Let's build a Scarecrow for the Garden

 I always place a scarecrow in my patio garden ~

Welcome everyone! Today I wanted to talk about making scarecrows and decorating your garden with them. Now I think scarecrows are fun and I'm a big kid at heart, so I enjoy decorating my back garden with a scarecrow all year long. It's true... I keep a scarecrow out all year long as my patio mascot. For the last few years I've had a man scarecrow but this year I'm going with a female scarecrow. Ha! Now keep reading because I'm going to give you some scarecrow building tips.

"National Build a Scarecrow Day"

Did you know our calendar has a "National Build a Scarecrow Day"? We do! It's celebrated every year on the 1st Sunday in July. So as tradition goes... this is when I update and freshen up my scarecrow in honor of the holiday. But as I stated above... I keep my scarecrow up all year as a decoration not just for the garden growing season. So in honor of the scarecrow here's some tips on building them.

Create your own Scarecrow

Making your very own scarecrow to sit on your front porch for the fall season is a very easy thing to do.  The main thing you need is old clothes that you don't mind getting wet or stained from the harsh elements outside.

 

• What to use for clothes: The most common clothes used are old blue jeans or bluejean overalls and a old button up flannel shirt.  Get yourself a pack of large safety pins to help you attach the shirt to the pants so you can stuff your scarecrow really good.  You will also need a pair of gloves to attach to the arms unless you want the straw stuffing to be the hands and.......Don't forget the straw hat now!
  

• What to use for stuffing:  The most common item to use to stuff your scarecrow is pinestraw. Maybe your lucky enough to be able to rake up your own pinestraw from your yard. (or even hay)  A way to cheat the stuffing process is to save up your 1/2 gallon plastic milk jugs and use them to help you stuff.  Wash them really well and use them to stuff down the legs of your scarecrow as a filler between the rest of the stuffing that your using.  This method also makes your scarecrow light in weight and easy to move around.  If your worried about your scarecrow taking a runner..... then think about filling up the milk jugs that actually sit at the bottom of the pants leg full of water or sand to weigh it down.  This will keep his feet in place. Now stuff stuff stuff as tight as you can.
  

• What to use for the head: There are many different ways to make your scarecrows head.  The idea of using a gallon milk jug comes to mind or even a pumpkin or a gourd.  Retail stores now sale pumpkin shaped trash bags that you can stuff and decorate your yards with.  These trash bags make a easy head for your scarecrow and the face is already there for you.  Another simple thing to do is to stuff an old pillow case and tuck it in the neck of the flannel shirt.  Don't forget to attach it with the safety pins.  Buckets and flower pots also work just great as heads too. I've actually used the flower pot version myself and I loved the flower pot version. You can plant a plant in the pot and the leaves look like hair. Remember to have paint so you can create that famous scarecrow face for flat surface options.
  

• Helpful Tips:  Use string and rope to help you tie off the opening of the arms and legs so the stuffing doesn't fall out.  Stuffing will always settle in time so as your stuffing your scarecrow, shake it down several times so it will pack really tight.
  

• Extra Fun: Having a Mr. Scarecrow is the most common thing to have but for some extra fun.... why not make a Mrs. Scarecrow to go with him.  Use your imagination and see what you can come up with.

The scarecrow had a purpose

and an important one back in the old days.  In this day and time the scarecrow is not only used in our gardens for a practical purpose but it is put there for the whimsical and fun look that it gives our gardens. The scarecrows rough and ragged appearance can be fun and funny or it can be scary in hopes of protecting our food that's growing in our gardens.  The Scarecrow is one of the most familiar figures not only in the United States but throughout Europe and many other countries of the world.  The scarecrow has worldwide popularity.

Decorating with a Scarecrow

In the fall, when the air is cool and the leaves begin to get crisp, you will always find door steps and front porches protected by the fun scarecrow.  It is so popular that seeing a home without a scarecrow is actually unusual.  Kids and adults both love to build scarecrows and it has to be one of the greatest family projects that any family could ever think of sharing.  In fact many families make the scarecrow part of a yearly tradition when it comes to making them.