Paper Mache Doll Furniture
Submitted by Christine Majul
Estimated Cost to Make the Item: $10.00
This paper mache project was made to show items that you use, you throw away can be used to make toy furniture. I used jello cups, cardboard from shipping boxes, duct tape and strips of paper and school glue. The first photo shows how I constructed the base and when I finished I used stone texture to give a stone feel. I wanted furniture to feel that is what you would use outside.
These are so cute, what a great idea Christine. Years ago I picked up a big bag of instant paper mache and my granddaughter and I created Balto, one of her favorite movie characters. Wish I had thought to make doll furniture with her. We would have had a great time and I’m sure she would have loved it.
This is just a start, I have made models of rocks using jello cups, stones, cardboard and other shapes to make doll platforms for doll photography. The fun part is in the creation of the rock shapes. I have used window screen to make shapes. I ran out of money, so I found a recipe for flour glue which costs pennies to make and lasted me a long time. It is strong after it hardens and easy to clean up.
How do you make your glue, Christine? What exactly do you use it for?
I found this glue recipe online and I use it for my paper mache projects. I just finished making a small table out of an empty wire spool that a Dish Network tech gave me. It took a lot of paper to fully engulf the spool but half a pound or one cup of glue lasted the whole project which put my glue expense at .25 cents. Flour is cheap and if you use only all edible ingredients, small children can put this in their mouths and not get sick at all. Here is the recipe:
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vinegar
In a saucepan mix 1 cup of flour with 1/3 cup sugar.
Add half of the water required and mix into a thick paste without clumps.
Pour in the rest of the water and combine till the paste is smooth.
Pour in a teaspoon of vinegar and put on medium heat until mixture starts to thicken.
Cool and transfer to jar or airtight plastic container.
This glue will keep for a few days and more if you refrigerate it. This will prolong the shelf life and it can keep up to six months. The vinegar is a mild preservative. I can attest that the bond is strong. The money saved is amazing.
Thanks, Christine!