Ring-Tailed Lemur Cutout Jack-O-Lantern

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Pick and prep your pumpkin

   Choose a pumpkin with a wide, smooth face so the lemur's body and arching tail both fit on one side. Cut a lid from the bottom or the back rather than the top, which keeps the front face clean for your design. Scoop the inside until the front wall is about an inch thick so light passes through easily. A thinner wall also makes the fine face cuts much easier.

2. 2

   Transfer the stencil with pin pricks

   Tape the printed lemur pattern flat against the front, smoothing out wrinkles as you go. Poke closely spaced pin pricks along every outline, including the eyes, snout, body edge, and each tail band. Peel the paper away and connect the dots with a pencil so you can see the full picture. Mark the tail stripes you plan to cut versus leave so you do not lose track later.

3. 3

   Carve the small face details first

   While the shell is still strong and fully supported, start with the eyes, nose, and mouth using a small detail saw or a craft knife handled by an adult. Cut the two round eyes and the little snout openings cleanly, leaving a thin bridge of rind between them so the face keeps its shape. Work slowly and let the tool do the cutting instead of forcing it. Small pieces should push out gently once fully cut.

4. 4

   Cut the tail bands with bridges

   Move to the arching tail and cut only every other segment, leaving the alternating dark stripes attached to the rind on both sides. Each uncut stripe acts as a bridge that holds the tail together, so never cut two neighbors at once. Take your time and keep each band a similar width for that clean striped look. If a bridge feels loose, leave a touch more rind rather than trimming it thin.

5. 5

   Open the big body silhouette last

   Now cut the large body outline, working from the center outward and removing the piece in a few smaller chunks rather than one heavy panel. Support the cutout with your free hand so it does not tear away and crack a face detail. Clean up the edges with a gentle bevel toward the inside to let more light escape. Save this big opening for last so the shell stays rigid through all the fine work.

6. 6

   Light it and photograph

   Drop in a battery LED puck or string, never a candle, since the wide openings and thin bridges can scorch. Aim the light toward the back wall so it fills the body and glows through the tail gaps evenly. Set the pumpkin on a porch step at dusk and take your photo before the shell dries out. A dab of petroleum jelly on the cut edges slows drying and keeps the stripes crisp for a few days.