paper mache dog head made on a balloon

Hi!

This paper mache dog I made with 9 year old Jimmy on a normal balloon. I tore some of the paper strips ahead of time, and it did take us two days, cause we let it dry overnight before painting it. We just used normal newspaper and water with some Elmer's in it.

You put the strips on in different directions until it has a couple of layers.

I think it turned out pretty cute and he was definitely proud of it. We set it on a wine bottle for an easy display base. the paint was normal acrylics and you could use tempera just as well.

It was a lot easier, and a lot less hassle, than I thought it would be.

COLORS! PAPER! COLORS!

why have crafts for kids and moms?

Paper crafts have always intrigued me. There is so much free paper and so much paper of all sorts -- sizes, patterns, colors, thicknesses, water color paper, origami paper, wrapping paper, home made paper, and so on!!

And with so many stay at home and work at home moms and kids doing homeschooling, there is time and place for developing creativity as well as those skills that other families and kids are losing by spending too much time with television and video games.

We see our kids learning patience and concentration using their hands and hearts and minds in a constructive way, quietly working, usually with other children or a parent, to make something real that they can show to others and feel that true satisfaction that brings real self-esteem and confidence in their own abilities to do and create.

Creativity is not a luxury for a full life -- Its a necessity!

They may grow up to create a business, make scientific discoveries, journey to faraway places to share with the world...

These are skills, traits, qualities -- call it what you want -- that will help children grow up and to be the kind of adults we hope they will be and have faith that they can be.

With the plus of not spending time killing and shooting in video games!