Dried apple dolls that look like old people

[mariska]

Years ago I saw in a craft magazine how to make old people dolls by somehow drying apples for the heads. It still had the peelings on and got all shriveled up and looked just like real old people. Course you had to add the hair, glasses and make a body. I can't for the life of me find those directions now that I want to make them. I have been searching in the net, even checked with Google and can't find it. Does anyone know what I mean and have the directions? Mariska

[Sueanne]

H Mariska... Think I found what you were looking for. Yes they really do look like old people. Have fun making them. Sueanne

http://pages.prodigy.net/pmatson1/

[mariska]

Sueanne, Thanks for the link. They do look neat. It is not what I had in mind though, the ones I saw still had peelings on I believe and you did not have to carve it. They just shriveled up. I may have to use the directions you found if nothing else shows up .

Thanks so much for you help!!!
Mariska

[otheila]

I used to help my Grandmother make these. You use cloves in the apples to mark features. One for each eye, one for each hollow of the cheeks, one for each side of the nose and so forth. These you will remove. The trick is learning how far you have to push the cloves in, like for the eyes they go in the farthest.
Then you cover them in a bowl with salt for 3 days then you place in a slow oven for a couple of hours then back to the salt again untill totally dry.
Hope this helps you some

[mariska]

Oh Otheila, You have no idea how happy you have made me!! I have been searching for those directions for about 5 yrs. now. I am so very grateful you shared that info. with me.

A few questions: you mentioned a slow oven, would that be really low like 200 degrees or so? Also do you wait until they are totally dry before taking out the cloves? Also, how do you attach a stick or something to the head so you can add the rest of the body later?

Sorry for so many questions, I am just bubbling over with excitement. Thanks so very much again. God's blessings to you!
Mariska

[Sueanne]

Hi Othiela... Do you leave the skin on when you dry the apples? This sounds so easy to do. Will try it myself should be fun. Sueanne;-)

[janet]

This sounds like a project I would like to do too! So I am anxious to find out the answers too!

Thanks~

janet

[otheila]

Bear with me it's been years since I have done these.
Slow oven..... I'm not sure the temp. we did them in a wood stove. I imagine about 200 should do it.
The cloves come out before you put them in the salt a second time. They are just there to help preserve the apples and to help you get correct facial features.
You can glue a styrofoam cone on for the body or add a dowel after you take the cloves out.
If you decide to peel you have to soak your cuts in lemon juice.
That's all I can remember right now.
I do think though that the little gold rimmed glasses really set of these granny dolls.
If I missed anything let me know. Have fun and enjoy

[mariska]

Thanks for the added info. The more you describe them the more I am convinced this is the exact apple doll I saw. You are right about the little granny glasses, making them perfect little old people. Gonna do this very soon.

Thanks so much again!

[homekeeper]

Thank you so much for sharing this! I have also been looking for this method...and look forward to doing it with teh children this year!