As far back as I can remember, Halloween has been my favorite night of the year. While life has gone along, and the magic and delight of many childhood pastimes have faded in their awe, Halloween night has never dulled. The fun of dressing up as whatever you want to be for an evening, seeing all the amazing costumes other folks think up, the comforting glow of jack-o-lanterns on front steps and porches driving away the dark and damp of the chilly Autumn night, the array of tasty treats (especially cupcakes), and observing Nature winding down into the slumber of Winter are all things worthy of eager anticipation and thorough enjoyment. At the center of it all stands the tradition of creating temporary art out of garden vegetables. Halloween is my idea of fun.
This year, I discovered pumpkin carving tools, and it expanded into a new found outlet of creative expression. I started with my traditional pumpkin fairy house I do every year and went from there. I found that with various sizes of woodworking chisels, you can make stars and swirls, and all manner of designs carved into the skin giving different levels of light. This, I realized, was a whole world of pumpkin carving fun I had been missing out on all my life.
The thick pumpkin walls and glowing candlelight keep away all the little hobgoblins lurking about in the night, so the fairy inhabitants can sleep safe and sound.
This pumpkin was my favorite. It depicted the story of a wild mountain woman who wrestled bears beneath the starry sky.
After carving this one, I had an inspiration to carve “story pumpkins” with folk tales etched on the sides in pictures. I’m already cooking up ideas for next year.
With it being that time of year and all, I have mushroom hunting on the brain once again, so of course there had to be a jack-o-lantern adorned with an array of my favorite woodland morsels.
Which leads to my costume.
I really wanted to be something scary for once. I thought for a long time about what really makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and as a wildcrafter with mushrooms on the brain, the deadly poisonous Destroying Angel came to mind. I needlefelted a wool cap with gills, which I stretched over a straw hat for a frame, donned some white clothing, had a friend do my face up in white makeup and yet more gills, and wore a tag that read “Amanita ocreata” so there would me no mistaking what specimen of mushroom I was supposed to be. When I got a look at myself in the mirror, I felt thoroughly scary. I wouldn’t have wanted to run across myself in the woods. I’d say it was a costume success.
From here, we move around the wheel of the year towards late Fall carrying with us the festive glow lit in all those pumpkin luminaries on All Hallows Eve. As the days grow shorter and we see less and less of the sun, there will be lantern walks, festivals of light, gatherings of friends, and warm meals to share around our tables to keep that glow fortified. While the rain and cold may be on their way, there is also much to look forward to.
Your pumpkins are amazing! I love the idea of carving folk tales on them.
Your costume is great!
Love and light to you.
Your pumpkins are AMAZING! And I love the idea of doing a pumpkin faerie house! Such a brilliant costume as well. Yes. So much to look forward to! Happy new year!
Glad to see you blogging again Lara. Your pumpkins are gorgeous.
The pumpkins are just beautiful.
Warm wishes,
Tonya
Hi! I love reading your blog and am so happy that you're writing once again. I love all your pumpkins, especially your fairy pumpkin. They're all so unique!
So glad to see your post! We have not carved our pumpkins yet. We have four big ones out on our back steps, but last weekend was a blur. That's okay, we'll still carve them. I love the idea of "story pumpkins".
those are beautiful! i love it!