90 Scary Easy Carving Ideas for Your Best Halloween Pumpkin Ever
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One of the greatest and most iconic traditions of Halloween is pumpkin carving. After a day at the pumpkin patch, there’s nothing greater than coming home, washing your haul of pumpkins, and carving a fun design into one or more of them to adorn your porch, entryway, or other outdoor Halloween decoration area. This is a Halloween activity that can be celebrated by a vast range of ages — though youngins may need help and supervision when it comes to wielding the carving knife. If you’re looking for inspiration for decorating this year’s jack-o’-lantern, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together 90 pumpkin carving ideas, from easy to difficult, small to large, and sweet to scary that’ll tickle any itch you have for this year’s jack-o’-lantern design.
Many of these cool pumpkin carving ideas incorporate Halloween decor and household items you likely already own, making them ideal for cheap crafting. While carving, you can stick to the traditional route with pumpkin face ideas, or you can branch out and carve a scene, shape, or word — the options are endless.
For more pumpkin decorating ideas, make sure to check out our list of painted pumpkin ideas, simple Halloween crafts, and free printable pumpkin stencils next.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
You can't go wrong with an oh-so-classic witch when pumpkin decorating. For this spin on the Wicked Witch of the West, hollow out your pumpkin from the bottom. Then, carve eyes and a mouth around the stem, using it as the witch's nose. Decorate the pumpkin with a witch's hat and jumbo green chenille pipe cleaners for hair. Hot glue the hair in place to ensure it stays put.
Teen Scream Pumpkin
Amidst the witches and ghosts of Halloween, don't forget about another spooky mainstay — Count Dracula. To recreate this nailbiting design, download the Teen Scream stencil, print, trace, and carve.
Floating Ghosts
For this ensemble of pumpkins, buy three pumpkins in various sizes. Hollow each from the bottom, carving out large window-like shapes on the front of each pumpkin. Create a frame for each window using black-painted balsa wood sheets.
For the ghosts, bend 12-gauge aluminum wire in a ghost-like shape, leaving excess wire on each end to stake into the pumpkin. Drape cheesecloth over the wires and spray with liquid spray starch. Finish the ghosts off with faces cut out of black construction paper.
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Dirty Duo
Trouble comes in twos with this Dirty Duo cat stencil that features two scowling cats, offering a scary-but-not-too-scary pumpkin carving idea ideal for kids.
Heavy Metal
Create two metal heads by carving a face into each pumpkin. Then, adorn each with various pieces of scrap metal. This could include nuts, bolts, screws, faucets, doorbells — whatever you have lying around is fine to use! For the spiky hair, cut and poke medium-sized pieces of wire into the top of a pumpkin's head. For a curly-haired look, wrap the wire around a pen before poking.
Boo to You Pumpkin
Impress neighbors not only with a ghoulish shape but also with carved letters in this double-whammy pumpkin carving idea. Trace the image beforehand with the Boo to You stencil, and carve it to your liking.
Succulent Sensation
Opt for a friendly Halloween character with this joyful, succulent jack-o'-lantern. To make, gut the pumpkin from the back. Cover the pumpkin stem with a small terracotta planter, and stuff it with dangling succulents. Attach two air plants above the open, carved mouth using headpins. Similarly, attach cactus pads along the mouth opening using headpins for a toothy grin. Continue to embellish the pumpkin to your liking using other succulents, plants, and headpins.
Hobgoblin Pumpkin
If you take a classic jack-o'-lantern face and turn it up a few notches, this is what you'll get. A scarily sinister smile to frighten and delight passersby. Download the Hobgoblin stencil to recreate it.
Die-orama Pumpkin
Similar to a mini nook or set, this pumpkin carving idea showcases a spooky graveyard scene with tombstones, miniature skeleton figurines, tiny bats, and more. To recreate, clean out the pumpkin innards from the back. Mark a rectangular opening on the front of the pumpkin using painter's tape. With a chalk pen, outline each tombstone. Cut out the rectangular opening, leaving the outline of the headstones.
To embellish the scene, add faux moss and miniature skeletons. Then, hang small bats using a thin wire.
