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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Tissue-paper bowls (a fun summer project)

DSC_7053LRNow that the girls are out of school, we’ve been getting our crafty on with a fun summer project every day. They love getting messy and creative (and I love the longer projects that give me a minute to sit down!). One of our projects this week was the tissue-paper bowl, and we’re really happy with the results.

DSC_6910LRTo make your own, you’ll need a bowl (to use as the mold), saran wrap, cooking spray, tissue paper in a variety of colors (we grabbed whatever was lurking at the bottom of the gift-wrapping box), Mod Podge, and a brush.

Cover your bowl with saran wrap then spray it with cooking spray so it’s nice and slimy:DSC_6882LR

Put small, ripped pieces of tissue paper all over the bowl using Mod Podge as the glue. Make sure that each piece also gets a top coat of Mod Podge. (I just realized that I’ve been saying the name wrong for decades, by the way – I have alwaysalways called it Modge Podge. Hm.):
DSC_6897LRDSC_6902LRDSC_6900LR

Keep doing this over and over until you have four to five layers of tissue paper. Here’s what it looks like wet:
DSC_6912LR

DSC_6914LRLet everything dry. (We put our bowls out in the sizzling-hot California sun – it’s a cooker this week.) Put on more tissue paper and let dry again if there are any thin areas – our red-flowered bowl pattern still showed through in a few areas below, so we repeated the layering and drying until everything was all covered.

Then gently pry off the bowl and the saran wrap, trim any jaggedy edges, and you’ve got a cute tissue-paper bowl. The finished bowl will be delicate and bendy (see Ro’s below where she’s squishing it slightly):DSC_7047LR

When you’re all done, you can also put a coat of Mod Podge on the inside to make everything extra shiny. (We haven’t done that in these pictures.) Cheers!

PS: I just put our whole list of Kid Projects up above in the nav bar, so click on it and have some fun!

16 comments:

  1. Very fun and I love Ro's 60's looking head gear to go with the Mod Podge.

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  2. Anonymous6/23/2011

    What did the girls do with their bowls? Are they water proof? They could probably make an entire set of dishes to use with their animals/dolls/friends by using the same process. They could even make utensils, I imagine. I am imagining a week of Mod Podge wit you relaxing nearby sipping a mojito :).

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  3. Anonymous6/24/2011

    Another way of doing this is to blow up a balloon, papier mache half of it, leave to dry and then pop the balloon. Have fun!

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  4. you can use white glue/water, and then podge the finished results - saves $$. or, use newspaper, and paint after. But I want to try this one too!

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  5. Great...I've been calling it Modge Podge since approximately '77. I feel like my whole world has changed!

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  6. Anonymous6/24/2011

    Cute!

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  7. Anonymous6/24/2011

    Beautiful and a long project.I would love a very small bowl if they have time!
    Wela

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  8. May have to try this with my daughters.

    I have been calling it Modge Podge all my life- until about one minute ago when I read your comment!

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  9. I also recommend the covering half a balloon method (stick the balloon in an upright bowl as a stabilizing base to work on while it's upside down). Newspaper works great as does left over colored party napkins. For parties we would use some Mod Podge and put some of the colored napkin pieces onto smooth rocks to use as weights to hold down the paper/plastic plates and napkins.

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  10. I've always called it Mod Podge- hey! I will continue to say it, oh yes I will!!!
    Mod Podge!!!

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  11. Anonymous6/24/2011

    The bowls (and girls) are lovely!

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  12. Anonymous6/24/2011

    Am I too old to make one for myself!? I love 'em. Good job Ro & Ree - your bowls are awesome! Will you teach me when Bob & I visit?

    Love,
    Aunt Jane

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  13. PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU, if you have any other craft ideas pOsT THEM! We've been out here for a month. I c a n n ot h old on much loongerrr.

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  14. What a great, fun craft to do with the kiddos! I loved 'Modge Podge' (yes, I've said it wrong too until you just wrote about it!) when I was a kiddo.

    Do the girls get to fill their bowls with candy?? :o)

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  15. Totally with the "Modge Podge" crew in saying it wrong all my life! Ack, who knows what I'm going to learn when I visit here?! : )

    Love the bowls. After VBS next week I may need to check out some do-at-home crafts as "boredom busters" for my kids who think they need to be entertained all day long! Thanks M3, for the wonderful ideas.

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  16. Another tip, use tissue paper and Elmer's glue; coat the inside of a sun facing window with glue and layer on tissue paper. In some areas use more layers for a deeper color and less layers for a lighter look. Pretty awesome.

    After a good dry, a straight blade razor will scrape off only to start over!

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