Pretty Pumpkinhead

Halloween might just be my favorite holiday.  Fall is definitely the best season, with those perfect weather days, crisp colorful leaves, pumpkin pie, apple cider, pumpkin and oktoberfest beers....yum.

This post is a quick take on my ritual pumpkin carving.  This year I wanted to do something a little different with my pumpkin.

I am ashamed to admit I got a medium-sized pumpkin from Safeway this year for $4.99.  I am all about the fresh pick-your-own pumpkin from a family run farm after a scenic tractor ride.  But my fall social weekend calendar filled up quicker than usual this year and I couldn't make the journey.  Also, I've become way lazier since living in the city.  Anytime I actually have to get in my car and drive is a huge feat.  Instead of lazy, I'm going to classify that as "going green."  The benefit is that this pumpkin was a lot cheaper than a normal pick-your-own, in which I like to get the fattest pumpkin I can find and that adds up when it's priced by the pound.

Materials:
-Pumpkin
-Potted flowers (I used $3.99 Mums from Safeway)
-Knife

Step One:
Cut the top of the pumpkin as normal.  Also, tip for anyone that is carving a pumpkin:  Cut the hole from the bottom.  Then it's way easier to put a tea light on the ground and pumpkin over it.  Plus the pumpkin will last longer.  Scoop out the guts, and make sure to save the seeds to bake for later!  

Sidenote:  My quick and easy pumpkin seed recipe for lazy people: 
-Clean seeds by putting in a colander and rinsing with water
-Heat oven to 350 degrees
-Mix pumpkins seeds in bowl with melted garlic butter
-Spread seeds on a baking sheet, sprinkle with garlic salt and pop in the oven for 40-45 minutes

Step Two:
Take the potted plant you have out of the plastic, and smush into the pumpkin vase you've now created.  Clean off the pumpkin, and you have a lovely pumpkinhead vase.  You can see that my flowers are a bit too big/the pumpkin too small, but I still like the look!  Happy Halloween!