If we need outfit inspirations, Pinterest has us covered, so it's only natural to search for pumpkin carving ideas once fall hits. Even though it's full of failed DIY projects, I've taken the task of picking three Pinterest pumpkin designs that looked do-able, cute, and aren't your ordinary jack-o-lanterns. 

Owl Design

This owl is titled as a DIY, but Pinterest is not great at following through. My only option was to design the owl by hand without instructions. I also went to the nearest dollar store and bought myself a cutting kit for $3 and used a thin sharpie to draw the designs.

First, I drew the owl’s eyebrows by drawing a wide "V" on the upper part of the pumpkin. Under that, I left about a two-inch gap and drew two huge circles. Follow that with smaller inner circles, resembling a pupil in the eye. Next is the owl's beak, which is rhombus-shaped.

bread, wheat, flour
Maria Hernandez

The pumpkin will now start to resemble an owl. Time to decorate and add some of your own flair to the pumpkin. I went ahead and imitated the one on the post. So, I added 4 small circles on the side of the face and moon-shaped crescents around the eyes. You could add eyelashes, bows, glasses, or other geometric shapes to personalize your owl. 

#SpoonTip: You can use a mug or cup to trace the circles and create the eyes.

sweet
Maria Hernandez

The cutting kit worked beautifully for cutting through the thick pumpkin. I carved out the eyebrows and the owl's beak without much trouble by simply following the drawn line with the kit’s knife.

apple, sweet, pasture, juice, vegetable
Maria Hernandez

The eyes were a bit tricky, but to get the depth effect, you have to cut the pupil out first. After carving out the pupil, I cut at an angle, making sure to only cut half way through the pumpkin’s skin.

cake, apple
Maria Hernandez

Once the top layer is off, you can begin to give it shape and smooth out the surface of the eyes. Next, cut out the circles and crescents. I carved out small dots around the beak by twisting the knife around and producing small holes.

beer, cake, pumpkin, tea
Maria Hernandez

Sunflower Design

The second pumpkin I found is a sunflower shape. This post also claims there is a DIY, but fails to have any instructions apart from a stencil you can print out. I went ahead and free-handed the design. Although it looks a bit complicated, it only took about an hour maximum to draw and cut. The carving was also done with the kit’s knives. 

First, I drew a centered circle in the middle of the pumpkin. Around the circle, I drew 6-9 petals—the size doesn't matter as long as they're evenly spaced out. In between each petal, I drew small rhombus shapes. This resembles the tips of the second layer of petals, creating a layering effect. Lastly, I went crazy drawing circles inside the center circle. Do not worry about it looking perfect, this is your artwork and it can look any way you want it to.

tea, cake, pumpkin
Maria Hernandez

#SpoonTip: You can also personalize this design by adding more petals or vines around the flower.

Following the lines, I cut out the petals and started on the endless amount of circles in the center.

tea
Maria Hernandez

#SpoonTip: Wiping the surface with a disinfecting wipe can help erase any sharpie lines you may have missed when cutting.

pumpkin, orange, squash, citrus
Maria Hernandez

Breast Cancer Ribbon Design 

It's Breast Cancer Awareness month, so for my last pumpkin, I decided to carve out a ribbon design. This one is a bit tricky, but the key is to start the drawing high on the pumpkin.

bread, sweet, pastry
Maria Hernandez

Using the knife from the kit, I cut along the design. On the sides, the ribbon is a bit thin, so if they aren't super pronounced after cutting, it's cool—the light will still shine through.

beer, water, tea
Maria Hernandez

#SpoonTip: You can create a candle effect by sticking your phone in a clear bag while the flashlight is on. Perf for dorm pumpkins.

Leftover Seeds

pumpkin seeds, pumpkin
Maria Hernandez

Now, the kitchen table is full of seeds and the slimy pumpkin insides. Thank goodness there are tons of food to make with these tasty, versatile, and surprising additions to any meal.