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Squash and feathers create a turkey of a centerpiece
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A winter squash serves as the body for this regal turkey
As much as the actual bird served on Thanksgiving, turkey stand-ins, lovingly crafted by small hands, are an American tradition. Who hasn’t, at some point in their life, made a handprint or pinecone turkey to add to the table of plenty?
This turkey, made from a winter squash, is a crafty version of an old favorite. He is easy to make and his regal bearing makes him a natural as a centerpiece for the holiday dinner table. For a larger centerpiece, use a pie pumpkin and bigger feathers or, to make individual placeholders, use mini-pumpkins and smaller feathers.
Start by picking the perfect pumpkin or squash. In this case, that means looking for one with a flattened side; the stem will act as the base of the neck. Try laying the squash on its side to see if it will “stand up” on its own. If you can’t find one that will, use a small piece of folded brown paper as a wedge to prop it up.
Stand the squash on its flat side and, using a toothpick, pierce the skin halfway down the middle of its back. Insert a feather into the hole. Continue inserting feathers on either side, working out from the center one. On the backside of the squash, pierce and insert three tail feathers.
To make the neck and head, cut a triangular piece from a brown paper bag. Twist it to form a neck and bend the end to make a head, leaving an opening at the base. This is a sort of free form origami, so just keep trying with new pieces of paper till you get one you like.
Apply tacky glue liberally to and around the squash stem, insert the paper neck over the stem and press in place. If needed, hold it in place with safe-release masking tape until the glue dries.
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