AUTUMN CRAFTS

Wild Kingdom

Instructions

1. Collect leaves, twigs, acorns, pine needles, bark, rocks, and other materials.
2. Use small dabs of tacky glue to build a creature.
3. Add little googly eyes, and use a marker to draw a nose and mouth if you'd like.
   
   
   
   

   Seaweed Still Life

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Instructions
   1. At the beach, collect small pieces of colorful seaweed in a bucket with enough salt water to cover them.
   2. At home, gently rinse the pieces in a colander, then place them in a tub of fresh water.
   3.  Trim a sheet of 100 percent cotton paper to fit a standard picture frame. Arrange the damp seaweed on the paper.
   4. When you've finished composing your picture, place the paper on a stack of at least 5 sheets of newsprint drawing paper. Cover the seaweed with a piece of waxed paper, a few more sheets of newsprint, and a stack of heavy books. Replace the newsprint every other day until the seaweed is completely dry (in about 2 to 3 weeks). It should adhere to the paper, but if a piece is loose after it dries, glue it down.
   5. To preserve your artwork, frame it behind glass and keep it out of direct sunlight.

Paper Indian Corn

Instructions

1. To make each stalk, cut three 18-inch lengths of natural-colored paper twist (sometimes called raffia paper). Untwist them, then trim the edges to resemble corn husks.
2.  Fan out the husks so that they overlap and use a few drops of glue to hold them together.
3. From yellow poster board, cut out an ear of corn (about 10 inches long and 3 inches wide) and glue it atop the husks.
4. Now crumple a bunch of 3-inch colored tissue paper squares to create rounded kernels and glue them to the ear. Lastly, gather the husk bottoms and tie them together with a strip of raffia.

Caramel Apple Cake

• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 2 tsps baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar

• 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsps vanilla extract
• 60 caramel candies
• 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
• wax paper
• 1 large craft stick

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour two 1 1/2-quart oven-safe bowls.
3. Combine 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 2 teaspoons baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt.
4. In a separate bowl, beat together 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 2 cups unsweetened applesauce, 1 cup vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and beat until well mixed.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared bowls and bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Allow the cakes to cool in the bowls for 10 minutes, then remove them from the bowls and set them inverted on wire racks to cool completely. Once the cakes have cooled, turn them over and use a long knife to even out their flat tops.
7. Topping: Place 60 caramel candies and 2 tablespoons of water in a medium bowl and microwave on high power for 1 minute. Stir, then heat 30 to 45 seconds more until the mixture is smooth and forms a slow, thick ribbon when dropped from a spoon.
8. Layer the cakes (flat sides together) using a few spoonfuls of the caramel to help hold them in place.
9. Pour the remaining sauce over the cake. The caramel will run down the sides of the cake to cover it completely, or you can spread it with a knife while it's still warm.
10. Let the caramel set for about 20 minutes before pressing the walnuts onto the bottom half of the cake.
11. Cover one half of the craft stick with waxed paper and insert the covered end into the top of the cake.