How To Carve a Jack-o-Lantern: HubNuggets Halloween Pumpkins

Fall was definitely in the air. The crisp autumn breeze smelled like wine - a heady mix of ripe apples, and the subtle tang of wood smoke. The HubNuggets Team was hard at work in the garden behind the clubhouse, reaping the results of their summer labors.

"The potatoes did well this year!" ripplemaker turned over another hill, carefully unearthing the reddish-brown treasures.

"These carrots are so crunchy and delicious!" RedElf munched down another of the freshly-washed vegetables.

"Harvest first, snack later!" chorused the team. They were familiar with the kitty's garden predations.

"Do you think the pumpkins are ready?" asked Enelle Lamb.

"Pumpkin pies are yummy anytime," said Patty Inglish MS. "Let's head over to the pumpkin patch and check them out."

The pumpkins were ripening nicely - a few were even ready to be harvested.

"Hey, gang, we can get a jump on our "Halloween How-To" hubs with some pointers on carving Jack-O-Lanterns," said Simone.

"Great idea!" Maddie chimed in. "...and while we're picking pumpkin patterns, we can offer some tips on "How to Write a Great Hub" and "What To Do If Your Hub Is Nominated."

Patty offered a tip for a tasty Halloween snack:

• Select a ripe pumpkin and carefully remove the top, keeping the stem attached. With a large spoon, scoop out the seeds and pulp. Set them aside. Rinse the cleaned pumpkin carefully, and set aside for carving. Pick the seeds from the pulp, and toast the seeds on a baking sheet brushed lightly with safflower oil. Sprinkle the warm seeds with sea salt and a pinch of dill for a yummy, heathful treat.

Maddie's safety tip:

• Fingers and sharp knives don't mix well. Little fingers can help scoop out the seeds, but always have an adult do the initial carving. ...and never let Jason near any big knives, especially machetes - remember Friday The 13th: HubNuggets Horror at Crystal Lake Camp!

Simone's tip for writing a great hub:

• Choose your topic carefully. Do your homework, and make sure your topic is not only of interest to you, but is also something your readers will enjoy. Find the best keywords for your topic. Keywords, or tags, are the search terms that will lead readers to your hub. Make sure that you are really interested in your topic. Your enthusiasm will shine through in every word.

Enelle was next with her tip to help you transfer the pattern to your Jack-O-Lanterns:

• Fit the pattern to your pumpkin. If necessary, a photocopier can be used to enlarge or reduce the pattern to the correct size. Using masking tape, securely attach the pattern - you don't want it to slip. Using a sharp pointed tool, poke holes along the design lines, piercing through to the top layer of the pumpkins skin so the lighter inside pulp shows.

RedElf's safety tip:

• Kitty claws are very sharp and leave a nice clear pattern of holes on wooden furniture, er, I mean, on pumpkin rind. Some kits come with a piercing tool, but an older child could also use an awl, a knitting needle, or small, sharp knife. Younger ones may need some help with their piercing tool. Luckily, this is such a fun family project, there will be plenty of adults to help out.

ripplemaker's practical advice on writing compelling hubs, from her hub "Writing Prompts: Creative Writing Ideas":

"There are many ways to stimulate and prompt your creative juices. Sometimes reading other people's work will inspire you to write something of your own. Words and phrases can stimulate your senses. Photographs and sceneries are feasts for the eyes. Your experiences and your own imagination will take you far and beyond. Keep sharing. Keep writing."

ladyjane1's tip for carving fabulous Jack-O-Lanterns:

• Create your own designs. Even the littlest ones have great fun drawing their designs. You and your family could have a contest to see who can draw the scariest Jack-O-Lantern face. Then, choose your favorites, and draw them on the pumpkins with felt-tip markers, or transfer the patterns by poking holes through, as you would with commercially purchased patterns.

KoffeeKlatch Gals safety tip:

• It's better to remove the rind a bit at a time, rather than to try to cut through all at once. A very sharp knife is needed to cut all the way through, so this is best done by an adult. You can also draw the design on the pumpkin with a colored marker - then younger children can color their Jack-O-Lantern with acrylic paints or felt-tip pens.

Jason's tips for HubNuggets Nominees:

• If your hub is nominated in this week's HubNuggets contest, make sure you spread the word. Promote your hub - Blog about it, Digg it, Tweet it, Twitter it, post it on facebook - tell everyone you know to check out your awesomeness on Hub Pages, but please avoid posting your links in comments or forum threads!
• Winning HubNuggets are featured in the weekly HubPages newsletter. That means your link goes out to more than 120,000 readers, with the potential to bring in traffic, page views, and earnings.