05.27
It’s summer here in the U.S., but we like to keep our Halloween skills sharp. We’d really like to try out some new pumpkin carving techniques that we’ve seen, but pumpkins aren’t in season. Then, we remembered a summer cookout we attended some years ago, where they used a carved watermelon lantern as a centerpiece. This lantern was carved with a tropical scene; palm trees and a setting sun, and as the day lengthened into evening, it provided a welcoming glow to the party.
That memory got us thinking about what other kinds of fruit and vegetable carving might be possible, and so we began looking around for ideas. Here are some of the wonderful, amazing and, wow, sometimes unbelievable ideas that we found!
Watermelon seems to be a good alternative to pumpkin carving. They have roughly the same kind of anatomy: sturdy skin, thick rind and soft, scoopable “guts”. The great part of carving watermelon, is that the inside is edible, while a pumpkin’s is not. We found a lot of great ideas for watermelon carving, from simple to very intricate.
Just as in pumpkin carving, the skin of the watermelon can be cut away entirely, pierced, or removed in layers. In this example, cutting through the green rind to expose the red meat of the melon, makes a striking contrast. The addition of the carrot beak and olive eyes, attached with toothpicks, complete the look of this fruit sculpture. We think this would be a delightful centerpiece for a summer graduation party!
We can only imagine the time and planning that went into this incredible carving. It might not be for beginners like us, but it’s so beautiful, we just had to include it to show you the possibilities. Our research indicates that you should start small, so we will be practicing on potatoes until we are good enough to attempt something of this magnitude! We are certainly looking at watermelon in new and exciting ways!
Melons aren’t the only thing we want to try carving! When we were young, we remember visiting an antique store, where we found the most wonderful doll. It was an old woman with a shawl, and her face was so perfectly wrinkled, and almost leathery. The store owner told us that she was a dried apple doll. We did the research at the time, learning how to carve and dry the apples to make the “shrunken heads” that can be hung and used as eerie decorations at Halloween, as well as the basis for these homemade art dolls. Unfortunately, we had many interests at the time, and our plans for an army of shrunken apple heads got lost in the shuffle. These images might be just what it takes to get us back on that track! These to require patience, however, since the apples can take 4-6 weeks to dry completely.
There’s not a lot of carving involved in making this flock of sheep from cauliflowerr florets, olives and black-eyed peas for the eyes. We haven’t been able to figure out what the legs are made of yet, so please, if you have any ideas, let us know! We do know that these are excellent after school snacks, served with a little dip. The kids love to make them, too!
There are hundreds of ideas out there for fruit and vegetable carving! So, if you are like us, and need to keep your Halloween skills up to snuff, or if you’re just feeling a need to be artistic with produce, check around the internet for more wonderful and whacky ideas for carved fruits and vegetables. We have to leave you with one final watermelon carving, because it is PERFECT for Halloween and you know, that is our passion. Ladies and Gentlemen, and Zombies of all ages, we give you…the watermelon BRAIN!!!!
The city currently hosts a number of haunted tours. Depending on your interest, you can visit the cemeteries, which are particularly eerie. These old graveyards feature above ground burials, small mausoleums and crypts which give the impression of walking through the cities of the dead. According to legend, many of the cemeteries are hubs of paranormal activity. These same tours will escort you to places of interest in the legends of Voodoo in New Orleans. If neither of these interest you, Ghost and Vampire tours are also offered. The latter became wildly popular after New Orleans resident, Anne Rice, set many of her Vampire novels in the city.
A few of the many ghosts that you might encounter on your visit, include:
Whether you are planning a Halloween party, or providing entertainment for your neighborhood trick or treaters, the holiday would not be complete without a haunted house. Providing a scary place with surprises around every corner will attract more kids than a bag of goodies you could hand out. There are a few things to consider when planning your haunted space, and we have listed some here, along with suggestions on how to achieve spooky on a budget!
Fences, porch and large trees in the backyard will supply the base for the walls for your haunted space. Sturdy clothesline can be strung between the house and these elements, with poles for support every six feet. Old sheets, pinned to the clothesline, that reach to the ground will make great corridors. You can purchase these at second hand stores very inexpensively. The sheets can be spray painted in dark, spooky colors and patterns, to add to the atmosphere. Provide lighting by using strings of Halloween lights, usually available in purple and orange, to cast an eerie glow. Black lights and strobe lights will also help set the mood, and still give enough light to safely navigate your haunted maze. Make sure that you include an open area, partway through, both as a feature, and to provide an “escape” for kids who might become too frightened to continue. This open area is the perfect place to build your haunted graveyard. Using plastic headstones and body-sized patches of potting soil, make “fresh” graves. Use plenty of fake spider webs on all your outdoor elements to add to the creepiness.
Scary props can be purchased, rented, or homemade. Stuff clothing to make dead bodies. Stuff a cloth bag to make a head and add a scary mask for personality. Alternate these with the occasional volunteer, dressed as zombies or vampires, who can reach out and startle your visitors. Use Halloween sound effects, or music CD’s to add to the mood. A well-placed fog machine will help create that perfect haunted atmosphere, and will also disguise some of the normal, everyday things that might remind your guests that they are just in your backyard, not the haunted grounds of Dracula’s castle.
Children are four times as likely to be injured on Halloween than on any other night of the year. Most concerned parents have developed their own Halloween safety checklists. Based on the recommendations of the National Safety Council, the American Academy of Pediatrics, The Center for Disease Control, and the Los Angeles Fire Department, we propose the following guidelines in preparation for the holiday:
6. Review with your children the principle of “Stop-Drop-Roll”, should their clothes catch on fire.