Sep 14, 2026

I Love North Dakota Heart Lettering Pumpkin

Bold block letters reading "I" and "ND" are stacked with a large glowing heart in this I Love North Dakota pumpkin carving idea, the chunky letterforms cut all the way through the rind so the jack-o-lantern reads clearly day or night. The enclosed inner counter of the D is an island piece that must stay attached, so leave a thin ridge of rind connecting it to the letter outline and only sever it after all other cuts are complete. Scoring the design lightly with a pin tool before cutting helps keep straight letter edges from drifting.

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

north-dakota words artistic cutout heart lettering state-pride usa

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Want to try this?

Show off your state pride with clean block letters and a glowing heart anyone can read from across the room.

Some experience helps · Full cutouts + letter bridges

Read our carving tips

Similar stencils

Look for bold block-letter and heart stencils to build your own I Love state design.

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 chunky block letters and a big heart as full cutouts, so the whole message glows brightly whether the porch light is on or off. The one thing that needs planning is the enclosed inner space of the D, which is an island of rind that has to stay attached with a thin bridge. Lay out the letters evenly first, cut everything else, and free that island last.

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

Prep the pumpkin and plan the layout
Pick a pumpkin with a wide, fairly flat front so the letters have room to spread out. Cut a lid or a bottom access hole and scoop the front wall until it is about one inch thick, which makes clean cutting easier. Sketch or print the layout so 'I' and the heart sit on the top row and 'ND' sits below, keeping the spacing even. A thinner wall gives you crisp edges without fighting the rind.
Transfer and score the design
Tape your stencil flat against the front and poke the outlines with a pin tool, following every corner of the block letters. Remove the paper and connect the dots by scoring lightly with the pin tool so you have a shallow guide line. This scored groove keeps straight letter edges from drifting when you start cutting. Mark the inner counter of the D clearly so you remember to save it.
Cut the simple shapes first
Start with the letter 'I' and the heart since they are single open shapes. Use a fine saw blade and keep it perpendicular to the surface, following your scored lines with slow, steady strokes. Push the waste pieces gently inward and lift them out. Working the easy shapes first builds a feel for the rind before you reach the trickier letters.
Carve N and D, saving the D island
Cut the 'N' fully through, then outline the 'D' but do not remove the enclosed inner counter yet. Leave a thin ridge of rind, about a quarter inch, connecting that inner island to the body of the letter so it cannot fall in. This bridge holds the shape steady while you finish the rest of the cuts. Take your time on the diagonal of the N so the strokes stay clean.
Free the island and clean the edges
Once every other cut is finished, decide whether to sever the D counter for a floating look or leave the bridge to hold it in place. If you free it, support the piece with a fingertip and make the last cut slowly so it does not tear. Run your blade back along any rough edges to smooth them. Wipe away pulp crumbs so the openings read cleanly.
Light it and take the photo
Set a battery LED puck or string inside rather than a candle, since the tall letter openings channel a lot of light and LEDs stay cool and safe. Slide the light toward the back wall so the glow spreads evenly across all the letters and the heart. Test in a dark room and nudge the light until every shape reads at once. Snap your photo straight on to keep the letters looking square.

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 whole outer face of the pumpkin stays as untouched skin, keeping the background dark so the message stands out.
Peel & shade
Shave a thin skin layer just inside the letter and heart edges if you want a soft halo, giving a dim orange border around each shape.
Cut through
The block letters I, N, D and the large heart are cut fully through for the brightest glow.

Learn the carving basics

Before you start cutting

How do I keep the inside of the D from falling in?

Outline the D but leave a thin ridge of rind, about a quarter inch wide, connecting the inner counter to the letter body. Cut everything else first so the pumpkin stays strong. Only sever that bridge at the very end, and if you prefer, leave it in place so the island stays fully supported.

How do I get the block letters to look straight and even?

Score the outlines lightly with a pin tool before you cut so you have a guide groove to follow. Cut slowly and keep the saw perpendicular to the surface. If a line starts to drift, stop and reset rather than forcing the blade.

This is an AI concept, so how would I actually carve it?

No real pumpkin exists in the image, but the design carves fine on a real pumpkin. Choose a wide flat front, thin the wall to about an inch, and treat the letters and heart as full cutouts. Keep the D counter attached with a bridge for structural strength.