Bunchland

Some yams are brimming with personality.

Yams make great Jack-O’-Lanterns because they are nice and large, often conical in shape (which makes for a great hat), and when they burn they smell like a dream. Also, since they are a root vegetable, these guys can have all kinds of  growths and hairs that add character to a face.

Yams might give you a bit of guff when carving because they’re hard as rock when they’re raw. An apple corer will be your best friend. Scrub off the vegetable first and cut off the bottom so it has a flat base. Begin hollowing it out with an apple corer, and then use a pairing knife to empty it completely, leaving about a half inch thick skin or however much you can manage. Then sketch your face on the outside and carve. Top it off with its pointy hat and behold, a yam monster!  Read more...

Pomegranates may not be convenient for a grab and go breakfast, but they make one heck of a Pom-O’-Lantern

If you tire of the bristly Pineapple-O’-Lantern and the weighty Zucchini-O’-Lantern, switch to a sleeker canvas – the pom.

The pomegranate’s cardboard-like skin makes it easy to carve and allows it to last quite a long time after hollowed out. Their rich burgundy colour also projects a warm radiance, which makes them ideal for a centerpiece or to arrange going up a staircase. Valued for their beauty and uniqueness, this millennia-old fruit has been portrayed in paintings and wood carvings for as long as they’ve been cultivated. Da Vinci, Cezanne, and Dali all incorporated these ruby gems into their paintings.  Read more...

Summer squash is not just for summer

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we can all concentrate on what fall is really all about: getting ready for Halloween. For the month of October, we’re helping you transform your house into a den of happy haunting by offering unique Jack-O’-Lantern ideas. Check out last weeks pineapple how-to!

This week, it’s all about zucchinis. If you dared to grow these rampant veggies in the summer, you may still have a lot of zucchinis on your hands. If you’re searching for a way to keep them out of your dinner, make them into jack-o’-lantern’s, we say! Since zukes are technically a summer squash, they have a thick, durable, smooth skin that can be carved to really show off your artistic abilities.  Read more...

Thinking outside the pumpkin

This is the first post in our series of idea offerings for unique Jack-o’-lanterns. Getting into the spirit of Halloween means decorating your place, but REALLY getting stoked about Halloween means making place stand out like a witch’s warty nose. The humble Jack-o’-lantern is a festive decoration and fun craft, but why should it be made exclusively using pumpkins? Besides, pumpkins might not be as easy to come by this year thanks to a little hurricane called Irene. If you can stick a candle in it, you can make a Jack-o’-lantern out of it, we say.

Today, we’re feeling inspired about pineapples.  Read more...