Monday

The SCARE in Scarecrow

Shock-tober wouldn't be complete without posting about our scarecrow.

If you have been around Bliss Ranch for a couple years you have probably met him before.

A few years ago, 8 apparently, in 2006 BB (Before Blogging), I decided to make a scarecrow using sheet rock mud and stuff from around the yard.

Meet Punkin Noggin.....


I took a few photos of the process, but not enough for a full tutorial.  I think at the time I planned on making another one and I wanted pictures to refresh my memory of the process.

Punkin Noggin started out a semi round form of old rusty chicken wire.

Yes even six years ago the rule was don't buy stuff to make stuff.

Can you see that chicken wire?  It's right in the center there next to the trashcan.  We have a brown trash can now, maybe it would blend in better.

You make a round form with the chicken wire and then balance it with wood shims nailed to your work place so you can work on all sides without it falling over.

His melon gets pretty heavy.

The long paper thing at the bottom left will become his stem.

Then you start to mud the shape.  It helps if you know a drywall contractor who happens to keep drywall mud on hand, because when you want to make something you want to make it NOW.

But you don't get to use the regular premixed stuff.

No you must use the dry kind you mix with water, it's called something technical like 20 minute mud.  At least at our house.


Mix up your goo in a old sheetrock screw bucket if you have one, and use that goo like paper mache.  Dip strips of fabric (I used old sheets cut up) and put it on the chicken wire.  Let dry, do again, and again until all the chicken wire is covered.

Then you just keep smearing mud on fabric and shaping it as you go and eventually you get a gray blob resembling some sort of alien gourd with a stem that resembles a super size umbilical cord.

The stem is a metal clothes hanger with newspaper twisted and taped on.  You mud that too.  If I recall there was also some duct tape involved here somewhere.

Now you might want a beautiful, perfectly shaped pumpkin...... I did not.

I wanted to put a bit of the scare in the word scarecrow.

Halloween has never really been cute to me.... I'm the girl who wanted to be a witch year after year, yet I was very afraid of witches, had nightmares about them.  Guess that's what's called facing your fears at a young age.


His body consists of grape vines from the woods and an old trench coat from a garage sale that I ripped up. 

All the vines are twisted around a wood "T" and staple gun staples were strategically shot in, to hold it in place.  The whole thing was sprayed with varnish to protect it, and the head has about 10 coats of marine varnish brushed on so it wouldn't get mushy while left out in the elements.

I must of done something right because it has weathered 8 Octobers.

Now that I'm a blogger, I suppose if I was making another one, I'd probably have to use chalk style paint and wax it.  JOKING!!!!!

Brawn taking my friend for a walk down to the end of the driveway where he was put on a metal pole.  Punkin Noggin, not Brawn.

This is a good view of the stem and top and you can see how big he is.

The crow on his shoulder is due to be replaced, it faded to light gray and his wing fell off.


Punkin Noggin.  He's outstanding in his field.





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12 comments :

  1. Very cute! And so is the hubby carrying him down the road.
    Brenda

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  2. He IS outstanding! You should write a Halloween book, Bliss...

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  3. you never cease to amaze me with your energy and creativity! Punkin Noggin, is pretty awesome!

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  4. I love this scarecrow more than anything in the world (almost). I am not even lying. I have the rain coat, but not the time. Maybe when I retire? (FOUR MORE YEARS!)

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  5. I love it Bliss! Wish I had made one of these when I lived on the farm!

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  6. Love it! Shared and pinned it! Have a great week!
    Debbie

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  7. I think this is my favorite of your spooky stuff. I think. Or maybe I've said this about something else. Oh well, who cares? It's great!

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  8. This is really cool and it is scary and cute at the same time. Your home must be a blast around Halloween

    Cindy

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  9. You're nearly leaving me speechless with all this cool Halloween stuff you come up with. And I almost always have something to say. I love your spooky Punkin Noggin. He is amazeballs.

    Have you ever looked at the site PumpkinRot? He is wicked crazy about the Halloween stuff.

    -andi

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  10. You have put my scarecrow lady to shame! Maybe she could get together with Punkin Noggin and we could split the litter.

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  11. The best part of Halloween was when someone put a raw egg under my front door mat (because I'd put a note out saying 'No trick or treaters' because of the dog) and I nearly broke my neck when I slipped on it the next morning - Nice !

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