Faux Paper Mache Apples

Faux Paper Mache Apples

Make faux apples out paper mache. We include the recipe for making a paper mache paste as well.

What you need

Newspaper
Masking Tape
Paper Mache Paste (recipe below)
Red Tissue Paper
Mod Podge and a Paint Brush
Small Sticks, 3″ long
Fake Leaves removed from a Silk Flower
White Glue

Instructions

Make Paper Mache Paste:

You could use the old stand by of flour and water, but I like to use rice flour and water.

Combine 1/4  cup rice flour and 2 cups water in a sauce pan.

Heat to barely a boil. Let cool. Store in covered container in the fridge.

Make newspaper strips:

Newspaper rips easily the long way. Rip those strips in half then half again. Your strips should be about 6” long.

newspaper-strips roll-up-newspaper

Roll up a full sheet of newspaper as shown.

hold-newspaper-tape roll-newspaper-2

Make sure there’s a cavity in the top of the form. Hold the form together with a piece of tape around the middle. If your child can manage this step he should do it himself. I love it when the apples are lopsided and lumpy.

newspaper-apple newspaper-apple-2

Dip the strips into the paste and remove the excess paste using the squeegee method: slide the strip between two fingers allowing the excess paste to fall back into the container.

dip-strips-newspaper dip-strips-apple dry-apples

Your child can and should learn to do this. It will make all of your paper mache projects much easier.

Keeping the amount of paste under control (ya, right!), your child can cover the apple form with newspaper strips. Don’t cover over the center cavity. Allow to dry.

apply-mod-podge apply-mod-podge-2

Cut up the red tissue paper into squares. You don’t have to be exact. See if you can find different reds.

With a brush your child can apply Mod Podge to an area on the apple then place a piece of tissue paper on the wet glue.

leaf-apple-finished

Cover the tissue paper with a layer of Mod Podge. He should continue to do this until the apple is covered.

Squeeze a generous blob of glue in the center cavity and add the stick (trim if necessary) and a leaf. Allow to dry.

All done!

This project was contributed by Artsy Mommy

Comments

  1. I would use a balloon. Blow it up, put newspaper around it with glue. Once the mâche has dried use a pin to pop balloon.

  2. cool, try painting it. it works good 🙂

  3. cool.i made an apple but painted it intsead 😀

  4. These are so cute!

  5. That is SO cool!!:)

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