Sun and Moon Pumpkin With Teardrop Ray Apertures

Prepare and transfer the template

Scoop the interior to a firm, even wall. Print the template with the sun circle, crescent moon, teardrop ray positions, and small dot accent positions clearly marked. Perforate all outlines and review the spacing between elements. Each teardrop ray should have at least a half inch of solid rind between it and the adjacent ray.

Cut the crescent moon

Begin with the crescent moon, cutting the outer arc first and then the inner arc to remove the piece. Go slowly at both crescent tips to keep the points clean. Place the crescent on the side of the pumpkin face that suits your display angle.

Cut the sun circle

Cut the round sun circle with a jab saw, keeping the blade perpendicular throughout. Pop out the disc cleanly. Center the sun on the remaining rind space so the teardrop rays will have room to radiate evenly around it.

Mark and cut the teardrop rays

Use a ruler to draw lines from the sun circle edge outward, dividing the surrounding space into equal segments to mark the center line of each teardrop ray. Cut each teardrop as a small pointed oval, keeping both the pointed tip and the rounded base end smoothly curved. Work around the circle in order, alternating sides after each ray to maintain balance.

Add the small dot accents

Punch or cut the small round dot accent holes in the remaining rind spaces between the teardrop rays, using a round punch cutter or apple corer. Keep each dot hole at least a quarter inch from the nearest aperture edge. These small accents complete the folk-art celestial character of the design.

Light and display on the garden bench

Place a warm LED inside the pumpkin centered between the crescent and sun positions. Display on the garden bench at a slight forward tilt so both the crescent and the full set of teardrop rays face outward toward viewers. The warm amber glow through the teardrop ray shapes produces a distinctive folk-motif effect.