Why should pumpkins get all the attention at Halloween? Share the spotlight by giving a few pieces of fruit the spooky treatment, too!
Supplies:
Fresh or fake fruit
Craft paint in desired colors
Scraps of colored paper, felt or craft foam
Tacky glue or adhesive dots
Chenille stems, googly eyes, buttons (options)
Paintbrush
Scissors
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Here's How:
1.| Cover the work area, and then use a brush to paint the fruit (if desired) — white for ghosts and skulls, black for bats, cats and spiders, etc.
2.| Allow the paint to dry completely. Apply a second coat of paint if needed.
3.| While the paint dries, use scissors to cut eyes, ears and other features from paper, felt or foam.
4.| Attach the shapes to the fruit with glue or adhesive dots.
5.| To finish add extras like chenille stems, googly eyes, buttons, sequins or pom-poms.
6.| The freaky friends are now ready to scare; display them proudly alongside your pumpkins! Of course, fresh fruit won’t last long, so be sure to throw them out before they get too gross. Or if you dare, turn them into a creepy science experiment and watch them decompose a little more every day.
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More Ideas:
• Use fake fruit to create decorations that will last year after year.
• Straight pins are another easy way to attach the features, but be sure to remove them from the fruit before disposal to prevent an animal from accidentally eating them.
• Try using veggies, too! Leave a green pepper unpainted and turn him into Frankenstein’s monster.
• Sprinkle glitter into the wet paint.
• Decorate the fruit with only found/natural objects such as twigs and seeds.
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Pamela Maxwell is an artist, author and mother of two quickly growing boys. Her craft and scrapbooking projects have appeared in numerous books and magazines. She is currently working on a kids’ craft book and a line of kids’ party supplies. Photo by Pamela Maxwell.
Published: September 19, 2012
