This spooky Halloween welcome is made using a galvanized wired frame and little white lights, with copper sheet metal to outline the blinking eyes. This ghost can be mounted onto a wall, a large tree or porch. He's guaranteed to dazzle people passing by :-)
Materials needed:
* Newspaper
* Masking tape
* pencil
* galvanized wire
* 5 yards of 12-gauge
* 3 yards of 14-gauge
* Pliers
* 8-inch square of copper roof flashing
* Heavy duty scissors or metal shears
* Hammer and nail
* 1 yard of tie wire
* String of small white Christmas lights (about 130 lights)
* Electrician's tape
* Spool of clear fishing line
Preparation steps:
* Tape sheets of newspaper together to form one sheet about 5 by 3 feet for a pattern. Draw ghost pattern on paper, making ghost about 5 feet high and about 3 feet wide at arms.
* Starting at bottom point of ghost, bend 12-gauge wire to follow pattern. Use pliers for tight curves and corners. Weight wire down as you bend it to help keep shape.
* Bend each end into hook; hook ends together and tighten with pliers.
* For supports, attach pieces of 14-gauge wire across ghost frame from side to side in several spots. Attach two supports, 3 inches apart, across head for eye support.
* Make and 2 1/2 x 4 1/2 oval newspaper pattern for eyes. Using pattern, cut two eyes from copper flashing.
* Tape eyes to wood scraps or pile of old magazines, then use hammer and nail to punch large hole in center of each eye. Hole should be large enough to insert Christmas light. Also punch 2 holds on each side of eye, making holes 3 inches apart for support. Hammer each eye lightly in center so eyes cup inward.
* Attach eyes to support wires on frame with small pieces of tie wire.
* Starting at bottom point of ghost, wind lights around frame up to lower eye support wire. Using electrician's tape, tape lights along support wire, inserting a bulb through each eyehole, then tape lights back along same support wire and continue wrapping frame, ending at bottom point.
* If lights along eye support wire can be removed without causing the entire string to fail, remove those bulbs; if not, place electrician's tape over them.
* Use fishing line to hang ghost; also tie fishing line to a weight at bottom of ghost to keep it stable.
Enjoy
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