Fun family activities do not have to involve a lot of money, or a trip to anywhere. Instead, gather some things found around the house, an apple per person and create some family fun by making apple head sculptures.
What is an Apple Head Sculpture?
An apple head sculpture is a figure made from a fresh apple, some sticks and whatever materials are found around the home for decorating. Over the course of a about a week, the fresh apple will begin to dry, shrivel and shrink. The result is a fun, wrinkled sculpture that can be used to decorate the home.
To Make Apple Heads
Supplies
- 1 Fresh, peeled apple per person
- Paint brush
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Popsicle sticks, straight twigs or pipe cleaners
- Construction paper, wrapping paper, old clothes, scraps of fabric, felt or any other household items desired
- Quick drying glue
To Make
- Begin by carving a face into the surface of the peeled apples. This will resemble a jack o’ lantern but without the center of the apple being removed.
- Paint the apple heads with apple cider vinegar, this will help them dry evenly, without rotting
- Next, create a body for the apple heads by sticking a popsicle stick into the base of the head. Additional popsicle sticks or pipe cleaners can be used to create arms and legs. Don’t worry about getting the head to stand up straight just yet; after the apple dries, it will be much lighter and a base can be created for display.
- Use the construction paper or fabric pieces, as well as pipe cleaners to create outfits for the apple heads. Keep in mind that the heads are going to shrivel and get much smaller, so anything placed on top of the heads, such as sunglasses, head bands or hats will look comically large on the head when complete, so be sure to anchor them securely to the head.
To Display
Once a week has passed the heads shrink and therefore the sculptures will be much lighter. This enables the creator to create a stand or base to display them on. Try cutting slits into the domed lid from a salad or bakery tray and inserting the popsicle stick legs. Hold it in place with a dab of glue. Decorate the surface of the container with more fabric or paper.
Additional bases can include shoeboxes, the cardboard inserts found in new shoes, planters and other household items.
Once a base has been created, find places around the home to display the apple heads. Their startling appearance once dry makes them ideal for placing in situations where a viewer will come upon them suddenly. Or, group the family of apple heads together and create a center piece for the table.
The apple head sculptures will remain “good” without rotting for several weeks to months depending on climate conditions inside the home. Have some fun as a family and create a family of apple head sculptures the next weekend indoors, and provide some house decorations as well.
Sarabeth Asaff - Sarabeth Asaff is a freelance writer and artist with a passion for cooking and good food. Growing up in the kitchen of her Lebanese ...
