40 Favorite Pumpkin Ideas for Halloween
Whether you prefer your pumpkin carved, painted, glittered or decoupaged — it's simply not Halloween without one.
By:
H. Camille Smith
Go for the Glitter
Budget-friendly school glue and black glitter are all you need to give natural or faux pumpkins a chic makeover. Choose an easy pattern for crafting with kids or go with a timeless design, like a monogram or graphic pattern, for a sophisticated look. Get step-by-step instructions.
From:
Marian Parsons
Carve With Your Kiddos
Carving pumpkins is a much anticipated Halloween activity for many families. Even the littlest crafters can complete their own pumpkin with a little help from a crafty adult and one of our beginner pumpkin-carving templates.
Make a Haunted Pumpkin Fairy Garden
Kids will love this easy craft that turns a pumpkin into a haunted gnome home perfect for Halloween. Learn how to make your own.
Turn Pumpkins Into Pets
These playful pet pumpkins are a fun, no-carve fall craft that you and the kiddos can create from either fresh or faux pumpkins and basic craft supplies. Our step-by-step instructions include printable templates to make each animal come to life.
Turn an Old Pallet Into a Grinning Jack
Spook up your front porch, walkway, foyer or any dark corner with this rustic recycling project that uses a (free!) wood pallet to craft a Halloween pumpkin you can display year after year. Make your own with our step-by-step instructions.
From:
Sam Henderson
Stack a Vampire Pumpkin
Turn a pair of faux pumpkins into this topiary that's 'fang-tastic' in just a few, easy steps. Our tutorial shows you how.
Add Some Sophistication
Who said Halloween pumpkins couldn't be stylish? Give faux or plastic pumpkins a cozy upgrade with the visual warmth and texture of chunky wool yarn; our tutorial shows you how easy these gorgeous gourds are to craft.
Send a Message With a Teal Pumpkin
Let kids with food allergies know that you'll be handing out non-food treats on Halloween night with a teal pumpkin. We made these groovy gourds with faux pumpkins, a marbleizing kit and shades of teal paint. Learn more about the teal pumpkin project.
Cast a Spell
Create an enchanted pumpkin patch in your yard by carving a garden elf or fairy onto a large pumpkin. Stack smaller pumpkins on top, and carve stars in a swirling pattern on the top pumpkins to make it look like the little fall elf is casting a spell. Get more easy pumpkin-carving ideas.
Make Pumpkin Magic
Magic up this not-too-scary witch for your front porch or entryway using a faux pumpkin and basic craft supplies. Create a friendly witch to welcome Halloween guests or a scowling witch to keep mischief-makers at bay. Our step-by-step instructions make it easy to conjure up one of your own.
Mini "Pumpkin" Wreath
Although the tiny orange shapes covering this wreath look like diminutive pumpkins, they're actually putka pods. A great stand-in for mini pumpkins, the dried organic seed pods don't deteriorate, so your wreath can be displayed year after year. Get crafting to make your own.
From:
Marian Parsons
Try This Easy Upcycle
Cozy up a plain pumpkin with an old or thrifted sweater that’ll bring amazing texture to any fall vignette. Use a faux pumpkin for a trendy take on traditional fall decor that you can display through Thanksgiving. Get crafting with our step-by-step instructions.
Owl Pumpkin
You don't need an intricate pattern or advanced pumpkin-carving skills to turn a fresh pumpkin and white gourds into this adorable decoration. Learn how to make your own.
Add Some Texture
A tube of paintable caulk and white spray paint transform a fresh pumpkin into a sleek, mod Halloween decoration. Make your own with our step-by-step instructions.
Turn Mini Pumpkins Into Friendly Bats
Mix a little mischief into your Halloween decorations with these mini bat pumpkins. These not-too-scary creatures are fun to create and will look great grouped together on your mantel, entry table or as a centerpiece.
Go Crazy for Candy
Combine Halloween's most iconic decoration -- a pumpkin -- with Halloween's favorite treat -- candy, and lots of it -- to craft a sweet decoration in no time flat. Use the real stuff or replicate the look with paint as Meg Caswell has here. Check out more Halloween decorating ideas from our stars, straight from the pages of HGTV Magazine.
From:
HGTV Magazine
Pumpkin Candy Dish
Cut a faux pumpkin in half to create a lidded container for serving Halloween candy. The waterproof foam interior also makes these a great cooler when filled with ice and beverages. Get step-by-step instructions.
Point the Way
Let's face it, kids only have one question on All Hallow's Eve, "Where's the candy?!" Genevieve Gorder makes it easy for trick-or-treaters to find the way with this clever signpost that requires only a real or faux pumpkin, black spray paint and a white paint marker. Check out more Halloween decorating ideas from our stars, straight from the pages of HGTV Magazine.
From:
HGTV Magazine
Light Up the Night
Light the way for trick-or-treaters with rows of pumpkins that are illuminated with strands of Christmas lights. Just, hollow out each pumpkin, then use a drill to create a pattern. Fill each hole with a single bulb and cut a hole in the backside of each pumpkin to make it easy to disguise the electrical cord.