Urn-est Pumpkins
Use pieces you likely already own to make this towering pumpkin statue. It's a great indoor or outdoor entryway piece. Stack pumpkins on top of a plant pot or urn, creating a comfortable bed for the pumpkins to sit on using faux leaves, straw, hay, or whatever else you may already own.
Little Miss Curlicue
Bulging eyes make it extra creepy! Make eyeballs out of turnips: Slice one side flat and insert thumbtacks for the pupils. Onto a squash or gourd, trace eyeballs. Hollow tracings with a melon baller, then secure eyeballs inside with toothpicks. Carve a mouth. For brows, wrap wet corn husk strips around a pencil; let dry. Secure both with straight pins. Rest squash on top of a flat gourd flipped upside-down.
A Smooch for You
Carve a happy Halloween couple! Draw and carve lovey-dovey faces on this duo, and save some of the rind from the larger pumpkin's mouth to create the partner's 3D pout. Lightly scrape in lines for eyelashes, eyebrows, and lips.
Jester Pumpkin
Play around with paint and shapes! Spray paint your pumpkin with white paint: let dry. Using the crevices of the pumpkin as a guide, scrape diamonds of various sizes around the pumpkin.
Batty Pumpkin
Instead of carving a bat into a pumpkin, use the negative space around it to showcase its batty shape. Download the bat template, print, trace, and carve out your design.
RELATED: Free Printable Pumpkin Stencils for Your Best Jack-o'-Lantern Ever
Eyes Wide Shut
A fun-shaped mouth is what makes this pumpkin! Carve a squiggly mouth into a hollowed-out pumpkin. For eyes, hot glue plastic Easter egg halves to the stem. Cut pupils from black and white craft paper; hot glue in place.
Eyes On Me Pumpkin
The more eyes, the better! Using a melon baller, carve eye cavities for the radishes. Cut off one end of each radish to expose the white inside. Insert a bean into the white to make a pupil. Secure the radishes into place with a toothpick; carve a mouth.
Witch Legs Pumpkin
Go for an out-of-the-box design with this witch's legs stencil. Bonus points if you accompany the pumpkin with a broom!
Fantastic Fox
Incorporate several pumpkins into your Halloween design. Use an oval-shaped variegated squash for the body, a round orange pumpkin for the head, and a bell-shaped gourd for the tail. Attach them with skewers, centering the stem of the pumpkin as the nose. Etch out a smile and hollow holes for eyes. Layer a small acorn bottom inside a large acorn top as eyeballs: glue in place. Quarter a small pumpkin for feet, gluing on pumpkin seeds as claws; use the rest to cut out pointy ears. Attach all to the body with skewers.
Whale of a Time
Did someone say table decor? A tall pumpkin works best for this guy: Slice off the bottom third and carve the tail out of it. Cut a simple, smiley face in the larger section. Pop off the stem and attach it, upside-down, as a spout.
Pumpkin Cooler
Did you know a pumpkin can double as a DIY cooler? Scoop out the insides of a pumpkin and fill it with ice. Bury your bottles in the ice to keep them cool.
RELATED: Fun and Spooky Halloween Party Ideas That'll Save You Money
Spiderweb Pumpkin
Sometimes, scraping is better than carving. Outline two large eyes on one pumpkin and a spiderweb onto another using marker. Color the outline in with marker, then scrape away the colored portion of the image using a scraper.
Warts and All
For this motley crew, bumpy, odd-shaped gourds take center stage. To make eyeballs, cut small styrofoam balls in half, then hot-glue hard candy in the center; attach with pins or hot glue. Hollow out gourds for ears. Use twigs for teeth and legs.
The Cat's Meow Pumpkin
Keep a watchful eye on your front porch stoop with this all-seeing cat design template.
All Wrapped Up Mummy Pumpkin
Impress (and scare!) your neighbors with this mummy pumpkin that you can easily carve from a printable stencil.
