Materials
- 4”x4” Wood post (cut to 5’)
- 12” Styrofoam Ball
- Post skirt 4”x4”
- 24” round piece of ¾” plywood
- 2 - 1 ¼” dowels at 36” length
- 2 – ½” dowels at 36” length
- White paint and paint brush or roller
- Brown wood stain and rag
- Screws
- Screw gun/drill
- Wood glue
- 1 ¼” drill bit (or paddle bit)
- ½” drill bit
- Scarf or ribbon for your snowman
- Top hat for your snowman
- OPTIONAL: Black acrylic paint for buttons (or any other décor items you would like to use on your snowman)
Instructions:
1. Mark the middle of the 24” round.
2. Attach the post skirt to the middle of the 24” round with screws.
3. On the 4x4, mark two sides at 15” down in the middle (this will be the arms for your snowman).
4. Take your 1 1’4” paddle bit and drill down on each side at an angle (so that the arms will slightly be pointed up).
5. On the 1 ¼” dowel, mark several places that you would like to add your branches towards the outer part of your dowel.
6. Where you marked, drill into the larger dowel with the ½” drill bit. This will be the smaller parts of the branches.
7. Cut the ½” dowels into smaller pieces ranging from 5” – 8”.
8. Put the smaller dowels into the larger dowel using wood glue. Let dry.
9. With a rag, apply the wood stain to the two dowels (and the smaller dowels) to give the branches an authentic look. This stain does not need to be perfect since we are mimicking a stick/branch in the wild.
10. Paint the rest of the structure white. Set aside to dry.
11. Attach the dowel arms to the holes in the 4x4 with wood glue.
12. Decorate your post with three large black buttons, painted on with black acrylic paint.
13. Decorate the face of your snowman however you would like.
14. Set this by the front door and invite your friends to hang up their jackets and scarves on your snowman!
Tips:
- Use dowels instead of real branches so that your arms can hold a lot of weight with people’s jackets and scarves. A real branch might break.
- Adjusting the angle of your holes will adjust the height of your arms. Take into consideration the size of your entry area and adjust the arms accordingly.
