When it comes to Halloween, carving the pumpkin is the best part of the season, a time for family to come together and spark some creativity. A family outing can take you to a pumpkin farm to source that perfect gourd to transform into a spooky or silly Jack-o-Lantern, and everyone gets to collaborate on the fun.
There are so many ingenious ideas to create your pumpkin faces this year, and we have gathered together a fabulous collection for you below. Get ready to be inspired for whatever you are in the mood for โ classic, unique, or everything in between. Below each of the images is further details and a link to the sources for further details.
A simple trick when drawing designs on your pumpkin is to affix tape transfer paper to your pumpkin and draw on your design. Remove the paper and follow the outline. Continue below for some inspiring pumpkin carving ideas. Happy Halloween!
1. The Googly-Eyed Monster. This monster was made by purchasing a package of varying sized googly eyes that have a self-adhesive. You can find these from places such as Amazon or Michael’s, Target, and Walmart. Carve out your mouth by first using a sharpie to draw the shape. Use pieces of the carved pumpkin to form the teeth. Leaving the guts inside gives a spooky affect. (via @culinarydesigngroup)
2. Mr. Long Stem. The unique stem of this pumpkin adds to its overall look. Simply carve the top around the stem, gut the pumpkin, cut out some eyes, slits for the mouth and add an LED light (or tea light) to illuminate your pumpkin for when the sun goes down. (via @jessihardesty)
3. Fairy House Pumpkin. This adorable little fairy house features curtains and bunting. Its perfect for a fireplace mantel, entry console table, kitchen island or welcoming your trick-or-treaters on your front porch. (via @godsavethescene)
4. Gourd OโPumpkin. Small gourds are used for the eyes and tongue of this spooky carved pumpkin. The lid of the pumpkin is carved in a star shape. Small holes are formed for the eyes to set the ends of the gourds inside. Form sharp teeth and set a gourd inside with the stem hanging out of the mouth. (via @ron_tom_mattia)
5. Twisting Vines Pumpkin. With the help of cutting tools and a drill you can carve out beautiful patterns into your pumpkin and it will glow brightly in the autumn darkness. TIP: Use a lemon zester, clay loop, or linoleum cutter to carve into โ but not through โ the top layer of pumpkin skin. (via @hannawendelbo)
6. Jail House Pumpkin. Insert a smaller pumpkin into a larger pumpkin by carving a lid and taking out the insides of the large pumpkin. Trace out the shape of the jail house door and use a pumpkin carving kit to cut out the pattern. Illuminate this spooky pumpkin and set it out on your front porch. (via weheartit)
7. Hungry Pumpkin. This large pumpkin with yellow gourd ears and green gourd eyes features some large teeth, made for eating a delicious mini pumpkin Jack O’Lantern. (via @pumpkin_hexe)
8. Baby Yoda Pumpkin. If you are a Star Wars fan, this will be a fun project to work on! Baby Yoda is not painted green, it is the color after the skin was shaved off. He was formed out of a Spaghetti squash, while the Pram is a larger white pumpkin. (via @dan_hoogkamp_art)
9. The Cannibalistic Pumpkin. To create this scary pumpkin, you will need one large pumpkin and two mini pumpkins along with a pumpkin carving kit. Use a dry-erase marker to draw out the eyes nose and mouth. You can find stencils online as an alternative. Be sure the mouth is big enough to fit the small pumpkins. Check out the provided link to get the full how-to tutorial. (via Instructables)
10. Spooky Pumpkin Face. Find a rough-faced pumpkin to re-create this unique and scary pumpkin to greet your trick-or-treaters. (via @pumpkin_hexe)
11. Pumpkin Family. Gather your family together for a pumpkin carving night and create an adorable pumpkin family to greet your trick-or-treaters. Be sure to add an LED candle to illuminate their faces. (via Pinterest)
12. Spongebob And Gang. If you don’t feel like carving a pumpkin this year, then why not try this no-carve project? Get out your acrylic paint and paintbrushes along with some pumpkins and gourds for some creative fun! (via @creativity_for_days)
13. Scary Jack OโLantern. This scary-faced pumpkin will be sure to spook your trick-or-treaters when it is illuminated. The two different eyes and extra large teeth will take some serious carving skills to complete, but the finished look will be worth the effort! (via @das_kub)
14. DIY Fantasy Pumpkin Carriage. This DIY Disney princess-themed pumpkin will be the perfect addition to your Halloween decor. To re-create this look, you will need a large pumpkin, four mini gourds for the wheels, glue, blue glitter glue, blue craft paint, a sponge brush, bedazzle jewels, snowflake stickers, and wood dowels for the gourd wheels. You will also need a candle to illuminate your pumpkin. Get the DIY instructions at the provided link. (via This lil Piglet)
15. Creepy Halloween Pumpkin. This creepy pumpkin features hands prying the insides of the pumpkin open to reveal pumpkin guts and spooky eyeballs. (via @dannykissel88)
16. One-Eyed Jack-O’-Lantern. This simple DIY pumpkin project can be made by using an ice cream scooper or a melon baller (for the eyes), brass tubing (from a hobby store), a paring knife, a potato, a carrot, and a few other tools. Check out the full video how-to tutorial below. (via @villafanestudios)
17. Jack-O-Lantern. The eyes were made using white potato and carrot, and the mouth was lined with small sharpened twigs for teeth. A simple jack-o-lantern with a twist! (via @villafanestudios)
18. DIY Pumpkin Fairy House. This fun fairy house will look amazing on your front porch or your garden. You will need a pumpkin carving set along with a blue Hubbard squash and a small brown or green acorn squash along with a few other tools. Check out the link for the step-by-step guide on how to re-create this charming home for fairies and gnomes. (via Country Living)
19. Quirky Pumpkin Face. You will need a pumpkin carving kit to create this quicky face on your pumpkin. You may also wish to tape transfer paper onto your pumpkin to help draw on your design. (via Urban Matter)
20. Scary Pumpkin Eyes. These David Bowie-inspired pumpkin carvings feature large orange pumpkins with the centers cut out. Smaller white pumpkins are set inside with eyeballs painted on them. (via @nowheredan)
21. Harry Potter Pumpkin. If you are a huge Harry Potter fan then this pumpkin carving idea is for you! Wouldn’t this pumpkin look magical leading up the stairs to Gryffindor? (via @_ladyan_)
22. Pumpkin With Braces. This Halloween, do a twist on the seasonal classic. Carve a scary pumpkin with braces eating a smaller pumpkin. Using wire and colorful pushpins, create the braces on the carved-out teeth. (via Pinterest)
23. Spooky Pumpkins. A scared pumpkin is being bitten by a bunch of smaller mini-white pumpkins. Toothpicks help to hold in the eyeballs of the pumpkin. (via @seasonal_witch)
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