Absolutely Radishing
Incorporate all the add-ins to for a unique pumpkin! Carve a half-circle into the small end of a large squash. Using black craft paper, cut several long isosceles triangles for the monster's eyelashes. Glue the smallest side of each triangle to the top of the half-circle cut-out. Chop off the end of a radish, and secure it into the cavity with toothpicks. Stick a black thumbtack into the center of the chopped radish for a pupil. Then, carve a mouth into the squash.
Candy Sign Pumpkin
Direct trick-or-treaters to candy with this sign you can make using our carving template. Be sure to place it where they'll see it!
Candy Bowl
This is particularly great for those who like to leave a candy bowl outside for trick-or-treaters. Carve a large opening around the pumpkin's stem. Remove the contents of the pumpkin. Outline a face with marker and scrape away to define. Add an upside-down glass inside of the pumpkin. Rest a serving bowl on top of the glass, cover the bowl with faux moss, and fill it with candy.
Turtle Time
Who said Halloween was only for goblins and ghouls? For each turtle, use an acorn squash as the body, carving out the top and hollowing the inside. Turn the squash over and choose a spot for the head; carve a rounded notch. Select a small yellow ornamental gourd or summer squash for the head and glue on two peppercorns for eyes. Place it under the acorn squash, letting the head peek out. Cut two more small yellow gourds in half lengthwise to make feet; attach them with toothpicks.
Tricks and Treats
Show candy-goers that you're open to both tricks and treats with this Halloween stencil.
Googly Eyes
Scrape partway through the rind with a melon baller to form the mouth shape. Cut out a mouth and multiple eye holes using a knife or pumpkin carver. Using discarded eye cutouts, carve eye shapes. Attach finished eyes into the sockets with toothpicks and beans for the pupils.
Scarface
Draw eyes, mouth, and scar (an angled horizontal line that goes all the way around) on the pumpkin with a marker. Following the scar line, cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds; discard. Carve out the eyes and mouth; slice into the scar shape at an angle to make it more visible. Wipe off the remaining marker with a damp cloth. Using a skewer or awl, puncture pairs of holes opposite each other ½" apart along the length of the scar. Bend a Q-tip into a U shape; press each end into a pair of holes opposite each other. Continue until holes are filled. Press olives onto half-toothpicks and press into eye holes.
Pumpkins with Personality
Look out because these perky pumpkins are looking back! Cut eyeholes into a pumpkin and attach plastic eyeballs inside the sockets to give the face a spooky stare.
Toothy Pumpkin
This surprised fella will look adorable (in a scary way!) on your front porch. Carve circle eyes and a big mouth into any size squash. Push artificial nails into the edge of the mouth for teeth. For eyes, glue black sequin pupils to seashell coins; push into place.
Space Pumpkin
Wow earthlings with the out-of-this-world effects on this space-inspired set. Tap the built-in LEDs on the butternut squash rocket ship and pumpkin flying saucer to light up the night.
Cassette Cutie
Attach a piece of craft felt to the top of a pumpkin. Create hair by stapling plastic film into loops. Carve out a rectangle for the mouth and insert a cassette (you can trace the tape beforehand to make sure it will fit!). Hot glue tape to the bottom of the mouth and insert metal pieces for the eyes and nose. Accessorize as desired.
Pumpkin With a Mohawk
If you have some extra lollipops hanging around the house, use them as decoration for your pumpkin. Use a metal skewer to poke holes on top of your pumpkin. Insert the lollipops. Carve eyes and a mouth, and use the leftover pumpkin pieces to form ears. Make eyes with gumdrops, and use licorice or jewelry to accessorize.
The Hair-raising Band
Carve your desired face into a pumpkin, and make eyes by gluing lentils to the nut of your choice. Attach them to the pumpkin with dress pins. Place a clear bowl upside down in the pumpkin (over the light) and put a planter on top.
Vampire Pumpkin
For a fang-tastic carved pumpkin, attach black bats above your pumpkin's eyes and mouth to serve as eyebrows and a mustache.
Black Widow
First, carve a spider web. Spray paint the pumpkin black, let dry, and then remove pieces from the web. Use a spider template to make the bejeweled creepy crawler and hot glue rhinestones for a flashy look.
