Nebraska State Map

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Pick a flat face and open the lid

   Choose the broadest, smoothest side of the pumpkin for your canvas. Have an adult cut a lid around the stem at an angle so it drops back in later without falling through. Scoop out the seeds and pulp with a sturdy scraper. Clear the whole inside, then focus on the section behind where the state will go.

2. 2

   Transfer the Nebraska outline

   Print a Nebraska state shape sized to fill most of the face, leaving a border of skin on all sides. Tape it flat and poke the outline with a pin or awl, spacing dots close along the flat top, the stepped southwest notch, and the wavy southeastern border. Remove the paper and connect the dots lightly with a marker so you can see the full shape. This dotted map is your cutting guide.

3. 3

   Thin the wall behind the shape

   Before cutting all the way through, use a ribbon or scraping tool to shave the inside of the pumpkin down within the outline. Aim for a wall around a quarter inch thick so light passes through evenly. Work slowly and check the glow by holding the pumpkin up to a lamp. This is what gives the whole state that soft, uniform amber wash.

4. 4

   Cut the outline through

   With a small serrated carving saw, cut along your dotted line using gentle in-and-out strokes. Start with the flat northern edge, then follow down the gently irregular southeastern border and into the stepped southwest notch last. Keep the blade straight up and down so the edges stay crisp. Support the piece with your free hand and push the cutout inward, then pull it out cleanly.

5. 5

   Clean the edges and test the light

   Trim any ragged bits along the cut with a paring knife or detail blade so the silhouette reads sharply. Wipe the cut edges dry. Drop a battery LED tea light or puck light inside, never a candle, and replace the lid. Check that the light fills the state shape evenly and touch up any thin spots that stay dark.

6. 6

   Set it out and photograph

   Place the finished pumpkin on a flat porch surface at dusk for the best contrast between dark skin and glowing shape. If the interior dries out, rub the cut edges with a little petroleum jelly to slow shrinking. For photos, keep other lights low so the amber map pops. Refresh the LED batteries before each evening display.

Written with AI to match this design