Category Archives: Halloween – How Do You Carve YOUR Pumpkin?

October 31, 2025 · 6:05 pm

Happy Halloween 2025

Pngtree

“It’s Halloween, everyone’s entitled to one good scare.” ~ Brackett – “Halloween” – 1978

I hope that you’re having a happy celebration today.

Latest sketch/painting.

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I’ve been up much of the night. We’ve been having a LOT of rain – still coming down now – and causing leaks from my windows. I have rolled up towels on all the window sills, and am making the rounds, wringing them into my bucket, and putting them back.

I brought my drying rack inside from the balcony and set up the sheet under it to catch drips while I drape towels over it and have the fan going to try to dry the towels as I can.

I’m hoping this is a ‘last hurrah” of “The Rainy Season. “It’s November 1st here, the official start of “The Cool Season” where the temperatures only get to the mid 80’s or so.

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We are planning to go visit Harvey in the nursing home later this morning. I’m hoping we don’t have to reschedule due to flooding and continuing hard rain, but we’ll see.

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Happy trick or treating and other fun tonight. Save a candy bar for me, please. 🎃👻💀

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October 30, 2025 · 8:40 pm

Halloween in Chiang Mai

https://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/citynow/whats-on/food-and-drink/the-ultimate-halloween-thrill-at-onenimman/

I hope this link works for you. It shows one type of entertainment for the whole family going on today, which is already Halloween.

I did this yesterday.

I regret that the world is such that Halloween can’t be the simple child-centered holiday it was back in the old days when I was young.

I loved planning ‘what I would be’ each Halloween, using things I found around the house. We never bought store costumes. We loved searching the house for things that would make up our ‘costumes,’ sometimes wheedling, sometimes begging to be allowed to use something that had to be returned in perfect shape after the celebration was over.

My friends and I, usually a group of about six girls, would then walk down the hill toward the neighborhood where houses were much closer together and people really got into the spirit of trick-or-treating. They left their porch lights on if you were welcome to knock at the door. Many of the yards and porches were decorated with wonderful stuff, cute or scary.

My favorite treats were little candy bars. I liked the milk chocolate ones best, being a chocoholic, but ANY candy bars were wonderful. I also loved to get cookies or chips.

When our bags were full, we limped home, tired but elated by our celebration and freedom. My parents made my brother and I dump our goodies on our beds, where they received a cursory parental inspection. Back in those days the main threat was a razor blade in an apple. Then we could choose one big thing or three little things to eat. The rest went back in the bag to be doled out by my mom at her discretion. Those were the days!

I wish you a Happy Halloween – either today or tomorrow – wherever you are. I hope you have a great celebration.

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October 24, 2025 · 12:13 am

Spooky Day Is Near…

Dracula – PureWow

Mummy – PureWow

Tiger – PureWow

PureWow

Ray Villafane

Ray Villafane at work.

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October 20, 2025 · 11:29 pm

Ready for Halloween?

PureWow – Witch

PureWow – Angel

PureWow – Peter Pan

Ray Villafane

Ray Villafane

Ray Villafane

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October 17, 2025 · 9:48 pm

Halloween Fun

I think it’s much more fun for kids and parents to decide what a child should ‘be’ and then figure out how to achieve the look together, rather than simply going to the store and choosing something. Lasting memories are made each year by figuring out ‘what you’re going as’ – figuring out what you already have or can make that can contribute to the look, and deciding what you need to add from elsewhere.

Pirate – Todays Parent

Princess – Todays Parent

Skunk – Todays Parent

I’ve always been fascinated by pumpkins and trying to create Jack-O-Lanterns. When I was a child, we didn’t carve pumpkins. My dad had a disabled arm due to a childhood accident, and so was unable to do this, and my mom simply had no interest, not wanting to get involved with something so messy.

As I grew up, though, I tried to carve a really simple Jack-O-Lantern. I managed to get through this without cutting my arm off, though I did require band-aids a time or two.

As an adult, I was no better, though I continued to try each year. Then I discovered the work of Ray Villafane, a man I consider to be the master of pumpkin carving, bringing it to an art form.

Ray Villafane – RayVillafaneStudios.com

Ray Villafane – RayVillafaneStudios.com

Ray Villafane – RayVillafaneStudios.com

I hope you’re making plans to trick-or-treat, party, or give out treats to children this holiday in the states. In Greenwood, Arkansas, adults would get together and provide a haunted house and scary path for the kids. It’s also a great idea to volunteer to help give a party to provide a safe place for parents to bring their children. Have fun!