Candy Land Pumpkin
If you have a sweet tooth, this pumpkin will bring you back to your childhood candy obsessions. Go all out with gumdrops and lollipop decorations.
Get the Candy Land Pumpkin tutorial.
Crazy Hair Jack-o'-Lanterns
Scoop out pumpkins and carve faces, then pot them with hearty green plants and herbs.
Hungry Jack
An apple a day keeps the bogeyman away! Carve freeform eyes and a mouth into a hollowed-out pumpkin. Cut the ends off of two squashes and push one into each eye hole. From the cutout ring, cut teeth and secure with toothpicks. Use permanent marker to draw a face on an apple and position in your pumpkin's mouth.
A Little Black Magic Pumpkin
With this witchy pumpkin design, you'll want to start by carving out the witch first and then moving on to the stars.
Get the A Little Black Magic Pumpkin stencil.
Goofy Grin Pumpkin
This funny pumpkin face is easy to create. Just trace your design with a marker and carve (don't worry about it being perfect!). Cut 1" circles out of discarded pumpkin scraps and shave around the edges, then attach them with pins or toothpicks for pupils.
Pumpkin Eyes
Keep an eye (or two) on the neighborhood with these creepy, carved pumpkins. The secret? A smaller white pumpkin goes inside a larger orange pumpkin.
Get the Pumpkin Eyes tutorial.
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Medusa
Don't look this modern Medusa in the eyes, or you might turn to stone! Carve two large round eyes, two smaller circles for nostrils, and a squiggly mouth. (Tip: Measure and plan for eyeholes to fit LED lights snugly.) Push in green LED tealights. Hot-glue armature wire to the back of rubber snakes, leaving a few extra inches on the back end. Push wired snakes into the top of the pumpkin for pigtails.
Wicked Witch Pumpkin
Position the pumpkin so the stem is centered where the nose should sit. (Tip: If the pumpkin wobbles, try securing an acorn or two at the base with hot glue to create anchoring feet). Using a washable marker, draw on eyes, eyebrows, and a mouth. Try following the natural ribs of the pumpkin as a guide when deciding where to place the facial features, like the raised eyebrows or the curved mouth.
With the tip of a craft knife, scrape away the top layer of rind to reveal the lighter flesh underneath. Be careful not to poke all the way through to the inside of the pumpkin. Wipe away any excess marker with a damp paper towel. Remove the cap from two acorns and discard. Press each acorn into the flesh of an eye socket until secure.
Spread a bead of hot glue along the top and sides of the pumpkin where you want hair. Create the witch's mane by pressing on Spanish moss. Add enough so the orange rind is covered. Place the witch hat on top and secure it with bobby pins, if necessary.
Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil
This stacked pumpkin statue — complete with mini pumpkin eyes and faux-skeleton arms — denies any wrongdoing. Trace the little pumpkins onto the large orange pumpkin for eye hole sizing; carve out circles, then insert the mini pumpkins (bottoms facing out). Add black thumbtacks for pupils. Carve mouth. Repeat to create all three expressions, then stack carved pumpkins and secure with skewers. Use T-pins to attach three pairs of skeleton arms.
Mummy Pumpkin
Carve an opening out of the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Cut the pumpkin horizontally all the way around, 1" to 2" below the opening. Repeat several times until you've carved the whole pumpkin into 1" to 2" circles (don't worry about making your cuts particularly straight or wavy).
Separate the pieces. Keeping the top and bottom pieces the same, restack the slices in a new order. Rotate the pieces until you get a shape you like. Enlarge the carvings for the eyes and mouth, if desired. Starting from the bottom, lift each level of the pumpkin, insert a few toothpicks, then press down to secure it into place. Continue with each slice until the pumpkin is sturdy. Place beans into eye holes, securing with half-toothpicks, if necessary.
Cannibal Pumpkin
Carve an opening out of the top or bottom of the large pumpkin, making sure it's wide enough to fit a smaller pumpkin or gourd through it. Scoop out the seeds. Draw eyes and a mouth on both pumpkins with a marker. Carve out with a knife for the larger pumpkin; use a melon baller for the smaller pumpkin.
