Decorating your front porch, yard, or walkway for
Halloween can be loads of fun. While there are
probably hundreds of ways to spiff up your yard and
adorn your door, let's focus on a few simple
solutions that your pocket can live with.
Friendly Scarecrows
Scarecrows are actually very easy to make and look
like you spent hours assembling them. For a friendly
scarecrow, use either a plastic smiling pumpkin for
the head, or a carved or painted pumpkin with a
happy face. Choose a long sleeved shirt or coat, a
pair of pants or jeans, and a hat if you choose. You
may even go so far as to include shoes for it's feet
and gloves as it's hands.
Stuff the clothing with newspapers
or dry leaves to keep the scarecrow from getting too
heavy that you can't carry him. If you have straw
available, poke some out from inside the shirt
collar and wrist cuffs of the shirt. If not using
gloves, you can use straw or sticks for the hands.
Secure all the clothing together with safety pins,
or by hand sewing 8-10 stitches every 4-6 inches or
so.
Spooky Scarecrows
Follow the instructions above for the clothing,
simply replace the happy
pumpkin face with a scary or angry expression.
Another option is to use planks of
wood set up easel style, then drape lengths of cloth
all over to form ghostly apparel. Using more wood,
and a few nails, hammer arms so that they are
pointing out to the sides. Using a spooky carved
face and leaving the hat off gives an eerie
appearance! A Grim Reaper can also be constructed
this way by using black sheets or cloth and forming
a hood over the pumpkin head.
Carved Pumpkins
With Halloween comes the tradition of carving
pumpkins. You can carve an extravagant expression or
a simple smile. Be certain to use caution when using
any sharp object to carve the pumpkins. Be creative.
Draw your ideas on paper before carving to eliminate
mistakes you cannot reverse.
For some really cool, free pumpkin
carving patterns visit http://www.fabulousfoods.com/holidays/halloween/pumpplans.html
and for wonderful carving instructions be sure to
hit http://www.fabulousfoods.com/holidays/halloween/jack101.html
Painted Pumpkins
An alternative to carving is painting. This is very
popular with families with small children. Kids want
to be a part of the process, and this is a wonderful
way to let them decorate their own pumpkin. You can
use markers or tempura paints. Because you are not
cutting into the pumpkin, it will last longer and
you will be able to use it in recipes after the
holiday. Just be sure to wash all the paint off!
Ghosts, Webs, & Spiders
Simple hanging ghosts can be made from squares of
white fabric. Place the square of fabric down flat
on the table. In the center of the fabric, put a
balled up wad of fabric scraps, cotton, or yarn.
Using newspaper as the stuffing is not recommended
because of rain drenching the paper and possibly
bleeding the ink through the white fabric. Wrap the
fabric around the ball in the center and tie off
with a piece of orange or black yarn. Use a black
marker to paint on eyes and a mouth. Make longer
ones by using larger scraps of fabric. Hang ghosts
in a tree or from your doorway.
To see how to make Garbage Bag
Cats, go here: http://www.thefamilycorner.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump.cgi?ID=567
Spiders and webs are fairly easy
to decorate with. You can purchase small plastic
spiders and webbing at craft and discount stores.
Thread webbing across bushes and windows to create
an eerie effect. String it through trees and
branches and over doorways.
To make large yard spiders, fill a
black plastic garbage full with dry leaves or old
newspapers. Tie off the end. Using another black
garbage bag, fill again, but only 1/3 of the way.
Tie off. The smaller bag is the head. Attach the
head to the larger bag (body) with packing tape.
Using yet another black garbage bag, cut lengthwise
into thin strips, enough for eight legs. Tape or hot
glue sides together once you have lined them with a
filling such as leaves or newspaper. Hot glue or
tape legs to body.
Halloween is such a fun holiday. Be sure to make the
most of it and follow our safety precautions here
http://www.thefamilycorner.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump.cgi?ID=562
for a fun night of Trick-or-Treating!
Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial
mother of four children. She and her husband live in
southern Nevada. She is also the owner of
FamilyCorner.com Magazine. Subscribe to her free
holiday newsletter, Family Holidays, by sending any
email message to mailto:holidays-on@mail-list.com or
by visiting her website at http://familycorner.com
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