At the first Thanksgiving, turkey was actually a side dish, taking second billing to venison. But set this pretty bird center table and it's guaranteed to steal the show.

CRAFT MATERIALS:

• Gourd
• Round toothpicks
• Pumpkin
• Red chili pepper
• Orange rind
• Cloves
• Corn husks or tamale wrappers
• Tempera paints
• Pair of red gloves

1. To create the turkey's face, push a few toothpicks halfway into one side of the gourd, then attach it to the pumpkin by pushing the protruding toothpick ends through the pumpkin shell. Use the same method to attach the chili-pepper wattle.candy, planes, insanescouter, scouting, elastic, band, strip, wrap, around, lifesavers, american, indian, made, guiding

2. For eyes, use two orange-rind circles. Push a clove through the center of each one and into the gourd.

3. Next, tint the corn husk feathers by dipping them into diluted tempera paints (2 parts water to 1 part paint) and attach them to the pumpkin with toothpicks.

4. Set the completed pumpkin atop the red gloves so that the fingers resemble turkey feet.