Scented Scarecrow

It stinks in here! Disguise an air freshener as a cute scarecrow. No one will ever know why the room smells so pretty. All they'll see is the decoration.

Materials:

• STYROFOAM* Brand Foam:
  • Balls, one each: 4"; 2-1/2"
• Acrylic paints: brown; orange; red; yellow; light green
• Fabric scraps: denim; natural burlap; yellow/orange plaid
• Renuzit® LongLast® Adjustable Air Freshener
• Polyester fiberfill, small amount
• Straw hat, 5-1/4"
• Small silk florals, one each: sunflower; autumn leaf
• Clay pot, 4-1/2"
• Blue bandana
• Red embroidery floss
• Thread, any color
• Natural raffia, small amount
• Flat buttons: 1/8" blue; two; 3/8" white, two; 9/16" natural with shank
• Serrated knife
• Candle stub or paraffin
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Compass or circle templates
• Metal tablespoon
• Paintbrushes: medium flat; liner
• Disposable palette
• Water basin
• Paper towels
• Sewing needle
• Scissors
• Craft snip or wire cutters
• Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
• Thick, white craft glue
  
   

Steps:

1. Refer to photo to paint plaid "patches" on pot. Use liner brush to paint vertical stripes of orange, red, and yellow, and horizontal stripes of light green; let dry. Paint brown "stitch lines" around each patch; let dry. Open air freshener and place in pot.
    
2. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Cut 2-1/4"-diameter circle from bottom of 4" foam ball; discard scrap. Use spoon to carve out foam from inside ball, until it fits over top of air freshener. Cut small foam ball in half; reserve one half for a future project. Slightly shape flat side of half-ball (head) to fit around body.
    
3. Use compass to draw 10" circle on denim and 5" circle on burlap. Cut out circles. Cut patterns from fabric as indicated.
    
4. Sew running stitch around denim circle, 1/4" from edge. Place 4" foam ball, rounded sided down, in center of circle. Pull thread ends to gather fabric around opening; knot and clip ends. Spot glue knot to secure. Replace body over air freshener.
    
5. Repeat Step 4 to cover head with burlap circle. Adjust gathers so burlap is smooth over face. For eyes, center and glue blue buttons to white; glue to face. For nose, use craft snip to cut shank from large button and glue to face. Stitch mouth with red floss.
    
6. Draw straight line across back of straw hat, where crown meets brim. Cut hat on line, trimming away semi-circular piece of brim so hat will rest flush against body.
    
7. Cut 2-1/2" raffia lengths for hair and glue ends inside hat crown. Glue hat onto head; spot glue brim to forehead as needed. Glue flower and leaf to hat. Trim hair. Glue hat and head to body with hat sandwiched between. Lower edge of head should rest 1/2" above pot rim.
    
8. Measure 8-1/2" up two sides from one corner of bandana. Connect lines to form triangle; cut on line. Apply line of glue to lower edge of face. Wrap bandana around head as shown; knot ends at back of head.
    
9. Roll and glue sleeves into cone shapes, with long edges slightly overlapping. With air freshener and scarecrow in pot, position sleeves as shown. Remove items from pot; glue sleeves inside pot rim and let dry.
    
10. Place small amount fiberfill into each sleeve. Cut several 3" raffia lengths to stuff each sleeve; glue bundles together at one end and glue 1-1/2" into sleeves. Cut two 4" raffia lengths; tie around sleeves as shown.
     
11. Glue small bits of raffia to inside pot rim and pot base. Replace air freshener and scarecrow.
     
12. When gel is depleted, replace with a new air freshener.

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