Get them to make papier mache bowls.
Ingredients
1 bowl covered with cling film/plastic food wrap
Lots of torn up tissue paper
PVA glue watered down 50/50
Pressed flowers.
Method.
Cover bowl with lots of layers of tissue paper, and leave to dry. You can speed things up by cooking it in the microwave, but check it every minute or so, otherwise it will scorch/catch fire ( I speak from experience).
When dry, paint with acrylic paints if desired. Or leave it white - it will have a lovely translucency.
Apply another layer of glue mix to the inside of your bowl, and decorate with pressed flowers. I've also scattered the dusty bits from the bottom of my bag of dried rosebuds, to give it a 'summer meadow' look.
Alternatively, use coloured tissue paper and decorate with sequins/glitter/pretty threads/stickers or beads.
Leave to dry, and then apply another couple of coats of glue inside and out.
Have a great weekend.
: )
Beautiful. Now they are made and on display, are the children back in the cupboard?
Posted by: Jane | April 21, 2006 at 04:36 PM
What a great idea! We usually use a blown up ballon, but the cling wrap bowl is a great idea especially for my 2 year old. Thanks!
Posted by: Angela | April 21, 2006 at 04:49 PM
hey -- great idea! but what if one has already locked oneself in the cupboard?
have a wonderful weekend.
Posted by: mrspilkington | April 21, 2006 at 05:06 PM
Cool! I never knew how to do paper mache, but I think I could do this. Of course, I wouldn't mind locking myself in a cupboard if it meant I could get a nap...
Posted by: Passions & Distractions | April 21, 2006 at 05:36 PM
i used to make paper mache bowls!! the title of this post made me crack up.
Posted by: lisa | April 21, 2006 at 06:15 PM
You give the best tutorials. I just love this idea, maybe I'll get my kids out of the cupboard and try it!
Posted by: Blair | April 21, 2006 at 06:27 PM
lovely colors, i suppose these are their bowls for the gruel?! :o)
Posted by: debs | April 21, 2006 at 06:39 PM
Lovely...this might just be worth letting him out of the cupboard for!
Posted by: Kim | April 21, 2006 at 06:45 PM
I think we will make the pink one!!
Posted by: raspberryfairy | April 21, 2006 at 06:59 PM
Ha Ha!! I'm having a "lock your kids in the cupboard" kind of day, so this is good timing!
This is a wonderful idea. So simple and pretty! It would have been good for the day the kids decided to tear apart a whole box of tissue!ha ha!
Happy weekend to you!
Posted by: Regina | April 21, 2006 at 07:17 PM
Very cute! I love the pressed flowers idea.
Posted by: Gina | April 21, 2006 at 07:34 PM
Wow - that's amazing! But I'd really rather lock my kids in the closet.
Posted by: Carrie | April 21, 2006 at 09:00 PM
Thank you for the great idea...I don't know if I'll use it as an 'alternative' but will definitely get them (the little darlings) to try their hands at it. The bowls are beautiful!
Posted by: Sarah Jane | April 21, 2006 at 09:28 PM
Oh these came out so cute! Beautiful and brilliant (you and the bowl idea *smile*)
Posted by: vegasandvenice | April 21, 2006 at 10:25 PM
perfect!
Posted by: vicki | April 22, 2006 at 12:25 AM
Excellent!
Posted by: Alicia P. | April 22, 2006 at 01:01 AM
Hmmm, I hadn't thought of the closet. But then I'd have to remove a bunch of stuff to get her into it...
Love the pink bowl! Do you seal it somehow so the glue doesn't get sticky if it gets wet?
Posted by: Liesl | April 22, 2006 at 01:10 AM
Wonderful!! and I love the pink!!
Posted by: mykonos | April 22, 2006 at 03:16 AM
That is the greatest idea! My daughter will love this. Thank you.
Posted by: Kristin | April 22, 2006 at 05:04 AM
Lovely! I used to make those all the time when I was younger. Don't remember them looking so pretty though... ;-)
Posted by: Adriana | April 22, 2006 at 02:31 PM
great bowls, makes me want to go tear up some paper...they are lovely!
Posted by: kimc | April 22, 2006 at 06:21 PM
haha! i will have to save this idea for when my little guy is a bit older. for now, we're at the stage where he can annoy the snot out of me, but he can only be entertained with something for about 10 minutes at a time. sigh.
Posted by: justjohanna | April 22, 2006 at 09:59 PM
oh my. you have a beautiful site and such beautiful things you've made. Where do you find all your beautiful fabrics (for patchwork, sewing and corsages) in the UK? I live in London and the only place I can find nice fabric is in Liberty where the prices are sky-high.
Posted by: pav | April 22, 2006 at 10:46 PM
Those turned out great!
Posted by: Dacia | April 23, 2006 at 12:09 AM
Those are beautiful!! I love them!!! I am going to have to try this!! Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Zoe | April 23, 2006 at 03:54 AM
They look lovely but surely its still easier just to lock the children in a couboard and have a bottle of wine?
Posted by: kerrie | April 24, 2006 at 10:08 AM
great!!!!
Posted by: le chat qui coud | April 24, 2006 at 10:29 AM
They look lovely, we love paper mache in our house, lovely and sticky and messy. We just use flour and water.
Posted by: weirdbunny | April 24, 2006 at 10:37 AM
This looks like a lot of fun for a kid's project! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Carmen | April 24, 2006 at 03:38 PM
one of my favorite art forms!
my kid likes to play in the cupboard though....
;-)
Posted by: Snowbear | April 24, 2006 at 05:23 PM
Thanks for sharing. Beautiful.
Posted by: Ellen | April 25, 2006 at 12:29 AM
C'est génial !!! It's great ! I think i'll try it this afternoon....
Thanks for sharing all your ideas
Odile (France)
Posted by: Odile | April 25, 2006 at 11:53 AM
Thanks so much for your tutorial. I think I know what we'll be doing this weekend!
Posted by: Beth | April 25, 2006 at 03:02 PM
Wonderful technique tips and great photos for each step... Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: AscenderRisesAbove | May 07, 2006 at 09:37 PM
nice nice nice!!!
Posted by: Eve | April 22, 2007 at 02:40 PM
I followed a link from The Crafty Crow! Beautiful work and a wonderful idea. They look like they should be in an art gallery. I can't wait to give these a try.
Posted by: Cami | March 31, 2008 at 04:26 PM
Great idea!!! I do have a question. Can you put a coat of poly or something similar to protect the mache? Or does the coats of glue protect it just fine?
Posted by: Alison | March 27, 2010 at 01:46 PM
After a while I run outta ideas for crafts, so thanks for posting this! luv the tutorial. Now, Maybe if I get my kids to do this craft, I can lock myself in the cupboard and take a nap:)
Posted by: virginia | August 03, 2010 at 03:55 PM