@toothpick_tessa
Sep 7, 2026
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Our tips for carving a similar design
The whole charm here is restraint: two round eyes and one gentle curved smile, nothing more. The trick is keeping the shapes small and well spaced so the face reads as sweet rather than spooky. Round eyes are the easiest openings to cut cleanly, which makes this an ideal design for a child helping under adult supervision.
Written by PumpkinCarvingIdeas.com, inspired by @toothpick_tessa's photo above. These are our suggestions, not instructions from the uploader, and this approach hasn't been tested on their exact carve.
From pumpkin to porch
Prep the pumpkin
Pick a smooth, round pumpkin that sits flat without rolling. An adult should cut a lid around the stem at an angle so it rests back in place later. Scoop out the seeds and pulp, then thin the front wall to about one inch with a scraper. A thinner wall is much easier to push a small blade through.
Mark the face
Use a washable marker to draw two small round eyes and one wide, gentle smile. Keep the eyes level with each other and set the mouth a little below them, centered. Step back and check the spacing before you cut, since the empty space around the shapes is what makes this face feel calm and cute. Redraw until it looks right.
Start with the eyes
Have an adult carve the two round eyes first using a small serrated carving saw or a sturdy paring knife. Work slowly with short, gentle strokes and let the blade do the work. Push the cut pieces out from the inside so the edges stay clean. Small openings like these keep the pumpkin strong.
Cut the smile
Carve the mouth as one smooth curved opening, following your marker line. Take your time on the corners so the smile stays soft and rounded, not jagged. Save this larger cut for after the eyes so the pumpkin stays firm while you work. Clean up any rough edges with the tip of the blade.
Tidy and light it
Wipe away leftover marker lines with a damp paper towel and trim any stray bits inside the openings. Drop in a battery LED tea light, never a real candle, and set the lid back on. If the lid smothers the light, cut a small vent notch at the back. Test it in a dark room to see the glow.
Share your proud first try
Set the finished pumpkin somewhere safe and snap a photo while the little face glows. Natural evening light or a dim room shows off the warm color best. This is a great one to display at kid height so young carvers can admire their work. Share it with the community when you are done.
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 entire orange body stays untouched and dark, keeping the face simple and clean.
- Peel & shade
Optional: lightly shave a thin ring around each eye if you want a soft halo, though this design looks great with no peeling at all.
- Cut through
The two round eyes and the curved smile are cut fully through for bright, cheerful glow.
Before you start cutting
Is this design safe for a child to help with?
Yes, this is one of the best beginner designs for kids. A child can draw the face and scoop the insides, while an adult handles all the actual cutting. Keep the shapes small and simple and everyone stays involved safely.
How do I keep the eyes from looking uneven?
Draw both eyes with the marker first and check that they sit level before any cutting. You can trace around a bottle cap or coin to get matching circles. If one ends up slightly bigger, gently widen the other to match.
Will such a simple face still look good lit up?
Absolutely. Simple faces often glow the cleanest because there are no thin details to break. A single LED tea light makes the three openings pop against the dark skin, and the wide smile reads clearly even from across a room.
Your take belongs here, too.
Changed a detail? Made it simpler? Share a photo of your version and tell the community what worked.
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