How to make a mini Jack-O-Lantern

How to choose and carve mini Jack-O-Lantern gourds, and a few tricks on how not to cut yourself while doing it.

Step 1 Choose a Gourd

The first step is pretty obvious; you need to choose a gourd. For this step it is up to you discretion but you will want to choose a gourd that is not too small or too flat. If it is too small you probably won't be able to fit the spoon in to gut the gourd. If it is too flat you wont have enough room to work with inside, and it will look odd.

Comments

[fred123454]

Very nice knife selection...

[chuCraft]

Great instructable! A question, though: Is there any reason you cut a hole in the top to scoop from and then another in the bottom for the light?

[J_Hodgie]

I cut the top out because it makes it look more like a jack-o-lantern, but it also allows the heat of the candle to escape, otherwise the face would dry out faster.

[Magnus]

Just a suggestion: what about using a simple LED for lighting it?

[J_Hodgie]

I have tried lighting in previous years with LEDs, but I prefer the effect of the candle light. It looks cool if you put a led in each eye and hide it in a bush near the door.

[ryzellon]

Nothing beats candle light for the flickering spookyness, but for places like offices or dorm rooms, an LED is probably the wiser option. The LED also tends to be brighter, so you can get light coming through the areas that aren't even cut. Sometimes this works against you by washing out the pattern, but sometimes it looks really cool. For a temporary display to entertain the kiddies visiting the dorms years ago, I made a wee lantern and tucked a LED keychain into a plastic baggie and tossed it into the pumpkin. Close quarters, lots of tots, and a wooden building meant that a candle would have been a poor choice. (Entertaining kids with a tiny glowing pumpkin is one thing, entertaining kids with a massive blazing building is another.)

[frickelkram]

Now i know what I did wrong all the time ... ;-)

[romulocalderon]

anybody have pumpkin carving patterns? plz sendme a PM

[Yowzaboodle]

One more suggestion: it's possible to clean it out through the hole in the bottom, and so cutting a lid isn't necessary unless you like the look. Thanks for the cutting technique--that works pretty well, even for a klutz like me.

[J_Hodgie]

If you are going to use a lea light or flame in the gourd you need a lid for ventilation. Otherwise this is a good idea for fewer cuts.

[JonathanPeterson]

I've done one almost exactly like that to decorate my cubicle (didn't core the bottom out for the votive candle, nice). The coolest thing about the little squashes is that they don't rot (maybe they have less water?) - the shrivel up into dried up littel scrunchy faced shrunked head looking deals. Carve one soon and it'll be excellent by halloween (or put it in your oven on low for a few hours).

[JordanZed]

Cool. I think I'm going to make one. I thought it was bigger until I saw how big the tea light looked compared to it. Great instructable!

[leafdude]

Hey there - just a suggestion - you could use a Dremmel tool to avoid the 'blood.' Then again, it would add to effect... :-)

[J_Hodgie]

I didn't use a dremmel because knowing me, I would have slipped. Using the method I described it is almost impossible to cut yourself and at least I have more control then a dremmel.

[TheCheese9921]

prety nice just makes them esayer to smash on devils night lol

[supes]

great job...i was being bugged to help make one of these things..tea light...great idea