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Please note: Thank you for visiting my Cottage Garden topic and reading my columns, published here from February 1997 through spring 2003! This Cottage Garden column was written by Barbara M. Martin and is Copyrighted by Barbara M. Martin. It may not be altered or copied or published elsewhere in whole or in part without specific permission from the author. I regret I am no longer actively editing or contributing to this suite101.com topic as of mid-2003. Happy Gardening!
Each little doll's face holds a personality all its own. Bright eyes, always. Many wrinkles, some deep as caverns, others barely a tracing of time. And a soft look to the skin, nearly leathery, with perhaps pastel rosy cheeks and soft gray hair. Granny glasses or another prop complete the illusion of a doll so individual it could be real. Those wonderful "aged" antique looking folds and creases are no accident, and they may only be as old as this season's apple harvest! The folk art or old timey craft of making apple dolls dates back centuries, but there is no earthly reason not to give it a try yourself. Here's a good example of a modern interpretation of the craft: check out Godzilla, The Werewolf, and The Happy Face, all made by young children. If they can do it, so can you! You need a large crisp apple, a slender stick, some lemon juice, and a knife. And maybe a steady hand. Or maybe not -- the wrinkles have a life of their own and your cuts will be but a suggestion rather than precise chisel marks in stone. In other words, relax. If you make a mistake you can eat the apple. If you make a lot of mistakes you can make a pie. Peel the apple, submerge and soak it for about half an hour in lemon juice as a preservative (some people add salt to the solution), then start carving. There are many "instructions" for doing this (see links list below), but the best way is to experiment and see what happens as they dry and shrink. Then you will develop your own style and intuitive sense of creation. Basically, you'll need to carve out a nose, make slits for the eyes and for the mouth. You might shape a bit to form a chin, too. Use a second apple to form hands and, if you'd like, ears. Remember that they will shrink as they dry, so make these a little big. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Apple Head Dolls in Cottage Garden is owned by Barbara M. Martin. Permission to republish Apple Head Dolls in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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