15 Things to Do With Pumpkins (Besides Carve Them)

Suffering from jack-o-lantern fatigue? Try one of these alternative projects instead.

1. MAKE A DIORAMA.

With some dollhouse materials and LED lights, you can make almost any scene you can think of. (Bonus: As far as backgrounds go, it's way cooler than a shoebox.)

Tutorial. 

2. COVER THEM IN FOLIAGE. 

Sometimes all you need are the right stickers. (In this case, leaf shapes help lend a little extra fall flair.) Add a little Mod Podge to the mix to make sure your stickers stick, rain or shine.

Tutorial. 

3. WRAP THEM UP. 

A little gauze + some googly eyes = the cutest mummy ever.

Tutorial.

4. TRY SOMETHING SWEET.

Take advantage of a gourd's natural donut shape by turning it into a sprinkled sweet. All you need is some acrylic paint and a steady hand.

Tutorial. 

5. MAKE A GAME.

Use chalkboard paint and letter stickers to turn your pumpkin into a seasonal word search. Or, leave your new canvas blank and let visitors doodle away.

Tutorial. 

6. MELT SOME CRAYONS.

To create this technicolor delight, start with a white pumpkin. Glue a rainbow of unwrapped crayons on top (Crayola work best), then melt with a hair dryer.

Tutorial. 

7. MAKE IT CREEPY. 

We get it: You're tired of carving. Luckily, this option requires just a few cuts, plus some comically-oversized plastic eyeballs.

Tutorial. 

8. ADD SOME COBWEBS.

Mike Krautter

Apply painter's tape, spray with paint, then peel off your spooky stencil.

Tutorial. 

9. USE NAPKINS.

Give leftover paper goods new life by gluing napkins with bright designs to the surface of your gourd.

Tutorial.

10. MAKE THEM GLOW.

With the help of some glow-in-the-dark paint, you can mimic the look of a carved pumpkin and candle.

Tutorial. 

11. BREAK OUT THE SHARPIES. 

Think of white pumpkins as canvases for your art. Consider investing in a book on Zentangles to help you settle on the best patterns and doodles for your pumpkin.  

Tutorial.

12. START A PARTY.  

Find pumpkins with longer stems and transform them into beaks, trunks, and snouts. Soon you’ll have a ton of animals ready to party.

Tutorial. 

13. ADD SOME RUSTIC FLAIR.

Buy some fake pumpkins, but lose the lame plastic stems. Doorknobs look way more magical.

Tutorial.

14. COVER IT IN EYEBALLS.  

Is there anything creepier than a pumpkin with eyes that follow you around the room? Thanks to screw-on cat eyes, you can make all of your guests squirm in their seats.

Tutorial. 

15. ADD OFFICE SUPPLIES. 

Have a pretty white pumpkin ready to go? The right gold or multi-colored push pins mean you can be done decorating in as little as five minutes.

Tutorial.