Sep 14, 2026

I Love Missouri Heart Lettering Pumpkin

Set on a kitchen table beside autumn squash, this Missouri pumpkin carving idea glows with I, a heart, and MO cut through in rounded block letters, the O's circular counter forming a bright central ring. The O requires careful handling: cut the outer ring first, then work inward to free the interior island, leaving it attached to the surrounding rind at one point until the very last cut so it does not drop and chip. Placing this display indoors by a window on a rainy day gives the candlelight a soft, diffused backdrop that makes the letters stand out. Use a melon baller to thin the wall behind the O from inside for an even, consistent glow.

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

missouri words artistic cutout heart lettering state-pride usa

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Want to try this?

Show off some state pride with a glowing message that is all clean cutouts and one clever ring.

Some experience helps · Cutouts + wall thinning

Read our carving tips

Similar stencils

Browse similar lettering and heart stencils to spell out your own home state.

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 the letter O: its bright center ring comes from cutting the outer edge first, then freeing the interior island last so it does not drop and chip. The rest is straightforward block lettering, an I, a heart, and an M, all cut cleanly through the wall. Keep the letters evenly spaced and thin the wall from inside so every cutout glows at the same brightness.

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

Plan and transfer the layout
Sketch or print the I, heart, and MO in rounded block letters, then tape the stencil flat against the smoothest front face of the pumpkin. Poke the outlines with a pin or awl so the pattern shows as dotted lines. Space the letters so the heart sits above the M and O, matching the picture. Step back and check the spacing before you cut anything.
Open a back access hole
Cut a lid or a round opening in the back rather than the top so the front stays clean. Have an adult make the cut with a serrated pumpkin saw held at an angle so the plug does not fall inside. Scoop out all the seeds and pulp with a scraper. This access lets you reach in to thin the walls later.
Thin the wall from inside
Use a metal scraper or the loop end of a carving tool to bring the front wall down to about one inch thick behind all the letters. Behind the O especially, work with a melon baller to thin the rind for an even glow through the ring. A thinner wall is easier to cut cleanly and lets more light pass. Keep the thickness consistent so no letter looks dimmer than the others.
Cut the simple letters first
Start with the I, the heart, and the M since they are single open shapes. Use a small saw with slow, steady strokes, letting the blade do the work rather than forcing it. Push each cut piece gently inward or outward to pop it free. Save the O for last because it is the fiddly one.
Cut the O and free its island last
For the O, cut the outer edge of the ring all the way around first. Then cut the inner edge to free the center island, but leave the island connected to the surrounding rind at one small point until your very last stroke. Support the island with your fingers as you make that final cut so it does not drop and chip the edges. Clean up any rough spots with the tip of your tool.
Light it and set the scene
Slide a battery LED tea light or a small puck light inside through the back hole. Skip real flames since the thin walls and rounded letters scorch easily. Set the pumpkin indoors near a window on a table with a runner and a few small squash, as shown, for a soft diffused backdrop. Snap your photo in low room light so the letters read bright and warm.

Gather your supplies

Check things off as you get ready.

Small serrated pumpkin saw
Awl or pin for transferring the pattern
Metal scraper or loop tool
Melon baller for thinning the O wall
Battery LED tea light or puck light
Printed block-letter and heart stencil
Painter's tape

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 untouched orange skin around and between the letters stays dark and frames the message.
Peel & shade
Lightly skin-peel a thin halo just outside each letter if you want a soft dim glow to make the shapes pop.
Cut through
The I, the heart, the M, and the O ring are cut fully through for the brightest light, with the O's center ring shining most.

Learn the carving basics

Before you start cutting

How do I keep the center of the O from falling out?

Cut the outer edge of the ring all the way around first, then start the inner edge but leave the center island attached at one small point. Hold the island steady with your fingers while you make the final cut. Removing that last bridge slowly keeps the edges from chipping.

Why does the O look brighter than the other letters in the image?

The narrow ring of the O concentrates light in a small area, so it reads as a bright central ring. Thinning the wall behind it with a melon baller helps the glow stay even. Keep the other letters' walls a similar thickness so nothing looks washed out or too dim.

Can I swap MO for my own state abbreviation?

Absolutely, the layout works for any two-letter state code under the heart. Just keep the letters in matching rounded block style and even spacing so the message stays balanced. If your letters have enclosed centers like O, D, or R, treat each one like the O and free the island last.