This cute papier-mâché vase is easy to make, but messy. The vase is made from an empty plastic water bottle covered with papier-mâché.
- A small, empty, plastic water bottle
- Newspaper
- Flour and water
- A pan and a stirrer
- Colorful tissue paper, or paint and a brush
- Optional – Clear varnish (recommended)
Instructions
Make a simple, thin Papier-Mâché glue from flour and water. Mix 1/2 cup of flour into 1/2 cup of water until the mixture is thin and runny. Stir in 2 cups of boiling water (the heating gives the glue a nice consistency, but is not necessary). Simmer for about 3 minutes, then cool.
Tear a lot of newspaper into strips. Strips should be about 1 inch wide or less; the length doesn’t really matter.
You will need one empty plastic water bottle for each vase (take the top off the bottle). Work on newspaper to keep your table clean.
Dip a strip of paper in the flour glue, wipe off the excess, and wrap the strip around the plastic water bottle. Cover the sides of the bottle, but not the bottom or the top.
Have at most two layers around the bottle (otherwise, it takes too long to dry). Be careful around the top opening of the bottle, making it even. Let it dry at least overnight.
For a double or triple vase, tape two or more water bottles together.
Wait until the bottle is completely dry (it may take a few days, depending on the humidity).
Decorate the vase! You can either decorate it with strips of colorful tissue paper papier-mâchéd onto the vase, or you can paint it.
Let it dry. If you like, you can coat the outside of the vase with a clear varnish (this will make the outside of the vase relatively waterproof). You now have a usable vase.
