Pumpkin Campfire

When sitting by your campfire during the Fall RVing season, surprise those around you with a Pumpkin Campfire. This idea was first published in Better Homes and Gardens. What a creative way to carve your pumpkins and create an atmosphere that is just right for Halloween.

To help you along, you can download a flame template. It has flames in two sizes for small and medium sized pumpkins. Click here to download the PDF file. Print it out, trace the lines on the back side of the sheet with a soft lead pencil, or chalk.

Cut the cap off and remove the insides of the pumpkin. Then place the template, right side up, on the pumpkin and trace with a hard lead pencil to transfer the drawing. Another way to place the flame image is to secure the stencil to the pumpkin with tape.  Following along the outline, perforate the stencil using a pin tool.
Remove the template and trace along the lines with a small knife or you can use a pumpkin carving knife. Then remove the top layer of pumpkin (the dark orange skin) between the lines. The deeper you go, the brighter the flame, so varying the thickness creates a flickering affect.

To get the look of a campfire, arrange cut log pieces in a circle on the ground. Start by positioning the largest pumpkins at the bottom in the circle of logs and continue building your way up with smaller pumpkins. Tip: for the bottom layer, any pumpkins that will not be seen save time and do not carve them. Once you have arranged the pumpkins how you like them, place battery-operated lights to give the illusion of flames.

You'll be the hit of the campground as people try to figure out how you created your Pumpkin Campfire. Have fun!

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