Pumpkin Carving Contest

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Hey y'all lets carve up some pumpkins this week.

I'll personally give a prize to the best pumpkin you guys can carve up. Expect it to be some Star Wars figures or maybe a vehicle or something. OR MAYBE if someone in Europe wins (or even participates) Jenny might have some SW Robot Chicken swag for them. ;)

I have three pumpkins. I am going to carve them ALL! Well, Ty might carve one. Maybe. I have a feeling I have to clean them all first though.

[Droo]

I carved two pumpkins yesterday, and had them aglow while we watched Most Haunted Live at home. I based the designs on the pumpkins I saw in World of Warcraft! :D

I'll be doing at least two more this week, they won't be anything special but I'll try to make a Star Wars inspired one.

[Nya Halcyon]

I'm not carving anything for a while.........

[Dasquian Belargic]

Yes! Someone carve an awesome pumpkin and I can send you Robot Chicken swag. I have two DVDs and two t-shirts to give away, and whilst the DVDs are region encoded for Europe, the t-shirts can presumably be worn by any human being possessing two arms, a head and a torso! (i.e. I can mail the t-shirts to anywhere in the world)

Droo - I read online today that carving turnips pre-dates carving pumpkins! :D

[Droo]

Droo - I read online today that carving turnips pre-dates carving pumpkins! :D

Haha! We're such traditionalists!

[Dasquian Belargic]

Yes, it's not because we had cheap parents, nosiree :uhoh


The carved pumpkin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin), lit by a candle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candle) inside, is one of Halloween's most prominent symbols in America, and is commonly called a jack-o'-lantern (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack-o%27-lantern). Originating in Europe, these lanterns were first carved from a turnip (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnip) or rutabaga (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutabaga). Believing that the head (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head) was the most powerful part of the body (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body) containing the spirit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit) and the knowledge, the Celts used the "head" of the vegetable (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable) to frighten off any superstitions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstitions).<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference">[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween#cite_note-6)</sup> The name jack-o'-lantern can be traced back to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingy_Jack), <sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference">[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween#cite_note-7)</sup> a greedy, gambling, hard-drinking old farmer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmer). He tricked the devil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil) into climbing a tree and trapped him by carving a cross (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross) into the tree trunk. In revenge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenge), the devil placed a curse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse) on Jack, condemning him to forever wander the earth at night with the only light he had: a candle inside of a hollowed turnip. The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America,<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference">[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween#cite_note-8)</sup> where pumpkins were readily available and much larger, making them easier to carve than turnips.

Not only are we carving purists, but we also are more dedicated to the craft, since it requires more effort to carve a turnip!

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Post pictures! :D

[Dasquian Belargic]

Of what, turnips?

[Lilaena De'Ville]

No no, carved pumpkins. Or carved turnips. :p Sorry I should have said "Post pictures, DROO!" ;)

[Razielle Alastor]

I let the kids do most of the work this year .. :o

Maybe I'll go buy more... <_<

[Flux]

The art department here is making a huge event of pumpkin carving on Thursday. I'll make sure to borrow a camera and take pictures.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

To get you in the pumpkin carving spirit:

http://www.geekologie.com/2008/10/knife_skills_champion_pumpkin.php


Congratulations to Ray Villafane, a sculptor for DC Comics on his win Sunday night on the Food Network's Pumpkin Carving Challenge. The six and half hour event pitted four pumpkin carvers against each other in a three part competition. Part one involved a traditional Jack o Lantern. Part two: 3D sculpture. The final part, which was worth half of the points was the freestyle competition.

[Nya Halcyon]

Holy Crap!!!!!!!!

[Mandy with an I]

The art department here is making a huge event of pumpkin carving on Thursday. I'll make sure to borrow a camera and take pictures.

You better!

I might carve Batman in my pumpkin, saw one that was neato in a thread on Something Awful.

Edit - scratch that, I found something way more awesome! Carving mine today :D

[Banner Laverick]

Okay, I'm logged in under the wrong name, and my camera is a POS, but here is my pumpkin. First attempt at scraping a pattern into the pumpkin.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/mneh/WTFever/001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/mneh/WTFever/003.jpg

Here's a link (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v484/mneh/WTFever/?action=view&current=pumpkin0001.jpg) to the pattern I used - mini Marvel Venom!

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Ooooh, cool!

[Dasquian Belargic]

Nicely done :)

[Mandy with an I]

Thanks. I used a potato peeler ^_^; lol.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Well since its my contest I can't really win but here are my pumpkin (the knight) and my brother's (the animal orb) . . .

[Liam Jinn]

Has someone been playing Castle Crashers?

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Perhaps.... :mischief

[Mandy with an I]

That's super sweet :) I really want to do a puking pumpkin next year.

[Liam Jinn]

Mrs. LD, I think it's cheating using a light bulb in a pumpkin!

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Um, I used tealight candles? :lol

[Mandy with an I]

Mrs. LD, I think it's cheating using a light bulb in a pumpkin!

Some people do use light bulbs, Mr Jinn. :p

http://www.duarte.com/halloween/
^Those are awesome pumpkins. I love the Carved Crusader.

[Liam Jinn]

Um, I used tealight candles? :lol

Tealight Candles? I'm pretty sure that means light bulbs..

[Liam Jinn]

Some people do use light bulbs, Mr Jinn. :p


Yeah, cheaters.