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October 14, 2025 · 7:23 pm

Celebrating Halloween

Martian – Today’s Parents

“Every day is Halloween, isn’t it? For some of us.” — Tim Burton

Mime – Today’s Parents

“It’s Halloween. Everyone’s entitled to one good scare.” — Sheriff Leigh Brackett, “Halloween”

Pinata – Today’s Parents

“In masks and gowns we haunt the street and knock on doors for trick or treat.” — Jack Prelutsky, “It’s Halloween”

Pinterest

“It was a lovely and exciting night, exactly the kind of night Halloween should be.” — Eleanor Estes, “The Witch Family”

Pinterest

“On Hallowe’en they all jump off the roof and fly!” — Ice Cream Boy, “Practical Magic”

Pinterest

“And skeletons dancing to a tune; and cries of children stifled soon; and over all a blood-red moon.” — Conrad Aiken

Pinterest

“A lantern in his hand he bears, the way by night to show; and, from its flame, he’s got the name of Jack O’Lantern now.” — Hercules Ellis

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October 9, 2025 · 8:56 pm

Halloween 2025

I found out that Halloween is known as the “Ghost Festival.” People dress up and prowl the streets, but I don’t know if kids trick or treat.

Meanwhile, I have found some cute children’s costumes and neat Jack-o-Lanterns I want to share with you. 😀

“Cherry Cupcake” – Today’s Parent

“Cow” – Today’s Parent

“Cowgirl” – Today’s Parent

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Hope you have a great Halloween this year!

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November 1, 2023 · 10:10 am

Withdrawal Help for Halloweeners

Do you get caught up on all the hoopla around a holiday and have trouble going on with life afterward? Here are some skeleton art images that hopefully will help us through today and get back to ‘normal.’

These were gathered into an article by Ezzly on hubpages.com. I hope they helped you as much as they did me.

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October 31, 2023 · 4:02 pm

Phunhaus’ Favorite

This was shared with me by ‘phunhaus’ as her favorite decoration for Halloween. Can you imagine the reaction of the neighborhood kids plus spider-phobes? :0)

While we’re at it, I found a couple more images to get you in the mood for the critters tonight –

@Britton65Sam on X

Steve Blumke

Enjoy your night!

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October 31, 2023 · 9:55 am

Just Beautiful

https://twitter.com/i/status/1715294558802628884

Thanks to Jonathan Slater – @paulsla1539372 on X

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October 31, 2023 · 9:50 am

Skeleton Friends

These images were in an article by Ezzly on hubpages.com

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October 31, 2023 · 9:41 am

Boo! Halloween 2023

Pinterest

This HAS to be my all-time favorite Halloween decoration. He’s just so awful he’s cute. I wish I knew who had created him.

Steve Blumke

I had never heard of Steve Blumke before, but apparently he is to Halloween decorations what Ray Villafane is to pumpkin carving. They are both masters.

sun-gazing.com – Sam – @Britton65Sam on X

I’ve talked to you about my sometimes fantasy of having a huge hole dug in our back yard so I can throw my husband in it. Maybe I should consider the timing as during the Halloween season….

I wish you the happiest of Halloweens tonight!

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October 30, 2023 · 9:27 am

Halloween Sweet Treats

I love all the ghoulish, scary stuff that people create for Halloween. I laugh at the wonderful skeleton art and simply can’t find enough of that. There is also a SWEET side to Halloween through photography and artwork that rounds out the “special-ness” of the holiday nicely –

“Seasonal Greetings” – Mr. Barghest – @Mr_barghest_ on X

“Let Spooky Season Commence” – Mr. Barghest – @Mr_barghest_ on X

Gregario Catarino – @gregcatarino1 on X

And the award for one of the sweetest Halloween photos I’ve EVER seen goes to – cutigers-@cutigs1 on X – My heart simply melted into a puddle when I saw this. Still does. :0)

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October 30, 2023 · 9:05 am

Halloween-Eve 2023

Amy D. Pinterest

Pinterest

Sandy Brower – Pinterest

Artur Luczak

I’m delighted that people are getting into ‘skeleton art,’ and I’m a bit disappointed that they haven’t expanded the creativity and humor into other holidays yet. Maybe one day.

In the meantime, Artur Luczak shows us how a master carves a pumpkin (or two) into works of art.

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October 29, 2023 · 9:38 am

Oooooh!

Source Unknown – Sorry. These costumes would be particularly good on rainy, cold Halloweens, except you’d need a way to free your hands to gather candy and other goodies.

Pinterest – I think I would stay clear of this guy. Isn’t he wonderful? Not clear if this is a costume or a yard decoration. Whichever, I love it.

Pinterest – I think this is SOOOO creative. Might even give you nightmares if you met him on the street…

YouTube.com – I would definitely think twice about trick-or-treating at this house.

