Decorating with duct tape can avoid a big mess

It's a fact: Pumpkin carving is messy.

But one way to avoid the "ick" of pumpkin guts is to not carve at all. Instead, use duct tape to dress up your Halloween squash as a witch, a spider or even a mummy.

It's an idea that has been carried over to Halloween costumes. Instead of buying something, some people make outfits from tape.

"Unlike traditional carving, decorating with duct tape can prolong the life of your pumpkin, allowing you to start on your design earlier, then change or remove it completely after Halloween, making it versatile enough to use throughout the fall," Ohio-based Duck Brand Products said in a media release.

Duct tape sold by Duck Brand comes in colors including pink, orange, yellow, aqua, camouflage and silver. Other companies also offer a variety of duct tape colors you can use to decorate.

Still stuck on how to use duct tape on your pumpkin? Here are a few more ideas, courtesy of Duck Brand:

1. Decorate both sides of your pumpkin. Then, you can switch things around and have your pumpkin present a new face, depending on your mood.

2. Make your pumpkin an abstract work of art. Use bright colors and cover your pumpkin with stripes, polka dots and other random art.

3. Celebrate your favorite team or university by putting a logo on your pumpkin.

4. Use stencils to create a traditional "jack-o'-lantern" face for your pumpkin.