Paper Mache is made simply with old newspapers and glue. It is great for recycling and lots of fun to use to make things.
What you need:
- Old newspapers
- Shoe box
- 2 toilet rolls
- Masking tape
- White glue
- Water
- Bucket or large bowl
What to do:
- Take the newspapers and tear them into strips.
- Pour the white glue into your bucket or large bowl and mix with water. about 1 cup of glue to half a cup of water. Stir the glue mixture.
- Cut two toilet rolls in half. These are your legs.
- Tape them onto the bottom of the shoe box, one on each corner.
- On the top of the shoe box wad up some paper that isn’t torn and tape it on with masking tape. You want to shape it into your animal back and head.
- No need to get detailed with it though just a rough shape will do.
- Put some strips into the bucket of glue mixture and start placing them on the top of the shoe box.
- For the face, you want to get a few good wads of paper taped onto the front top of the shoe box. For ears just cut two triangles out of a thin cardboard box (a tea box will do).
- Bend two corners together just a bit so that they look like ears and tape them where you like.
- When you glue the strips onto the head make sure to cover the ears as well.
- Also start layering on the paper onto the bottom of the box carefully covering the outside of the box and the legs.
- Do not put the top of the box on the bottom or it will glue itself shut.
- Once you have the shape of your animal and a few good layers of paper mache on it then let it dry overnight.
- Once it is completely dry, paint it as you wish.
- Let the paint dry.
- Put the box together and you have a beautiful animal gift box.
It is fun to use at parties as you can fill the box with treats and hide it!
