Halloween may be approaching, but that doesn't mean your pumpkins have to put on scary faces. This year, try taking your creative cues from more sophisticated fare: Borrow inspiration from patterns in your home, favorite clothing, and, naturally, the outdoors, for a decorative and somewhat unexpected approach to pumpkin carving. Employing linoleum-cutting tools to scrape the surface, rather than cutting all the way through with a knife, is not only easier to do, but when the pumpkin is illuminated, a subtle glow adds to the elegant artistry.

For an autumn table, carve out jack-be-little pumpkins and insert votive candles. This festive decoration can be used for Halloween parties, as well as Thanksgiving feasts.

TIP: Candles at the dinner table should never have a fragrance.

Even without its grinning visage, the jack-o'-lantern pumpkin "urns" a smile. Its form is iconic. And its associations--trick or treat, autumn's harvest, a full moon--are timeless. So, raise it high, as we've done with this Cucurbita moschata, and pay glowing homage to its form.

Get the best pumpkin for your pattern: This Cinderella pumpkin has deep reddish-orange skin and a bright orange flesh, dramatically evoking the fabric beneath it.

Panettone stuffing and roasted pumpkin risotto are pleasing surprises, especially when served in festive hollowed-out gourds.

Personalize a tiny pumpkin or gourd: Photocopy the first initial of a guest's name from a clip-art book (the Dover Clip-Art Series has a big selection). Tape a piece of transfer paper (one source is sarolpaper.com) onto the gourd and tape the letter on top of it. Transfer the letter with a pencil. Remove the papers and trace over imprint with a permanent marker. TIPS: Hand letter an initial on a small pumpkin or gourd with a pencil, then retrace it with a permanent marker. An alternative to hand lettering is stenciling. Purchase a pack of alphabet stencils at an art-supply or crafts store. Tape a stenciled letter on a pumpkin or gourd's surface and stencil with a permanent marker.

Tuck candles and small pumpkins inside glass cylinders or canning jars. Chocolate- and caramel-covered apples from Stonewall Kitchen make toothsome favors.

Trick: Create different "destinations" or stations at a party--for appetizers, mulled cider, and dessert.

Treat: Guests move comfortably from one spot to another--enjoying more opportunities for mingling.

When choosing a design, consider the location in which it will be placed. Pick your motif, inspired from an element in that location; focus on a single element and turn this design into a pattern you can re-create. The screen in the background inspired the "S" design on this pumpkin. (Note: Unlike the others, this one is carved through.)

Stripes, speckles, and splashes of color that suggest modern art, mottled surfaces and unnervingly warted ones, carnival colors and ghostly hues are just the beginning.

This towering display stems from an Australian "Crown Prince" pumpkin base, which is topped with a scarlet maxima pumpkin, known for its brilliant rind, a French cheese pumpkin called "Musquee de Provence," a pallid "Baby Boo," and an ornamental gourd topper.

For something different this year, pick your pumpkin's theme from a china pattern. The thorny vines on this antique transferware platter (as well as the real thing!) suggested the delicate design on this Blue Hubbard.

Double, double, no toil or trouble: From carving and decorating to eating and illuminating, you and your guests can enjoy your pumpkin from the inside out.

Special effects don't require special tools when it comes to pumpkin carving. To clean out the inside of the pumpkin, ceramic artist Derek Harding recommends using a potter's loop tools and a variety of knives--paring, X-Acto, and serrated--to make precise cuts. Though the carving should be restricted to the adults, the entire family will love the artful results.

Just ask Amy Goldman, author of The Compleat Squash: "I describe my response to pumpkins as endless love," she says. "There is almost infinite variety in this class of vegetables," she says of the genus Cucurbita, which includes squash, of which pumpkins are a round, edible type, and ornamental gourds. "I'm forever discovering new shapes, sizes, colors, and textures."

Pictured: Piebald tropical pumpkins are characterized by variegated color. Line up bowls of these beautiful gourds for a elegant and contemporary table setting.

HOLLOW IT OUT These pumpkins were hollowed out from the bottom to give a cleaner look. Do this outdoors or use plenty of newspaper, because it's a messy job. Stylist Bella Foster, who executed all the designs shown, advises scooping out additional flesh behind the design once you've carved it to make sure a light can shine through (leave about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of pumpkin).

DRAW ON THE PATTERN Sketch with a pencil first to decide on a preferred size and placement, then draw your pattern on the pumpkin with a china marker or grease pencil.

ILLUMINATE Use votive candles inside glass holders filled with a little water, so the candle will go out when it burns down. Use two or more candles for greater light. Or use a small string of battery-operated Christmas lights.

CARVE THE DESIGN To cut all the way through, Foster recommends using the small serrated knife included in commercial pumpkin-carving kits. (The scoop provided works well for hollowing also.) To carve partially through, use a linoleum cutter. Score the outline with a thin tip; scrape out large areas with a thick (No. 1) tip.

Fresh flowers fill a hollowed-out pumpkin for display on the dining room table. Mix several varieties of pumpkins and flowers for inspirational arrangement.

Display winter squash under glass cloches. You may have a jack-o'-lantern on the porch, but these beauties from the Great Pumpkin Patch in Arthur, Ill., take the cucurbita to new heights -- especially when elevated on cake stands, a nod to their eventual conversion to a holiday treat.

Presentation: Showcase your autumn harvest under a trio of elegant glass cloches.

Make It Sparkle: Get your glass to shine: Clean with white vinegar and newspaper, or use a lint-free cloth with a streak-free cleaner such as Glass Plus.

