Fun With Knives 2012

This past Friday I held my (somewhat) annual Fun With Knives party.  No, this wasn't training for the Zombie Apocalypse (although that would have been fun and probably a good idea); this was good old fashioned pumpkin-carving in preparation for Halloween!

I made a big pot of chicken tortilla soup (amazing recipe; thanks Holly and Mom!) and some cornbread, covered the table with newspaper, and my friends and I set out to create orange Halloween masterpieces. I bought a little pumpkin-carving kit this year that came with some tiny, saw-toothed knives and a little scraper.  I have to say, the saw-toothed knife I used totally rocked my world. 

My friend Amy approached her pumpkin-carving as if she were performing surgery--apron and latex gloves included.   Sue was going to separate the seeds from the pulp and toast them while we carved, but she got caught up in conversation and the newest issue of Conde Nast Traveler magazine on my coffee table instead.

Amy the pumpkin surgeon

My pumpkin, mid-carve

Pumpkin guts and knives

Amy and I pose with our finished pumpkins

Patti and her roommate Sarah also brought a pumpkin but ended up chatting instead of carving, while Sue and Jenny opted out of carving altogether and just kept us company.  Thus, Amy and I were the only two who ended up with a finished, carved pumpkin at the end of the evening.  It was great fun and I enjoyed my glowing pumpkin last night as well.  The squirrels will eat it if I put it outside on the front porch, so it will stay on my dining room table for now.  
You can read about previous year's Fun With Knives parties here: 2010 and 2008.