Unique Pumpkin Carving Ideas

Halloween is the perfect time to get a little creative with your holiday decor. I love these unique pumpkin decorating ideas from Country Living. Use one of these fun ideas to do a little something different this year!

Bookshelf Tree

Step 1: Begin by experimenting with the placement of pumpkins on your shelves. Your tree should gradually widen toward the top, with multiple smaller gourds on higher shelves. Also, if there's a good deal of space between two shelves, you may need to stack pumpkins to fill it (as we did on the bottom shelf here). In that case, trim any stems that interfere with stacking stability. (Concerned about the heft of pumpkins on a particular shelf? Opt for lightweight, faux Funkins. $16-$42; funkins.com)

Step 2: Using this photo as a guide, draw the outline of a tree onto the pumpkins with a felt-tip pen. Start at the bottom and branch out as you move up. (You may need to use a stepladder to reach upper shelves.)

Step 3: Working one shelf at a time, remove the pumpkins and fill in your outlines with a fine-tip brush and black flat acrylic paint ($1.39 for two ounces; createforless.com) . Let dry and replace pumpkins in your bookcase.

Fireplace Arrangement

Step 1: Begin by experimenting with the placement of pumpkins in your fireplace. Once you're satisfied with the arrangement, trim any stems that interfere with stacking stability, then determine how many flames each gourd should get. (Use this photo as a guide.) Note where each pumpkin goes and dismantle the arrangement.

Step 2: Carve a hole in the bottom of each pumpkin, scoop out the pulp, and return the cut pieces.

Step 3: Print out flame templates and resize on a copier, scaling the images to fit your pumpkins.

Step 4: Cut out stencils as directed on the templates and affix to pumpkins with masking tape. Trace on the designs with a felt-tip pen.

Step 5: Remove stencils, then carefully carve along the drawn lines with an X-Acto knife. Affix a battery-operated votive candle in the base of each pumpkin with adhesive putty. Finish by restoring your arrangement.