How to Make a Princess Carriage From Watermelon

Turn a simple watermelon into a whimsical horse-drawn carriage.

Carving a watermelon is similar to carving a pumpkin, and many of us are familiar with cartoons and fairy tales where pumpkins are transformed into princess carriages. You can replicate these whimsical carriages by carving a round watermelon into a simple design and pairing it with a few accessories to complete the effect. When you are shopping for the watermelon, try to select a fruit that you can envision as a princess carriage.

Things You'll Need

• Watermelon
• Knife
• Spoon
• Citrus fruit
• Wooden skewers
• Cherries
• Toy horse
• Princess doll

Instructions

1. Place the watermelon on your kitchen counter for a few hours to let it warm up if it was in the refrigerator. The National Watermelon Promotion Board advises that cold watermelons are more difficult to carve than melons at room temperature.

2. Slice a thin layer of skin from one side of the watermelon, taking care not to cut completely through the skin. This side will become the bottom of your princess carriage and will prevent the watermelon from rolling off your table.

3. Cut a hole in the top of the watermelon at a 45-degree angle with a sharp knife. This is similar to how you would cut the top from a pumpkin and will allow you to replace the lid when you are done carving.

4. Scoop the fruit from the hole in the watermelon with a large spoon. Don't worry about scraping the sides clean, as the pink interior will add to the design of your princess carriage.

5. Cut a rectangle into the center of one side of the watermelon to represent the door of the carriage. Round the top edges of the rectangle with your knife.

6. Cut a small hole on either side of the carriage door to represent windows.

7. Repeat the process to cut another door and windows on the opposite side of the watermelon.

8. Attach four lemon, orange, lime or grapefruit slices to the bottom of the watermelon with skewers to form the wheels of the carriage.

9. Cover the end of each skewer with a cherry or a grape.

10. Place the lid back on the watermelon.

11. Position a toy horse in front of the carriage and a princess doll standing next to the carriage.

References

• National Watermelon Promotion Board; Carving Tips