Retained Saguaro Cactus Pumpkin in an Oval Window

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Prep and hollow

   Cut the back lid and scoop to an inch-thick wall. Select a wide pumpkin so the oval window has room to breathe around the retained saguaro. Dry the face before transferring the template.

2. 2

   Transfer and color-code

   Transfer the oval outline, the saguaro shape, the rib slot positions, and the three accent circle positions using a stylus. Mark the saguaro body and all retained rind in one marker color and the oval window background and accent circles in a second color.

3. 3

   Cut the oval window

   Use a fine-toothed saw to cut the oval frame first. Work in short arcs, rotating the pumpkin as needed. The oval cut sets the outer boundary of the entire design and must be complete before any background sections inside the window are removed.

4. 4

   Remove background from the window

   Cut the open background sections within the oval on either side of the cactus. Start from the widest sky areas at the top and work downward. Confirm that both arm-to-frame bridges and the trunk-to-base bridge remain solid after each section is removed.

5. 5

   Cut vertical rib slots

   Use a linoleum V-tool or a narrow detail knife to cut short vertical slots into the retained trunk and arm surfaces. Keep each slot well within the solid cactus body, at least a quarter inch from any bridge contact point. These slots cut fully through the rind and glow individually when lit.

6. 6

   Add accent circles and display

   Punch the three small circle holes outside the oval window using a circular cutter or detail saw. Place the battery LED inside and display on gravel near a garden wall at night. The contrast between the dark cactus silhouette and the lit oval background is the design's focal strength.

Written with AI to match this design