Vary Height: For a vertical display, invert the cloche to add the squash, then cover the opening with a plate or cake stand and turn it right-side-up.

Party Favors: Tiny pumpkins make ideal placeholders for a holiday event; simply write the guest's name on the pumpkin with a permanent marker.

This Ivy Planter Chandelier from Aidan Gray Home has a rustic finish and lends a country French feel to a room. Establish a focal point with a realistic-but-lightweight artificial pumpkin from Funkins. A faux crow from Seasons of Cannon Falls, bittersweet vine, and ivory tapers complete the effect.

Note: Bittersweet berries can be toxic; avoid them where food is served

A poncho bordered in bright, simple leaf appliques provided the perfect seasonal motif for this pumpkin. Use a linoleum cutter to cut out the design, leaving small pieces to suggest leaf veins. (TIP: Don't hollow out the pumpkin if you don't want to illuminate it.)

Butternut Squash Soup is served from a hollowed-out pumpkin tureen for a lovely autumnal touch. Serve this warm, comforting meal for your next holiday party or outdoor picnic.

Ordinarily, cut pumpkins stay fresh for only a few days. To keep them going for as long as possible: After cutting out your design, coat the raw edges with a lubricant such as petroleum jelly or WD-40, which reduces the exposure to air. It also helps to display jack-o'-lanterns in a cold, but not freezing, place, and on a dry surface. If your autumn weather is too warm, small jack-o'-lanterns might even be stored by day in a refrigerator.

Achieve enchanting effects by scoring the skin of a pumpkin with motifs taken from your home's decor. The curlicues here were inspired by the "Vermicelli" wallpaper from Farrow & Ball on the dining room walls. The flesh was scooped out from an opening cut in the bottom, then the motif was inscribed with a linoleum cutter.

It wouldn't be Halloween without them. Some families make it an annual ritual to go to a pumpkin patch and choose the specimens they want to bring home. Bare-limbed trees provide the perfect ghostly perch for jack-o'-lanterns, candle lanterns, and a flock of faux black crows (don't be surprised if a few real ones alight). Make sure the tree limbs are sturdy enough to support the weight of the items you are hanging and take care not to overdecorate, which can lessen the overall effect. Funkins are an especially good choice for this project, since they're lightweight and won't rot. "Skip the fancy pumpkin-carving tools," advises Richard Kollath, who likes an old short-bladed serrated knife for carving both pumpkins and Funkins. Small lanterns from Barreveld International, fitted with orange votives, cast spooky shadows on your setting.

Artfully decorate your pumpkins in gold and silver for a glittering Halloween display.

To make this luscious dessert, use our simple Classic Chocolate Cake recipe. You can also try substituting your favorite cake recipe, or if you're short on time, a boxed mix--one box yields 12 Mini Pumpkin Cakes, 24 Filled Chocolate Cakes, or two 8-inch-round layers.

TO GET THE LOOK of these single-serving pumpkin treats, trim the bottoms of cakes baked in mini Bundt pans (available at nordicware.com) to create a flat surface. Join two cakes so that the fluted tops are at either end, then drizzle with Chocolate or Vanilla Glaze and sprinkle with coarse colored sugar or nonpareils before the glaze sets. Top with a marzipan stem

Good raw or roasted, pumpkin seeds can be prepared in a number of ways. Hulled pumpkin seeds, sometimes called pepitas, can be chopped and sprinkled on muffins prior to baking, adding soups, or tossed in salads. Try varying the seasonings you use on the roasted pumpkin seeds--soy sauce, garlic salt, and curry powder are among the many good choices.

Your Halloween party decor should be sophisticated yet never minimal. Simple linens and dishes in a bold palette express a more adult ambiance than the typical kid-centric party supplies. Try incorporating a few fun and playful elements to spark conversation. Graphic black-and-white plates and trays are the highlight of an autumn vignette. Affix them to the wall with Fun-Tak adhesive.

Pumpkins capture the flavors and colors of autumn. The array of possibilities for cooking with pumpkin seems almost endless. Choose miniature pumpkins like 'Small Sugar', 'Little Boo', or 'Jack Be Little' to act as individual casserole dishes in which to bake a mix of fresh pumpkin, Israeli couscous, sausage, apples, onion, and cranberries. The flavors and colors of the fall harvest make this a dish you'll enjoy serving year after year.

Make your front door season-appropriate, framing it with dried corn husks and a garland of oak leaves. Ghostly bottle-gourd scarecrows were painted white, with features added in black felt tip, and then speared on sticks and "planted" in Styrofoam blocks inside urns.

This elegantly patterned pumpkin looks good in a library or on your front porch. Tip: Be sure to thoroughly scrape and hollow the pumpkin flesh (1/4- to 1/2-inch deep) if you want to illuminate with a candle

Picking pumpkins has never been more pleasing. Nestled in luscious fields of honey buttercream, these marzipan marvels are sure to inspire furtive samplings. Plant a patch on the tired cake before serving.

This towering pumpkin patch begins as three Pumpkin Spice and Pecan cakes in graduated sizes, with three generous layers of Honey and Spice Buttercream that escape temptingly toward the tiers' edges. The pumpkins and leaves, both made of tinted marzipan, needn't be perfect to be appreciated, so invite young helpers to assist.

Here's how to make them:

Divide marzipan into three batches. With food coloring, tint one green and one orange; leave one natural. For mottling, combine batches. Roll pumpkin spheres, scoring lobes with a skewer. Cut leaves with mini cutters