Sep 14, 2026

I Love New Hampshire Heart Lettering Pumpkin

Shot at golden hour on a weathered wooden garden bench surrounded by yellow mums, this New Hampshire pumpkin carving idea shows I, a heart, and NH in bold slab capitals all pierced through the rind. The H is structurally solid because its crossbar connects two full verticals, making the overall design more forgiving than abbreviations with open counters. Tilt the pattern slightly inward at the top when tracing so the letters appear optically straight to someone approaching from the path below. An LED tea light inside keeps this outdoor display safe through wind and damp New England evenings.

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

new-hampshire words artistic cutout heart lettering state-pride usa

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Want to try this?

Show off your home state with a bold, glowing message anyone can read from the sidewalk.

Some experience helps · Bold cutout lettering

Read our carving tips

Similar stencils

Look for slab-capital word and heart stencils to build your own state message.

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 trick here is treating each letter and the heart as a clean, fully pierced shape so light pours straight through and the message reads sharply from a distance. Everything is a cutout, which keeps the plan simple, but bold slab capitals give you enough width that the letters stay strong. Space the I, heart, and NH evenly on the flattest part of the pumpkin so nothing crowds or leans.

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 your canvas and open the lid
Choose a large pumpkin with a wide, smooth front face so all four elements fit in one row and the heart above. Cut a lid from the bottom instead of the top so the pumpkin sits flat and you can set it down over the light. Have an adult make the angled cut so the plug does not fall inside. Scrape the inside wall behind the letters down to about one inch thick so cutting is easier.
Trace the pattern with an inward tilt
Print or draw the I, heart, and NH in bold slab capitals and tape the pattern flat against the front. Because the pumpkin curves, tilt the top of the pattern slightly inward so the letters look optically straight to someone approaching from below. Transfer the outlines by poking closely spaced dots along every edge with a poker tool or pushpin. Peel the paper and connect the dots lightly with a marker so you can see the full layout before any cutting.
Cut the letters first, openings last
Start with the smallest, most enclosed shapes, the counters inside the letters and the tips of the heart, before the large open areas. Use a small serrated carving saw and let the blade do the work with gentle back-and-forth pressure, keeping your free hand behind the blade. Cut the H last since its crossbar links two full verticals and stays strong once everything around it is removed. Push each piece outward from inside so you do not crack the front.
Clean up the edges for crisp light
Go back over every cut edge and trim away ragged bits so the letters read cleanly when lit. Bevel the inside edge of each opening slightly outward, cutting a touch wider on the inside than the surface, so more light escapes and the shapes glow brighter. Check the spacing between NH so the two letters do not blur into one shape. Wipe the front with a damp cloth to remove marker lines.
Light it and set the scene
Drop one or two battery LED tea lights inside and set the pumpkin over them through the bottom opening. Skip real candles, especially for a damp, breezy New England porch. Place it on a flat bench or step at eye level for people on the path. Snap your photo at dusk when the sky is still faintly lit for that golden-hour glow.

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 entire orange pumpkin body around the message stays untouched and dark.
Peel & shade
Optionally shave a thin halo just outside the heart to add a soft glow ring without cutting through.
Cut through
The I, the heart, and the N and H are all pierced fully through for the brightest light.

Learn the carving basics

Before you start cutting

How do I keep the letters from looking crooked on the curved front?

Tilt the top of your pattern slightly inward when you tape it down, since the pumpkin curves away from the viewer. This makes the tops of the letters appear straight to someone standing on the path below. Step back and check the alignment before you cut anything.

Will the N and H hold up as cutouts?

Yes, both are forgiving shapes. The H is especially strong because its crossbar connects two full verticals, so nothing floats free. Just cut cleanly and avoid making the strokes too thin, and keep at least a finger-width of rind between the two letters.

Can I swap in my own state initials?

Absolutely, the I and heart stay the same and you just change the two letters. Pick letters without fully enclosed floating centers if you can, or add small uncut bridges to hold any island pieces in place. Keep every stroke bold and slab-style so they read from a distance.