Sep 14, 2026

I Love Oregon Heart Lettering Pumpkin

Block letters reading "I" and "OR" surround a large open heart in this I Love Oregon pumpkin carving idea, the bold cutout letterforms and heart glowing broadly against the dark rind. The O has an inner circular island that must be kept connected to the rind until the final pass, and the R's leg creates a narrow enclosed counter at the bottom right. Carve the heart and the open letters first so the pumpkin face stays rigid, then tackle the O and the R's enclosed leg last for maximum control.

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

oregon words artistic cutout heart lettering state-pride usa

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Want to try this?

Spell out your home state pride with bold glowing letters and a big open heart.

Some experience helps \u00b7 Block-letter cutouts + island bridges

Read our carving tips

Similar stencils

Browse similar word and heart lettering stencils to make the layout easy.

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 the letters and heart as full cutouts while keeping tricky interior shapes attached with hidden bridges. You could carve the simple open forms first so the face stays stiff, then finish the O's floating center and the R's enclosed leg last. Working outside in and saving the fragile bits for the end gives you the most control.

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

Transfer a clean layout
Print or draw the design so the 'I' and heart sit on top and the 'O' and 'R' line up below. Tape the pattern flat against the pumpkin, then poke closely spaced dots along every edge with a pin or awl. Mark the O's inner circle and the R's counter carefully since those need extra planning. Peel the paper and connect the dots with a washable marker so your cut lines are obvious.
Cut a back or bottom access hole
Instead of a top lid, cut an opening in the back or the base so the stem stays intact for a clean front. Make it big enough for your hand and an LED light. Scoop out the seeds and scrape the front interior wall down to about one inch thick. A thinner wall carves cleaner and lets the letters glow brighter.
Carve the I and the heart first
Start with the simplest full cutouts, the block 'I' and the large heart, since they add no fragile islands. Use a fine saw blade and let the tool do the work with gentle pressure. Cut the straight sides of the I in smooth passes, then work the heart from the point up to each rounded lobe. Push each freed piece inward and out through your access hole so you do not chip the edges.
Shape the O with a bridge
The O has a floating inner circle that will drop out if you free it too soon. Carve the outer ring of the O now but leave one or two small skin bridges connecting the inner island to the rind. Once the surrounding letters are done and the face is still firm, slice those bridges last and gently lift the center out. Trim any ragged edges so the ring reads as a crisp O.
Finish the R and its counter
Carve the R's stem, bowl, and diagonal leg, saving the narrow enclosed counter at the lower right for last. That small closed space is the weakest spot, so cut it slowly with a fine blade and support the surrounding rind with your free hand. Clear the waste piece out through the back. Go back over every letter edge to clean up fuzz and even out the widths.
Light it and photograph
Drop a battery LED puck or string inside through the back hole and turn off the room lights to check the glow. Skip real candles since the tall stem and thin letter walls can scorch. If any letter looks dim, scrape a little more from the inside wall behind it. Set the pumpkin on a neutral runner and shoot slightly off center so the heart catches the eye first.

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 rind around the letters stays untouched and reads as dark background.
Peel & shade
Shave a thin skin border just outside each letter for a soft halo that eases the jump from dark rind to bright cutout.
Cut through
The I, the heart, the O ring, and the R are cut fully through for the brightest glow.

Learn the carving basics

Before you start cutting

How do I keep the O's inner circle from falling out?

Leave one or two small skin bridges connecting the inner island to the surrounding rind while you carve everything else. These little tabs hold the center in place until the face is fully firm. Slice them only on your final pass, then lift the island out gently.

Should I cut a top lid or a back opening?

Cut the access hole in the back or bottom so the front face and stem stay clean and uninterrupted. A back opening also keeps the top rind rigid, which matters because these letters remove a lot of material. Make it wide enough for your hand and a light.

This is a concept image, so will a real pumpkin hold all these cutouts?

Yes, if you keep the letter strokes reasonably wide and the wall around one inch thick. The only fragile spots are the O's island and the R's enclosed counter, both of which you carve last with bridge support. Choose a tall pumpkin with a broad flat front so the whole phrase fits without crowding.