How to Make Coconut Heads

You need not return from a gorgeous, exotic beach vacation with a suitcase full of junky souvenirs. You can bring back customized coconut heads. It’s fun, easy and unique to make coconut heads, as long as you follow a few simple steps-and know where to look for coconuts.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dried-out coconuts
• Paint pens, markers, paint or other coloring

1. Gather the coconuts. This works best if you book a vacation on a beachfront resort and keep your eyes peeled underneath coconut trees.

2. Prepare the coconuts to become artwork. This includes banging the coconuts to extract any sand, sludge or bugs and rinsing or brushing off outward dirt. To really clean them out if they have holes, submerge them overnight and let dry for several days.

3. Stare at the coconut to figure out where the eyes go. This will also give you a chance to feel if the coconut is angry or sad, elated or menacing. Heck, you may even have your hands on a calm coconut.

4. Paint away! Big eyes and big teeth work best on coconut heads. Not much of a nose is needed. Feel free to embellish with hair, scars, spider webs, odd patterns or anything else that makes them funky.

5. Let dry and spray with sealer upon your return home. Unless, of course, you happen to travel with coconut head sealer.

Tips & Warnings

• Coconut heads work especially well at your desk at work or, for some strange reason, in the bathroom. Mine hang in a row down the corner near the toilet.
• Make extra coconut heads to share with your friends. They make excellent souvenirs from a tropical vacation.
• Hang coconut heads by inserting eye-hooks in the back and attaching to the wall. You can also use wire or a nail on the head itself.
• Ants! Ants are the biggest deterrent to making successful coconut heads. I’ve had some stick to the paint as they crawled out of the coconut when I did not properly prepare it.
• Make more than you think you'll need so you don't run out. Folks absolutely love these things.