Paper Mache Crafts

Paper Mache Crafts - Endless Possibilities!

Here's a riddle! What's hard as a rock, light as a feather, is made of something you throw away every day, and will last for many years?

The answer is Papier-Mache, but most people write it as "paper mache", so that's how I'll post these crafts. Papier mache has a fancy French name, but it is really just ordinary newspaper mixed with a special paste. It's easy to make, easy to mold, and easy to be creative with.

There is a lot of paper mache crafts you can make. Some crafts you can make are: jewelry, trays, characters, animals, pinatas, and many more.

Paper Mache Cat
Paper Mache Eggs
Paper Mache Jewelry
Paper Mache Piggy Bank
Paper Mache Turtle Pinata

Scroll down to see paper mache crafts pulp, strips, and paste recipes.

Paper Mache Pulp

Paper mache pulp can be shaped like clay or used to cover objects. All kinds of crafts for kids can be made with this basic recipe for paper mache. Parents will need to help with the electric mixer.

Supplies Needed:
newspaper
water
electric mixer
paper mache paste (directions below)

Directions:

To make paper mache pulp, tear newspaper into pieces about 1 inch square.

Fill a pail half full with the pieces of paper. Fill the pail with warm water and let the paper soak overnight.

After you have allowed this to soak overnight, mix with the electric mixer. Squeeze out the water and place pulp in a large container.

Squeeze paper mache paste into the pulp until the mixture feels like clay.

To dry objects made of paper mache pulp leave them in an open place for 2 or more days. Or, with an adults help, you can dry them in an oven set to a temperature of 150 degrees. (Projects made with balloons should not be dried in an oven)

Paper Mache Strips

Strip paper-mache is made by tearing sheets of newspaper into narrow stips about 1 inch wide.

Tear the newspaper from the fold down. Cover the strips with paper-mache paste by pulling each strip through the paste. Or, spread the paste on each strip with a paintbrush.

To cover an object with paper-mache strips, paste on a layer of strips in one direction. Then, paste on another layer of strips in the other direction, so that they go across the first layer.

Smooth down all of the strips. Continue this way until you have put on four or more layers.

Paper Mache Paste

There are three recipes for making this paste. I prefer the third recipe. It's the easiest!

(1) Stir 3 parts water into 1 part flour until the mixture is smooth and creamy. To make the paste last longer, add a few drops of oil of wintergreen (found at the drugstore).

(2) Buy some wallpaper paste at a hardware store. Mix 1 part wallpaper paste with 3 parts water. Stir well and the paste is ready to use.

(3) Mix 2 parts white glue with 1 part warm water. Stir well and the paste is ready to use.

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