Pumpkin carving sure has come a long way since I was a kid. Gone are the days of hacking up a pumpkin to get any sort of scary face — now it’s all about style!

Many companies now produce and sell kits that include stencils, scoops and specialized knives to create fancy carved pumpkins, and Better Homes & Gardens has thrown their hat in the ring with a very specific theme for your Halloween pumpkin — dog breeds!
The free, download-able templates feature 13 dog breeds including beagles, boxers, bulldogs, chihuahuas, dachshunds, German shepherds, golden retrievers, Jack Russel terriers, Labrador retrievers, …read more

Lee Valley tools has provided a primer on pumpkin carving. They suggest the proper tools for the job, show you how to do unique surface-carved jack-o’-lanterns like the one above as well as traditional fully carved ones, and they give you tips on how to make your pumpkin last as long as possible!

Here are some marvelous ideas to help you make your pumpkin different this year!
Zombie pumpkins includes Homer Simpson, pictured above
Cute stensils from Hormel not as scary as the others!
StarWars themed pumpkins
Paper masks for your pumpkins…it just had to be Martha!
Sculpted pumpkins the scariest of the bunch
This link isn’t for pumpkins, but it still might give you some ideas for projects or decorating:
Vintage Halloween images on flickr