Fall Is Upon Us and So Is Mr. Potato Head

It is finally feeling a little like fall around here.  We have been able to open up the house at night, occasionally.  A beautiful steady rain fell upon us most of the day yesterday.  I think that is the most rain we have had all year...in one beautiful day!  This last week I started decorating our front porch in honor of the cooler temps and Halloween being one of my favorite holidays.

I have learned that decorating for the holidays is done very differently down south than other parts of the country that can enjoy 4 seasons.

One of the biggest disappointments that I have encountered living in Texas, pumpkin carving.  Seriously, pumpkins rot so fast down here that if you are going to carve them up for Halloween, you do it the day of!!!  I have had a carved fresh pumpkin rot and fall in on itself in 24 hours.  How disappointing! I am use to a cooler drier, climate that allows your pumpkins to survive at least a week. 

I have had to resort to other methods for decorating pumpkins.  Enter, Mr. Potato Head!

My monster pumpkin is decorated with nothing but Mr. Potato Head parts. I purchased a seasonal potato head at the store the other day and plugged all the pieces into my pumpkin.  Voila!  A decorated pumpkin that will take a few weeks before it rots.

They even make Mr. Potato Head pumpkin sets.  These are sets that are designed specifically for use to decorate a pumpkin.

These pieces vary just slightly from regular pieces.  The feet have two spikes and occasionally the head/hat piece will have it's spike at an angle that would not be condusive for using on a regular potato head.  Other than that, the rest of the pieces can be used on a regular Mr. Potato Head.

The trick to getting these pieces to work on your pumpkin, you need to create a hole prior to putting in the pieces.  The plastic is far too flimsy to just push into a pumpkin.  I use a nail to create a large enough hole that will allow the pieces to penetrate the pumpkin's outer skin.

We now have a Vampire Potato Head, a Monster Potato Head and a Cowboy Potato Head.  I will still probably carve up a pumpkin...but it will be a few weeks before that task will be tackled.