Simple Paper Mache Sculpture

Hey,

This blog is all about improvising!

Take what you have on hand, and do something creative with it!

If you’ve been around this blog for any length of time, you know I’m frugal, which is the nice way to say I’m cheap! Lol.

I don’t like spending money when I don’t have to.

As you see when you look through my site, I like to find offbeat 

stuff at thrifts, better yet, at the Goodwill Outlet – or, even better yet, on the curbside awaiting the garbage truck. However, in each case, you find different stuff at each place.

But, what if you wanna do something – and you can’t seem to find a good fit for what you wanna do?

You make it!!

YEP!! …from scratch!

First Paper Mache Project

I started with a curbside-castoff table lamp. Lol – still haven’t finished that one, but, I WILL! 

So, on that, I started doing paper mache using drywall joint compound combined with the newspaper pieces.

My plan for the throw-away lamp covered in paper mache? I want it to look like a tree trunk/stump. 🙂 I have a small round (cylindrical-shaped) “brass” birdcage I got at a thrift. It may not be brass but looks like it.

I will perch the birdcage on top of the “tree trunk,” with a low-wattage bulb inside the cage. Maybe I’ll use grapevine inside the cage as a “shade?” Not sure. The idea is to look kinda like a fairy house.

Second Paper Mache Project

Then, I made my fat cat, to be made into a lamp. Yeh, I’m still gonna do that one, too. 😀

I got stuck on the base… will do that over…have a better idea.

Third Paper Mache Project

My third paper mache, which will probably get finished first, is an elephant. 

I’m getting started on the writing of this post before I actually finish the elephant.

I just put on the outer layer of joint compound mixed with Elmer’s glue a.k.a. pva glue a.k.a. white craft glue. The reason for mixing this combo is to make the finish harder.

Elephant Tutorial

To start, I drew out an outline on paper, cut it out, traced it on cardboard. I used a cereal box, but you can use another grocery item.

I realized I needed to cut off opposite legs.

Then, to add bulk, I used 2/3s of a plastic salad dressing bottle, and glued each cardboard to each side with E6000 glue.

At that point, I just started adding paper mache. I think I twisted some newspaper for bulk around the plastic bottle, then started paper macheing.

I didn’t like his trunk, so I cut it off!

I made two cardboard pieces for a new trunk with head pieces to glue on, and also glued the trunk pieces together, using E6000.

I continued “piling on” the paper mache, adding bulk, forming it to the shape of an elephant the best I could. Then, I added the cardboard ears and tail.

I referred to images on 

Google. Remember: Indian elephants have much smaller ears.

Sorry, I forgot

to take pix of the cardboard glued on.

So, true to form – lol, I painted out some and started again on part of it.

But, I’m liking how it’s coming along now.

Yea!! Just got finished!

I kept working along, adding details… referring to photos on Google of decorated Indian elephants. Just type in “images painted (or, decorated) Indian elephants.”

Yesterday, I did her eyes. I say “her” because female Asian elephants don’t have tusks. 

I just finished some of the color details.

I’m happy with it.

P.S. Sunday.

I’m telling on myself.

Funny story:

This morning I had a pet job: two horses and a kitty.

After turning the horses out of their stalls, I got finished cleaning the stalls, preparing feed and hay, bringing in and caring for the horses. Next, was to take care of the kitty.

I needed a broom. They have a garage apartment detached from the house. The kitty was closed up in the little windowed entrance room, at the bottom of the stairs.

Silly me! Instead of looking in the garage for a broom, I opened the door to the apartment stairs to see if one were just inside. O, boy! The alarm went off! 

I called Pam, the owner. She helped me reset it. But, before I left, a police officer came walking up the drive, looking at me, with an expression that said, “Explain yourself!”

Argh! Embarrassing!!

He was satisfied with my story when I showed him the text that gave me the code, and was smiling, saying, “These things happen.”

He asked, “Is that vehicle registered to you?” I nodded.

He said he ran plate, and knows where I live!!

As he was leaving, he said, “If they report anything missing, I’ll look for you.”

Gulp!!

P.P.S. Sunday afternoon.

Just before I publish, I wanted to share a cool thing:

While I was at the barn, I heard a pair of birds calling to each other. I saw one on the weather vane. It was small and I thought it was a bird of prey. I thought: kestrel.

I had my phone with me, pulled it out of my pocket, and looked up call of American Kestrel. It had a picture. It looked like it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqcQNLMtMuc&ab_channel=MariusTravell

I played the call, turning up the volume on the phone.

The one on the weather vane cocked his head toward me. Then he took off over my head, eyeing me.

Cool!

He couldn’t figure out why it sounded like him, but looked like me! Lol. 😀