I've used a Funkin as a Halloween pin-cushion (as seen in my Welcome to October post), but up until yesterday I had never attempted to carve one into a jack-o'-lantern. I decided to put the synthetic gourd to the test, choosing one of the most challenging designs in the pattern book--the scarecrow-in-the-wind pictured above. Here is what I discovered from the experiment:
Contrary to expectations, a Funkin actually makes a bigger mess than a real pumpkin. The pumpkin's relative moistness allows you to shave off pieces of the rind smoothly, whereas the dry foam of a Funkin leaves crumbled bits everywhere (be careful of particles blowing up into your face--trust me, they burn like hell when they get in your eyes). The difficulty of carving through the Funkin shell ultimately offsets the time saved from not having to hollow out a pumpkin. On the other hand, a carved Funkin proves infinitely superior in terms of durability--you won't have to worry about your laborious effort rotting within a few days. Stick a flickering light (never a lit candle, unless you want your entire home to blaze for Halloween) inside, and voila--a jack-o'-lantern decoration virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.
So if you have sharp carving tools, a good vacuum, and a strong aversion to handling pumpkin guts, a Funkin could be a great way to go this Halloween season.
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