Laughing With Tears Emoji Pumpkin

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Pick a round pumpkin and open the lid

   Choose a tall, round, symmetrical pumpkin so the circular face ring reads cleanly. Have an adult cut a lid or a bottom access hole so you can reach in and scoop. Clean out all the seeds and scrape the front inside wall down to about one inch thick. A thinner wall makes the eyes and mouth much easier to cut and lets more light through.

2. 2

   Transfer the emoji pattern

   Print the laughing face at a size that fits the front, then tape it flat and poke the outlines with a pin or a transfer tool. Mark the face ring, the two squeezed-shut eyes, the wide grin, each tooth divider, and both teardrops. Step back and check that the whole face is centered and level before you cut anything. Small dots spaced close together will keep your curves smooth.

3. 3

   Cut the narrow tooth dividers first

   Start with the thin horizontal tooth bars inside the mouth while the wall around them is still intact and strong. Use a small detail saw and make slow, straight passes, keeping each divider connected at both ends so it stays anchored. These slim bridges are the most fragile part of the design, so cutting them before you open the big mouth keeps them from snapping. Take your time and clear each little gap fully.

4. 4

   Open the mouth, eyes, and teardrops

   Now widen and remove the mouth sections between the teeth so the grin becomes one bright band broken by dark bars. Cut the two curved eye slits, keeping their gentle upward arc so the face still looks like it is laughing. Then carve the two teardrop shapes at the outer eye corners, cutting each as one clean closed loop. Support the pumpkin from inside with your free hand as you push the pieces out.

5. 5

   Score the face ring for a soft glow

   For the big circle around the face, skin-peel rather than cut all the way through. Score the outline with a lino or peeling tool, then shave off just the orange skin inside the ring band so it glows dim while staying solid. This gives you the outlined-circle look without weakening the whole front. Keep the ring an even width all the way around.

6. 6

   Light it and take your photo

   Drop in a battery LED light rather than a candle so the thin teeth and teardrops stay cool and safe. Rotate the light until the mouth and eyes read brightest and the tooth bars show as clear dark stripes. Wipe the cut edges dry and set the pumpkin at eye level for the photo. A little petroleum jelly on the cut edges slows drying and keeps the face crisp for a few extra days.