Practice Pumpkin #1

I started very optimistically - "the best pumpkin ever! Increased self esteem! A better outlook on life!" And I ended with a bandaide... and doubts. I'll start from the beginning.

I spent a good amount of time yesterday looking through the pumpkin carving pattern book that came with the pumpkin carving kit. Each pattern was rated for difficulty - one pumpkin meant it was easy, four pumpkins meant it was very hard. Since I'm a beginner, I went with an easy design - the "one pumpkin in difficulty" skull.

After I carved the eye patch and part of the other eye, I started to get cocky. "This is so much easier than I remember!" I thought to myself. I started carving faster, haphazardly even. That's when it happened. I cut my thumb. It stung immediately and I didn't want to look at it for fear of how badly I had cut it. When I finally glanced down, I saw that it really wasn't too bad thank goodness. But it had shaken my confidence. After washing it, putting a bandaide on it, and feeling sorry for myself for a minute, I got back to work. This time slower and less trusting of the supposedly "kid friendly" knife (turns out nowhere on the packaging does it say "kid friendly" but for some reason I thought it did... not that I was getting ready to sue or anything).

After working on the pumpkin a bit longer, it was finished. And I have to say, it looked pretty darn good. I think I'm on my way to that best pumpkin ever! That is, if I have the courage to carve another one.

Over all, I'd say practice #1 was a mild success. I cut my thumb in the process, but was it worth it for the best pumpkin ever? No, not really. But that might be the pain talking. (Yes, I'm a baby.) I'll keep you posted as I continue on my quest.