When surfing, one must watch for sharks

My assignment:  Bring a watermelon food/tray to my little's birthday party. The party theme is surfing/beach/water. 

I can't just do a plain watermelon. I have to give myself a challenge and do something over the top. 

After researching (surfing) online watching for watermelon centerpieces (sharks), I choose this:

                              

Of course, mine most likely will not look exactly like this. But here goes. 

1) do a trial run on Wednesday before the party. 

2) have husband in on the works

3) we can eat it no matter how it turns out

Not bad. It's what I envisioned. Notice the inside of the mouth almost resembles a real life mouth interior. 

                                           

There are a few things I will do different on the final sculpture on Saturday.

• replace green grape eyes with blueberry eyes. (I only had grapes today)
• cut the top of the mouth a little more towards the end of the watermelon
• learn how to make the fin on the shark's back correctly
• add the gummi fish around, and a blue plate or something blue to look like the water
• hopefully get a better watermelon for Saturday's project. This watermelon was not tasty, nor very red, nor had a pretty rind

Notice the gills carved on the side.

Here's how:

Cut 1/3 bottom off watermelon at a slant. Save smaller bottom piece to work with later. 

Draw open mouth and teeth on closed end of larger part of cut watermelon with marker. Cut mouth and carve teeth out. Having a small sharp carving knife made it really easy. Kind of like carving a pumpkin.

Clean and scrape out only some of the watermelon out in the mouth area so it looks like a real mouth with throat and inside jaws and things. But cut all the red away from the inside of the teeth line.

Slice only the green color rind off the teeth to show the white rind. Round out 2 holes for the eyes and place a blueberry in each one. Carve slits in the side for the gills and carve a place on back to put a fin.

Using bottom smaller cut piece as a bowl, scoopewatermelon balls and put them back in the "bowl" for the guests to eat after you drain the "bowl" of juice and seeds.

When I make the final sculpture for the party, I will place  in a blue plate like it showed and buy candy gummi fish to put around plate and in sharks mouth along with some watermelon scooped balls. But blue hard jelled jello would look great  to sit the shark on. I'll think on that and see if I can make that happen.

                                       The Original                          Mine

                       

I am pleased with it. I think the few tweaks I need to make will make it a little better.  We will eat this one and make another one Saturday morning.