Two-Tooth Wide Jack-O-Lantern on a Gravel Path

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Prep and hollow

   Cut a lid from the top at an angle so it cannot fall inside. Scoop out seeds and stringy pulp with a large spoon until the interior wall is roughly 2.5 cm thick. Wipe the carved face area dry with a paper towel.

2. 2

   Mark the features

   Using a dry-erase marker, draw two large equilateral triangles for the eyes and a smaller one for the nose, centering them on the top half of the face. Sketch the broad crescent smile beneath, spanning at least two-thirds of the pumpkin's width. Draw two rectangles on the upper edge of the smile, each at least 3 cm wide at the root, to mark the teeth positions.

3. 3

   Cut the eyes and nose

   Use a small serrated pumpkin saw to cut along the triangle lines. Work the saw in short strokes and let the blade do the cutting rather than forcing it. Push the triangle pieces inward with your thumb once cuts are complete.

4. 4

   Cut the mouth

   Cut the crescent curve above the smile first, then the lower arc. Before removing any material, score where the two teeth roots meet the top edge so you know exactly what stays. Remove the smile sections on either side of the teeth, leaving the tooth rectangles firmly attached to the upper edge.

5. 5

   Clean up and light

   Use a small paring knife to neaten any rough edges. Dry the interior again, place a warm LED tea light inside, and replace the lid. Set the pumpkin low on the gravel path so the wide grin glows at eye level.

Written with AI to match this design