This all started in 1994, while watching "Home Improvement." Tim's neighbor, Wilson, was carving his image into a jack-o-lantern. I said to myself, "Cool! Wonder if I can do that?" So, I ordered a pumpkin carving kit and scanned my own picture into my computer. From there, I manipulated the image until I came up with a pattern. The darkest parts of the picture became the uncut pumpkin, so there could be no dark parts left unsupported. The next year, I learned to use wood carving tools to remove different thicknesses of the pumpkin to make "gray" areas.
Instead of a candle, I use a standard Christmas tree bulb with the paint scraped off. This way, there is no candle to replace, there is no need for a hole in the top (since there is very little heat involved), and the lack of heat helps the pumpkin last longer.
I also found that storing the pumpkin in the refrigerator wrapped up inside a plastic garbage bag greatly prolongs the life of the jack-o-lantern.
One thing's for sure - they certainly make unique gifts!
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