Susina Bakery Pumpkin Carving Contest: The Results

Every year at Susina Bakery  Jenna, the owner, has an employee pumpkin carving contest.  It's a very serious business as big money is involved.  $300 goes to first place, $200 goes to second and $100 goes to third.  Not too shabby, eh?  It's an awesome thing for her to do.  Needless to say, there are typically some really great pumpkins and the competition is BRUTAL.  As opposed to popular belief, this is NOT about team morale.  This is NOT about Halloween celebration.  This has EVERYTHING to do with the fact that when $300 is on the line, desperation sets in and people find themselves raping, pillaging and maiming their pumpkins for hundreds of dollars worth of cold hard cash.  IT'S SURVIVAL.

A couple years ago my sister and I were ROBBED by a guy that used a CVS stencil.  It was a devastating blow.  I'm not sure I will ever have the emotional maturity to except The Great Pumpkin Scandal of '07. 

Keep in mind the way I work.  I believe in EXCELLENCE.  I believe in creativity, uniqueness, technical accuracy.  I believe that simple things such as a pumpkin carving contest is a grand measure at which to view the failure or success of your entire life as a whole. 

I like thinking outside the box- er, pumpkin.  I always have to be original & distinguished yet have the professionalism of well... a professional.  Does that make sense?   Let the whole world know, I WILL BOW TO A BETTER PUMPKIN.  I will NOT bow to a CVS stencil.  Amen.

Here is my pumpkin from two years ago. I dyed its' innards, broke its' spirit and sculpted them into the form of a turkey.  Who's done this before?  NO ONE.  Innovation is my middle name (along with 'Trustworthy'). You can't tell because it's so high up, but there are ghourds inside, dyed green pumpkin innard grass, etc.  An EXQUISITE piece of art. I'm surprised the Pope didn't call for a pumpkin revamp on the Sistine Chapel.

Here is a second picture after the strength of youth has succumbed to the moldy sadness that is old age.

My sister, Jodianne (aka:  Jo Dianne because that's what her mail always says) as Rosie Riveter entered her painted pumpkin as well. 

LA-HOOOZERS. 

I would show you the pumpkin that DID win except we were so dismayed by the whole ordeal I couldn't bring myself to waste the film. 

Oh, by the way.  I have a wildly ridiculous competitive streak but only in regard to life or death matters such as this one.

Cut to this year.  "I SHALL BE AVENGED!!!!"

Here is first place winner of the Susina Bakery contest:

And here is third place:

And now, ladies and germs... the moment you've all been waiting for:

My second place (*grumble, grumble, competitive streak, grumble* but *hallelujah, thank you, Jesus, thank you, money*) winning pumpkin...

I present to you...

'UP'

I stole this idea from the Academic Publishing Dept at UCLA and made it my own. 

It's been dedicated to The Sweet Lovin' Man as a major labor of love. We went on a date and saw that movie together. It broke our hearts.

SO BEAUTIFUL.

One of the old lady customers at the bakery said, "The roof is so detailed" like it was a bad thing.  HA!

As for my Inside the Pumpkin's Studio 'method' and 'process'...

I first did not clean up the Halloween Platter mess from five days ago (CRAZY week).

Then I began working on my pumpkin anyway.

I scooped out the insides, cut out the windows & doors and added the porch.

See the mess?  My roommates LOVE me.

Painted the porch & the pumpkin.

Got out Glinda Gluegun.  She was VERY mad at me. 

I haven't taken her out in a looong time & that is not how you treat a lady gluegun you care about!

Lesson learned.

And then after toasting the pumpkin seeds, I glued those suckers onto the roof like nobody's business.

Then I got tired & decided I wasn't taking pictures anymore.

It took 12 HOURS but the most fun way to earn $200 as ever I've known!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY!

Except for YOU, United Airlines!

(I took this while standing in line at Customer Service- HA!)