Martha Stewart's tin can pumpkins

October 26, 2009 Written by: Tyna Lewis

Pumpkin patch picked-over? Don't settle for bad gourds, be creative and use what you have on hand to make an innovative and sustainable jack o'lantern. Martha Stewart suggests using old coffee cans and soup cans to create these unique (and reusable) Halloween decorations.

Gather up a few cans of different sizes (the more, the better) and use a flat-head screwdriver to hammer holes into the cans. Space out the holes so that they outline the traditional pumpkin face, eyes, mouth and nose. (Do this with the can upside down, so that the bottom of the can is the top of the jack o'lantern's head.)


Little kids will love outlining the shape of the faces in washable marker before you tap in the patterns.

When you've finished, place candles or tea lights inside each of the cans, and enjoy the effect. These make creative front-porch decorations, though they can also make (as well as) beautiful centerpieces to a dinner table or provide some spooky party lighting.

Tin can pumpkins are perfect for Halloween, but the same idea can be used for other holidays like Christmas, Valentines Day and Thanksgiving.