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Eggs-ceptional Easter Basket |
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Put all of your eggs in one basket with this papier-mâché holiday craft.
by Lynne Marie Zerance
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1. Because this craft can get a little messy, cover your work surface with a plastic tablecloth. Blow up a balloon to the desired size and tie a knot at the open end. Have your child use safety scissors to cut a few sheets of newspaper into 2" x 3" strips.
2. Pour the papier-mâché paste or liquid starch into a large plastic bowl. Have your child drag the strips of newspaper through the bowl. Place each wet strip on the balloon, starting from the top and working her way down toward the knot. Repeat until the balloon is covered with a double layer of strips. Leave only the small area around the knot uncovered.
3. Tie a string around the knot and hang the balloon in a cool area to dry overnight. In the morning, cut off the knot, allowing the balloon to deflate. Then remove the deflated balloon from the paper shell.
4. For a smooth undercoating, paint the paper shell white and let it dry. Use scissors to trim the shell into the shape of a basket. To make a basket handle, cut a 2" x 15" strip from the sheet of poster board. Bend the strip into a U shape and staple each end to the paper shell.
5. To decorate the basket, have your child cut colored tissue paper into 2" x 3" strips.
6. Using the sponge brush, coat the basket lightly with craft glue. Apply tissue paper strips, then smooth down with the sponge brush. Do one part of the basket at a time. Repeat until the basket, including the handle, is covered completely with the colorful strips.
7. To embellish the basket, let your child draw decorative designs (tulips, butterflies, polka dots, stripes, and so on) on colored tissue paper and then cut them out. (Layer four or five sheets of tissue paper to get a bunch of copies at one time.) To apply the designs to the basket, use craft glue and apply several tissue layers at once. Dry thoroughly.
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Lynne Marie Zerance is a freelance writer living in northern New Jersey.
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