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October 28, 2023 · 10:37 am

Countdown to Halloween 2023

BT – @bikertrash68 on X

Each year I look to see what’s new in pumpkin carving, costumes, and decorations. I found these cute children’s costumes –

All of these children’s Halloween costumes were provided in an article on BoredPanda.com by authors Inga Korolkovaite and Janus Caunt

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October 20, 2023 · 9:53 am

Pumpkin Carving is an Art

I’m in awe of someone who can not only carve a pumpkin, but make something truly unusual. When I was carving pumpkins each year with our son, I really tried my best, but I did little better than the traditional jack-o-lantern, managing not to cut my arm off in the process. We had fun, but it was embarrassing for me, as well.

Look at these –

Bethany Lowe

mbcreativestudio.com

theholidaybarn.com

thisoldhouse.com

Each year I look for new ones, and each year I manage to find what I consider more wonderfully creative pumpkins. I hope you enjoy them, too.

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October 18, 2023 · 9:59 am

Halloween Past

@cutigers on X

My dad and I shared Halloween and the 4th of July as our favorite holidays.

I remember one Halloween when my dad, who was 6’2″ tall and skinny as a beanpole, dressed up as a pregnant nurse. I was just a child. I wish we had gotten a picture I could share with you, because as I think of it, I can see him right in front of my face, and I keep smirking and snorting with the memory.

My dad wore glasses and had a mustache and short goatee type beard. I don’t know where he found the nurse’s uniform, but he wore an old style nurse’s cap on his head with a blond wig, and his glasses, beard, and mustache hanging out. He put a pillow under the uniform part, and wore ‘hose’ and white sneakers. He wore a stethoscope around his neck and carried a HUGE syringe in the pocket.

He had made up a whole speech to go along with his costume. The only other memory I have of that Halloween was my parents’ friends laughing so hard they had trouble standing up. In fact, several took one look at him and made straight for a chair in our living room, laughing their heads off.

My dad has been gone a long time now. He said, “Remember me laughing.” It was a long time before I could, but as the years pass, I remember not only HIM laughing, but all the rest of us, as well.

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October 12, 2023 · 9:05 am

Halloween and Creativity

The Pioneer Woman

Pinterest

Back in the Dark Ages, when I was trick-or-treating, we came up with our own costumes. We might buy an accessory or two, but mainly we decided who or what we would ‘go as,’ and then start trying to put the look together. It was fun, and part of the joy was the figuring out who your friends ‘came as,’ and if they would ‘get’ your costume goal.

Then there was a period it seemed like kids and their parents just wanted to buy their favorite characters off the shelf at a store. Homemade things were just sad at that point, and stores charged more and more for you to buy the ‘in’ costumes.

Now it seems that anything goes, and I love that. Each year I scour the Internet to find out what is new this year, and the creativity of people thrills me. The costumes just get cuter and cuter and the decorations and pumpkins improve exponentially each year, although I would have sworn they couldn’t.

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October 11, 2023 · 10:52 am

Halloween Memory

mbcreativestudio.com

My husband and I still feel bad when we think of one Halloween years and years ago when our son was about 5.

My husband decided to ‘get into the spirit’ and went out and bought a rubber mask. He tied a pillow around himself to give himself a hump back, made a hole in a large piece of burlap and pulled it over his head, then donned the mask. He looked really gruesome. He was proud of his costume and looked forward to trick-or-treating with our son, plus scaring kids who came to the door for candy.

Well, even though our son had watched the whole process of making the costume and watching my husband put it on, when it was altogether our son freaked. He was scared and crying. When it was obvious that our son was really upset, my husband took the costume off and took our son trick-or-treating while I handled our visitors.

When he got back, our son was sleepy, so he spread out on the couch while my husband put the costume back on and proceeded to have a grand time scaring all the kids. I had to go out and buy more candy because the word spread and I think the whole neighborhood turned out to see the scary thing at our house.

Even when the holiday was over and the mask was on the floor where we encouraged our son to stomp on it, if he wanted, or put it on – which he refused to do – our son still wasn’t happy until my husband put it away – far away.

A mixed bag of memories, for sure. Our son still remembers the mask, and NOW loves the idea…

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October 9, 2023 · 10:13 am

Halloween Nostalgia

Costume-Works.com

Back when I was a young child (before 1492 and Columbus) I would make my own costume and my friends and I would go trick-or-treating in a group by ourselves, promising to stay in the neighborhood to the south of us and to be home by a certain time.

The only thing we worried about back then was the possibility of a razor blade in the middle of a caramel apple. Since I wasn’t a big fan of those, I didn’t worry at all. My favorite treat was a candy bar.

I have so many wonderful memories of Halloweens with my friends. We talked and laughed, ran and danced, filled our sacks or other containers with goodies to pour over when we got home.

It makes me a bit sad that the holiday has had to change so much due to the way of the world now. I’m glad that kids can still dress up and either go to a Halloween get-together, a haunted house, or do a bit of trick-or-treating with mothers driving slowly behind them, or taking them by the hand. Better than nothing, but oh, I wish kids could experience the freedom and joy we did!

