Inky Marina!

Today is Halloween! The holiday started off with the arrival of a special guest, Sophie Desmarais! She's visiting me for a few weeks on her trip around the United States. She and Violet already knew each other; they met when Sophie visited Utah. That's Violet on the left, and Sophie on the right. Can you tell them apart? It's tough.



I thought it would be fun if we did another holiday tutorial. This time, Sophie, Violet, and I are going to teach you how to carve a pumpkin into a jack o' lantern! You start with a pumpkin, of course.



Start with a nice big pumpkin. The one Sophie has in this picture isn't quite right- when you try to carve it, it is so hard that it can't be made into a jack o' lantern.



Carefully use a knife to cut a lid into the top of the pumpkin. Make sure you cut at an angle so that the lid doesn't fall right inside the pumpkin!



Then, scoop the guts and seeds out of your pumpkin. You can use a spoon, but it's more fun to use your hands! The guts feel nice and gooey. Blehh!



Separate the seeds from the pumpkin guts. Save them in a small bowl so that you can roast them later on. Pumpkin seeds are a delicious snack!



Once your pumpkin is all cleaned out, draw a scary face on it! Try not to be too detailed if this is your first time carving a pumpkin- it's harder than it looks. If you don't like scary jack o' lanterns, try something like a kitty. That's what Iris and I did on our pumpkin a few years ago.


Using a sharp knife, very carefully cut face out of your pumpkin. Violet is a pro, but if you are a kid, you should probably ask a grown-up to do it with you.



Once your pumpkin is carved, choose a small candle to put inside your pumpkin. The candle is what turns it into a jack o' lantern! A tea light is an excellent choice. Then, ask a parent to come and light your candle.



Voila! Close the curtains or turn off the lights so that you can see the jack o' lantern glow. Awesome! You're done!



When your jack o' lantern is lit, invite your friends and family to come hang out. Happy Halloween! I'm so glad Violet and Sophie are here to celebrate with me.

Love,

Inky