Paper Mache Crafts

The paper mache are one of the easiest and interesting craft works that children can enjoy doing. The basic things associated with paper mache crafts are the pulp recipe/paste, base form and lots of ideas. There is no standard/pre-defined technique for making paper mache crafts. Let us understand how to make paper mache arts with the ideas given below.

Paper Mache Crafts
To make different paper mache crafts, one can derive ideas from various things we observe in day-to-day life. The following paper mache craft ideas can be used for kids projects.

Recipe for Paper Mache
It is very easy to prepare a paper mache paste. The only ingredients required to prepare it are flour and water. One has to mix the flour and water in the ratio of 1:2. The ingredients need to be mixed properly and lumps if any, should be removed. One can add few tablespoons of salt, to prevent the development of mold. Adding few drops of cinnamon can make the smell of this paste bearable.

Easy Crafts for Kids
The following paragraphs deal with paper mache crafts ideas and projects for children.

Easter Basket
The Easter basket project requires following materials: a curved surface (lower half of milk jug would serve the purpose), paper mache paste, newspaper, paintbrush and poster colors. The instructions for carrying this project are given below.

The first step in the process is to prepare paper mache paste. A milk jug should be kept ready for pasting newspaper strips over it. Newspaper strips used for pasting should be roughly 1 inch in width and as longer as possible. The strips should then be pasted over the jug by using the paper mache paste. First layer should be applied to the milk jug by dipping newspaper strips in the paste. The resulting basket shape should then be allowed to dry. Second layer should be applied, only after the first one has dried completely. Once the newspaper layers dry, this basket shape should be removed off the milk jug. Handle for basket need to be prepared with the help of poster board strips stapled to the sides. The basket should then be painted with poster colors. Once the painting and decoration work gets completed, basket should be filled with Easter goodies and chocolates to give it the characteristic look. After finishing with this thing one should introduce some fantastic paper mache craft ideas for kids to try and realize.

Angel Vase
One would require an empty juice bottle, paper mache paste, cotton, scissors, glue and paint for this paper mache project.

The empty juice bottle should be covered with paper strips dipped in paper mache paste. Two-three layers need be applied one-by-one after each layer dries out completely. Wings for this angel vase are prepared by cutting out the appropriate shapes from cardboard. Cotton should be glued to the surface of cardboard pieces cut in shapes of wings. The wings that are decorated with cotton should then be glued to the juice bottle.

Next step of decorating the angel vase is putting some cotton in the juice bottle and adding few drops of color. One-two tbsp. of water should be poured over cotton balls in order to mix the color properly. The colored cotton should then be stretched out and glued to the top of bottle; it forms the hair of angel. Other decorations include drawing the eyes, nose and mouth to complete the facial features.

The paper mache crafts mentioned above should give some idea about how to start with the basics. Kids can experiment with this art of making paper mache and explore their creativity.