Animal Friendly Halloween

Fun Creative Pumpkin Carving Stencils:
Have some fun with your pumpkin this year. Look through these free animal stencils. It’s fun for everyone and quality family time is the real treat of the holiday!

WWF Goes Wild With Pumpkins

Scissor Craft Pumpkins

Pumpkin Glow

How To Carve A Pumpkin Using A Stencil:

Cut top of pumpkin at an inward angle and cut a vent in the top

Scoop out pumpkin innards until clean and smooth. Set aside the pumpkin seeds for a Halloween treat!

Adhere stencil pattern to pumpkin. This is typically done with tape or glue dots.

If you have a very bumpy pumpkin try applying a small amount of water or oil to stencil to allow it to better mold to the pumpkin’s curves.

Use a small nail and/or thin marker to outline stencil on pumpkin.

Use a pumpkin saw or serrated knife. The pumpkin saw is typically easier to navigate through the pumpkin.

Lighting options include a pumpkin light, a tea candle, or candle in fireproof holder.

How To Make Pumpkin Seeds:

Remove as much stringy material from seeds as possible. Soaking seeds for 2 hours in cold salty water can help.

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C)

In a sauce pan add 2 cups (471ml) water for every half cup (118ml) of seeds.

Add one tablespoon (15ml) salt per 2 cups (471ml) of water.

Bring seeds to a boil then lower cooking temperature to allow seeds to simmer for 10 minutes.

Drain, slightly cool, and remove any remaining stringy bits.

Place in baking pan or on a cookie sheet greased in olive oil.

Spread seeds to make one thin even layer of seeds.

Place on top rack and bake between 10-20 minutes.

For added flavor half way through cooking time remove seeds and sprinkle with sesame seed oil and kosher salt. Place back onto top rack and finish cooking

Allow seeds to cool and enjoy!

Fun, Fur-Free Halloween Costumes and Unique Animal Friendly Treat Ideas!

The Conscientious Halloween Shopper

Halloween costume labels are ambiguous and use terms such as, leather-like, satin-like, and the dreaded “faux or fake fur.” A large majority of costume products are made in China, which has a horrendous animal cruelty problem. Be sure to look for costumes without fur, feather, or leather. If you are unsure about an item of interest contact the manufacturer and ask for the exact materials used in the making of their product.

Note: We contacted several costume manufactures to inquire about materials, most chose not to respond.

Be completely unique this Halloween season and rummage through your closets to create a whirlwind look! Elder generations may have some “Bebop” or fashionable “50′s” clothing for flair.

And now, the secret of today’s parents will now be reviled! *drum-roll* We know you have those 60, 70, or 80′s outfits hanging out in the back of the closet for when the “look” comes back! *wink*

Have a fun, safe, and animal friendly Halloween!

Content copyright © 2011 by Deb Duxbury. All rights reserved.
This content was written by Deb Duxbury. If you wish to use this content in any manner, you need written permission. Contact Deb Duxbury for details.

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