Carve A Great Pumpkin

I found this article about carving a great pumpkin. There is some good advice in this article. Me and my son are actually going to carve his pumpkin tomorrow. Happy carving everyone.

Glowing jack-o-lanterns are Halloween's most enduring symbol. Safely carve one, two, or more with your kids this year!

By Mary Goodbody



Whether you prefer simple carved faces on pumpkins or more elaborate designs, begin with a smooth, blemish-free pumpkin bought from a local market or pumpkin patch.

Choosing the Pumpkin
Look for evenly colored orange pumpkins with attractive stems. Never pick the pumpkins up by the stem - hold them underneath.

For most jack-o-lanterns, choose medium-sized pumpkins with at least one smooth side for the face. Have the design or pattern in mind when you shop, so that you can select rounded or oval pumpkins.

Very large pumpkins are time-consuming to carve, although one big one among the others makes a dramatic statement.

Small pumpkins can be carved into simple grinning or grimacing faces, or left untouched and nestled among the carved jacks.

Tools of the Trade
While ordinary kitchen knives and spoons do an admirable job, investing in a few other tools will make the task easier. Some of the tools should be only be used by adults, while others can be safely used by a child supervised by an adult.

Tools should be sturdy and sharp. If you plan to craft a detailed design, a flexible cutting saw is essential. These are sold in pumpkin carving kits, and many can be safely used by a child supervised by an adult. X-Acto knives and flexible boning knives work, too, but should be used by the adults.

Adult can use ice picks, large nails, and Stylus tools serve as pokers for outlining a stencil design.

Children can safely use a flat ice cream scoop or sturdy metal ladle for scooping out the seeds and pulp.

Preparing the Pumpkin
Trace the design on the largest, smoothest, most shapely side of the pumpkin. Use a pencil, marker or crayon.

If you use a stencil, lay it over the pumpkin and poke a series of tiny holes around the outline of the design. Use the poker tool for this.

Cut the lid without marring the design. Angle the knife inward to form a cone shape and cut a five- or six-sided lid. A round lid with straight sides can fall into the pumpkin.

Clean out the inside of the pumpkin. Take special care with the bottom of the jack-o-lantern so that the candle or flashlight can stand upright. Scrape the side for the face very clean and remove enough flesh so that it's about one inch thick.

Carving
Use a sharp boning knife and a paring knife to cut out the design. Make small, careful cuts. Remember not to cut through teeth!

Push the pieces out of the pumpkin with your fingers. Inspect your handiwork and then clean up any imperfections.

Storing the Jacks
Don't carve the pumpkins until a few days before Halloween, particularly if you live in a warm climate.

In most regions, jack-o-lanterns last for only two or three days. If it's cool outside, keep them on the porch. If you have an old refrigerator, put them in it when you aren't displaying them.

Move them out of direct sun during the day. Keep them as cool and shaded as you can.

If they start to shrivel, submerge them in a tub of water and let them soak for an hour or longer to absorb moisture.

Rubbing the cut sections with petroleum jelly helps hold in moisture, too.

Cute Halloween Craft

CRAFT MATERIALS:
Pipe cleaners
Four-hole buttons
Stick-on googly eyes
Synthetic spider web
Double-sided tape

Time needed: Under 1 Hour
1. Bend a pipe cleaner into a V shape. Push the base of the V up through one of the buttonholes until it protrudes 1/2 inch. Then, bend the 1/2-inch length over the top of the button. Use the same method to thread the three other pipe cleaners through the remaining buttonholes.

2. Next, shape the legs (there should be eight, of course!) by bending the pipe cleaner ends first 1 inch from the button and then again 1/4 inch from the tips. Stick the googly eyes onto the button between the front legs.

3. To create a web, the easiest option is to use a synthetic stretching spider web (sold at most novelty shops for under $2). If you can't find one, use a thin sheet of cotton batting. Stretch the web across a doorway, using pieces of double-sided tape to anchor the sides to the door frame. Then, set your spiders in the web wherever you like -- their legs will stick easily to the fibers.

I received this email today

This is a great idea. With so much negativity in the world today its great to hear of something like this. If everyone of us would do this we could change the negative energy and turn it into something positive. For those of you that have never heard of Lifebushido it consists of building a global network of people working part-time from home with flexible hours using their unique talents.

Here is quick list of how you can help Ghosting It Forward:

Keep on Ghosting It Forward! You could ghost 3 people per day virtually or at local stores or random people on the street. It does not have to be a ‘thing’, it could be a poem you wrote or a nice note to make them smile.
Post ideas or stories of ghosting success to blog as they happen. Blog: See www.ghostingitforward.blogspot.com. You can post to blog yourself by emailing: ghostingitforward.blognow@blogger.com. That way anyone can see them.
See video on website and make a www.youtube.com video with tagword of GHOSTINGITFORWARD and send us link or post to blog.
Send to PTA leaders at your elementary school or contact principal as idea for whole school to teach positive ideas to launch Monday 10/27/2008 for week of Halloween.
Contact your local community paper and they will likely do a story on web or paper within a week for Halloween. How fun would it be if your children were in the newspaper for starting some nice in your neighborhood?
Check website every day or so – we will be adding more things.
Email me your craziest big picture idea and I will likely have connections and devote resources to make it happen. Anything is Possible.


Thank you again for your positive words and vibes. It makes me feel good about the risk of trying something crazy like this idea.



