Spy Car Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 My boy and I are having so much fun making a "bottle buddy" for a...er, uh...school project. The kids (parents :D) have to create a character from fiction from a book they've read and write a book report on the character. We are making a Willy Wonka. A 2-liter plastic soda bottle is the base for the body. Most kids use a styrofoam head or a sock for the head, but...oh dear...we got a little carried away and my son made an armature from chicken wire for a head that we paper mâchéd, and then we've gone crazy with foil, and tape, and paper mâché on the cloths and body too. It is coming out awesome! And fun too. But it might be too good :tongue_smilie: Bill (one of those parents) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 I am glad that you weren't making rocks out of paper mâché. Sounds like a cool project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 I remember making a pig puppet. I worked so hard on that d*amned thing. DD would have fun, but DS cannot touch anything wet or sticky with his fingers or he will die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 There's something comforting in knowing that kids still make things of paper mache and pop bottles...I have fond memories of making my pop bottle cat! (and my mum helped!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 We decide the original Willy Wonka turned out so well...that is was too good...and even though my son really did do a great deal of the work, that (mea culpa :D) my input made it look too much like "Daddy's" project. So, my son started a second one that he is doing all by himself, other than me mixing up paste or helping cut wire for him. And he is doing a great job on this one too. I have not done paper mâché in years, but what a great art-craft medium. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Picture! Picture! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKidAcademy Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Picture! Picture! Yes, please! Side by side comparison, if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Picture! Picture! Yes, pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Odd timing. LOL I spent the last hour researching and planning, to make mini-piñatas for dd13s birthday next week. Some of the instructions only used paper cups, hot glue and streamers.:thumbdown: I was very disappointed that I wasn't finding any with paper mache! I came up with my own plan instead. Got to love a reason to do paper mache!:biggrinjester::biggrinjester: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 Picture! Picture! Yes, please! Side by side comparison, if possible. Yes, pictures! We have been documenting it, sort of. When we get them completed I will post some pictures. I'm excited to see the how the one he does all alone turns out. He's an artistic kid. His mother—who sort of gave me the eye when she saw the original—was somewhat (read: very :D) skeptical when I insisted that he had done most of the work—but she was impressed how he went to business on the second one. I admit to some adult "polish" on the original, but the second one I think will be great and I suspect will gain interest from any childlike quality it may have. I'm surprised how much fun this project has been. I am NOT Mr Crafty! But we have really enjoyed making this project. Paper Mâché seems like it should have "homeschooler" written all over it :tongue_smilie: Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 We grew up doing papier mache during art class in elementary school. It was fun. I was very disappointed that I wasn't finding any with paper mache! I came up with my own plan instead. How about this website http://www.stormthecastle.com/how-to-make-a/make-a-paper-mache-animal-pinata.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 Odd timing. LOL I spent the last hour researching and planning, to make mini-piñatas for dd13s birthday next week. Some of the instructions only used paper cups, hot glue and streamers.:thumbdown: I was very disappointed that I wasn't finding any with paper mache! I came up with my own plan instead. Got to love a reason to do paper mache!:biggrinjester::biggrinjester: We used chicken wire and wire (and some foil and tape) for the armature (along with the bottle part in this case). For the "skin" we mostly used strips of newspaper, but did some decorative moldings using paste-soaked toilet tissue. The TP is good for molding noses, eyebrows, mouth, eyes, etc. We also formed "clothes" out of foil and tape, covered with paper mâché. For paste I just mixed white flour with water (no boil) and beat it smooth. It worked great. We used a homemade "gesso" using a mix of joint compound (drywall mud) and Elmer's glue, and used this as a thin top-coat over the paper layer. It is pretty darn easy. Even the very thin pieces of paper mâché get quite strong when dry. I've tried to speed drying with a hair-dryer and a warm oven. Maybe we'll just make an army of Willy Wonkas :lol: Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoGal Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 That sounds like so much fun! I agree - photos please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Add a top hat and you can dual duty, history and pop culture. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://doctorsdreams.net/Soldiers_sample.jpg&imgrefurl=http://doctorsdreams.net/photographs.html&h=404&w=606&sz=99&tbnid=3a7QpTxpdQBFYM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dstone%2Bsoldiers%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=stone+soldiers&usg=__Sznrog8ji8iIvremgQC4LjbXwc4=&docid=mBNDIyNUotVbsM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=_qN7UKiKNYm1igLFoYGIDQ&ved=0CCQQ9QEwAQ&dur=1547 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpoy85 Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Sounds neat, pics please. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Very Cool.... For 4th grade here the kids make a wagon to go around the school yard trying to "replicate" the Oregon Trail. The first year our first daughter did her own wagon. We very quickly realized that it's a "parent project" and my husband helped our other kids. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 Add a top hat and you can dual duty, history and pop culture. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://doctorsdreams.net/Soldiers_sample.jpg&imgrefurl=http://doctorsdreams.net/photographs.html&h=404&w=606&sz=99&tbnid=3a7QpTxpdQBFYM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dstone%2Bsoldiers%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=stone+soldiers&usg=__Sznrog8ji8iIvremgQC4LjbXwc4=&docid=mBNDIyNUotVbsM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=_qN7UKiKNYm1igLFoYGIDQ&ved=0CCQQ9QEwAQ&dur=1547 I'm thinking for parents/children doing a four year history cycle this could be a great medium for art projects. Not exactly a "novel" thought on my part, but I forgot how easy, cheap, fun, and effective paper mâché is for making things. And with Reformation Day (:D) right around the corner, one could make some pretty costumes or masks with this stuff, methinks. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 Very Cool.... For 4th grade here the kids make a wagon to go around the school yard trying to "replicate" the Oregon Trail. The first year our first daughter did her own wagon. We very quickly realized that it's a "parent project" and my husband helped our other kids. :) I was talking with my wife about this a little earlier, and even though I sort of got "involved" on the first one, which meant it looked more adult than ideal for a child's project, my son did do a lot of the work and spending the time doing it together made it possible for him to make the second one himself. So I feel good about taking the time to make the first one, and feel good about shelving it and letting him make one himself. And I think his will rock. And he will know he did it himself. And he is grateful that I showed him how to do it. It is a win-win. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 I'm thinking for parents/children doing a four year history cycle this could be a great medium for art projects. Not exactly a "novel" thought on my part, but I forgot how easy, cheap, fun, and effective paper mâché is for making things. And with Reformation Day (:D) right around the corner, one could make some pretty costumes or masks with this stuff, methinks. Bill When my son was in K-1st grade we made an awesome crocodile paper mache head for his costume. We used a balloon for the head and a modified small soda bottle taped on for the snout. We started with a paper layer and then covered it in verigated green fabric cut into scales. We finished it off with huge white giant gumball plastic eyes. It was so much fun to make, I wish I had a kiddo who would wear something like that again. Now all we get are princesses and fairies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 15, 2012 Author Share Posted October 15, 2012 When my son was in K-1st grade we made an awesome crocodile paper mache head for his costume. We used a balloon for the head and a modified small soda bottle taped on for the snout. We started with a paper layer and then covered it in verigated green fabric cut into scales. We finished it off with huge white giant gumball plastic eyes. It was so much fun to make, I wish I had a kiddo who would wear something like that again. Now all we get are princesses and fairies. I would think Princesses and Faries would need some "bling." :D The crocodile costume sounds way cool! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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