by Amanda Formaro
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.
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 is also the
owner of FamilyCorner.com
Magazine at http://familycorner.com where
you will find recipes, crafts, family activities, parenting advice,
home & garden, and plenty more. Be sure to visit the bustling message board
community to make some new friends!