Keep in touch,

Steve





Steve Kantor

President

Lifebushido

Halloween Costumes for dogs

For those of you that have dogs here are a couple of really interesting costumes that I found. I love the yoda one. My son is a Star Wars fanatic and would love this one.

Just saw this

This would be a great way to make some extra money if you drive a lot. I know with gas prices so high I havent traveled as much but this might be worth it. If you drive 40 miles a day or more and live in a big city. Then you could quailify for Gas for free. Its a program that will give you up to $299 per month for driving around with advertising banners on your car. This seems really interesting I just signed up and will let everyone know if I hear back from them.

Very Cute Halloween Treat

This is too cute. Me and my son will be making this one for sure.

Monster Coffin Cake



What you need

1/3 cup KOOL-AID Grape Flavor Sugar-Sweetened Soft Drink Mix
2 Tbsp. hot water
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
4 OREO Cookies, divided
1 pkg. (10.75 oz.) frozen pound cake, thawed
10 JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
1 JET-PUFFED Marshmallow
Black decorating gel 3
worm-shaped chewy fruit snacks PLACE drink mix in large bowl. Add hot water; stir until drink mix is completely dissolved. Add cream cheese; beat with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping with wire whisk. Remove 1/2 tsp. of the cream cheese mixture for later use; set remaining cream cheese mixture aside.

Make it

CRUSH 3 of the cookies; place cookie crumbs in shallow dish. Set aside. Cut cake lengthwise in half. Frost cake top with some of the remaining cream cheese mixture. Dip in cookie crumbs until evenly coated; set aside. Place cake bottom on serving platter; frost top and sides with some of the remaining cream cheese mixture. Place cake top next to cake bottom to resemble coffin lid. Frost sides and cut side of cake top with remaining cream cheese mixture.

PLACE remaining cookie in center of cake bottom to resemble a body. Line up two rows of 3 mini marshmallows each at bottom of "body" to resemble legs. Place 2 miniature marshmallows on sides of "body" to resemble arms. Place large marshmallow at top of "body" to resemble head. Using reserved 1/2 tsp. cream cheese mixture, attach 2 miniature marshmallows to sides of "head" to resemble ears. Use decorating gel to draw mouth and eyes. Top cake with fruit snacks.

UGH

So I still can not find a job. I was layed off almost a month ago ugh. I have posted my resume everywhere I can think of but no response.I have a cosmetology license, but really do not want to go back to doing hair. Its hard work being on your feet for so many hours a day. I just heard that the unemployment rate is the highest its been in 17 years wow. This economy has been so screwy lately. At least gas prices are going down here in St.Louis the prices are down to $2.92. I never thought I would be excited about gas prices going below $3 a gallon. Well thats it for now.

What a Wild Night

So my day just got a little worse. I was taking my 7 year old son out for ice cream when we can to this stop light and the light could not have been any greener. There was this white cadalac at a compete stop at the green light. I was going about 40 mph and I kept honking and all of a sudden I ran right in the back of him and then the car behind me hit me so I got sandwiched pretty much. Turns out it was an 80 year old man who told the police man he got confused. So he received a citation. So I'm not sure what is going to happen now. In the state of Missouri if you run into the back of someone it is automatically your fault. But what if someone is stopped at a green light and its an old man who is confused and really should not have even been driving. He also said he never heard my horn when I was laying on the horn. So I'm pretty sore right now but me and my son and everyone else involved in the accident is ok which is the important part. Cars can obviously be replaced. The back of my Honda civic is really messed up the bumper is basically just hanging by a thread. But stuff happens and I wont let this ruin my day.

Whewwww What a week

Hey all. It has been a crazy week for me so far. Just been busy, busy ,busy and trying to find a job. The job market really sucks right now. I'm just having the hardest time finding anything at all. lam very hopeful though and trying to stay positive. I went to my hynotherapist on Thursday. It went pretty well she is great. I told her that I wanted her to input positive thoughts into my head. I felt so much better after seeing her I think its really helping me with my depression and anxiety. My mom has gone to her as well but she went their for weight loss. My mom was eating a lot before she saw the hypnotherapist and she never used to exercise and she also was drinking 2 pots of coffee per day. Now she drinks 2 cups of coffee a day, exercises at least an hour everyday and hardly ever eats. She losing a lot of inches and has lost 15 pounds so far and its only been three weeks.

Self Help Books

I have been reading a lot of self help books lately which has really helped me with my anxiety and depression. The book Im reading write now is wonderful its called Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen. Its the best self help book Ive read so far. He is a senior pastor of Lakewood Chruch in Houston Texas. This book has encouraged me to stay positive and live everyday like it is my last. Im all about bettering myself.

Stressful Week

So today I found out that Ive been laid off from my job. Which really sucks because this is the second time this year I have been laid off from a job. The economy is just really crappy right now. I know so many people that have been laid off. But what goes down must come up. I'm determined not to let this hold me back. Im going to stay positive and just find another job.

Moving Forward

So here is a little background about me and living with anxiety and depression. I was diagnosed with it when I was 14 and I'm now 28. So I have been living with this for a long time. I have tried everything from pills to counseling, hell now I'm even seeing a hypnosis therapist. I have only seen her twice, but I serious think that it is beginning to work. I have more pep in my step, Im not worrying as much about what people think about me. I know its going to be a slow process but I'm determined to over come this disease that actually affects millions of Americans. I used to feel like I was so alone and the only one with this disease but I'm learning that this affects way more people than I ever imagined which is really sad. But I'm determined to over come this and try and help as many people as I can overcome this with knowledge and positive thinking. After all knowledge is definitely power.