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October 2, 2023 · 9:22 am

Halloween 2023 – 1

diydarlin.co

I love Halloween – the feeling, the creativity people show regarding costumes and decorations, trick-or-treating, Halloween parties, and more.

I have fond memories of trick-or-treating with my friends when I was in grade school – a hundred or so years ago. Back in the dark ages, it was safe to actually go trick-or-treating. A group of us would head out to the neighborhood behind us where the houses were closer together and the Halloween spirit was high. People would turn on their porch lights or keep their house doors open to show kids they were welcome.

We wouldn’t stop until our containers were full and we hardly had the strength to walk all the way home again. It was glorious.

The only warning back then was to be careful of apples because some bad people might put a razor blade in them. Since an apple was the least favorite thing I might gather that night, I could readily ‘watch out’ for that! :0)

I loved the freedom of that night. Being with friends so late at night, sharing the one night a year it was okay to gather and then eat candy, the day we donned our costumes and enjoyed the houses decorated for the occasion.

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October 31, 2022 · 8:48 am

Happy Halloween 2022!

Even though the world has essentially ruined Halloween for me, I still love seeing Ray Villaphane’s pumpkin carving, wonderfully creative handmade children’s costumes, and terrific displays with skeletons. I have wonderful memories of Halloweens as a child, and that will have to suffice.

We don’t have trick-or-treaters at our house because we live on the top of a ridge line up a steep gravelly driveway. The few kids that DO trick or treat nowadays are smart enough to go to the wonderful neighborhoods where the houses are closer together and most people have their porch lights on in welcome, enabling them to quickly gather goodies.

Dierk Schaefer photo-flickr.com

The ‘goody’ I wanted when I was a kid was a chocolate bar. When I got home from the gathering, I quickly went though everything to see if I had been lucky enough to get one.

historymaniacmegan.com

The only thing we were warned about was the possibility of a razor blade being imbedded in the middle of an apple. I didn’t worry, even if I DID get an apple, because to be honest, fruit was the furthest thing from my mind on Halloween.

Ray Villafane-m.imgur.com

Have a wonderful celebration tonight!

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October 27, 2022 · 11:26 am

More Amazing Ray Villafane Halloween Pumpkins

Ray Villafane Pumpkins – dailymail.co.uk – Tara Brady – Barcroft Media

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October 22, 2022 · 9:33 am

More Pumpkins by Ray Villafane

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October 20, 2022 · 9:07 am

Halloween is Coming

Ray Villafane Pumpkins – dailymail.co.uk – Tara Brady – Barcroft Media

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October 17, 2022 · 11:45 am

Ray Villafane’s Halloween Joy

Ray Villafane Pumpkins – dailymail.co.uk – Tara Brady – Barcroft Media

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October 12, 2022 · 10:02 am

Celebrating Halloween 2022

Halloween is a favorite holiday for me. I LOVE the memories I have of trick-or-treating with my friends, unworried about all the ugliness in the world. My concentration was on coming up with a costume (we never bought them at the store), and making sure I had a large container to carry and my flashlight worked. My friends and I would head to the housing addition next to ours, where the houses were a bit closer together and most people had their lights on, happy to participate in the holiday. We would return a couple of hours later, containers full of candy, stomachs full of candy we shouldn’t have eaten yet (the biggest worry THEN – back in 1492 – was a possible razor blade hidden in an apple.)

Gurardian Chaneque Sculpture-woolandclayco

Now my love for the holiday is centered in appreciating the creativity I find in costumes for kids, usually created by the parents, plus the fact that pumpkin carving is now an art form (rather than MY trying not to cut off an appendage while creating the simplest of jack-o-lanterns for our son.)

I’m already finding wonderful pumpkins by the acknowledged master of pumpkin carving, Ray Villafane, and I’ll be on the lookout for wonderful costumes to share.

I’m sad that the world is such these days that most kids don’t go trick-or-treating anymore, or are followed by alert parents in cars. Some parents get together to make parties that are carefully monitored to be safe for the kids. Sometimes haunted houses are created by the churches. All this – while nice of the volunteers – makes me a bit sad. I wish the kids could enjoy just one Halloween free of worry, where they could just experience the joy.

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February 11, 2022 · 12:18 pm

Skeleton Life

Just Chillin’ – Pin Lavie
skeleton-4-CensationalGirl
KidFriendlyThingsToDo.com – Better Homes & Gardens

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February 9, 2022 · 10:47 am

Skeletons “Just Wanna Have Fun”

Gotha Stewart
Halloween Forum
KidFriendlyThingsToDo.com
Halloween Forum

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February 5, 2022 · 10:12 am

Kid Friendly Skeletons

KidFriendlyThingsToDo.com

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