Project

Witch and Cat Lawn Ornaments

This sinister sorceress and her trio of menacing felines are in a black humor -- all the better to give guests a start when they arrive at your home for the festivities.

Source: Martha Stewart

Introduction

The figures are easy to make from hardware-store supplies, and they can be brought out year after year.

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

steps

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.
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.
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.