Pumpkins and munchkins

This is what I did today with my extra hour. I've never carved a pumpkin before so I didn't really know what I was doing, but I picked up a carving pumpkin, a new knife and 2 munchkins from Sainsburys.

The main pumpkin was modelled around Jack Pumpkinhead. When I was younger, I loved Return to Oz. I was never that fussed with the Wizard of Oz, but I loved the 1985 sequel. Jack Pumpkinhead was one of my favourite characters. So I decided to model my pumpkin on him. I'm so happy with how he turned out! The munchkins weren't the easiest to carve, so they're a little sinister looking, but I'm so pleased with my creations.

These lanterns were initially created as a container for fire, which was said to ward off evil spirits. Turnips were traditionally the containers of choice and they were usually simply pierced to emit the light. Designed to ward off scary monsters, the containers gradually took on the form of the very monsters they were supposed to scare away.

As European migrants travelled to America, the new world, they couldn't find turnips to carve and so turned to pumpkins instead. Nowadays you never really see carved turnips, so I have now embraced the pumpkin too.

I think I'm ready for Halloween!