Sep 14, 2026

I Love New Jersey Heart Lettering Pumpkin

Set on a rain-slicked dock with an overcast lake behind it, this New Jersey jack-o-lantern glows with I, a heart, and NJ pierced through in rounded block letters. The J curves at the bottom into a small hook; cut the straight descender first and then follow the curve all the way around, keeping the hook at least three-eighths of an inch wide so the tip holds. This pumpkin carving idea suits a damp outdoor setting well because the closed carved shapes let light out without letting rain in the way open-face jack-o-lanterns do. Keep the lid vented with a small notch cut in the back so heat from the candle does not cook the flesh and speed decay.

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-jersey words artistic cutout heart lettering state-pride usa

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Want to try this?

Show off your home state with clean cut-through letters that glow bright after dark.

Some experience helps \u00b7 Full cutouts + lettering

Read our carving tips

Similar stencils

Browse other word and state-pride stencils to swap in your own initials.

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 whole design rests on four simple cut-through shapes: the letter I, a heart, and the letters N and J, all in rounded block style. Since this is a concept image, you would recreate it by printing a stencil, spacing the shapes evenly, and cutting each one straight through the wall so it reads clearly from across the yard. The trick is treating the letters as solid islands of removed flesh rather than thin lines, which keeps everything readable and strong.

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 tall, smooth pumpkin and open the lid
Choose a pumpkin with a flat, blemish-free front panel big enough to fit two rows of lettering. Cut the lid from the top at an angle so it rests without falling in, and scoop the inside until the front wall is about one inch thick. A thinner wall lets light glow through the peeled edges and makes cutting the letters easier. Have an adult handle all the knife work.
Transfer the stencil evenly
Print the I, heart, and NJ layout at a size that fills the front without crowding the ribs. Tape the paper smoothly to the damp skin and poke the outlines with a pin or a tracing tool, spacing the dots close together on curves like the heart and the J hook. Step back and check that the top row and bottom row line up before you cut. Even spacing is what makes lettering look intentional.
Cut the straight letters first
Start with the simplest shapes, the I and the straight parts of the N. Use a small saw and cut through the wall with steady, vertical strokes, letting the blade do the work instead of forcing it. Push each freed piece out from the inside so you do not crack the edges. Clean up ragged edges with a gentle second pass.
Shape the heart and the curved J
Cut the heart last of the upper shapes, working from the center point outward so the two rounded lobes stay symmetrical. For the J, cut the straight descender first, then follow the curve all the way around into the hook. Keep that hook at least three-eighths of an inch wide so the tip holds and does not snap off. Take short strokes on the tight curve to keep control.
Vent the lid and light it
Cut a small notch in the back of the lid so heat can escape, which keeps the flesh from cooking and slows decay. Set a battery LED light or two inside, never a candle, since the closed carved shapes trap heat. Rotate the light until the heart and letters glow evenly. LEDs also stay safe in a damp outdoor spot.
Stage and photograph it
Place the pumpkin on a dry board or dock rail and wipe surface water off the skin so it does not drip into the cuts. Shoot in low evening light so the warm glow reads against a darker background. Turn the pumpkin slightly so the letters face your camera straight on. A little petroleum jelly on the cut edges keeps them from drying out between showings.

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 body of the pumpkin around the letters stays untouched and dark.
Peel & shade
The rounded inner edges of each cut letter can be lightly skin-thinned for a soft halo of dim orange around the glow.
Cut through
The I, the heart, and the N and J are cut clean through the wall for the brightest light.

Learn the carving basics

Before you start cutting

How do I keep the letters readable and not too thin?

Treat each letter as a chunky block shape rather than a narrow line. Rounded block lettering gives you thick strokes that hold their shape and read from a distance. Aim for strokes at least half an inch wide, and keep the J hook to three-eighths of an inch minimum so the tip does not break.

What is the safest way to cut the curved heart and J?

Use short, slow strokes and let the saw ease around the curve instead of twisting it. On the heart, start at the bottom point and work each lobe outward for symmetry. On the J, finish the straight part before following the hook so the flesh stays supported while you cut.

Will this survive being displayed outside in the rain?

The closed carved shapes help, since they let light out without leaving a big open face for rain to pool in. Cut a vent notch in the back of the lid to release heat, and use LED lights so nothing overheats. Wipe standing water off the skin and coat the cut edges with petroleum jelly to slow drying.