Wipe off any remaining marker with a damp cloth. Place the small pumpkin inside the large one, and replace the top (or bottom) cutout.
Flower Power Pumpkin
A clever mix of sunflower seeds, pinecone petals, dried leaves, and artificial foliage makes this simple pumpkin a natural wonder.
Punk Pumpkin
Carve one circle and one half-moon for eyes, a half-moon nose, and a boomerang mouth in a large pumpkin. Push a black-painted wooden circle into the bottom of the circle eye for a pupil. With an X-Acto knife, cut a 4"-wide, 8"-long, and 3"-deep slit around the stem. Bundle wheat into sections with floral tape and trim the bottom stems to 3". Line bundles up in the slit to create a cool Mohawk. Attach the jack-o'-lantern head to a scarecrow's body and prop him up on the porch.
Zombie Pumpkin
Using a craft knife, cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin and hollow out the inside. Scrape away any extra flesh with a spoon. Rinse a handful of seeds (about 16 or so) under water, pat dry, and set aside. With a washable marker, draw two large ovals for eyes — position them slightly towards each other for a sweeter, less scary look — and a wide, slightly lopsided mouth. Carve with a craft knife and save the scraps. Wipe away any excess marker with a damp paper towel.
Use a melon baller to carve out two round eyeballs from the fleshy side of the pumpkin scraps. Spear each eyeball with a toothpick and attach them to the tops of the eye cutouts. Gently press a peppercorn into the center of each to create pupils.
Press the cleaned seeds directly into the mouth, positioning them in different directions. (Tip: If the pumpkin isn't completely ripe, try using the tip of a knife to create small notches in the pumpkin to insert the teeth.)
Lollipop Pumpkin
Hollow out a medium pumpkin from the bottom. Carve a half-circle mouth with a tooth, two half-circle eyes with pupils, and a triangle nose.
Etch away the skin on each pupil and the tooth with a linoleum cutter. Use an awl to poke holes about 1 1/2" apart across the top and sides of the pumpkin. Push lollipops into holes to create hair.
Eye Spy Pumpkin
After you carve a freeform facial expression, including circle eyes, a triangle nose, and jagged teeth, push a faux spider into an eyehole. Measure the spider before carving the eyehole to make sure it will fit!
Fly a Kite Pumpkin
Use a U-shaped carving tool to make this pumpkin carving idea of a friendly bat taking flight.
Get the Fly a Kite Pumpkin Stencil.
Melon Ball Pumpkins
Carve an opening out of the top or bottom of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Replace the cutout. Draw eyes and a mouth on the pumpkin with a marker. Use a melon baller to scoop out two small spheres from the outside of the pumpkin. Reattach each sphere to the pumpkin with half a toothpick. If desired, press seeds or spices into the spheres for pupils.
Hoo Is the Wisest? Pumpkin
You'll want to pick a particularly plump and round pumpkin for this carving idea.
Get the Hoo Is the Wisest Pumpkin stencil.
Franken-Pumpkin
This is a mash-up of two medium-large pumpkins and two small gourds (for eyes). Once you’ve cut, carved, and stacked your pieces, “stitch” Frank up by inserting 2-inch pieces of wire. Finish off with two bolts.
Zipper Pumpkin
Hollow out a medium-round pumpkin from the bottom. Carve two oval eyes, then cut two smaller circles from the leftover rind for pupils. Etch away the skin on each pupil using a linoleum cutter. Attach black buttons with a pin on top and secure them to the pumpkin with toothpicks.
For eyebrows, use an awl to poke three holes above each eye as shown. Push a length of ¼"-wide black ribbon through the left hole; knot inside to secure, then thread through the holes, and knot to close.
Repeat for the right eyebrow. For the mouth, unzip a zipper a little more than halfway. Use black pushpins or silver straight pins (color the heads with black permanent marker) to attach the zipper for the mouth opening. Trace inside the open part of the zipper with a highlighter. Unpin to carve mouth, then re-pin in place.
Corny Jackie
With a highlighter, draw a curved line on the white pumpkin for a mouth; add half-circles for teeth. Carve along the bottom of the teeth, widening as needed. Using a linoleum cutter, etch away at the skin on the teeth.
