(Used in Feb. 98)

10.        Attach some wing-like brachiopods to the backs of your trilobites with a hot-melt glue gun and spray paint gold. Hang them on the Christmas tree as paleo-angels. Bumastoids are especially cute.

9.         Long, thin cephalopods make nice swizzle sticks for your guests’ drinks.

8.       Cut hollow dinosaur leg bones into 2- 4 cm sections, glue a brachiopod on the side and spray paint gold to make elegant napkin rings.

7.        Turn a large trilobite upside-down and hollow it out with an air scribe— it makes a very attractive soapdish.

6.        Create a festive wreath by using your glue gun to stick large fossil shark teeth onto a loop of sturdy wire. Spray paint green and wrap with gold ribbon.

5.        Drill a hole through the ends of large brachiopod and bivalve shells and string them together with monofilament fishing line to make a lovely wind chime. I have had mine tuned in the key of G-major and when properly arranged and hung in a 7-km/hr westerly breeze, it plays the first three bars of Bachs’ Brandenburg Concerto #4.

4.        A fossil fish plate from Solnhofn, once glazed and fired, makes a lovely serving platter for hors d’œvres or salmon.

3.        Using a hammer and screwdriver, smash and pry off the pearly, opalized outer layer from Placenticeras ammonites. Then nip the pieces to the right size with a pair of tile nippers and set them with grout into a colourful peacock or cherub mosaic as a delightful backsplash for the kitchen sink.

2.        If you have an old, intact Neandertal skull, cut off the top of the cranial vault, line with lettuce leaves, and use as a bowl for dip. Cherry tomatoes in the eye sockets give it a friendly look.

1.        Mount a Tyrannosaur mandible complete with teeth on the vestibule wall at the cottage. It makes a sturdy and rustic coat hanger. Don’t forget to round off the tooth points and serrated edges with a Dremmel tool to prevent damage to coats.

Liz Czanyo and Robert Sensenstein