It’s pumpkin season! Why is that so exciting to me? Because the pumpkin is the ultimate creative muse for the season. I absolutely loved carving pumpkins for Halloween when I was a young Trick-or-Treater. From the gooey feel of the pumpkin guts to the toothy grin that glowed from candlelight, it was pure fall crafting heaven. Please join me on a tour of the 65 (!) most fabulous pumpkins that have ever been carved, decorated or created, including a few squash cousins and faux pumpkin friends.
Starting Small
- Janit from Two Green Thumbs shows us how to make a Miniature Pumpkin House that’s easy, quick, and fun.
- She also wrote a tutorial on How to Carve a Miniature Pumpkin into tiny jack-o-lanterns!
Light Hearted
- Sara from Blitz & Giggles used a solar light to make her Solar Light Jack-o-Lantern. Brilliant!
- Sarah from Home-ology created these Starry Night Pumpkin Luminaries complete with comets.
- These Etched Pumpkins really steal the show. See all five designs and print the patterns!
Pumpkin Planters
- Michael from Inspired by Charm turned blue pumpkins, succulents, and spiders into an upscale Halloween Succulent Pumpkin that’s anything but scary.
- Pumpkins also make for a wonderful Thanksgiving table decoration as you can see with this Pumpkin Table Centerpiece with Succulent Pumpkins and these five Pumpkin Flower Arrangements.
- If you do make a pumpkin planter, be sure to read about How to Make Planted Pumpkins Last and check out the gorgeous fall mum planter in that post.
Pumpkin Heads
- Ever since I created my first Jack-o-Plantern I knew it would become an annual thing. I was first inspired by these five Jack-o-Planterns and then I made two of my own and showed the step-by-step to make them.
- I made this Groovy Pumpkin Head Planter and then Hooty the Owl Pumpkin.
- Melissa, the Empress of Dirt, came over to the dark side and decorated her pumpkins for fall. You can see her wonderful no-carve pumpkin ideas and get inspired.
- Barb from Our Fairfield Home & Garden’s Junk-o-Lantern also deserves a special mention!
- These silly faces are painted on pumpkins and squash but they have lots of personality! See all 13 Painted Pumpkin Faces here.
- Ashley, from lil blue boo, made these Sugar Scull-Inspired Owl Pumpkins with a sharpie!
Pumpkin Inspired
- This DIY House Vent Pumpkin from Karen, Garden Chick, took a whole lot of paint to cover, but was it ever worth it!
- Shelley from Sow and Dipity made these fun DIY Recycled Wood Pumpkins to spice up her fall flower display.
- Jenn at Clean and Scentsible made this adorable Pumpkin Soap.
That’s a Lot of Pumpkins!
I didn’t include the 75,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squash that the Dallas Arboretum used to decorate their Pumpkin Village, but it’s a sight to see!
See plenty more pumpkin ideas on my Pinterest Pumpkin Board:
Follow Stephanie @ Garden Therapy’s board ✽ Pumpkins on Pinterest.
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Such a fun collection of ideas – especially love the blue etched pumpkins.
Thanks Sarah, me too!
Was honestly thinking about not carving a pumpkin this year…then I saw this. Thanks for writing this one up!
Kevin, you are very welcome! Get carving!
I thought it must be hard, such as artist level, but I find many beautiful and easy ideas. Thank you for sharing!
Although we are farther away from Halloween now than at any time of the year, you can still try to find pumpkins in order to try some of these, just ask around at your local farmers market. I’m a fan of pumpkin soap any time of the year!