Fun with Funkins
I'm a procrastinator. I said we would get our crap together this holiday season and stay on schedule, and yet, I've cleaned my entire house before sitting down to finish the Halloween post. I promised we'd get organized this season and we're going to make it happen, so let's get started!
If you've never heard of a funkin, your mind is about to be blown. The craft stores (Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc) carry fake, hollow pumpkins (aka "funkins). Originally I thought they were cheesey and fake looking and didn't pay any attention to them until I saw one carved and decorated at the store. Then I realized I could carve and decorate a pumpkin that I could actually keep and use every year. There's no substitution for cutting up a real pumpkin and sinking your hands into the gooey center to hollow it out and carve it up. But there's also no substitution for carving a crazy cool funkin and then getting to keep it!
I already owned one of those carving booklets you buy with the carving tools, so I just used that as a template for the funkin I was planning to carve. The booklets and tools are sold at craft stores and most grocery stores at this time of year. You can also find plenty of templates on Pinterest, if you're so inclined. I pinned my template of choice to the funkin with tape and followed the rest of the directions. Poking through the paper along the outline of the image into the funkin and then pulling the template away, leaving the markings behind so I knew where to cut.
Use the pumpkin carving tools (the kits usually come with some pokey tool options or you can always use a handy toothpick). Make sure you poke a lot of holes so you have a clear guide as to where to carve when you pull the paper away. The key to cutting into the funkin is to go slowly and carefully and use the serrated pumpkin knife. You have to use a little force to push the serrated tool into the funkin and then use small sawing motions.
It takes a little practice to figure out what works best for you. If your family is like mine, we all disagree about the best way to carve pumpkins, you'll have to use some trial and error to find what works best for you. Try to pick a template that isn't too complicated for your first time. Not like the one I have pictured here which is crazy and has lots of tiny cuts. I didn't help myself out on that but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Start simple or just go for it. Just be careful that your design doesn't have too many thin lines as the funkin can sometimes tear. Mine tore a little but that's where my handy hot glue gun came into play. Have I mentioned how much I love my hot glue gun?
Once you're done cutting you can toss a battery operated tea light in there and you're done! Do NOT use candles inside your funkins. Seems pretty obvious but I figured I'd better throw that in just in case.
Another great way to spruce up your funkin is to channel your inner Martha Stewart and decorate it with scrapbooking supplies. This is where Pinterest comes in handy because there are lots of non-carving alternative ideas on Pinterest. The photo below are a few of mine. I went a little crazy with the glitter and sparkle. I do love a little sparkle. This is also a good way to get the kids involved. Set up a table with some paint, glitter, sparkles, stick on letters, etc. and let them go to town.
The craft store is your one stop shop for everything you will need for this one. They sell the carving tools if you want to go that route and they also have all the scrapbook supplies you will need to get spooky and creative with your Halloween funkins! As always, consult my friend Pinterest for inspiration and share your photos with me through this site or on my Facebook page. I'm always inspired by your creations!
