My Beautiful, Imperfectly Perfect TwitterQueen Rocks Halloween!

[Lisa Oden]

This all started on October 24th with a blogpost by the always fabulous @FloridaSunSales aka Debbie Kirkland. Apparently, last spring Debbie and Diane Guercio ( @HeyAmaretto) had a fun Easter egg tweetfest. With Halloween around the corner, pumpkin carving seemed like a good idea! In the post, Debbie challenged the TwitterQueens to showcase our creative abilities. Now, I LOVE a good challenge and for some reason, I find pumpkin carving fascinating. Why? I really don’t know. It’s one of those completely useless activities which is so much fun. I think it may be that you illuminate the finished product. I love seeing light come from inside things, bottles, jars, windows, glass blocks, anything really. You should keep in mind, this is NOT a contest, it’s more of a challenge to get our creative juices flowing while having fun.

Sorry, back to the story. So, October 24th, with a soft deadline of midnight October 30th, gives about a week. This should be plenty of time, right? Now, what to carve? Well, that’s a no brainer – Nothing but a TwitterQueen will do. my pumpkin carving obsession began years ago using the cute little pattern kits you find in most any store around Halloween. If you've every used these, you may recognize some of the carving tools I’ve acquired for my arsenal. But, I have no pattern for a TwitterQueen. I already have a pumpkin to carve; however, a trip to the pumpkin patch is in order to find just the right shape and size for my amazing lady. I tell hubby about this contest (oops, did I say contest?) and show him my desired outcome. He offers to help, as he is good with this sort of thing. I thank him and remind him that this is MY challenge, so I have to do it myself. Of course, his advice and tips are always welcome.

OK, back to the story. I have no pattern, but I can see the TwitterQueens logo. After years of using the patterns, I’ve begun free handing some of the more simple designs and having fun with this activity. But, look at this image! Certainly, free hand will not be an option. Looks like I’d better get started with a pattern. Hold on, can’t get started just yet. Time to go to a BarCamp Meetup. I’ll get started in the morning. But wait, we have a softball tournament the next day. No problem, there’s still plenty of time. I’ll get busy on Sunday. Sunday comes and with it there is all of the laundry, house cleaning and other items neglected through the week while attending sport functions for two kids, working on a contract and keeping everyone on schedule. Hmmm… Looks like the pumpkin patch will have to wait again. Ok, still no problem; we’ve got plenty of time, right? I’m trying for a time when I can sit down and create a fabulous pattern. Remember, it has to be perfect. Hubby, once again, offers help. “No thank you,” I say. I’ll do it myself. Then comes Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and still no pumpkin or pattern. WOW! What a busy week! Between meeting clients, shuttling kids, donating blood and visiting with dear family friends we haven’t seen in years, the pumpkin still has not made it too high up on the list. Here we are late on Thursday night. No pumpkin (guess the perfectly imperfect one on the front porch will have to do), no pattern and a super busy Friday coming at me like a train. AGAIN, hubby offers help. “No thank you,” I say. I still want to do it myself. Well, I can’t do anything this tired. I’ll get some sleep and get busy in the morning. I should remind you – this really is NOT a contest.

Friday morning is here. The kids are off to school, signed contracts are faxed and e-mailed, preparations are being completed to take “Fall Snack” to my daughter’s class (that’s a whole other story of lessons in flexibility) and here I am with a pot of coffee, a pumpkin which looks exactly like it did a week ago and an impressive arsenal of pumpkin transformation instruments. I have one shot at this, as when my daughter comes home I must be off to her Halloween party with one very cute little vampire, two trays of macaroni and cheese (which I’ve not yet started) and prizes. I’d better get busy. Phew!
By now, you should have picked up on the fact that my TwitterQueen pumpkin must be perfect! After all, she’ll be a TwitterQueen. Oh yeah, and this STILL is NOT a contest. I planned to create a more complex view with greater detail; however time is of the essence. To meet the deadline, her design will have to be a bit simpler. Quick, print the logo, trace the logo, shade the logo and prepare to transfer onto the less than perfect pumpkin. Shading is critical. Cutting the wrong piece can destroy your design beyond repair. Having cleaned, scraped and washed my pumpkin (which is now looking better), I transfer the pattern and begin to carve. Wait! It’s time to have lunch with my daughter and treat her class to a fabulous Fall Snack. Stay there, my love. I’ll be back to finish you later. Meanwhile, Hubby comes home while I’m away. He texts me with a question, to which I reply “Don’t touch my pumpkin!” Of course, he hadn’t planned on it, but there she was on the counter, vulnerable with all the tools out right beside her. Let’s go kids, get this snack done. My lady is in danger and waiting!

