Crisp carrots; crunchy radishes; fresh, full heads of cabbage and cauliflower; plump red tomatoes - these tasty-looking veggies are made of Styrofoam covered with twisted paper ribbon. You can "harvest" a crop like this one in a fraction of the time it would take you to grow the edible varieties. What's more, paper veggies last indefinitely-without refrigeration!

TECHNIQUE
Gluing

EASY
For those with little experience in crafting

MATERIALS
Tacky glue or glue gun
Twisted-paper ribbon in desired colors
Styrofoam shapes: 4"-dliameter ball for cabbage or cauliflower; 1 "-diameter ball for radish; 6"X 3" cone
for carrot; 23/4"-diameter ball for tomato
Excelsior (for radish)
4 cotton balls (for tomato)
Bleached yarrow (for cauliflower)
Scissors; straight pins; pencil; sharp knife

Notes: Untwist, gently flatten and partially smooth out each piece of twisted-paper ribbon and use these pieces full width unless directions specify otherwise. To save space in these directions, the word ribbon is used for twisted-paper ribbon.


If you make this project we'd love to see it! Just send your photos and comments to the editor and it may get published on this page!

What you do

1. Green or Red Cabbage:
Glue an 8" piece of green or purple ribbon to top of 4"-diameter Styrofoam ball; secure edges with straight pins. Leaves: Cut five 7" pieces and six 9" pieces of green or purple ribbon, keeping one end of each piece slightly gathered; glue leaves to ball in overlapping-petal fashion, alternating 7" and 9" leaves (photo). If ribbon is lighter in color on one side, place some leaves light side facing in, some dark side facing in. Be sure gathered ends of leaves overlap at bottom of ball; secure leaves at bottom and sides of ball with straight pins. Trim top edges of leaves so that they are curved; turn top edges outward by gently curling them over a pencil.

2. Radish:
With sharpened end of pencil, punch a small hole in center of 31/2" piece of red ribbon; thread several strands of excelsior through hole for roots. Allowing most of excelsior to protrude on right side of ribbon, glue ends of excelsior strands on wrong side of ribbon. Place 4"-diameter Styrofoam ball in center of wrong side of ribbon. Place glue on top of ball. Smooth ribbon up around ball and twist ends of ribbon together at top of ball. Leaves: Cut a 4" piece of green ribbon, leaving one end slightly gathered. Glue gathered end around top of radish, covering ends of red ribbon. Divide green ribbon into three equal sections (three leaves) by cutting two slits that start at top of ribbon and end 1" from top of radish. Trim top of each leaf (photo).

3. Carrot:
Trim Styrofoam cone to carrot shape. Cut two 81/2" pieces of orange ribbon. Center cone on one piece; wrap edges around cone and secure with glue. Cover rest of cone with second piece, overlapping at edges. Glue and pin pieces in place. Twist top and bottom ends of ribbons together; secure with glue. Leaves: Cut three 6" pieces of green ribbon, leaving one end of each slightly gathered. Glue gathered ends to top of carrot. Divide each piece into two sections (leaves) by cutting a slit that starts at top of ribbon and ends 1" from top of carrot. I rim top of each leaf (photo).

4. Tomato:
With sharp knife, cut small slice off bottom of 2-1/4"-diameter Styrofoam ball; glue cotton balls around top of ball, leaving 1" space in center. Using pencil, make a hole in center for stem. Glue four 6" pieces of red ribbon to ball, covering it completely; secure with straight pins. Cut a small oval of red ribbon and glue to bottom of tomato. Cut a 2" piece of green ribbon (stem); do not untwist. Push pencil through red ribbon covering hole in top of tomato. Glue end of stem in hole. Leaf cluster: Create a pattern for tomato leaf cluster by drawing a star. Trace onto 3" piece of green ribbon; cut out. Using pencil, make a hole in center of leaf cluster; push stem through hole and glue cluster to top of tomato. Trim top of each leaf in cluster (photo).

5. Cauliflower:
With sharp knife, cut small slice off bottom of 4"-diameter Styrofoam ball. Cut stems of yarrow lit long and at an angle. Insert stems into ball so that yarrow completely covers top half of ball. Leaves: Cut six 7" and seven 8" pieces of green ribbon. Glue 7" leaves around ball so that sides overlap slightly and top edges extend 1/2" to 1" above yarrow. Glue a layer of overlapping 8" leaves on the outside layer of 7" leaves so that top edges extend 11/2" to 2" above yarrow (photo). Trim top edges of leaves so that they curve. Insert scraps of ribbon into yarrow (photo).

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From Family Circle Weekend Crafts

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