Here is a craft that will take you through the weekend! Create a paper mache sculpture. Best done when the weather is warm and everyone can get outside. While dad is grilling dinner Friday night, mom and the kids can be slathering a scuplture form with newspaper strips and glue. Let dry overnight, apply another coat on Saturday and you can finish with painting on Sunday.
Supplies needed:
Base form**
flour
water
Strips of newspaper
Making the Paste:
Mix 1 part flour to 2 parts water. You want a mixture that is thick like paste, but runnier. You can add more water or flour as needed. This is an excellent job for the younger crowd that liked to mix and stir!
To add interest to the project, add a dash of cinnamon for an aromatic sculpture.
Add a few tablespoons of salt to prevent mold.
**Making a Base Form:
A standard base for paper mache is the balloon. It makes nice, round sculpture that you can decorate as a pinata or a globe--or anything round, really. Or you could use, well, anything. Coat a shoe box to make a decorative box. Create a chicken wire frame (with a lot of adult help), use pie tins, toilet paper tubes...anything that can hold up its shape under mooshy paper and glue. There is no limit to what you can create! This is a time comsuming, but very fun, family activity. Everyone agreeing on what to make is a different issue all together!
Friday:
Make the paper mache form, and coat with first layer of material.
The way to paper mache:
1. Mix the paste and tear newspaper into many strips. Do not cut! Torm pieces lay flatter and are stronger.
2. Dip the paper in the mixture and coat it evenly with the paste.
3. Run your fingers along the moistened strip to remove excess paste.
4. Apply to form. Overlap a lot.
5. Repeat ad nauseum until the entire form is covered.
6. After the first layer is applied, let it dry over night. Spray off the kids with the garden hose before letting them back in your house.
7. Eat dinner. Craft is done for the day! (Mom--how much did you end up doing?)
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