The snack is now done, lots of happy little, sugared-up elementary students are finishing their day, and I’m burning rubber to get home and back to business. Over the years, I’ve added power tools to the arsenal of pumpkin carving instruments. They will certainly be needed today. I carefully make the cuts paying extra close attention to the very tiny little dots left from my pattern transfer. This was much easier many years ago, when the eyes were better. I cut, and check then cut and check. Yes, she is looking fabulous. The cuts are made, now it’s time for the Dremmel. I’m still cutting, carving, grinding and she’s looking good. OH NO!! What? This CAN’T be! I’ve missed a line on the pattern I’ve tried to follow so carefully, giving my beautiful TwitterQueen a very full face! What will I do? I do not have another pumpkin, or time to start over! She’s not going to be perfect! Oh the HORROR!

This is when I really bonded with my beautiful TwitterQueen. I began to improvise a little and take extra care to make the slight imperfection less noticeable. The whole time I was feeling very disappointed that I’d let her down. She simply looked back at me with little concern. As I cut, carved and grinded some more – it hit me. She IS perfect. I started with a pattern, a plan and a vision. Along the way, things happened which changed the plan, the pattern and even the vision. But, that did not ruin the outcome. Instead, her imperfection made her more beautiful. She was now changing from a cut-out copy to a design with character. With this, I gained momentum and commitment to finishing her and presenting her with all the pride of what I had hoped she would be – maybe, even better.
No, I haven’t completely flipped my lid. I know that my beautiful TwitterQueen is not real. But, real or not, she did enlighten me.

How carving a pumpkin relates to TwitterQueens:
1. You must be strong enough to get through the tough outside layer, but gentle enough not to break the small fragile pieces.
2. It’s good to have a pattern, plan and vision, but vital that you’re able to adapt when things don’t go as planned. They rarely do!
3. Once you make it through the tough external layer, the inside should be handled with extra care and attention, as it’s from where the beauty really shines.
4. If we take a moment to actually look at our own light shining through, we may even inspire ourselves as much as we inspire others.

If you’re lucky enough to know a TwitterQueen, you may already know this. If you’re lucky enough to be a TwitterQueen, I hope you listen to this. A TwitterQueen is tough yet fragile, adaptable, inspiring, confident, adventurous, diligent, stubborn, motivated and imperfectly – perfect. There are many more adjectives, but I’ll leave those for you to consider. Now, I have to go admire my imperfectly perfect TwitterQueen and start carving some spooky designs with my family! Have a very HAPPY and SAFE Halloween!

[Debbie Kirkland]

You completed teh entier concept of the carving challenge... What a great post my friend! Leaves me wondering what's next from the Twitterqueens!! Always a pleasant suprise! You ae Awesome Lisa!

[Lisa Oden]

Thanks Ladies!
Dana - I don't know about amazing, but one must recognize even the most cleverly disguised learning opportunities.
Lesley - Absolutely. I'd be honored. Use it as you see fit.
Kathleen - Hubby's turn to do the trick-o-treat walk this year. I just finally got him and 8 out of here!

[Kathleen Buckley]

You carved this stunning TwitterQueen pumpkin and STILL had time to write a well-considered blog post pre-trick or treating? You RAWK sista!

[Lesley Lambert]

I love this post. I love your pumpkin. I love you. May I steal this: A TwitterQueen is tough yet fragile, adaptable, inspiring, confident, adventurous, diligent, stubborn, motivated and imperfectly – perfect. for the front page of our site?

[Dana Moos]

LISA YOU ARE AMAZING!!!! JUST AMAZING!!

[Lisa Oden]

And, like my pumpkin, this post is imperfect. I'm still struggling to give my pics "perfect" placement with the text. But, at last, I have other things to do!