Tips for Carving Your Jack-o-Lantern

Every year Halloween brings out some of the most creative and unique decorations out in the world. Often made up of everyday household items, we always find it interesting to see how people apply things we use everyday into another purpose completely outside the box. This principle has had a interesting effect on the most recognized symbol of Halloween -- the family jack o’lantern. This iconic decoration has become the staple of the Halloween season; and the pastime of carving them has transcended everyday arts and crafts into an all out art piece capable of the same shock and awe garnered from other more well known art mediums.

But the goal today is to educate you and your family on some secret tips that will make your family’s jack o’lantern the talk of the neighborhood.

The first major step comes in selection of your family’s pumpkin. An ideal pumpkin for carving has thick walls, the thicker – the easier it is to carve. To ensure your pumpkin has thick walls, check the stem. An ideal pumpkin will have a distinct, thick stem. The general thickness of the stem indicates the thickness of the walls, while you can use it’s color to determine how hard the walls of the pumpkin will be. A green stem means the pumpkin is fresh and will likely give you the most use before rotting. Try to go for these first, as they will give you the easiest time carving as well as significant longevity. In addition to stem size, check for blemishes and soft spots just as you would any vegetable you would buy. It is also important to note that a misshapen pumpkin is not a death sentence. Often some of the most creative pumpkins come from ones not the perfect shape, so embrace what you find. Just make sure that stem is in order!

Timing is very important in carving jack o’lanterns. You can expect it to last anywhere from a few days to a little over a week, so plan accordingly for when you want it to be displayed. Also, once you begin carving, it is recommended you continue the carving until it’s finished. As soon as you make the first cut, the pumpkin begins to decompose, leaving the project and coming back will cause you to deal with trying to carve a softer, weaker pumpkin wall; which could lead to accidental damages. To be safe, complete the carving when the walls are as strong as they possibly can be to minimize accidental damages. To further prevent accidents, plan out your pumpkin design completely, even draw it one the pumpkin with a pen or marker, this will keep you carving in line, and will prevent you from losing your place or making wrong cuts. Using a spray bottle of water and spraying the pumpkin wall while you’re carving will also ease in the carving process.

Some things to keep in mind while carving include keeping an open mind about what tools you use to carve. You can purchase pumpkin carving kits, but often you can find versions of these tools at home, in addition to finding other items that could offer you more detailed line work (paring knives, lemon zesters.) The real tricks to professional pumpkin carving come in the treatments of the pumpkin whilst carving. The first major rule is to never cut the top of your pumpkin. Cutting a hole in the top of your pumpkin cuts the pumpkin off from its lifeline – the stem. The stem provides the whole pumpkin with nutrients that will keep it thriving a few days longer. The same goes for the bottom; cutting the bottom will allow all the moisture in the pumpkin to run out where you cut it. Not only will this drain the pumpkin of moisture, but it will also make quite the mess!! The best place to put a hole is in the back of the pumpkin. The water loss will be minimal, it retains its lifeline to the stem, and the hole is still not visible to everyone. Another common misconception is the use of fire to light a pumpkin. The fire actually cooks the inside of the pumpkin, drying it out faster and ultimately cutting its lifespan. The best alternative is an LED or CFL bulb, which will produce a large amount of light, but hardly any heat. In general, you will want to keep your pumpkin cool. It slows the decomposition process and will give you a few extra days out of your jack o’lantern. In fact, if you can refrigerate your jack o’lantern at night, it would be ideal.

Now you’ve got all the tips to produce the best jack o’lantern out there! We’re looking forward to seeing what spooky creations you can come up with!

Stay Safe this Halloween!

Halloween is right around the corner and soon little trick-or-treaters in a variety of costumes will be on their way in search of candy. Keep in mind these safety tips when prepping for the upcoming crowd of hungry children!

1. Have a clear path - Make sure there are no objects in the way of your front door - look out for toys, trash, yard waste or even decorations.  Tape down any cords you may have plugged in so they don't cause anyone to trip.
2. Keep your yard lit - Turn on your porch light if you are welcoming trick-or-treaters.  If you have Jack-o-Lanterns out, try to use LED candles to light them instead of live flames.
3. If you have pets keep them inside the house or locked up.  They may be frightened by all of the visitors and it's best to plan ahead for their peace of mind and the protection of others.
4. If you're out of candy or not participating, turn all your lights out to let trick-or-treaters know.  You can even put out a "No Candy" sign if you don't want there to be any confusion.
5. Remember if you are handing out candy not to include homemade goods - some parents are wary of having their children eat homemade food from strangers especially with allergy concerns.

So pick out a bag of your favorite candy and enjoy handing it out this Halloween - just make sure to save some for yourself!

Prepping For the Season Change

Fall is here; and winter is fast approaching! While it might not quite feel like fall here in South Carolina, now’s the perfect chance to take advantage of the last bit of heat to get out and make sure your home is ready for the upcoming weather changes. If last year’s pattern continues or forecasters’ predictions for this winter come true, the Palmetto State is in for a topsy-turvy few months. So save yourself the trouble later by prepping your house for every last curveball Mother Nature has up her sleeve. Here are a few tips that can save you money, time, and trouble this coming winter season.

One of the biggest things you can do that will have major impact this winter is sealing any cracks and gaps in your house. This will not only keep more heat in/cold out but also lower energy bills since there are less ways for heat to escape your house. Additionally, using weather stripping will act as a sealing for windows and doors. On average, if one added all the cracks and gaps in a typical home, the total area would equal that of your standard window!! Don’t take the chance and double check! You never know where those nooks and crannies are that will leak air. Some key areas to check are: windows, doors, outlets, external hookups to utilities (A/C, water heater), around sidings of your house, and any pipes that show (under your sink in bathrooms and kitchen.)

