Although I didn’t have time to make it out to the pumpkin patch this year, I did find an alternative closer to home.  Surprisingly, Trader Joe’s had a decent selection of pumpkins and gourds galore.

The options ranged from miniature to fairytale shaped (think Cinderella’s carriage), to “ugly” (or should I say … unique?).

One of my personal faves were the pumpkin branches.  Festive, miniature and adorable.  What more could you ask for?

In the end, I scooped up a typical carving pumpkin for only $2.99 and a special treat to boot.  I’ll be attempting to carve the little guy tonight so stay tuned for the final result!