# Which fake Pumpkin is best



## Jacksonville Haunter (Apr 21, 2011)

*My fellow Haunters, I want to try carving a few fake pumpkins this year and use them for many more years. They cost alot so I want to get the one that looks best. Anyone who worked with these already please let me know witch is best and where to get it.*
*Thanks for the help.:jol::jol::jol::jol:*


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## scarrycher (May 30, 2012)

I like the ones at Hobby Lobby and Michles. the walmart ones cost less and can be corpsed and they look awsume


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## kenkozpgh (Sep 5, 2011)

We've been doing that for years. We use the ones from Michaels or Pat Catans. My wife is the artist for this project. We have about a dozen and every years she does one or two new ones. She uses a exacto knife or a dremel. The dremel is a lot easier. They last for years and with a flickering LED inside, they look like the real thing. If I can find the pics, I'll post them.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

We've also been going the Michael's pumpkin route since we're not having much success with growing the real ones lately Buy them on sale or with a coupon, and you're set for years to come.

Here are a couple shots of our pumpkins. The one on the far left in the first photo is a real one:










How a fake one looks under regular lighting:


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

If you have any artsy veins, I'd probably have to say Stolloween pumpkins win hands down...
http://www.stolloween.com/?page_id=67





































Though this is more 'making' the entire pumpkin as opposed to just carving one out. I'm hoping to try my hand at it to make a few new additions this year...though I haven't an artistic bone in my body, so we'll see how that goes! What ever you choose, make sure LED tealights only.


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## Offwhiteknight (Sep 17, 2008)

The funkins from Michael's are pretty good, though a bit pricey. Then again, if you shop at Michael's without a coupon, you deserve to overpay.

Most of them seem to be pretty good overall, in my experience. Carving is dead simple, you just have to take a bit of care because mistakes tend to be permanent. And yeah, don't use a real candle inside them!


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

I would guess that there are only one or two companies making them (foam pumpkins), so chances are that almost any place you find them they will be from one of those few factories. Keep in mind that you can always paint and "adorn" the pumpkin to get your desired look, so even the most bland foam pumpkin can be a proud member of your cast of characters.


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## mrklaw (Nov 11, 2005)

I've used pumpkins from Joanns and from Michaels. They both work about the same. The nice thing about foam pumpkins is the fact that you can use them year after year. I can also put them in windows where I wouldn't want a real pumpkin for a longer period of time than I would want to put out a real pumpkin.


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

Funkins are by far the best, but more expensive. I have a lot of experience here having carved 20 or more funkins and a lot of the michaels pumpkins as well. The funkins must be used for any very intricate patterns where breakage is a concern. The michaels pumpkins are wonderful for faces and more basic designs. The michaels pumpkins are much more spongy and catch more on your carving tools, so very intricate designs tend to break off due to the spongy, springy nature of the michaels pumpkins. For doing singing pumpkin faces and such the micheals pumpkins are great and much cheaper. Hope this helps out some.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

When I had mine, it faded quite a bit over about three years—so only three actual months of outdoor use. That said, I'd spray it with a UV protectant if you are going to leave it outside for any duration, but spray before you carve so you don't melt the foam!


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## MrGrimm (May 19, 2009)

Hey Jacksonville, I just bought some foam pumpkins at Michaels. These are also my first attempt at carving the foam pumpkins.

I'll be starting them soon, and let you know how it turns out, if you haven't done yours yet... As I see that I am fantastically late in replying to this thread


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## Jacksonville Haunter (Apr 21, 2011)

*I am going to use them for the small detail work a haunter has not time for on Oct. 30. kprimm thanks for the information that is what I was looking for. MrGrimm you got here before the Big Night. Thanks to everyone who replied.*
*Good Luck this year.*


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol:For me, hands down the best artificial pumpkin is the Funkin brand carvable pumpkins. Yes they are more expensive, but they carve like a real pumpkin, not like the Michael's foam pumpkins. Funkin.com is the website and I just love them! They have different sizes, different colors, different shapes...and if I get a chance I will post some pictures of my various Funkins.


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## Bumbury (Aug 29, 2012)

i agree the Funkins at Michels are the best but find a coupon or buy at the end of the season for next year... i use an exacto knive and saw blade for my carving and get really good detail from the funkins... do the really extream patterns here on the funkins so you get nice detail... i did the ship of gouls with some modifications and it turned out really nice...


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## goneferal (Sep 8, 2010)

Funkin.com brings up Jamiriquoi's website. How do you actually find Funkins? I can't find any website that sells them other than old outdated ones that sell them for 100 bucks.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Goneferal, try this link:
http://www.funkins.com/


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

Whose up for making their own out of foam (insulation board)?


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## kenkozpgh (Sep 5, 2011)

We've used Michaels pumkins over the years Attached are two of the probably 2 dozen we've carved over the years.
With that much detail, it's nice to save year after year.


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## VillaHaunter (Jul 13, 2011)

I have used Funkins for several years, cheap if you can find them on clearance. The first one only lasted one season for me. After that I have carved them then painted with exterior latex primer, then paint a nice pumpkin orange. I paint the cutout edges a light pumpkin flesh color. I have had some outdoors through the rain and snow for several years.

The one on the left is from 2006, the right one from 2009 and have been out on the porch every year, only need a little touch up sometimes.


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