Snowman Yard Ornament - Inexpensive Gift #8

This is a really fun project and you can even make a little snowman family if you’d like. For now we will concentrate on just one.
Go to the hardware store and pick up a fence plank. The one I got was $2.30 and was called a dog ear fence plank. Have the store cut it in half for you. We are going to use the top half with the scalloped edge. You can buy a stake for 41 cents and have that cut in half as well. You’ll have to prime the stake and fence before you begin with Kilz. When they are primed and dry you’ll need some white and black gloss paint. I use the spray cans but it’s less expensive if you use a small can of paint with a brush. Spray cans are about $3.70. You’ll also need some wood screws, a small nail, a black acrylic paint pen and whatever other color you want to use to paint the face. You can also pick up some red ribbon with wire in it at a craft store and a staple gun or a couple of tacks. So - here is the list.
Fence plank cut in half
Wooden stake cut in half
Wood primer
White and Black gloss paint
Wood screws and a small nail
Black acrylic paint pen and other colors
Bottle caps or wooden disks and liquid nails
Red ribbon with wire in it

Get the wood, prime it and paint the top of the fence black and the bottom white. Use a piece of paper to separate the colors as you spray. You don’t have to be spot on for the line between to white and black. It will get covered up later.

Take the bottom flat piece of the stake and paint it black. This will act as the rim of the snowman’s hat. You can paint the bottom pointy part of the stake if you wish. It will end up in the ground. Now use wood screws to attach the rim of the hat and the ground stake into the fence post. Do this from back to front so the screw heads don't show. Don't go all the way through to the front or you'll have the pointy end of the screw showing.
Paint the face on. I sponged the cheek color on but you don't have to do that. You can use all kinds of things for the nose. I have a draw full of wood shapes and pieces. I have wood ornaments that I’ve bought at the craft store, wine corks and even the top of a broom handle. I’m going to use the broom handle piece. None of my brooms have tops on them just because I always find different uses for them!

Once the broom top is painted I’ll use the nail and starting from the back I'll hammer the nail through the front and into the nose. I have some wooden disks that I’ll paint and use as buttons. I’ll use liquid nails on the disks because a nail will break the thin wafers right in half. You can use bottle caps if you want to or just paint them on. If you use bottle caps you can attach them with small nails.
Lastly I’ll take my ribbon with wire in it and tie a scarf around his neck and staple it into place. Then I’ll cut little notches out of the scarf.
There you have it. This looks so awesome when it snows and the rim of the hat and his nose gets covered with snow. Otherwise the scarf looks like it’s blowing in the cold winter wind.
"When God is magnified – made large and powerful in our hearts and minds – there is not much room left over for other fears, especially the trivial ones." Dr. Mark Crumpler