I Love Texas Heart Lettering Pumpkin

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Pick and prep the pumpkin

   Choose a tall, slightly oval pumpkin with a flat, smooth front panel for the lettering. Wipe it down and dry it before you draw anything. A vertical face gives you room to place the heart on top and the TX row below. Set it on a towel so it does not roll while you work.

2. 2

   Open a back or bottom hatch

   Instead of cutting the lid off the top, cut an access hole in the back or the base so the front panel stays clean. An adult should make this cut with a serrated carving saw. Scoop out the seeds and pulp completely. This keeps the display face uninterrupted for the letters.

3. 3

   Thin the front wall evenly

   Scrape the inside of the front panel down to a uniform thickness of about one inch. A loop tool or a sturdy metal spoon works well for this. An even wall lets the light glow consistently across both the heart and the letters. Check thickness by pressing gently and feeling for thick spots.

4. 4

   Transfer the layout

   Print or draw the I, a small heart, and the T and X in a bold block font. Tape the pattern to the front and poke the outlines with a pin or a dull nail. Keep even spacing between characters so nothing looks crowded. Widen the center of the X where the four strokes meet to at least a half inch so it will not snap.

5. 5

   Cut the letters, X first

   Cut the smaller and more delicate shapes early while the pumpkin wall is still fully supported. Start with the X, then the T, the I, and finally the heart. Make slow, straight passes with a small carving saw and let the tool do the work. Push the cut pieces inward and out through your back hatch.

6. 6

   Light it and place it

   Drop in a battery LED puck or a string of warm LED lights and never use a candle. Set the pumpkin on a front step at about door height so the TX reads clearly to visitors. Step back in the dark to check that all characters glow evenly. Touch up any thick spots from inside if one letter looks dim.

Written with AI to match this design