Lady Gaga Pumpkin Stencil

When you're looking for a pumpkin to carve into an intricate pattern (like this gloriously detailed Gaga likeness), it's important to find a pumpkin with a smooth, flat side. Rounded pumpkins work well for basic designs, like a traditional jack-o'-lantern face, but a flat background can make all the difference for these more advanced designs.

To carve:

1. Hollow out a pumpkin, and scrape the interior side of the pumpkin that you're intended to carve to around 1" thickness. Tape the printed Lady Gaga stencil to the outside of the pumpkin, smoothing the paper as you tape.

2. Using a pin tool, poke holes on the stencil lines forming Lady Gaga's face and hair, keeping pin holes closely spaced. Tear off the stencil after transferring all lines to the pumpkin, but keep the page close by for reference.

3. Find areas on the printed stencil that are surrounded by dotted lines; those are the areas you'll etch. To etch them, use a gouging tool or electric etching tool to remove the pumpkin's outer layer of skin.

4. Find areas on the printed stencil that are surrounded by solid lines; those are the areas you'll carve. Carve them slowly and gently with a sharp, serrated knife, sawing along the pin hole guidelines. Push the sections out by pressing gently from within the pumpkin, popping them outward.

5. Light your pumpkin with a battery-operated candle.