Paper Mache Bowls

I signed up for a weekly newsletter from Kids Craft Weekly and this was a featured craft a couple of weeks ago. I thought my kids would enjoy making a bowl that they could use for whatever they'd like (leave it to my kids to use it as a candy dish!).

It is a perfect rainy-day sort of craft since it took a little bit longer than either of them wanted it to. They were definitely ready to be done by the end. I didn't think it took that long; my son needed me to help assist guide do it for him. I think it was just that they didn't like being sticky... and your fingers definitely are sticky by the time you are done!

What you need:

• colored tissue paper
• non-toxic glue, such as Elmer's
• paintbrush
• jar
• food coloring (optional)
• a bowl (preferably plastic)
• plastic cling wrap
• something to sprinkle (such as sequins) (we skipped this step)

What you do:

1. Tear up the tissue paper into pieces. You'll need a fair amount of tissue paper, for this bowl we used three large sheets of paper. My daughter tore hers up really little and I think that was where she got bored doing this. Her little pieces took a long time to rip and a long time to apply onto the bowl. So I think the best size would be around 2 inches in diameter.



2. Make up a watery glue mixture in a jar using equal amounts of white glue and water. Add a drop of food colouring just for fun. I started by using 1 tablespoon of each but needed to mix up more while making our bowl, twice.



3. Put your plastic bowl on the table (open end down) and cover with cling wrap.

4. Paint on a layer of the glue mixture and cover with a layer of tissue paper.





Repeat until you're out of tissue paper or until you feel the bowl is going to be thick enough.



5. For extra bling, sprinkle some sequins or stars over the outside of the bowl when you've finished. (Neither of my children wanted bling)

6. Allow the bowl to dry – this may take some time (as long as several days in winter or 24 hours in summer).

When you think your bowl in dry enough to stay in shape on it's own, carefully ease it off the bowl and from the cling wrap. The inside of the bowl will be wet but it too will soon dry after it gets some exposure to the air.

Use your bowl to hold special trinkets and treasures or give as a gift to a favorite person!