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Make Paper Mache Ornaments for Christmas

Easy DIY Paper Mache Ornament

caricature ornamentMake your own special ornaments for your tree this year. These ornament balls are fun to make, a bit messy, and look absolutely beautiful when done.
This is a smart and inexpensive way to share the holiday cheer without breaking the bank. Personalize the ornaments to suit each of your girl friends; the shopper, the workout guru, and the teacher, whatever applies.
Green Ideal
The ornament will take you 2 days to create but most of this time is dry time.
My goal is to create 20 Caricature ornaments of each family member this year. I have started with my handsome husband, this will be my first caricature so I am so excited for the challenge.
Supplies You Need:
Small balloon or roll newspaper into a ball
Flour
Water
Strips of newspaper
Acrylic paints
Paintbrush
Glitter glue
Copper Wire

DIY Step by Step

Step 1 - Paper Mache

  1. Mix 1 part flour with 2 parts water in a mixing bowl. Cover your work surface with to make clean-up easier.
  2. Ball up newspaper into a tight ball and cover with a plastic bag for a natural organic looking Christmas Ornament. Or use a balloon in the small way.
  3. Start by dipping a strip of newspaper into the paper mache paste.
  4. Lay the strip onto the ball. Be sure to smooth it out to help make the ornament as smooth as possible. Continue doing this until the entire balloon is covered with strips of newspaper. It is a good idea to overlap pieces of newspaper on top of each other to ensure total coverage. Cover your entire balloon with 5 to 6 layers.
  5. Let the paper mache dry for 24 hours.
  6. Repeat steps 4-6 above the next day if you find any soft spots.

Step 2 - Decorating the Ornament

  1. Once the ornament is totally dry, you are ready to paint. First cover with one coat of white acrylic paint to mask out any newspaper print.
  2. Drill hole or use a nail to insert your copper wire for a topper. You can use ribbon at the beginning stage also.
  3. Paint the entire ornament in any way that you like, letting the paint dry between coats.
  4. Once the ornament is completely dry, you can now add a gloss finish.
  5. The last step is to place an ornament on your tree!
I enjoyed creating this ornament with you today and look forward to seeing pictures of your Christmas Ornaments at www.whimsypapermache.com.
Charisse