Shrunken Heads

Welcome to Day 3 of our Halloween extravaganza. Today we're moving on to shrunken heads because I'm feeling crafty AND thrifty. This is an incredibly simple and quick, crafty decoration.

Materials
Large apples
Vegetable peeler
Sharp paring knife

Peel all of the skin off your apples; preferably fruit that is a bit past it's prime.

Next, carve a scary face on one side of the apples. Remember to make the features large; the apples are going to shrink a lot.

Let the apples dry for a few days and you'll get some spooky shriveled results. They may not dry quickly enough, so I'll probably put them in a 200-degree oven for an hour or two and cross my fingers. Hopefully my apples will turn out like these from Martha Stewart.

Obviously, my carving isn't as elaborate, nor are my photographs professional.

I made these this morning and it literally took five minutes from start to finish. Most of us are pressed for time; happily, this is a quick one.

If the heads don't shrink in time for Halloween, I'll try the cider below, also from Martha. Incidentally, I have a love-hate relationship with her, but she (or, rather, her minions) does have some simple ideas. If you prefer adult beverages, spike the cider or make your favorite alcoholic punch.

All Hallow's Eve is getting closer. . .