When Halloween time rolls around, I must tell you I’m not into being all freaked out and scared. I hate horror movies and haunted houses. I just don’t dig that kind of surprise. Silence of the Lambs is probably the scariest kind of thriller-movie I can stand. And it still creeps me out. Totally.
I’m all for candy and for decorating the house in whatever way the children like – they’re still small though, so the holiday has still been largely about me. Choose your costume, and I’ll find/buy/make it for you. I can do face paint. We’ll go to parties and have all the fun we can.
But, my thing is pumpkins.
I’ve been carving jack-o-lanterns since I was little. Over the years, I’ve had to step it up a few notches, for the sport of it, and that’s when I started using stencils to make my creations. It takes a tres steady hand, and some patience. (Oh, and there are some secret Jedi mind-tricks involved too, make no mistake.)
To start with, I hate emptying them out. I find the smell of pumpkin guts rather revolting, and sometimes the older ones have already begun to rot on the inside… cold, slimy and super gross. Yuck. But after it’s been emptied and all smoothed out on the inside, I find my face side, and get started.
This year, my youngest was a little easier to do my carving around. She was still a baby before this, which meant I had to stop and start much of the time… it wrecked my flow. This year I was able to look at my orb, turn my music up, take a deep breath and just cut. (I was hardly interrupted at all, during the cutting, which is key.) We ordered in dinner too.
I think I like the quietness of it. I’m alone with my immediate thoughts of taking my time… careful over here… don’t rush… and then with my sub thoughts about my subject. Recalling song lyrics or movie lines in my head.
When I carved Alice Cooper and the classic Gene Simmons into the orange flesh, I was reminded of my formative pre-teen years, when most the neighbourhood boys around me were obsessed with bands like Kiss and Rush, Cheap Trick… Alice too, of course. Slayer. I understand now, from my grown-up perspective, how much music shapes a person. How no matter what kinds of music one listens to now, one can never really escape the early years. And I like that. I know far more about this genre of music than I care to know, really – and it’s almost all by osmosis. I remember those youthful days so very fondly – I still carry many of those people in my heart. The music is all part of the soundtrack of my life, you know?
So, these are the four lanterns I carved for the W Hotel in Old Montreal this year:
Michael Jackson’s Thriller face, Gene Simmons, Marilyn Manson, and Alice Cooper.
They each took close to two hours to complete from beginning to end. MJ was super-tricky, but I carved one last year, so thanks to memory-hands, he was less of a beast this time around. Alice was a total bitch though.
Of course, the children got to choose ones for themselves – Oliver wanted Batman, and Ava Scarlett spied a Hello Kitty she wanted very much, so naturally I obliged them.
As I was putting the finishing touches on Batman, Oliver came into the bright kitchen and said, “It doesn’t really look like Batman, mum.”
“It does, Oliver, I promise. We have to get it into a darker place to see…”
He ran and turned all the lights off, but there was still a lot of daylight streaming into the kitchen.
“It really doesn’t look like him, mummy.” He looked so disappointed.
“Just give me a minute.” I said.
His sister was having a pre-trick-or-treating nap in their bedroom with the shade drawn so we had to be quiet in the dark room. I lit the freshly carved pumpkins, and called for him.
“How’s that then?” I said.
“Waaaaoooooow!” he breathed. He lay down on his stomach to gaze at it for a while.
His sister said, “No way!!” when she woke up and saw hers…
And since I had one left, I carved a tricky one. One just for me. And I’m thrilled about how he turned out!
“Tina, you fat lard! Come get some DINNER!!” (Napoleon Dynamite taking to his llama.)
So that’s my trick. Sometimes a lady needs to have something to pat herself on the back about, because motherhood is tricky alright, but the end result can be sketchy – and in the mean time, we take a lot of crap. (Le sigh.) I like having a beginning, a middle, and an end to things. It makes me happy.
Doing something indisputably awesome can make a person feel like a rockstar. This is important – it’s something I’ve been lacking lately, so… yay for me!
Oh, and I’m ready for a manicure now…
You guys are awesome… thanks so much!!
A pleasure to look at!! Great work!! 😀
How. Is. That. Possible?
Super impressed. Super jealous.
Holy crap Tracey.
Holy. crap.
That is some skill girlfriend! I am super impressed!
(And your Napoleon Dynamite quote made me snarf water out my nose! haha!)
Wow, that is some serious pumpkin carving skill, Tracey. You ARE a rockstar!
If that made your day suck less, then my work here is done. Remember to tip your server… and try the veal, it’s delicious. I’ll be here all week…
Hee!!
Amazeballs is my new favourite word, Gillian. Thanks!!
Oh Jen… really, it’s pumpkins. I can kinda rock and Easter Egg too, but really, it’s all about the orbs. Thank you!!
OMG you rocked a hello kitty pumpkin?
THAT’S SO AWESOME YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW!
OK the others truly are fab, really! I LURVE HK though, I really do!
She’s just so awesome 🙂
You totally made my day suck a little less!
OMG! You are an artist! A Pumpkin Artist! Really, are you an artist other than pumpkins? Wonderful.
You totally rock. Those pumpkins are amazeballs! ( to quote you) xxx
Thanks, Laura!
Un. Freakin. Believable.
Thanks so much, lady! It’s a labour of love… I’m pleased with the outcome! And there are still a bunch of uncarved orbs in the ‘hood… I might have a few more tricks up my sleeve – we’ll see!!
Ooooh… that’s a story I’m looking forward to already!
And yeah. I’m a freak for the pumpkin. It’s weird to me too. 🙂
Wow…just wow. I shared your photo with my kids when I first saw it earlier this weekend and their reaction was as awestruck as your son’s. Can’t wait to show them the rest of your patch! You are incredibly talented.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? You seriously did these? I bow to you in unworthy’ness…
You saying W Hotel in montreal reminds me of a HILARIOUS story…stay tuned…may have to blog that one…
Magnificent!