I'm always excited to find new products or techniques I haven't seen or tried before. One day I was at the craft store and saw a box of pre-made paper mache. All you had to do was add water. Hmmmmmmm, interesting. I knew I definitely needed it and couldn't live another second without it, I just wasn't sure why. I remembered LOVING paper mache while in Mrs. Reed's second grade glass. I loved the way it felt, the way it smelled and maybe I also liked the way it tasted. I said MAYBE! Don't judge me! Anyhooo, I bought this at Michael's crafts (I think it was around $5 with a 40% off coupon).
It was true, all you had to do was add water. Oh, and it was just how I remembered it. Squishy and cold and slimy and smelled exactly the way I thought it would. Not sure how this brand tastes. Maybe someday I'll let you know. Not today.
The label said it would "stick to any surface." That got me thinking about what I had laying around my house to experiment on. I rummaged through my kitchen and found a couple of glass containers that were missing their lids and were marked to go to Goodwill. Here is what I started with (except without the lid, of course):
When I mixed the paper mache dough, I didn't really pay attention to the directions. I added enough water to make it a nice soft play dough or pottery clay consistency. It was maybe a little bit stickier than play dough but not much. I pressed it on the glass and kept adding and adding and smoothing with my fingers. I wanted it to look very hand made and rustic. I didn't want it to be perfectly smooth. I got it as smooth as I could and placed it on a baking cooling rack overnight to air-dry.
This is what it looked like after it had dried before sanding and painting (a smaller one I also made - forgot to take a midpoint photo for this one. Oopsie).
I decided to take pics before lining the inside of the pot so it would be easier to see.
The next day after it was good and dry, I went over it with a piece of medium then fine sandpaper until I was happy with how smooth it was. To make it appear authentic and worn, I wanted it to be pretty smooth (but still wavy if that makes sense).
I painted the entire piece in a creamy white acrylic craft paint (any cream paint would do fine). After the cream paint was dry, I stenciled a number "5" on one side (to symbolize the number in my family) in a dark gray. I decided to use a dark gray so it looked aged. I thought black would be to dark. I then waited a day or two until all of the paint was good and dried and used painters tape to block off one thin line around the jar. I sponged it on with a black disposable sponge brush really lightly in a country french blue.
I gave it another sanding (this time with my eyes closed to make the worn areas more random and natural). Once it was "worn enough" I rubbed it down with one coat of antique glaze. If you aren't familiar with this product, it's AWESOME. You can buy it by the quart or even by the gallon at the big box home improvement centers or in the small craft paint size bottles at craft stores. The stuff lasts a loooong time. You rub it on with a soft cloth and then rub it right back off. The little cracks, crevices and any imperfections or dimples retain some of the glaze. It adds more dimension and authenticity to vintage or antique finishes. It's one of my favorite products.
I've decided I'd like to play with (not eat) this paper mache stuff a bit more. It really does seem to stick to anything. Looking at this cheapo glass canister, you would never guess its paper mache. It looks, feels and even sounds like stoneware when you knock on it. I think I'll try covering some cheap bowls or maybe make a utensil holder for next to the stove. So many things you could do with this amazing paper mache!!
After I finished the glass container, I had a little bit left. I used the same technique on a plain terra cotta pot. Once again, it stuck just fine and is completely believable. One of the nice things about this paper mache is it will last several days if you store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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