Sep 14, 2026

I Love Mississippi Heart Lettering Pumpkin

Backlit by a golden sunset, this Mississippi jack-o-lantern carries I, a heart, and MS in wide, open block letters carved all the way through a round pumpkin. The S is the trickiest character here because its two curved ends risk crumbling if cut too thin; keep the endpoints at least a quarter inch wide and follow a smooth arc with a flexible detail blade. Place the pumpkin on a tree stump or elevated surface so the warm evening backlight does not compete with the candle glow. Carve outdoors while the pumpkin is cold and firm for the cleanest cuts through the thick walls of a large pumpkin.

This is an AI-generated concept image: a realistic, carvable design idea rather than a photo of a finished carve. AI concepts are always labeled and sit out the leaderboard and the contest.

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Medium Words & Letters Artistic Classic Cutout

mississippi words artistic cutout heart lettering state-pride usa

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Want to try this?

Spell out a little state pride with bold cutout letters and a glowing heart.

Some experience helps · Full cutouts + curved lettering

Read our carving tips

Similar stencils

Look for block-letter and heart stencils to make your own message.

Winged Heart Pumpkin Stencil
hard difficulty
View printable pattern

Tools for this approach

Our suggestions for trying a similar carve. Start with what you already have.

Elmchee Pumpkin Carving Kit
13-piece kit with carrying case
Saws for the larger cutouts, plus a scoop for hollowing. Covers both jobs in one kit.
View on Amazon
Speedball 4131 Lino Cutter Set
Handle + 5 interchangeable cutters
Interchangeable cutters for peeling and shading the face. Useful for the finer details.
View on Amazon

A little extra help

Our tips for carving a similar design

The core trick here is treating each character as a full cutout so the light pours straight through, with the heart acting as the bright centerpiece between the words. Keep the letters wide and blocky so the pumpkin wall stays strong, and save the trickiest shape, the curved S, for when your hand is warmed up. Elevate the finished pumpkin so an evening sky does not wash out the glow.

Written by PumpkinCarvingIdeas.com, inspired by the image above. These are our suggestions, not instructions from the uploader. This approach to the AI concept has not been tested on a real pumpkin.

From pumpkin to porch

Pick a large, firm pumpkin and plan the layout
Choose a big round pumpkin with a smooth front face and thick, even walls. Chill it outdoors first so the flesh is cold and firm, which gives cleaner cuts. Sketch your I, heart, and MS spacing on paper first, keeping the letters wide and evenly spaced. A round face curves away at the edges, so keep the design centered where it stays flat.
Open a lid and hollow the inside
Cut an angled lid around the stem or, better for a large pumpkin, a wide hole in the base so it sits flat. Scoop out all the seeds and pulp, then scrape the inside of the front wall down to about one inch thick. A thinner front wall makes the thick block letters far easier to cut through. Work slowly with a sturdy scoop so you keep an even surface.
Transfer the letters and heart
Tape your paper template to the front and poke the outlines with a pin or a poker tool, following every curve. Space the dots close together on the heart lobes and the S so the arcs read smoothly. Peel the paper and connect the dots lightly with a marker. Double check spacing before any blade touches the pumpkin.
Cut the straight letters first
Start with the I and the M, since their straight edges are the most forgiving. Use a small serrated carving saw and cut with gentle, steady strokes, letting the tool do the work instead of forcing it. Push each cut all the way through the wall so the opening glows fully. Remove interior pieces carefully by pushing them inward and out.
Carve the heart and the tricky S
Cut the heart next, following the two lobes down to the smooth point at the bottom. Save the S for last: keep its two curved endpoints at least a quarter inch wide so they do not crumble, and follow the arc with a flexible detail blade in short controlled passes. If a corner feels fragile, leave slightly more material rather than thinning it out. An adult should handle all the sharp tools.
Light it and stage the photo
Set a battery LED light or two inside, never an open flame, since the wide openings and dry edges make a candle risky. Place the pumpkin on a tree stump or raised surface so a bright sunset does not compete with the glow. Shoot at dusk when the interior light reads warmest against the darker background. Add a second LED if the lower letters look dim.

Gather your supplies

Check things off as you get ready.

Work on a stable surface, keep your free hand out of the cutting path, and have an adult handle sharp tools.

Three levels of light

Leave intact
The full orange pumpkin skin around and between the letters stays untouched and dark.
Peel & shade
Shave a thin border just inside each letter edge if you want a soft halo glow framing the cutouts.
Cut through
The I, heart, M, and S are all cut clean through for the brightest light.

Learn the carving basics

Before you start cutting

How do I keep the S from breaking?

The S is the weak point because its curved ends taper. Keep both endpoints at least a quarter inch wide and follow a smooth arc rather than a tight pinch. Cut it last with a flexible detail blade so your hand is steady and warmed up, and leave a touch more material if any spot feels fragile.

Should I use a candle like the image suggests?

No, use battery LED lights instead. The wide open cutouts pull in air and the thin cut edges dry out, so an open flame is a fire risk. One or two bright LEDs will fill all four openings evenly and let you shoot safely at dusk.

My letters look dim near the bottom, what happened?

Large pumpkins have thick walls that block light, so thin the inside front wall to about one inch before cutting. Also add a second LED low inside the cavity to push light up into the M and S. Elevating the pumpkin and shooting after the sun drops will make the glow pop more.