Craft Stick Scarecrow

When I was a kid, I loved making things out of popsicle sticks. That's what we called them in the 1970's. I wouldn't have had the slightest idea what someone meant if they said 'craft stick.' The ones I used at home were stained from having once been inside actual popsicles, so it was quite a treat to go to camp and use clean sticks that came from inside a box rather than inside a popsicle! On special occasions, the camp counselors would bring out the 'big popsicle sticks,' aka tongue depressors. They might have been sold as craft supplies back then, but when we crafted with them, they came out of a box labeled as medical supplies, not as craft materials. It was so exciting to use two different sizes of popsicle sticks - there were so many different things we could build!

Crafters today have so many more options when it comes to craft sticks: everything from 2.5" mini craft sticks to gigantic 10" craft sticks (affiliate links here and throughout the post). I used the two largest sizes to make this adorable scarecrow.  

Craft Stick Scarecrow

Materials:

• 10" craft stick
• 8" craft stick
• Folk Art paint 
• Sharpies
• black cardstock
• craft glue

Steps: 

Paint most of the 8" craft stick with the shirt color (I used Yellow Citron) and the ends a burlap color (I used Country Twill). Paint the 10" craft stick Country Twill where the face will be, Yellow Citron where the shirt will be, and a blue for the pants (I used Dark Hydrangea). 

When the paint is dry, add details with Sharpies. I started with blue to draw the waistband, belt loops, pocket, and a leg-dividing line on the pants. Then I used green to draw the collar, pockets, sleeves, and buttons of the shirt. With a paler green, I drew diagonal lines to make a plaid on the shirt. Then I drew on orange patches and 'stitched' them with brown. I added black eyes, an orange nose, and a red mouth, then 'stitched' the nose and mouth. Finally, I used gold and yellow to make the hair and the straw coming out of the sleeves and the top of the shirt. 

Cut a cardstock hat. Glue it to the scarecrow's head, then glue the arms behind the body. 

My scarecrow will be an indoor decoration, but if you want to make an outdoor version for the garden or to put in a potted plant (or anywhere else there would be moisture), seal the scarecrow with multiple coats of Outdoor Mod Podge. 

This would be a great project to do as a family. Imagine how cute all the scarecrows would look holding hands, suspended as a banner!

Looking for other fall decor? Check out these great ideas from my fellow craft bloggers.