1A Drill and Lite Brite Pegs (or Colored Beads)
For those that miss the classic 80s light-up toy, Lite Brite pumpkins are a fun, new way to use those old pegs. Just drill some holes, and push the pegs into your choice of pattern, and when you light your jack-o-lantern from the inside, it will glow just like the creations from your childhood.
Of course, Lite Brite pegs aren’t always easy to come by, so if you can’t find them use clear plastic beads instead. The result is pretty close once you’ve lit up your pumpkin.
You can also combine this technique with a good pumpkin sculpture to create something amazing like this Pinhead carving by Fantasy Pumpkins.
2Diorama Supplies
Like the traditional carving process but don’t want to make a boring old jack-o-lantern?Then clean the inside of your pumpkin and make a square opening on the front. Use diorama supplies like mini trees, moss, and animals to make a beautiful nature scene, a creepy cemetery or any other setting you can think of.
3A Drill, Embroidery Thread, And An Embroidery Needle
Needlework fans rejoice—now you can even cross stitch your pumpkin! Just find a pattern, drill holes, and use a needle and thread to create your crafty creation on the pumpkin’s face.
4A Drill And Christmas Lights
If you don’t want to light up your pumpkin from within, you can always use string lights that pop out from the inside. Just carve the inside of the pumpkin, drill holes through the sides and then push a bulb through each hole. Plug in the lights to reveal a magical, glowing jack-o-lantern.
5Spider Webs And Screws
Pumpkin carving doesn’t get much easier than this. Just cut through each side of the pumpkin, scrape out the guts, add a few screws along the edges and then use the screws to hold artificial spider webs in place. Add a few plastic spiders into the mix and you’ve got a spooky jack-o-lantern in no time.
6A Drill, Peanut Butter And Local Wildlife
Want to have a carved pumpkin but don’t want to do the work yourself? Then use a drill and some peanut butter to get squirrels, rats, and other wildlife to do the work for you. Just create a few guide holes where you want the critters to get carving and fill them with peanut butter. You can even direct the work as it progresses by strategically adding peanut butter as needed. Once the animals break through the pumpkin flesh, they’ll even cart away the seeds for you so all you’ll have to do is clear away the pulp inside.
7A Cookie Cutter And A Rubber Mallet
Who needs to use a knife to carve a recognizable pattern when you have good old fashioned metal cookie cutters already formed to the perfect shape? Just use a rubber mallet to hammer the cookie cutters into the pumpkin flesh and then use a knife to trace the cookie cutter. Voila, your pumpkin is ready.
You can even thin out the inside of the pumpkin a little more while you’re scraping out the seeds and eliminate the need for a knife entirely, making the project even more kid-friendly (trust me, I’ve done it myself).
8A Drill And Lollipops
This idea is particularly handy if you plan to be away from home during the holiday and also happen to have trustworthy kids in the neighborhood who really will just take one, even if no one is watching. Just buy a big bag of lollipops and use a drill bit just slightly bigger than the lollipop sticks throughout the entire jack-o-lantern. Push the pops into the holes and you’re ready to go!
You can also use the same concept (replacing the drill with a knife or a hole saw) to create a cool pumpkin beer holder for those adult Halloween parties.
9A Spigot
There are few better ways to serve a seasonal ale than right from your own pumpkin keg. The process is insanely easy too—just carve the top off the pumpkin and clean out the guts, then cut a hole big enough for a spigot, insert it and fill with your favorite brew.
10Anything That Can Make Holes And Plastic Mice
Here’s a fun project by Martha Stewart—just add a few holes to your pumpkin and put plastic mice inside for a fun mouse house. While Martha suggests using a knife, you could also use a few circular cookie cutters or hole saws to punch holes in the pumpkin. However you do it, this project is quick and quite fun.
11Apple Corers
There are a lot of things you can do with an apple corer and a pumpkin, but these polka dot pumpkins are a pretty clever use of the tool. Just use the corer to pull out chunks on two different colored pumpkins and then fill in the holes with the pieces on each with the other’s spots.
12Flower Pots
Here’s a classy and simple decorating idea—just buy some potted flowers and then use a knife to carve the top of the pumpkin wide enough to fit the flower pot inside. Pop in your pots and you’ll have an elegant and festive floral accent in no time.