Using Leftover Christmas Wrapping Paper: Making Papier Mache

Don't throw the torn wrapping paper away! Try this instead:

http://www.everydayart.com/mache.html

http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/07/31/recycled-crafts-make-a-paper-bowl-tutorial/ --keep in mind on this one that you DON'T have to cook the paste. You can just mix the flour and water and use it. It works just fine.

Here is a video discussing different pastes and showing kids making bowls: http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/video/video_pop.html?clip=interstitials/115B&title=Making%20Paper%20Maché&ar=16:9&filetype=wmv&bandwidth=_hi

And another site with video instructions: http://www.monkeysee.com/play/11544-how-to-make-a-paper-mache-bowl

Now that you have those links, this is what we are doing:

We are going to take the leftover wrapping paper and make papier mache all kinds of things--bowls, ornaments for next year's tree, jewelry boxes. I'm letting the kids decide what they want to make. We are not planning to paint ours. We are going to just use the leftover Christmas wrap, which is plenty colorful.

I've always successfully just mixed flour and water into a thin paste and used that, but this year the kids REALLY want to try the papier mache paste recipe they found on pbskids.org/curiousgeorge (from the video above), so I'm going to humor them.

Everyone got balloons in their stockings, so we might try covering them completely with paper mache, letting them hang dry overnight, and then popping the balloons and cutting the paper mache balloon in half tall-wise to make Egyptian Masks for Humanities. (You can also leave them whole and use it as a pinata.) We had gold wrapping paper this year, so we're probably going to be making some gold dishes for our upcoming Ancient Egyptian Feast we've planned for Humanities.

The videos all use either balloons or real dishes as molds. We'll try this, but we're also going to be using small cardboard boxes (leftover from gifts) and things like paper plates as permanent frameworks for the papier mache: instead of relying on removable molds (which can be difficult to remove), we're going to take cheap paper plates (or even just cardboard disks) and small boxes and cover them, both sides (one at a time, letting them dry in between), in papier mache. You could also use inexpensive disposable dishes (cups, bowls, platters, etc) for this. Keep in mind that your finished creation is NOT WASHABLE.

There are dozens of site with instructions, recipes, hints, and tips on papier (or paper) mache. Do a google search and then go all out and recycle that old wrapping paper!