Carve eyes, then hot-glue two black jelly beans as pupils. Hot-glue candy corn for the nose and eyelashes. For hair, dip dried corn husks in a bowl of water and lay them out. While still damp, tear into strips of different widths.
To make curly pieces, roll a few husks and secure them with paper clips until dry. Working around the stem, hot glue one end of each husk to the top of the pumpkin; use straight pins to secure as needed. Fold two wider corn husk strips in half, and wrap together at the ends with a third strip to form a bow; hot glue in place.
Toothy Grin Pumpkin
Spray paint roughly 15 pieces of dry penne pasta and two pasta shells with black paint on a covered surface in a well-ventilated area. Let dry. Flip the pasta over and repeat on the unpainted side. Carve freeform eyes and a jagged mouth onto the pumpkin, then push the black pasta pieces in to create pupils and teeth.
RELATED: Scary Outdoor Halloween Decorations Your Yard Needs
Night Owl Pumpkins
When the sun goes down, these pumpkins are a hoot. Print and tape the templates (Baby Owl, Mama Owl, and Daddy Owl) to the front of a hollowed-out pumpkin, then use a transfer tool or metal skewer to poke holes along the outline of the template.
Remove and discard the template, then use a carving knife to cut along the design. Paint almonds and Brazil nuts orange and glue in place for feet and ears.
Witch Pumpkin
Make this bewitching display at home by first hollowing a green heirloom pumpkin. Carve out a mouth and eyes, then attach a parsnip for the nose with toothpicks. Straight-pin faux berry branches on top for hair. Print the hat template and trace it onto felt; cut out the tracing and assemble with hot glue. Wrap a ½-inch satin ribbon above the hat brim and place it on top of the hair.
Get the Witch Hat stencil.
Peekaboo Pumpkin
With a large serrated knife, cut off the top ⅓ of a large orange pumpkin and hollow it out. Then, hollow out the bottom. On each side, cut a hole halfway down; push skeleton arms through. Cut divots in the bottom's base to keep arms steady.
For the skull, trace plastic Halloween eyeballs on a small white pumpkin; hollow out the inside of the traced circles with a melon baller, push eyeballs into the holes, and carve a mouth. Position the stemless white pumpkin inside the bottom section of the big pumpkin for the body; top with the skull. Secure the top and bottom sections of the large orange pumpkin along the back and sides with wood skewers. Arrange skeleton hands over the top.
Family of Pumpkins
Statement accessories like cat-eye glasses, a top hat, and earrings give this family of pumpkins some serious style.
Get the Family of Pumpkins accessory stencils.
Spiky-Tooth Pumpkin
Hollow out a medium-tall pumpkin from the bottom. Carve a mouth shape, then stick toothpicks into the top and bottom to create teeth. For eyes, slice off the bottom of two small gourds; attach with toothpicks. Push in yellow thumbtacks for pupils. Use a highlighter to draw dashes for eyebrows. Remove gourd eyes, etch in eyebrows using a linoleum cutter, then add eyes back.
Thirsty Vampire
To make this blood-sucker, carve eyes, brows, and a mouth into a hollowed-out, white pumpkin. Make pupils with a permanent marker. Paint large wood teardrops white with red tips to make fangs; push into place. Top with a widow's peak cut from a slightly larger, orange pumpkin. Pin a black craft foam collar around the pumpkin.
Frog Choir Pumpkins
Decide which side of the squash will be the front. Carve off the bottom third of the squash, cutting it so that it curves upward in the front (save some rind for the eyes). Separate the pieces, and scoop out the seeds. Carve the mouth curve 1" to 2" higher on the top piece, using a vegetable peeler afterward to smooth out the edges.
Cut about 1/2" all around the bottom piece, then carve another curve 1" to 2" at the front for the bottom of the mouth. Carve away at both top and bottom pieces until they rest nicely to resemble an upper and lower jaw. Smooth with a vegetable peeler (keep a peeling for the tongue). Press several half-toothpicks into the back and sides of the bottom rind; place top of squash onto bottom so its edges overlap. Press to secure.
