When autumn arrives, all of us want to be spending time outdoors enjoying the cool, crisp days and the brilliant colors of autumn leaves. How convenient that during autumn we have the Halloween holiday--a time when you can decorate your house both indoors and outdoors for that one night of unabashed revelry. This year, try going beyond the standard pumpkin on a haystack and create a whimsical Halloween ornament that is unlike anything you can find at those retail outlet stores.
Scarecrows have long been a farm staple. Years ago, farmers relied on these characters to keep birds like crows and blackbirds out of crops such as corn. The thought was that birds would see the scarecrows standing in the field and become frightened. Of course, the scarecrow wasn't always completely foolproof (if you ever used one in your own backyard garden, you know how birds will often perch on the scarecrow in an almost mocking gesture).
Look in any decorating or crafts store at this time of year, and you'll certainly find many variations of scarecrows. You can create a charming scarecrow from just a few simple materials you probably already have at home: a simple broom, some boards, old clothes and hay or straw. This project is a great autumn activity that the entire family can do together in one afternoon. Your scarecrow may not frighten away too many birds, but it will make a festive autumn lawn or Halloween party decoration. To use from year to year, simply remove the stuffing material from the scarecrow before storing it and add new stuffing material each year.
TECHNIQUE
MAKING A SCARECROW
Materials:
- 1-by-3-inch lumber, 6 to 8 feet in length, one end cut into a point (for the body of the scarecrow)
- 1-by-3-inch lumber, 2 to 4 feet in length (for the arms of the scarecrow)
- Cordless drill, with accompanying bit to match stove bolts
- 2 three-inch-long stove bolts and nuts
- Broom (for the head of the scarecrow)
- Two 3-inch plumbers' rings
- Old clothing, such as a flannel shirt and overalls
- String and stuffing material, such as straw, hay, excelsior or newspaper
Directions:
- Place the shorter 1-by-3-inch board, crosswise, 6 inches to 1 foot from the top of the longer one. Drill two holes through the intersection of the two boards. Secure the boards with nuts and bolts.
- Attach the broom to the scarecrow's "body" with plumbers' rings. Dress the frame with clothing, securing the wrists and ankles with string. Stuff the clothing with straw, hay, excelsior or newspaper.
SOURCES
2-Inch Stove Bolts, 3-inch Plumbers' Rings, Broom, available at your local hardware store
Michael Vyskocil - Michael Vyskocil has been a feature writer for Recipes on Suite101.com since 2006. He currently serves as the Topic Editor for Recipes.
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