When we moved into the house we are in now, the previous owners had some sweet little girls who’d been working hard on their pumpkin garden. They had plans to have a pumpkin selling stand on the corner near Halloween. They needed to make some money:) When they left, they asked us to take care of thier pumpkins and make sure they were watered.
…add a little stress to the move. Not only keep plants alive, but to help them grow too? HA! It’s a good thing they are pumpkins and you don’t have to do too much!
Missy came over and mentioned how they did
pumpkin scarring
with her kids one year and I should try it too. I’d never heard of it so why not try?
Pumpkin scarring is when you take the top layer of pumpkin skin off when the pumpkin is small and while the pumpkin grows the ‘scar’ will grow as well.
One of the little girls who ‘owned’ this pumpkin patch was named Jilly, I tried it out on her’s.
I took a pen to the pumpkin and did the best block letters I’ve done since Junior High. Remember when block letters were the cool thing? Oh wait you don’t? Then never mind…
Take an exact-o knife and cut around the letters. Not too deep. Just a little.
Here is one with the other daughter’s name, Livia. I also did one with the letter ‘B’ for Ben. I had to try it on a few just in case…I figured if they worked it would be really cool and if not I could go grab some more pumpkins at the store and pretend they were the ones from the garden:)
See the thin layer that is peeled off? Keep it thin.
Then let the month or month(s) roll by…and tada! One scarred pumpkin that has a name in it. This pumpkin in claimed by ‘B’ aka Ben. (Okay I know the pumpkin is small and didn’t grow very much…at least I didn’t’ kill it)
My little Buzz light year was so excited to take these to our Halloween party and give Livia, Ben and Jilly their pumpkins.
It worked out great and next year my girls want to make sure to scar their pumpkins!
Cute way to decorate a pumpkin non jack-o-lantern style so they can stay out through Thanksgiving!
Hope you are all over your sugar buzz…
Thanks ladies for letting us link up!
Monica says
wow, what a great idea!
Nataliekaren says
cute idea…just have to remember it for next year!
jen says
I’ve been wanting to try this. Now that I’ve seen it, it doesn’t look as hard as I imagined. Thanks!
.-= jen´s last blog ..A Few More Treats for the Tricksters =-.
Bobbi says
I have never heard of this, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I can’t wait to do this.
.-= Bobbi´s last blog ..Pumpkin Scarring =-.
Missy says
This is so fun! My kids loved seeing their names as part of the pumpkin when we tried it. Nice pics Alison!
Alysha says
What a clever idea! I’m sure it’s so fun for kids to have their “very own” little pumpkins and watch them grow! Someday…when I have a pumpkin patch (and a yard) I am going to try this!
Shelley says
How fun! Great twist from normal carving. 🙂 Makes me want to grow a pumpkin patch.
Shannon @ Cozy Home Scenes says
I’ve never heard of scarring a pumpkin, but then again I’ve never grown them either. I bet the girls really appreciated that you kept their garden going and especially that you thought of them enough to “make” special pumpkins just for them.
stacy says
What a cute idea! I will have to try this next year.
somedaycrafts says
I saw this on a different blog and she had some really cool designs carved in her pumpkin. They looked absolutely beautiful scarred. Wish the pumpkins I plant would actually grow!!!!
.-= somedaycrafts´s last blog ..Fall Framed Twigs =-.
Darcy says
I posted to your facebook but thought I’d add it here, too. One of our local farms allows us to come scar pumpkins for halloween. They have us do it while the pumpkin is still green. We take a ball-point pen and write/carve into the pumpkin. First year we didn’t write hard enough, so this year we did it again. Here’s a photo of the one the farm did…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ddesignz/5068281159/
Maren says
Now I’ve got to grow pumpkins next year! Thanks Alison!
Marni says
That is wonderful!! …and your photos are fantastic! I love the colors!
Please do come by and visit me! Or, I’ve got my Organized Mess on Facebook now, will you “like” me?
.-= Marni´s last blog ..Love you to the moon and back =-.
Heather - Chickabug says
This is such a cool idea! I’ve never heard of such a thing. I might have to start a pumpkin patch next year just to try it (which I’m sure the neighbors would LOVE – ha!)
PS. GORGEOUS photos, Alison!!
Josh says
This makes me want to grow pumpkins. Wish I could have seen this last year. LOL. Thanks for sharing.
Erin C says
I have also seen people use a soldering iron and it makes very intricate designs. Might want to try 🙂