Paper Mache Crafts and Tips

Make a Paper Mache Halloween Pumpkin Lantern

In this guest post, Kim teaches us how to make a paper mache pumpkin lantern for Halloween. (I’m going to make several of these myself – the plastic forms are on sale now at the local Wal-Mart for $1!) I’m trying a new format for this post, with a gallery of photos first, and the instructions [...]

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Poseable Hand Armature for Paper Mache Clay

I’ve been working on a chimp sculpture for the last week or so, with no real progress to show for it. Right now I’m waiting for UPS to deliver some more supplies so I can finish the head. However, I did make a poseable armature for the chimp’s hand this morning, and with some [...]

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Our Practical Paper Mache e-Book is Done

I want to send a huge thanks to everyone who participated in our Practical Paper Mache project. We now have a collaboratively-written e-Book, which can be downloaded by anyone, for free, thanks to the hard work of all the generous souls who submitted their ideas, photos and instructions. We did it, folks! The co-authors [...]

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Paper Mache Photo Prop Egg, Chair, Shelves, and More

There’s been a flurry of activity this week, with many people sending in their wonderful practical paper mache ideas. I want to thank everyone who helped so much with this project – I think we now have 27 different ideas for using paper mache to create functional, practical, and beautiful items to use around the [...]

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Two New Submissions for the Practical Paper Mache Project

We received two new items to add to our list of practical paper mache projects, and these two are truly unique. Chris Josephs sent in a wonderfully whimsical paper mache egg cup, with a nice round belly and little feet. I can guarantee you’ve never seen an egg cup like it. Jelina sent in a [...]

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Paper Mache Doll Furniture, Jessie’s Paintings, etc.

We received our latest practical paper mache project submission yesterday. Christine Majul used some paper mache, some items that we usually throw away, and some ingenuity to make patio furniture for dolls. This project reminds me of the time, not very far in our past, when all toys were made by hand, and often by [...]

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Paper Mache Side Table, Organizer, Tortoise Planter, and Roman Box …

Four more items have been submitted to our Practical Paper Mache project. I think we might actually reach the (completely arbitrary) 50 projects by the May 30 deadline. A big thanks to all the wonderful folks who have contributed ideas so far. In the last few days Payal Pandey sent in a tortoise planter that [...]

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Paper Mache Pin Cushion, Waste Basket and Card Holder…

We have three more practical paper mache projects for you to see today, all submitted by June Slack. Another one is on the way – for some reason the submission form lost one of her photos, a minor technical glitch. To see the full sized photo of this delightful pin cushion, plus her business card [...]

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Paper Mache Desktop JunkDrawer, Magazine Rack, and More

We have several new “practical paper mache” items to show off today – our new page is starting to fill up fast. I’m only putting one little image here in this post as a teaser because I want to make sure you to go take a look at all the projects over on the new [...]

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Paper Mache Wastepaper Basket

Just to get our Practical Paper Mache Project rolling, I whipped up this waste paper basket out of an old cardboard box, a bit of paper, and paste. I actually needed a waste paper basket in my office, so it will get a lot of use. I made it big because I get a lot [...]

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Practical Paper Mache Project – Let’s Build it Together!

Yesterday I said I was thinking about having a contest to show off all the ways that paper mache can be used to create useful and practical items. After receiving some great advice from readers and mulling it over for a few more hours, I decided that what I really want is not a contest, [...]

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Great Chicken Wire for Paper Mache Armatures

My too-large herd of baby chicks actually taught me something I could use for my paper mache projects. OK, they didn’t “teach” me, exactly, but I did learn it because of them. You might recall that I previously mentioned, in the post about my paper mache baby chick, that I received more birds from the [...]

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Drying Paper Mache with Solar – Another Experiment

My latest chimpanzee bust is helping me with this experimental solar paper mache dryer. If you ever took a high school science class, you’ll recognize that this is not a very scientific experiment. But hey – it only cost me $4.95, and it was fun. It isn’t scientific because there are no controls, and, to [...]

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Reader Needs Help With Pinata

I just received an urgent request for help with a pinata project on the Paper Mache Recipe page, and I don’t have the answer. I’ve never made a pinata,and I’m hoping you can help. Please read the comment below and offer your suggestions: Hello there! First, I must say how truly gifted you are. These [...]

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Blue Paper Towels for Paper Mache

Yesterday we received a comment on the paper mache halloween mask page that I wanted to make sure you didn’t miss. Diane sez: An artist friend of mine introduced me to using blue “shop towels” on a roll for papier mache. They’re great because they’re thick (so the work goes quicker and is stronger) and [...]

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