A Halloween Craft Idea
Carve Yourselves a Paper Mache Pumpkin
Here's a neat Halloween craft idea! Everyone loves the idea of carving their own jack o'lantern come Halloween time. But not all fingers were made to carve and sometime accidents will happen. Well, we've got an easy solution for you....make our paper mache pumpkin and use a scissors instead of a knife to craft your pumpkin face. There's still a bit of a mess involved, but we promise you won't need any band-aids for this easy child craft.
Let's take a look at what you'll need:
Materials
Newspapers, cut into strips
Balloons
Paper Mache Paste
Orange poster or acrylic paint
Paint brushes
Scissors
Instructions:
1. Make your paper mache paste using:
1 cup water
1/4 cup flour
5 cups boiled water
In a medium saucepan, add flour to one cup of water and mix until the mixture is thin and runny. Gradually add the boiled water. On a low flame, gently boil and stir for 3 minutes. Add some salt to act as a preservative. Cool before using.
2. Blow up a balloon for each child. (It's a good idea to give each child a small plastic bowl to "sit" the ballon in. This helps keep the balloon in one place as the child adds paper mache layers to it)
3. Dip individual strips of newspaper (about 1 inch wide) into the paper mache paste and place them on and around the balloon. Repeat this step until the balloon is completely covered with about 3 layers of newpaper. Now, find a nice dry place for your project and let it dry completely. (We hung ours outside on a laundry line--make sure there's no hint of rain!)
4. Is your "balloon" hardened and dried? Now pop the balloon by sticking a pin through the layers of paper mache. Remove the balloon through the small hole that's formed at the base.
5. Paint the balloon using the orange paint. Let dry. During this drying time, decide on the "face" you'll be carving on your pumpkin.
6. Cut the lid from the top of the "pumpkin." Ask an adult to help you.
7. Draw the "face" you've decided on, onto the pumpkin. Carefully cut out the facial features using a scissors.
8. There you are! You've just created a Paper Mache Halloween Jack O'lantern!
Now wasn't that a great Halloween craft idea?
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