Stack a Rustic Centerpiece
Colorful heirloom-variety pumpkins create a chic centerpiece when stacked and surrounded by other natural fall elements. To create a stable base, first remove the stems from all but the top pumpkin and add double-sided tape between the layers if you need a bit more stability.
From:
Marian Parsons
Black Cat Pumpkins
Use basic craft supplies — like paint, felt and pipe cleaners — to make a whole litter of these lucky black cats. You can use fresh pumpkins, if you prefer, but these carve-free kitties are so cute that faux pumpkins are a better bet so you can display them year after year.
A Sweet Idea for Mini Pumpkins
Craft paint, glue and multicolor bugle beads are all you need to turn squat mini pumpkins into calorie-free lookalikes of Homer Simpson's favorite sugary snack. Get more creative ideas for mini pumpkins, straight from the pages of HGTV Magazine.
Create Your Own Pumpkin Family
Enlist the kids to help you create a group of pumpkin characters with signature characteristics that resemble your nearest and dearest. Fresh produce, felt, a permanent marker and a few bits of clothing are all you need. Get step-by-step instructions.
Stack a Jack-O'-Totem
Add some personality to your Halloween decor with a pumpkin topiary in the shape of a totem pole. All you need are a few lightweight faux pumpkins, basic craft supplies and a little imagination. Get crafting to make your own.
Make a Gourd-Geous Vase
Use a hollowed-out fresh pumpkin as a vase to display your garden's last blooms before the cold hits. Place a vase inside the pumpkin to contain the water, then arrange your flowers inside. Consider using herbs that have gone to seed, like this fennel, as your greenery.
Make Carving Child's Play
Even the littlest crafters will have fun tapping metal cookie cutters into hollowed-out pumpkins to create fun glowing shapes. Get step-by-step instructions.
Bring On the Glitz
Give faux pumpkins a glamorous makeover with gold, silver and copper leaf to add just the right amount of sparkle to any indoor fall display or Halloween centerpiece. Best of all: You can incorporate these glitzy gourds into your Thanksgiving decor. Make your own with our step-by-step instructions.
From:
Marian Parsons
Play Peekaboo
Kids will love helping you create a spooktacular vignette of peeking pumpkins with mini gourds and a variety of inexpensive bowls and lidded dishes. Get step-by-step instructions.
Add a Sophisticated Silhouette
If carving isn't your strong suit, put your artistic skills to work and instead embellish a pumpkin with a trendy black-and-white silhouette. Our step-by-step instructions show you how.
Disguise Pumpkins as Mushrooms
Wooden furniture legs (from the hardware store) and polka-dot-painted mini pumpkins are a credible stand-in for fanciful forest mushrooms. Enlist the kids to help you craft up a whole crop of these colorful 'shrooms. Get more creative ideas for mini pumpkins, straight from the pages of HGTV Magazine.
Make Your Mark With a Monogram
Turn your family's last name or just the first initial into a totally personalized pumpkin. Learn how to make your own.
Go for a Gothic Look
Give a humble pumpkin sophisticated style by painting it to resemble an antique European grain sack. Our step-by-step instructions show you how.
From:
Marian Parsons
Who's That Masked Pumpkin?
A pumpkin in disguise? Why not, it is Halloween after all. Our free printable template ensures this carve-free pumpkin idea couldn't be simpler. Get more creative ideas for mini pumpkins, straight from the pages of HGTV Magazine.
Repurpose Upholstery Trim
Easily embellish pumpkins with paint, nail-head trim, ribbon and spiders to create a chic Halloween display — no carving required. Learn how to get this look.
Go Trendy With Fabric
Give faux pumpkins a fashion-forward makeover by covering them with strips of trendy fabric. Large decoupage pumpkins are a stylish addition to front porch displays while small pumpkins will add a graphic pop to any indoor Halloween decorations. Get crafting now to make your own.
From:
Marian Parsons
Make a Pretty Fretwork Pumpkin
Looking for a new pumpkin-carving technique? Requiring just two different-sized drill bits, this sculptural and intricate design is easier to create than you may think. Learn how to make your own.
Think Small
Mini pumpkins, if left uncut, typically stay fresh much longer than larger varieties. Mix a few minis into your Halloween decor now so you can later repurpose them for your Thanksgiving spread.
From:
Marian Parsons
Put a Pumpkin to Work as a Serving Bowl
Summery sangria gets a flavorful update for fall with pumpkin pie spice, bourbon and apple cider. Make a big batch to serve in a hollowed-out pumpkin for a pitch-perfect seasonal presentation. Get the recipe.l
Spell It Out
Use patterned scrapbook paper and decoupage medium to embellish pumpkins with your initials or a favorite Halloween phrase, like "Boo!" or "Spooky!" Our step-by-step instructions make this project a snap.
Ribbon-Embellished Pumpkins
Give faux or fresh pumpkins a chic fall makeover with vertical bands of pretty patterned ribbon — no carving required. Get crafting with our step-by-step instructions.
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