Apples are abundant in autumn and making shrunken apple heads is a great craft around Halloween. They're a little creepy, which fits into the holiday. With supervision, children can easily create these shrunken apple heads and have fun showing them off to their friends and family.You’ll want to plan ahead to make these, since you will need a few days for sufficient drying time. As long as you start 4 or 5 days before you want to use them as decorations, you’ll have plenty of time.
Instructions
1. Choose an apple without bruises. The apple should be medium to large in size so that it's easier to carve.
2. Peel the apple completely. You can leave a small ring of peel around the stem, but the rest of the peel should be removed.
3. Carve a face shape into the apple. Be sure to carve deeply to differentiate between the eyes and the nose. You could start the carving with a knife and then change to a butter or plastic knife to smooth out the edges.
4. Dry the apple in the oven at the lowest heat for 2-3 hours. After drying in the oven, put in a cool, dry place for a few days to continue the drying process. Do not put inside an airtight container. As the moisture evaporates, the apple will shrink and turn brown.
5. Decorate the apple after it has dried for a few days. Use rice for teeth, beans for eyes, and glue yarn on the top for hair. Craft glue is best for securing items on the apple.
6. Use the apples for decorations. Pile a few in a bowl and place them in the middle of the table. Tie string to the stems and hang the shrunken apple heads from the ceiling or a doorway. You could even hang them outdoors and let the birds eat them when you''re done decorating your home with them.
Tags: apple heads, shrunken apple, shrunken apple heads