Make this Stand-up Black Cat Figure for a vintage Halloween scene.

(click here for a larger Black Cat Figure craft image)

Set a Halloween mood with a vintage black cat figure arched in front of a smiling full moon! Black cats have long been associated with witches and magic. How did that happen?

The Egyptian goddess Bastet was worshiped in the form of a lean black cat, or sometimes as a human female with the head of a cat. Bastet also possessed nine incarnations. Sound familiar? Later goddesses, like the Greek Hecate and the Norse Freya were also associated with black cats.

From the Middle Ages into the 18th century, it was thought that witchcraft was the worship of these Pagan goddesses, and black cats were the witches' demonic companions. Bad luck for the black cats.

By the enlightened Victorian times, black cats were promoted from demonic to merely mischievous, but still darn unlucky.

This little tableau of a black cat, with yellow glitter eyes, and a full Halloween moon, is easy to make with black foamcore and some burgundy cord trim. The classic vintage images are yours FREE as a PDF download. Just click on the "vintage images" link in the list of materials below.

Materials for this Black Cat Figure

• Vintage Images (FREE PDF download) printed on matte photo or presentation paper.
• Foamcore sheet, 11" x 17", black (See Tips).
• Matte photo or presentation paper.
• Braided fabric trim, burgundy (3/8" thick x 25" long) (See Tips).
• Marking pens, black and yellow.
• Spray glitter, gold.
• Spray varnish or fixative.
• Glitter glue, yellow.
• Straight pins (See Tips).
• Spray adhesive.
• Tacky craft glue (like Aleen's).
• Straight-edge or ruler.
• Scissors.
• Craft knife.
• Self-healing mat.

Instructions

1. Print the two vintage images on the photo paper or presentation paper. Roughly trim them with scissors, leaving about a 1" border around each image. 
2. Apply spray glue to the backs of the images, press them on to the foamcore, gently smoothing out any air bubbles, and let them dry.
3. With a sharp craft knife on a self-healing mat, cut around the outside of both images, keeping the knife vertical. Trim straight across the bottom of the feet on the black cat figure.
4. Color the visible white paper edges of the figures with marking pens, black for cat and yellow for the moon.
5. With a straight-edge and pencil, draw a 4" line across the bottom  of the moon image. Cut on the line with the craft knife, keeping the knife blade vertical so the cut edge is perfectly flat.
6. Lightly spray the moon with gold glitter spray and let dry. Apply a light spray of clear varnish to fix the glitter.
7. Paint the cat's eyes with yellow glitter glue and let dry.
   
8. Cut a 3" x 9" rectangle of foamcore for the base. With tacky craft glue, attach a 25" length of braided fabric trim around the outside edge of the foamcore with the seam at the back, holding it in place with straight pins while the glue dries.
9. Temporarily position the moon and the cat on the base, placing each figure about 1/2" in from the front and back edges of the base and about 1" from the right and left sides, respectively. Make two small pencil marks where you want to insert straight pins from underneath into each of the figures (the center of the moon and the front legs of the cat). Push a pin down through from the top side to make a hole on the bottom, then insert the pin up through the hole from the underside.
10. Apply tacky craft glue to the points of the two pins and on the bottom edges of both figures. Push the figures down onto the pins, tight against the base. Let the glue dry.
11. There! your black cat figure is ready to display, devilish and lovable by the light of the full moon!

Tips

• Foamcore or foam board is a rigid, resilient and lightweight board of polystyrene foam laminated with paper on both of its sides. It is manufactured in several thicknesses (3/16" is most common) and many colors. Most craft glues will work on it, but a tacky craft glue (like Aleen's) is best. We used black foamcore (since it is Halloween), but you can use any color, or just spray paint it black.
• We used 3/8" braided cording around the base, but you can use a variety of trims. Lace, dyed dark green, would give a nice effect of grass.
• Straight pins. The unsung heroes of crafting. We use pins here to strengthen the joint between the figures and the base, just one pin up through the base into each figure. We also used the pins to hold the braiding taut and in place as we glued it around the base. Without them, we would have had a sticky, uncontrolled mess of braid and glue. But through the magic of pins - control!