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When it comes to creating a Halloween pumpkin that is unique to your child, you'll need to break some rules. Although the traditional triangle eyes, nose, jagged teeth, natural orange style jack-o'-lanterns are nostalgic and still a delight, you and your family may want to try expressing your individuality this year and surprise your neighbors a bit with these pumpkin ghosts. You'll “scare” up some good fun with these unusual pumpkins. BOO!

What You’ll Need

pumpkins that stand up well
big knife
smaller knife for delicate work
big spoon for scooping
white acrylic craft paint (black if you want to outline eyes and mouth or paint eyes and mouth instead of cutting them out)
paint brushes
pencil
candle or tea-light in glass votive

Instructions

1. Wash any dirt off pumpkin and dry well.
2. Cut hole (about 3 inch diameter depending on the size of the pumpkin) in the BOTTOM of the pumpkin. Now, carefully, so you don't break off stem, scoop out the “guts” of the pumpkin until you have a clean interior.
3. Paint your pumpkin,stem and all, in white.
4. Draw a scary ghost face with soft pencil on the pumpkin. You may want to practice a few times on a piece of paper to get the right amount of “BOO!” on your ghost.
5. Carefully cut out the eyes and mouth (ghosts don't have noses!). To keep the raw edges from drying out too much, spread just a little petroleum jelly on the cut surface. You may also outline the cut out edges with a little black acrylic paint to make the face even spookier.
6. Place the votive with a lit candle on a safe surface and carefully lower your scary ghost over the votive.
7. You have successfully turned your jack-o'-lantern into a ghost!
8. OPTIONAL for the younger do-it-yourself child: Your child may want to use black acrylic craft paint to paint the spooky eyes and mouth instead of cutting them out. I still recommend cutting the bottom hole and scooping out the insides just to keep it fresher longer.

Submitted by Gramma