Cut out round eyes from extra rind. Scoop out eye pupils with a vegetable peeler, then use half-toothpicks to stick the eyes onto the top of the gourd. Place squash on top of leaf feet and use discarded rind peel to form a tongue; secure from inside using a toothpick.
Toothy Pumpkin
Carve an opening out of the top or bottom of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Replace the cutout. Draw eyes and a mouth on the pumpkin with a marker and carve. Wipe off remaining marker with a damp cloth.
Place a dab of hot glue inside a piece of dry ziti pasta and press half of a toothpick into the glue. Let dry. Repeat on 5-15 ziti pieces, making sure to set one piece aside. Insert ziti teeth into the pumpkin's mouth, leaving space for the last tooth. To create the gold tooth, coat the ziti piece you've set aside in glue and roll it in glitter. Let dry. Shake off excess. Insert into the open space in the pumpkin's mouth. Wedge nuts into eyes for pupils.
Spacey Monster Pumpkins
Bring these space monsters to life by using hot glue and leftover plastic Easter eggs.
Get the Spacey Monsters Pumpkins tutorial.
Nutty Pumpkins
Carve an opening out of the top or bottom of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Replace the cutout.
Draw eyes on the pumpkin with a marker; carve out. Wipe off remaining marker with a damp cloth. Place walnuts in cutout sections, piercing with a toothpick to attach, if needed. Then carve a triangle out of a discarded eye cutout. Attach with a toothpick.
Use discarded rinds from other pumpkins to make 3D eyes. Use a melon baller to scrape partway through the rind for pupils and a mouth shape. Attach eyes with toothpicks and press seeds or spices into the space for pupils.
Metal Man
He may not have a heart, but Dorothy's Tin Man is gleaming thanks to a milk-jug collar, shiny funnel hat, and foil eyes, ears, and nose.
First, hollow out a tall, white pumpkin from the top (make the hole smaller than the opening of the funnel). Carve eyes and a mouth. Cut pupils, nose, and ears from a 36-gauge foil sheet roll; hot glue in place. Sit the pumpkin on a metal milk jug or can. Cut and curl the collar around the vessel; place the funnel on top for a hat.
Lion Pumpkin
This brave lion only looks hard to make. Hollow a large pumpkin from the base; carve a mouth and eyes. Cut a nose from a smaller pumpkin. Paint it black and let dry. Attach it to the large pumpkin with toothpicks. Halve and hollow both sides of a small orange pumpkin for a snout; secure with wood skewers. Halve and hollow both sides of a small orange pumpkin for ears, cut flat on one side; secure with toothpicks. Straight-pin faux chrysanthemums around the face for the mane.
Scarecrow Pumpkin
With a melon baller, scoop out two eyes from a butternut squash; reserve. Etch eye sockets and a mouth with a linoleum cutter. Use toothpicks to secure eyes in the sockets. Push in black bean pupils. Cut masking tape and attach for a nose.
For a hat, make a cone from a paper bag, then fold in its top and fringe its bottom with scissors, curling upward. Tie a cord ribbon around the middle of the squash for a belt and tuck in straw. Cut patches of burlap and attach them to the hat with small masking tape strips.
Masked Pumpkin
Fashion real or artificial leaves into a quick disguise for a classic jack-o'-lantern. Paint eight artificial leaves black and let dry, then layer into a mask shape; hot-glue together. Cut eyeholes in the mask. Trace eyeholes onto a large orange pumpkin; carve. Glue black-painted acorns to straight pins, then push into eyeholes for pupils. Secure leaf mask to pumpkin using glue dots.
Mr. Robot
The future of jack-o'-lanterns? Slice the top off a large oval pumpkin, then position it on a three-inch-tall cross-section of a second pumpkin. Place a round, hollowed-out pumpkin on top for a head.
Use a melon baller and a linoleum cutter to etch facial features and gears in the body. Make pupils with a screwdriver. Carve round notches into the sides of the body; use wood skewers to attach small gourds for arms. Swivel his arms to make him dance!
