Easy, Creative Pumpkin Decorating

Knock out a fun jack-o-lantern in no time with three easy - and safe - tools: an apple corer, a biscuit cutter, and a rubber mallet.

Better Home & Gardens magazine shares the secret to mess-free Halloween pumpkins in just a few easy steps -- no cutting or carving required! Tap out a 'Polka Pumpkin', 'Ghostly Gourd' and other designs with these kid-friendly tools.

For these easy tips, check out the latest issue of Better Home & Gardens magazine or visit them on the web at www.bhg.com.

PUMPKIN HOW TO AND VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP...

POLKA DOT PUMPKINS
Grab an apple corer and create these pretty, mess-free Halloween pumpkins in just a few easy steps -- no cutting or carving required!
1. It's a cinch to cut perfectly round holes in pumpkins and winter squashes with a plunger-type apple corer. (Small children may need the help of an adult and a rubber mallet to push the corer through tough pumpkin shells)
2. colors of plugs. Simply pull the plug from one pumpkin and place it in a hole of another to use autumn hues to create a pretty, polka-dotted pumpkin.
3. Use a plunger-type apple corer for double-duty decorating. Leave the holes open for a glowing look, or place the punch in a different colored pumpkin.
4. Mix and match - with different colored gourds, mix and match the different

GHOSTLY GOURD
Try an apple-corer spin on an old-fashioned jack-o'-lantern.
1. Use a rubber mallet to tap a metal biscuit cutter into a white pumpkin to cut eyes and mouth.
2. Cut pupils and teeth from eye sections with an apple corer.
3. Attach pupils and teeth with toothpicks, and dribble a few seeds from the pumpkin's mouth for extra spookiness.

PAINTED PATCHWORK PUMPKINS
1. To create this patchwork design, paint the pumpkin with latex primer and let dry.
2. Apply a base coat with cream-color latex paint; let dry.
3. Mask off squares with masking tape or download our free pattern
4. Paint an overcoat of khaki-color latex paint; let dry.

CREEPY CREATURES
Pumpkins made simple with cut-out silhouettes!
1. Spray white pumpkins with a sealer, then use patterns to transfer the critter outlines to the pumpkins.
2. Fill in the outlines with black paint, then arrange the spooky gourds on a black tray.
3. Stick a colony of bats cut from card stock and equipped with wire stems into the center pumpkin to heighten the horror.

SPELL IT OUT
1. Red painted dots decorate the outside of this pumpkin that's also been embellished with painted pasta spelling out Happy Halloween, Trick-or-Treat, and Boo! Use decoupage medium to attach the pasta to the pumpkin (a thin layer will do).
2. Use a washable marker to draw a letter or initials on your pumpkin, and use the apple corer to punch along lines. Create a letter on each pumpkin to spell out a spooky message.
3. When illuminated, the apple corer holes emit an eerie glow. This big "Boo!" looks like it took hours, but with the help of a plunger-type apple corer, large letters are easy to knock out. (If needed, use a serrated knife and a metal biscuit cutter to create a simple exclamation mark.)