Category: Daily Happenings

Daily Happenings, Holidays, Style

6 Tips for Carving Pumpkins

Lora Knows...

While most have their Halloween traditions, none seems more iconic, to me, than pumpkin carving. This annual ritual began in Europe and made its way to the United States in the late 1800s, and am I ever glad it did!

Handling pumpkins can be quite messy and pose maintenance challenges. So go ahead and indulge and use the five tips below to make your pumpkin carving adventure smoother, and maybe less messy.

Tip #1: Instead of carving from the top, try cutting an opening in the pumpkin’s bottom. This unconventional method yields a cleaner pumpkin design and simplifies the process of lighting it up. Just lift the pumpkin, place a battery operated push light on the ground and carefully replace the pumpkin over it.

Tip #2: Upgrade Your Scoop: If you’ve ever wrestled with stubborn pumpkin seeds and stringy innards, and complained there has to be a better way, there is! Use a sturdy metal ice cream scoop – it is much stronger than the flimsy plastic scoopers found in carving kits, making the task much easier.

Tip #3: Sketch with Finesse: Use a dry-erase marker when outlining your design. These markers are much easier to use than their permanent counterparts. Plus, when you are done cutting any of the residue can be wiped away with a baby wipe.

Tip #4: Reinforce with Toothpicks: Accidentally severing a piece of your pumpkin might make you give up, or feel like you ruined the design. Fear not! Use toothpicks to discreetly reconnect the sections.

Tip #5: Add a Dash of Spice: Spice up your pumpkin carving by dusting the interior with ground cinnamon. This not only infuses your creation with the delightful scents of autumn, but also keeps those little animals like squirrels from nibbling on your Halloween masterpiece.

Tip #6: To find templates you can search online for printable pumpkin templates.

Now you’re ready to kick-up your Halloween festitivities with some fun pumpkin carving. Be sure to share the outcome with me.

Daily Happenings

Mmm… Smells Like Fall

Lora Knows...

Fall is filled with many pleasant scents you can use to make your home cozier, such as pumpkin spice, apple pie, and cider. Try simmering slices of apples and oranges with cinnamon in a pot on the stove, burning fall-scented candles, or decorating your home with bowls of potpourri made with cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and dehydrated oranges.

On the Stove:

Take a pot and fill it about 3/4 of the way up with water. Then add all ingredients:

  • 2 apples – sliced
  • 1 orange – sliced
  • 3-5 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 t. ground nutmeg
  • 1 t. whole allspice

Bring the pot to a boil on the stove, then simmer for as long as you want! You’ll have to put more water in as it evaporates, and when you do you can throw in a few fresh ingredients as well. I promise your entire home will be smelling like fall in no time. 

You can also do this in a crockpot, leave the lid off so the aroma can fill the air.