Learn about dehydration with a wonderful craft project that you can do together, and enjoy this unique doll for years to come! When water is removed from an object, this is known as dehydration. The salt used in this project helps to speed the dehydration process. As your apple loses water, it will wrinkle and take on the features of an older person.
What You Need:
- Peeler
- 1 firm apple
- 1 c. lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. salt
- Large drinking glass
- Paper towel
- Wooden stick or dowel
- Two short black pins or cloves for eyes
- Tall unused jar or bottle (with small mouth) for doll’s body
- Uncooked rice
- Pink or red paint (optional)
- Yarn or cotton batting for hair
- Glue
- Scrap fabric
- Rubber band
What You Do:
- Peel apple completely.
- Choose one side of the apple to be the doll’s face. Have the stem at the top of the head.
- Use tip of peeler to carve depressions for eye sockets and cheeks. Carve a triangular piece for the nose. Remove apple along the nose area so this section is built up.
- Insert a wooden stick or dowel into the bottom of the apple.
- Mix together 1 cup of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of salt into a large drinking glass. Holding the apple by the wooden stick, immerse into the lemon juice/salt mixture. Let soak for five minutes. Pat apple dry with paper towel.
- Fill a jar or bottle with uncooked rice.
- Place dowel holding the apple into the jar. The uncooked rice will help to keep the dowel steady.
- Bring your apple and jar outside in dry weather. Moisture may cause the apple to get moldy. Be sure to bring your apple indoors during the evening to protect against moisture and animals. You may also dry out your apple by placing in a warm oven for several hours. Place your apple on a baking sheet and use very low heat. Protect against burning by gently wrapping in foil.
- Check your doll’s progress each day. It may take a week or two to dry out. When the apple is hardened and wrinkled, but still spongy, you are ready to create the face!
- Place pins or cloves into the eye sockets. You may use a bit of pink or red paint on the doll’s cheeks and lips to enhance features.
- Glue yarn or cotton batting to the apple for hair. You may also decide to wrap your doll in a scrap fabric headscarf or in a cap made out of a baby sock.
- To dress doll, use a large square of fabric with a small hole cut in the center. Make sure cloth is long enough to cover jar body. Push dowel through the fabric hole. Pull fabric up around dowel “neck”, gather around dowel and use a rubber band. Use a scrap of cloth tied around the neck area to cover rubber band and another scrap around the doll’s waist for a belt, if desired.
Note: When storing, remove apple head from the jar and preserve head and dowel in a tightly-closed plastic bag
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