup-
age medium directly onto the pumpkin
with a paintbrush. Place one fabric
strip, and apply another generous layer
of decoupage medium on top of the
strip. Continue applying strips until
your pumpkin is covered. Allow it to
dry completely.

COOLER To make a drink cooler, choose a
large, wide pumpkin. Follow the tips
and tricks above for cutting the lid,
removing the seeds and pulp, and
scraping the wall. Do not carve it.

Place a glass bowl inside the pump-
kin. Fill the bowl with ice and place
a bottled beverage inside. Consider
embellishing the pumpkin by paint-
ing it or attaching paper bats to the
outside. This pumpkin drink cooler
is perfect for Halloween parties and
get-togethers. BOUQUET
Using a medium to large-sized pump-
kin, complete the carving steps above
to hollow out the pumpkin. Then,
turn the hollowed-out pumpkin into a
vase by taking a pre-arranged grocery
store bouquet, holding the stems right
below the flowers, and trimming all of
the stems at once to a length that fits
the pumpkin. Place the shortened bou-
quet into your pumpkin and voilà — a
perfectly festive flower arrangement.

The pumpkin is officially an icon
of autumn. From Halloween through
Thanksgiving we can’t get enough of
them. So now that you know why we
carve pumpkins and how to carve one,
it’s time to make it a family tradition.

Carve them, line them up and light
those Jack O’Lanterns! ■
Dinah Wolfe is a DIY expert and
runs a successful home décor, craft-
ing and DIY blog.

1 Use dry erase markers to trace designs. Use dry erase markers to draw
designs directly onto your pumpkins before carving. Unlike permanent
markers or even pencils, the markings will completely wipe off clean with a
wet paper towel once you’re done.

2 Place silica gel packs at the bottom. Those little silica gel packs that
you find in shoeboxes can serve a great purpose. Put them in the bottom of
Jack-o’-Lanterns to extend their life. The packets not only trap moisture, but
they also prevent mold.

3 Sprinkle on some cinnamon. After you’ve finished carving, sprinkle a little
cinnamon on the bottom of the lid or base of the pumpkin. Because of this,
when you light your Jack O’Lantern, it will smell just like pumpkin pie!
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