No matter what, you simply can’t go wrong with fruits and vegetables. They’re good for you, of course, they taste great, and they’re colorful. They come in so many varieties that there’s definitely something for everyone. But, one of the greatest things about fresh fruits and vegetables is that, as soon as you put some in your kitchen, you’ve decorated! The assorted shapes, textures and colors make them beautiful in any surroundings. The only problem with that, though, is that once you’ve eaten the fruits and veggies your decor piece is gone! You can still have those luscious baskets of food without worrying about them get eaten, however, if you just make fake ones. They’re simple enough to make, cost very little, but can be every bit as attractive as the real thing.
To make the fake fruits and vegetables you’ll need to start with the real thing. Wash and dry the foods thoroughly then spray then with non-stick cooking spray. You’ll be making a cast and the spray will keep it from sticking to the foods. Prepare a glue solution with one cup of non-toxic white glue and three cups of water. This solution will help you create the casts. Tear off two sheets of paper towels and cut them into two-inch wide strips. You’ll need many of these strips to do several fruits or vegetables.
Wear thin, disposable gloves to protect your hands while creating the casts. Dip a paper towel strip into the glue and wrap it around the food. Before wrapping it hold it at the end with finger and thumb then slide your other finger and thumb down the strip, squeezing out the excess liquid. Using quality paper towels will be important while doing this craft. Squeeze the excess well then continue wrapping another and another strip around the piece. You can apply the strips in a particular manner or pattern or you can just randomly add the strips until the food is covered.
Create about three or four layers of paper towels on the foods making sure you wrap the towels evenly around them. If more strips are wrapped around one area than another the finished look can be an awkward shape. If at any time the strips are way too wet, and they’re already wrapped around the foods, wrap a layer of dry strips around it. The last layer, however, should be damp not dry. Place the pieces on a cookie sheet with waxed paper. These will need to dry for two to three days.
When the pieces are thoroughly dry cut them in half, lengthways. Remove the fruit or vegetable halves; they will pop out easily because of the non-stick spray. Mix another batch of the glue and water to rejoin the two halves of the fake food. Decide what color you want each piece of food to be. Use colored tissue paper to achieve the hue. Cut the tissue into strips, as you did the paper towels, then attach them to the fruits with the glue mixture. Hold the two halves together while you wrap a couple of strips around it then it will stay together while you finish. Cover the piece with two layers of the tissue paper.
Instead of using the colored tissue paper you can also paint the fruits and vegetables. Make sure the glue is completely dry on the paper towels strips before painting. Paint with one coat, allow to dry, then paint once again. If needed, use a piece of cord to create a stem. Glue it in place. Another thing that works great for making fake stems is a piece of vine or stem from a plastic or silk flower.
Create something much different by sprinkling the fruits and vegetables with glitter before setting them on the cookie sheet to dry. Allow to dry, add some glue, then cover any bare spots. Salt works well to give the fake foods a shimmer, too. Sprinkle it on as you would glitter. The salt method, however, is not washable. Glitter types can be washed but not scrubbed. After being washed several times the glitter may have to be reapplied.
The finished foods are beautiful. Set them in baskets around the kitchen or give sets to friends. Make only fruits, only vegetables, or combine them. The original foods don’t necessarily have to go to waste. Foods like a banana, for example, can still be eaten as soon as you peel it. The non-toxic glue from the paper towels is dried and can easily be washed off the outside of the foods. See what kinds of fruits and vegetables you already have on hand – you’ll want to get busy with this fun craft right away!
Reference:
- Purchase glitter paints here: www.acmoore.com
