Grim Reaper Porch Sentry
Guard your front door with a menacing, life-sized Grim Reaper porch sentry. This dramatic figure can be constructed using an inexpensive PVC pipe frame, a styrofoam head, and yards of cheap black fabric or landscape weed barrier fabric. The key to making this character look truly imposing is height and posture; a tall, slightly hunched figure holding a scythe creates an immediate sense of foreboding for anyone approaching your porch.
Assemble the PVC skeleton, securing it into a heavy base such as a bucket filled with gravel or concrete to prevent it from tipping over in the wind. Drape the black fabric over the frame, layering it to create depth and shadow, and use hot glue or safety pins to secure the folds. Craft a realistic scythe using a painted broom handle and a cardboard blade painted metallic silver. Position the Reaper in a dark corner of your porch, pulling the hood forward to obscure the face, leaving only a dark void or a pair of glowing red LED eyes staring out.