Check your roof for worn away/broken shingles. Any water (AKA SNOW OR RAIN!) that gets underneath the shingles runs the risk of causing a leak. In addition to creating a hole for heat to get out, a hole in your roof opens your house up to other issues difficult to address rather winter or not.

Some other tips involve trimming dead or low hanging branches. They will come down during a winter storm, so prevent the chance of them falling on something and get them out of the way now.  This can apply from everything to taming shrubbery all the way to removing a leaning/dead tree to prevent it falling and causing immense damage. Another less thought of measure you can take involves properly storing your lawnmower for the winter. Make sure to seal caps and openings tightly and remove the gas from the machine. This will help it start later on in the spring later. And did you know that fertilizing your lawn before the top layer goes dormant will allow it to store those nutrients for the whole winter, giving you a kick start on that green spring lawn?

Following these steps will give you a real advantage over the winter. Don’t go through these problems while your freeze; handle these things while you can still go outside without freezing solid! Your home is an investment you can’t afford to lose! So take the extra steps now to ensure your home can weather the storm!

Scarecrows Spotted On the Horizon!

Halloween is fast approaching, and just as we ready our costumes and jack-o-lanterns for the festivities, the Robert Mills House in Historic Columbia gears up for its annual Scarecrow in the Garden Contest. Put on every year, the Scarecrow in the Garden Contest calls upon Columbia’s finest scarecrow constructors to come up with some of the most unique and interesting scarecrows to put on display throughout the month of October at the Robert Mills House. The general public is invited to participate and vote on the best scarecrow; which will be announced at the end of October. Prizes include cash, trophies, and tour passes. If you have any interest in entering your scarecrow creation into the contest, visit their website (link below) and complete the “Scarecrow Registration Form.” We’re looking forward to seeing all the spooky scarecrows all throughout the month!

Scarecrows in the Garden

Time for the Okra Strut!

Next Friday marks the beginning of Irmo, South Carolina’s famous Okra Strut! This

two-day festival dedicated to celebrating one of the Southeastern United States’ major crops, started all from a small fundraiser for a library back in 1973. The annual festival has been held each year since then, and has grown from a modest arts-and-crafts sale into a grand scale festival featuring vendors, rides, food, and performances. This year boasts an impressive line up of activities and performances. Columbia’s own Tokyo Joe will kick off the festival on Friday, September 26, 2014 at 6:00PM in the Palmetto Health Amphitheater, followed by featured guests, Mother’s Finest going at 9:00PM.

Day 2 of the festival brings the famous Okra Strut Parade and outdoor festival. The festival is spending its first year in its new home at the Irmo Community Park in Irmo (7505 East View Drive). The brand new park was constructed specifically for housing the festival, and the excitement is building throughout the city in preparation for the upcoming festivities. The festival will continue into Saturday night, to be closed by musical performances from Fatback and The Groove Band, J. Edwards Band, and RJ Rockerz. All money raised during the festival goes back the community in form of various enrichments programs. Come help support the Okra Strut and enjoy some good vibes while doing so! See you there!!

Stepping up your Curb Appeal

When you stop to look at your house, are you impressed or distressed? If you chose the latter, it’s time to start looking into adding some personal touches that will change the way you feel about your home; and turn that eye sore into something you can take pride in! Owning a home is a lot of work, and after a long day’s work, the last thing anyone wants to do is start toiling away at another project to eat the rest of your day, but there are some simple and small tasks you can do to revolutionize your home, and make it the belle-on-the-block!

                  We’ve taken the time to come up with and arrange some ideas that you can use to makeover that home into the personal haven you deserve. The following ideas are organized by average completion time to make it easy to choose something that fits your time frame!

One-Day Projects:

                  There are plenty of things to do in a matter of a few hours to completely change the way your home looks. Something as simple as replacing old planters on the front porch, adding a new welcome mat, or updating the patio furniture will help give the front of your home a personality and keep it from blending in from all the homes around it. If spending a lot of money isn’t to your tastes, there are some cheaper alternatives to replacing what you have altogether. For just the cost of a can of paint and a brush, you can give your old furniture a new life, or even repaint your door for a great unique flourish!

Multiple-Day Projects:

                  These projects are great for redefining the feel of your house, but also require a bit more time to execute.

                  Try some new landscaping! Removing dead or old plants and replacing them with seasonal, brighter flora (Emphasis on COLOR!) will make your house look much homier, and create a welcoming atmosphere to anyone who stops or passes by. Another great way to change it up is to redo your walkways, or make a new walkway! Whether it’s adding a brick lining to your existing walkway, fixing cracks, or completely redoing it, any change for the better will ultimately help you give your home a completely different feel. 

No matter how you go about doing your home makeover, the important to not forget the power of details. Those small, simple changes (trimming a dead branch, replacing a broken shutter, picking up the yard, etc.) add up over time to help your house grow into something you never imagined it could be. Don’t be overwhelmed at what’s yet to be done. Just pick one project per week, and before you know it, you will be the proud owner of the prettiest plot on the street!

Fall Gardening

Spring and Summer are not the only productive times for backyard gardens.  Fall can produce an excellent harvest of healthy, delicious greens and vegetables to get you through the changing season.

It's time to plant cool-weather crops such as:

- Beets
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Onions
- Turnips
- Collards

While you're working in the yard don't forget the following Fall maintenance tips:
- Moving houseplants back inside
- Cut back and remove flower stalks
- Don't prune shrubs or trees! This will encourage new growth which may be damaged during the winter months.
- Continue to fertilize container plants
- Roses are continuing to produce - water and fertilize as appropriate

The fall months can be a wonderful time to be outdoors. Take advantage of the cooler temperatures to make the yard of your new home a beautiful place to be.