Be a pumpkin carving ninja!

Find a heavy pumpkin: the denser, the better.

Don’t fight it: let the shape, physical features and colour of the pumpkin guide your end product.

Kit up: rummage through kitchen drawers for ice cream scoops, melon ballers, citrus zesters, paring knives, cheese graters and vegetable peelers.

Gear up: Wear gloves to prevent cuts.

Wash up: Wash your pumpkin before carving, but consider waiting until you're finished carving before cleaning the interior to provide more structural integrity while carving.  

Mark it up: use a permanent waterproof marker to help map out your masterpiece.

Go 15%, or 100%: You don’t need to cut all the way through; scrape the surface of the pumpkin for contrast.

Don't be too fussy: Sometimes you need to start carving to get into it.

Remember to take pictures for posterity!