1st - pick the perfect pumpkin. That could mean a perfectly round one or one that is misshapen and bumby - it all depends on the pumpkin that you want to carve. Buying the pumpkin could inspire the carving you'd like to do.

2nd - get your tools. Get a sharp knife, big spoon and then if you have little tools to carve small curves and crevices, you'll just get that much more professional - like a dremel. You want to be able to shave out sections so the sides aren't so thick and carve thin lines to have lights and shadows.

3rd - decide to wing your carving (might work best to draw something on the pumpkin first, like a pattern). Or get a printable pumpkin carving template - I found a bunch on eHow.com here - http://www.ehow.com/halloween/templates.html

Some pics from a pumpkin carving party last year - going to another one tonight! wahoo! I'm excited for the roasted pumpkin seeds that are the reward for all the hard work.