Pumpkin Carving Fun for Halloween
Baby in a Pumpkin picture is a thing on Instagram. A lot of parents are doing it. I'm usually not a big fan of hypes. But this one, there is only one chance in your child's first Autumn. I imagined my daughter in a pumpkin. Off to Target, I was:
Let's explore how I carved a pumpkin for the Baby Pumpkin Picture. I will share the final result at the end.
Materials Needed
First, you need a large, handsome pumpkin. Most major grocery stores have them around the Fall season: Walmart, Target, Ralph's (Kroger's unique name for Southern California), Publix, Trader Joe's, etc. Pick one that is big enough to fit your baby, has a clean surface, and make sure to check for bugs or any rotten parts.
If it's your first time, grab a tool set too. I bought one from Target for 5 dollars: 2 carving knives, 1 tracing tool, 1 spatula, and a stencil booklet.
You will need a flat surface, some paper towels, a pen or pencil, and a large circular object like a bowl or pan.
Carving Instructions
1. Put the handsome pumpkin on a flat surface.
2. Clean the outer part of the pumpkin with a wet towel and dry it.
3. Take a big circular object and put it on top of the pumpkin around the stem, and draw a big circle on the top of the pumpkin.
4. Using the big knife, cut the top part. Just stab deep first, then use a sawing-like motion following the circle. Make sure you are not cutting off too much of the pumpkin. You want it to look like a pumpkin, not a bowl.
5. Scrape out the pulp and seeds. There were a lot more than I expected. Use the spatula and hand. You can save these on the side for now.
6. Draw 2 smaller circles at the bottom of the pumpkin for the leg holes. Your child will be sitting inside the pumpkin with legs out. I had to cut out a couple more times to make the holes big enough.
7. Let the pumpkin dry. If you live in a cold region, keep it inside.
You are done prepping!
Taking the Picture
- Early in the morning or late afternoon is the best for the optimal lighting. We took the picture at 3 PM and had a bit of trouble with tree shadows.
- Put the pumpkin on the grass. Gather some leaves and spread them around the pumpkin.
- If your child is too small, put a towel inside the pumpkin to raise the seating height.
- Put on a hat, headband, or a ribbon in fall colors (orange, brown, ivory, white, etc.) on your baby.
- Make sure to get a lot of pictures quickly. Your child might get sick of sitting pretty soon. Take pictures from many angles.
- If you have rattles or toys that make noise, bring them. Use them to get your baby's attention towards the camera.
- Be cautious with pumpkin rolling when your baby moves around a lot. We almost had it flipped upside down.
Here is a peek at my try. Our daughter thankfully enjoyed sitting in a pumpkin and gave us plenty of time to take photos and videos.
Reusing the Pumpkin
The pumpkin was $6 from Target. One photo shoot seemed like a waste of $6. It was my first carving experience. So I tested my artistic abilities on the other side of the pumpkin.
I didn't use a stencil. I found inspiration from the Google Search and drew it on the pumpkin. The carving took about 15 minutes. It turned out pretty good!
My cats were interested in my Jack O'Lantern for a split second, then they walked away. I think they were impressed. I think..
Pumpkin's Got A Lot To Give
Let's not waste any of the pumpkin. The seeds we put aside earlier can turn into a yummy snack. I baked the pumpkin seeds in the oven. Just be careful eating them. They are crunchy, but they can get stuck between your teeth or poke and hurt inside of your mouth.
Conclusion
The Baby Pumpkin photo was a fun project. Just like any other thing, if you snooze, you lose. There are very few chances to make this happen. Babies grow fast. A lot of things are now or never. Try it. You might be able to find your hidden talents along the way. Just like why you should do the "holiday things," take a chance and make a memorable day with your family. We had a blast in the neighborhood park taking pictures.
Happy Spooky Halloween!