Repurpose Old Plant Pots For Adorable Scarecrow Porch Decor

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The fun thing about seasonal decor, rather than decorating for specific holidays, is that you can leave your crafty creations out on display a little longer and still have them fit the theme. This is especially true for autumn, where colorful leaves, cornstalks, and scarecrows are all appropriate from early in the season through to Thanksgiving and beyond. 

A cute, kid-friendly porch scarecrow is one such project that's also simple to make, and it repurposes items you may already have around the home. Seek out several terracotta pots of the same size, plus an old plaid shirt, denim jeans, shorts or a skirt, and some acrylic paint. You'll also need some Mod Podge, a hot glue gun, and some straw to complete the scarecrow's look. Your porch scarecrow isn't on a quest to find a brain, but its head is a functional plant pot, perfect for displaying those mums you bought on a whim. Repotting outdoor mums is the key to helping them thrive, so why not let them serve as scarecrow's hairdo for a while? 

Make sure the plant pots you use are fairly clean on the outside, so the Mod Podge sticks to them. If you don't have terracotta pots, any three matching pots of the classic terracotta plant pot shape will do, especially if they're on the heavy side. A brick or heavy rock will also come in handy to weigh down the scarecrow's bottom level, helping it to stay upright on windy days. And if you have some pots left over after all this, you can organize your herb garden with chalk-decorated pots. Or, stack smaller pots upside down and paint them as a DIY planter lighthouse to add a nautical vibe to your decor.

For the torso, place one pot upside down and put a button-front shirt on it. Tie or tuck the sleeves around the back of the pot; you can adjust them later, if you like. Flip the pot back upright and tuck the bottom portion of the shirt into the pot. Trim off some of the excess, then use hot glue to hold the cut part of the shirt onto the inside of the pot. 

For the bottom segment, fit the upper part of some denim shorts around another upright pot, or simply use a wide pant leg if you don't have the right size. Adjust or cut the denim so it looks like the pot is wearing jeans, then apply Mod Podge to hold it in place. Add another layer on top to help seal it. 

For the head, paint the outside of the third pot a slight tan or similar color. When that dries, paint on some button-shaped eyes, a nose and a mouth using paint pens or acrylic colors. Paint the rim of the pot a yellowish color for "hair," if desired, then glue on some straw to complete the effect. 

After that, set the denim pot in your chosen spot and place a brick inside it. Use hot glue or silicone caulk to attach the shirt pot to the denim pot. Stuff the shirt with straw in front, with some sticking out a bit. Attach the head with hot glue or caulk, then glue on some straw at the front of the neckline. Tie some rope or jute around the waist like a belt before adding a mum to the head pot. Your scarecrow is now ready for fall fun!