Bear Face Pumpkin With Hanging Pupil Tabs

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Prep and plan the layout

   Scoop the pumpkin to a uniform inch of wall thickness. Sketch the full pattern in pencil before any cuts: two oval eyes with pupils, two crescent brow holes, round nose, smiling mouth with teeth, and twelve forehead teardrops. Confirm that every pupil tab neck measures at least half the pupil width.

2. 2

   Score and cut the teardrop forehead pattern first

   Transfer all twelve teardrops to the upper forehead and cut them in order from the outermost ones inward. Keep each teardrop separated from its neighbors by at least 10mm of rind. Work with a thin-bladed saw and short strokes on the tight pointed tips.

3. 3

   Cut the crescent brow holes

   These are narrow curved slots above each eye. Cut them completely and push out the plugs. Brow holes are structurally isolated, so they pose little risk to the pupil tabs below, but cut them before the eyes to keep the rind taut while you work.

4. 4

   Carve the oval eyes with hanging pupil tabs

   Cut the perimeter of each eye opening, leaving the pupil tab connected at the top. The tab should be broad and flat, not tapered to a thin neck. Test each tab gently with a fingertip before moving on: it should feel firm, not springy. Adults only for this step.

5. 5

   Add the nose and toothed mouth

   Cut the round nose as a simple circle. For the smiling mouth, cut the full outer boundary first, then cut the gaps between the two broad teeth, leaving each tooth rooted at its base. Wide tooth roots prevent breakage even when the pumpkin is moved.

6. 6

   Light and display

   A warm candle or amber LED inside will turn the twelve teardrop holes into tiny glowing amber drops. Place the pumpkin at a slight downward angle toward the viewer so the forehead teardrops are visible from the front.

Written with AI to match this design