Pumpkin Jack! By Kat Hazelton.

I did some tutorials as a guest designer for Calico Craft Parts a few years ago and thought whilst I am working on some new ideas it would be nice to revisit and reshare some of my past Kat makes here on my blog. 

All MDF parts are from Calico Craft Parts and other items were either bought from UK craft suppliers or rummaged from my craft stash. You can of course substitute MDF shapes for your own wood shapes, die cuts or ephemera. 

I thought it would be lovely to kick-start the beginning of Autumn with a nod to the pumpkin fields growing up and down the country. A sure sign that Halloween is around the corner. So my first 'Kat make' is a friendly Scarecrow called Pumpkin Jack.

Jack stands proudly guarding the pumpkin patch in the local farmers field. Jack is a kind and gentle soul though maybe a bit too kind as the crows instead of being scared by him like to nest in his waistcoat pocket.

To make Pumpkin Jack you will need.

MDF or Die/hand cut shapes

Mini Wood/paper shapes - Birds, Crows & Ravens

Selection of paper and fabrics

Scissors, string, glue, crayons or orange paints.

To make Jack's clothes I drew around the art doll pieces to give a guide to form a pattern. I created sleeves, shirt body, waistcoat and trouser legs. I used a range of handcrafted papers you can use felts, fabrics or patterned paper. 

To create Jack's beautiful head I coloured the mdf shape with a distresed orange crayon and added fine details with an art pen. To give Jack deep dark black eyes and mouth I drew around his head onto a piece of card. Which I cut out and painted with matt black acrylic paint. I then glued Jack's head onto the cardboard backing and then onto the mdf head shaped that came with the kit.

Those little details, to make Jack's clothes look more scarecrow I drew on little stitches with a white pen. I also added little pockets, patches, buttons, handkerchief and straw. The straw is dried sweetcorn husk. Notice the little crow has already moved into Jack's pocket. The crow was coloured in with a black crayon and highlighted with a white pen. 

To put Jack together I used string threaded through the pre-drilled holes. 

For that added touch I made Jack a scarecrow perch by gluing two sticks together. 

Jack is now ready to watch over the farmers pumpkin field until harvest time.