Snail Pumpkin
Lay a pumpkin on its side with the stem facing you and carve a hole where it sits. Hollow out the pumpkin, leaving 1 1/2"-thick walls. Trace a double-walled spiral, with 1" to 1 1/2" between rings, before carving. Cut the bottom off a butternut squash so it sits flat, and insert pipe cleaners with Ping-Pong balls and googly eyes on top.
RELATED: Easy and Creative Pumpkin Decorating Ideas for Halloween
Sweet Tooth Pumpkin
For this skeleton gourd, carve two ovals for eyes and an upside-down heart for a nose in a hollowed-out, white pumpkin. Decorate the pumpkin by hot-gluing candy corn, jelly beans, licorice laces, and square gum on, as shown. Paint one tooth gold.
Bewitching Greeter
Set a sassy sorceress out front to welcome night walkers. Glue on fake lashes to make this witch extra eye-catching! Carve eyes, a nose, and a mouth into the white pumpkin. Hot-glue false eyelashes above the eyes. Stack two more white pumpkins underneath, securing them with skewers. Cut and wrap a half circle of black burlap around the body for a cloak; use straight pins to affix it to the body. Add a striped ribbon tie around the neck and embellish the black witch hat with the same striped ribbon.
RELATED: Easy Pumpkin Painting Ideas for Every Kind of Gourd
Frankenskull
He's part monster/part Halloween mascot, but all smiles when you start with a coat of white paint before carving the mouth, big round eyes, and a jagged scar across his forehead.
Jack Stack Pumpkins
Carve holes on the tops and bottoms of each pumpkin to let light pass through them, so you don't have to use multiple candles or lights.
Get the Jack Stack Pumpkins stencils.
Happy Haunters Pumpkins
If you can't find pumpkins at the store, buy butternut squash and make them into these quirky creatures.
Get the Happy Haunters tutorial.
Granny Pumpkin
Repurpose this everyday cleaning tool into a top-notch updo. Carve two half-circle eyes, a triangle nose, and a squiggly mouth onto a warty pumpkin. Glue on black rhinestones for pupils. From a white mop head refill, cut off a few strands and set aside. Arrange the mop on the pumpkin to look like a wig; keep it in place with straight pins. Wrap the extra strands around a mini pumpkin to create a bun; hot glue on top of the mop wig.
Skull Pumpkin
With a highlighter, draw tall rectangles for the mouth and teeth on a butternut squash. Carve, then etch the skin off the teeth with a linoleum cutter. Hollow out the inside of the mouth only. Carve an upside-down heart for the nose.
Cut eye sockets with a knife. Slice an end off of two radishes and push in black beans for pupils, then add two toothpicks to the back of each radish and push into sockets. Poke a deep hole in either side of the squash at the top with an awl. Tape a length of monofilament to a wood skewer and thread through holes; discard skewer. Knot ends of monofilament together; use a loop to hang.
Jack Be Little Pumpkins
Small, carved pumpkins make perfect accent pieces wherever you decide to display them — like in a faux cast iron planter created with black spray paint. Just take note: avoid using candles around straw!
Monster Pumpkin
Cut the top off a gooseneck squash. Cut a hole in the bottom of an acorn squash. Draw facial features with a highlighter and etch them into the skin of the acorn squash with a linoleum cutter. To make the hair and arms, cut off the tops off okra and attach them to the gourd with toothpicks (use an awl to break through skin if necessary).
Squash People
Who says a jack-o'-lantern has to be made from a pumpkin? These butternut squash goblins sport button eyes and parsnip noses; carving out the vegetable from the bottom adds stability and makes adding a tealight easy.
Passel of Rascals
The hat is nothing more complicated than a party store find with white masking tape and colorful branches. Remember: The right tools are key. Use a boning knife for carving large areas of the pumpkin, and a paring knife for detail work. A craft knife with a keyhole saw blade is good for intricate carving.
Masked and Hatted Pumpkin
Real accessories such as a black hat, eye patch, and/or mask add whimsy to carved pumpkins. Buy them at a party costume store, or make your own with felt black construction paper and ribbon. Try posing them on cake stands.
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