Ho Ho Ho Santa

Have a Merry Christmas by using spackle, cake decorator and some other materials. Create a Santa in seven easy steps. Kathleen George sure knows how to do the holidays.
 

Materials:

• STYROFOAM Brand Products:
  • Cone, 12"
  • Wreath, 4-1/2"
  • Balls, four 1"
• 8 oz. Spackling compound
• Acrylic craft paint: red, pink
• Cake decorator with tips
• Doll's eyes, 7mm black, two
• Pink beads, 3/8"
• Serrated knife
• Table knife
• Paintbrush
• Toothpicks
• Pencil
• Old candle
• Fine grit sandpaper
• Low temperature glue gun and glue sticks

Instructions:

1. Wax serrated knife with old candle for easier cutting. Cut 2" section from wreath ring; cut remaining wreath in half, forming arms. Positioning arms slightly downward, glue to back of cone; insert several toothpicks through arms and into cone for extra support. Let dry.
    
2. Outline face area with pencil. Cut one 2" ball in half; glue halves to face for cheeks. Compress cheeks with fingertips, forming pressed, smooth surface.
    
3. Thin 1 tablespoon of spackling with water. Brush thin coating of spackling on face and cheeks. Let dry; sand lightly. If needed, add second coat. Let dry; sand lightly.
    
4. Paint face pink. Mix small amount of red paint with pink for cheeks; paint cheeks. Paint remaining cone red. Let dry.
    
5. Glue two foam balls to ends of arms for hands.
    
6. Prepare spackling compound to use as icing. Place 1/2 of spackling medium in bowl and whip with table knife until smooth. Add water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, till smooth and thin enough to extrude through cake decorator. Conduct a test run; add more water if necessary.
    
7. Using round tip, pipe on swirls for beard and hair; add eyebrows. Let beard dry a few minutes and break off excess spackling by tapping gently with fingertips. Using open star tip, pipe on trim around hat and sleeves; when dry, add second layer. Add a single layer of trim down center and around bottom of coat. Add a dab of spackling to top of cone; press foam ball into spackling.