We’re coming up on Halloween and most years I like to try out a new technique with my pumpkin carving and decorating. I’ve seen ton’s of scary faces, black cats, and ghouls in the past, so this year I’m ready to go non-ghoulish with my pumpkins. I’m in love with the non-traditional white and colored pumpkins for this years decor and can’t wait to try out some new tricks this Fall. Today I’ve put together a collection of great new pumpkin decorating and carving ideas to get your creative juices pumping for the upcoming holiday:

Mum Flower Pumpkin
Begin carving as you would with a jack-o-lantern. Carefully cut a lid (keep the stem!) and remove the seeds and pulp. Using a drill or nail, poke small holes around the shell, just wide enough to insert flower stems. Select mums in oranges, reds and golds. Cut the stems about a half inch from the flower head, long enough to poke into the hole. Space holes so adjoining flowers cover the pumpkin flesh. Start at the top, and work your way down until the pumpkin is covered. The number of mums you need depends on the sizes of the blooms and your pumpkin. Keep the inside of the pumpkin moist; flowers will last two or three days.

Nail Head Pumpkin
Use white, gray or spray painted pumpkins. Make dots on your pumpkin where you would like your nail heads to be in the pattern of your choice. Push in your decorative nails or tacks. Decorative nails available at DIY Upholstery.

House Number Pumpkin
Stack small, medium and large pumpkins (remove stems, except for the top one). Then use a stencil and crafts knife to trace the outlines of your address numbers. Scrape the pumpkin skin out of the stenciled numbers, revealing the lighter pumpkin flesh underneath.

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