HINT
Start making your monster heads early so they'll be ready in time for Halloween.

HERE'S HOW
1. With the paring knife, carefully carve eyes, a nose, and a mouth into each peeled apple. The carving doesn't have to be perfect–imperfections make the head look creepier.

2. Poke beads, rice, beans, etc., into the apple to make facial features and hair. Beads or black-eyed peas make good eyes, and rice or cloves work as spiky hair or gnarly teeth. Be creative!

3. Push a frozen dessert stick into the bottom of each apple, and prop upright in a cup or mug in a warm, dry place. Make sure the apple is not touching the side of the cup.

4. Visit your monsters-in-the-making every few days. When the apple heads begin to turn leathery, you can change their expressions. Gently twist the features to form grimaces. In three to four weeks you'll have some gruesome monster heads.

Text by Nancy Lee Ott
Art by Terry Sirrell

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