Halloween is right around the corner and I'm gearing up to put out my annual decorations. I try to do something every year that can stay out for a while so I don't have to change them. Living in the country as I do, I don't get too many trick or treaters, if any, but I do like to put the decorations out.

Over the past couple of years I have done bales of hay with pumpkins, mums and dried corn stalks, I have done the full spider webbing on the front porch with large and small spiders bought at the dollar store. I have quite the collection of items to use, but this year I wanted to spice it up a bit.

Instead of the stuffed scarecrow with a pumpkin head, I'm giving serious thought to doing a witch theme this year. I looked at the flying witch that can be attached around a tree trunk or flattened out on your front door, but I really like to make the larger portion of my decorations.

I decided to use the stuffed scarecrow idea and make a witch that will sit beside my front door in one of my rocking chairs. To make her, I use old socks that I found at a garage sale that are striped in white and orange. I think they were soccer socks at one time, lol. Her cape will be a piece of black faux velvet that I picked up from the scrap bin at Wal-mart. For her head, I will use a pumpkin and attach a gourd for the nose and paint on some eyes and a nice crooked-tooth smile.

I picked up a witch hat several years ago to wear to a party and will use that for her hat and I have an old beesom that I picked up at a fair to use for her broom. Dad has a cast iron pot, I will use for her cauldron. As Halloween approaches, I will pick up some dry ice and put it in the cauldron on Halloween night to create the effect of the bubbling cauldron.

There are many different things you can do when using a witch theme for your decorations. You can do witch legs coming out from under the front door as pictured to the left. Carve up a few pumpkins with differing witch designs to set out on your front steps. The possibilities are endless.

Just remember to keep it safe and fun. Halloween is a great little holiday steeped in history. Keep the candy flowing and the decorations fun and enchanting.

 This article is copyright to lynnechandler on hubpages 2009.