Fantastic Pumpkin with out the mess!

If you are like me you are dreading cleaning up the pumpkin carving mess that will certainly happen when the jack-0-lantern carving begins. I knew that there must be an easy way to avoid cutting into our pumpkins all together this year so I have explored a few options. Take your pick and please send me photos of your pumpkin art!

-Kids will love the Mr. Potato Head Pumpkin Kits! They are soooooo cute! The kit comes with everything you will need to make pumpkin pirate, princess, ninja, witch or clown. They retail for anywhere from $9 to $12 which is a bargain in my opinion because there is no clean up! You simply stick they eyes, nose, mouth, ears and meet into a small pumpkin and, voila, a mess-less jack-o-lantern!

-If you love a traditional Jack-o-lantern but don't want to carve then pull out the black duct tape and cut away! Using sharp sewing scissors, cut the duct tape into the shapes you need: two triangles for the eyes, another for the nose and a crescent shape for the mouth. It is easy and simple!

-Turning a pumpkin on it's side is perfect for those of you who like to color outside the lines. Grab some permanent markers or paints and turn your pumpkin over so that the stem is facing you. Using the stem as the nose, paint eyes and a mouth on your pumpkin. You could top it off with a set of mop strings on top as hair.

-Remember the plastic spider rings that we all used to wear as kids? They make perfect pumpkin decor now! Make small one inch slices into the pumpkin and insert the rings into them so that it looks like the spiders are crawling around it. Top it off with some fake spider webs and you have a creepy crawly pumpkin!

-Stencils are a great way to go if you don't have a creative bone in your mummy....uh, body! Try using a template that you can purchase at the craft store or on line.  You can also use a doily!  I couldn't find a source for this image but it is so cute!
-Check out Southern Living for more ideas!