P a p e r M a c h e R e c i p e s

The things you can make with paper mache are only limited by your imagination. As paper mache dries, it hardens over the mold you have made. You can make puppet heads, Christmas ornaments, piņatas, dolls, dollhouses, boxes, sculptures or bowls. The final dried product can be painted, decoupaged or decorated however you please.

Make a form from wire, wadded newspaper, stuffed paper bags, or balloons. For a flat piece, such as a dollhouse or box, you can use a piece of cardboard. Tear newspaper into strips. Narrower strips work best for a rounded mold and larger strips are good for flat or rectangular shapes. Choose one of the following recipes to make the paste. Dip strips into paste, coating completely, squeezing out excess paste with your fingers. Use the strips to cover your pre-made form. If you overlap the strips, your finished product will look smoother. Allow each layer to dry before adding another layer. Cover your form with at least 2 layers.

Paper Mache Paste
Flour
Salt
Water
Newspapers
Non-rusting container
Wooden-spoon

Soak papers in water in container. Reduce to pulp by tearing and stirring with spoon. Drain. Mix in thick paste of flour, water, and a little salt. Stir until paper mache begins to feel like clay. Use as clay. It will squish through wire forms. There will be some shrinking as mache dries.


Paper Mache Paste
1/2 cup flour
2 cups cold water
2 cups boiling water
3 tbsp. sugar
Newspapers

Mix together the flour and cold water in a bowl. Add boiling water to this mixture, and return to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. The mixture will thicken as it cools.

In humid climates, try powdered non-pourous wall paper adhesive mixed with water.



Paper Mache Paste
Newspaper
Water
1 1/2 cups wheat paste (from a craft store)

Mix together the wheat paste and water in a bowl. The mixture will thicken as it cools.

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