The figures are easy to make from hardware-store supplies, and they can be brought out year after year.
Tools and Materials
- 4-by-8-foot piece of 3/4-inch plywood for witch (available at home centers)
- 4-by-4-foot piece for 3 cats (available at home centers)
- Repositionable spray adhesive (57691772), by Krylon, from Create for Less
- Jigsaw (available at home centers)
- 1 quart of black latex paint (available at home centers)
- Paintbrush
- Hammer and screwdriver
- 6-foot piece of heavy-wall conduit for witch; 3-foot piece for each cat (available at home centers)
- Four 2-hole conduit straps and 8 wood screws for witch (available at home centers)
- Two 2-hole straps and 4 screws per cat (available at home centers)
- Similar broom (RU71), from halloweencostumes.com
- Cup hook (504517), from Abuchon Hardware
- Similar lantern (38469), from gardendecorgalore.com
- Witch template
- Cat templates
Witch and Cat Lawn Ornaments How-To
1. Get the full-size (72 inches for witch, 25 to 30 inches for cats) templates, which you can print in sections and tape together. Cut out and affix to plywood with repositionable spray adhesive. With a jigsaw, cut out design; peel off template, and paint plywood black. Let dry for 30 minutes.
2. Hammer conduits into ground, sinking 12 inches for witch and 8 inches for cats. Attach figures to conduits using 3 conduit straps and 6 screws for the witch and 2 conduit straps and 4 screws for each cat.
3. Fasten a broom to the witch's raised arm with remaining conduit strap and screws. Attach a cup hook to her other hand, and hang a lantern from it.
These are really great in the yard. I did the same thing with headstones last year. This year I will make the witch and cats. When you paint the plywood, use a primer on them first so the raw wood doesn't suck up all your paint. They will hold up to the elements better too.
I saw this project in the Halloween mag. and just had to look into it.
You make it so easy to do, and it's FREE!!
All I had to do was download the pattern, put it together, trace onto plywood and cut out. This was my first time using a jigsaw and I was surprised at how easy it was! As long as you have the right tools, it's a piece of cake.
Now, all I have to do is paint them, and I may even consider painting actual faces for daytime, and revert to night time up lighting for drama! Thank you!