Turnip Costume

Make way for the spunky turnip.

• 2 white pillowcases
• 2 sheets of white corrugated plastic
• Purple acrylic paint
• 1-1/2-inch foam brush
• Fiberfill stuffing
• String
• 6-foot lengths of purple ribbon

1. Cut both corrugated plastic sheets into turnip shapes by rounding out one end and trimming the other into a narrowed point.

2. Fill the top of the pillowcases with fiberfill, but only lightly stuff the bottom. Dilute the acrylic paint with water and brush it onto the pillowcases.

3. To make the shoulder straps, lay the corrugated plastic pieces side by side. Stretch a ribbon from one turnip to the other, allowing enough room for your child's head to pass through. Glue the ribbon ends to the plastic. To make side straps, place a ribbon halfway down each side. Glue the ribbon ends to the plastic.

4. Seal the pillowcase by gluing the bottom shut. Fold the bottom corners to the middle and hot-glue them down. Fold the top corners just enough to round them, and then glue them in place. Lay the pillows over the ribbon and plastic turnip shapes, and glue them in place.

5. Wrap strings around the front and back of each turnip half. Pull the string tight and tie the ends in knots. Let the string ends hang down like roots.

• Green hat
• Green acrylic paint
• Artificial fern plant
• Plastic foam ball
• Wire cutters

1. Cut the plastic foam ball in half. Take one of the halves and paint the rounded part green. Let dry.

2. Hot-glue the flat side of the ball to the top of the hat.

3. Remove individual fern stems from the plant using wire cutters. Push the fern stems into the ball. It may be necessary to use glue to anchor some of the stems into the plastic foam ball.