Make Decorative Paper Mache Bowls in Any Shape & Size
In this budget friendly craft, you’ll be using Mod Podge and newspaper to make cute paper mache bowls. Paint them in your favorite colors! This craft is perfect for both kids and adults.
Skills Required: None. You’ll be tearing up newspaper and applying to a form with Mod Podge, then painting. You don’t need any previous crafting experience.
I don’t know if you remember the first time you ever made paper mache – but I do. I actually wasn’t a child . . . I was an adult volunteering in a classroom in college for internship credits.
I’ve crafted my whole life, so the process of using paper in crafts wasn’t new to me. What was different about this time was that I had never seen the “hard core” paper mache process before.
In this class, the students were creating pulp with newspapers to make their paper mache. It was very cool, but somewhat involved. There was a lot going on in that classroom!
To sum it up, the newspaper had been torn into tiny pieces and soaked in hot water overnight. It was then blended up and filtered with a screen to remove excess water. After that, you can do some adjusting with water content and finally make your paper.
I’m sure you can imagine it was chaos and took quite awhile. The kids loved it, but it definitely felt like a classroom project versus a home craft with the amount of space and mess.
And today? I’m going to show you the “home” version of the same project that requires a lot less space and time . . . and makes a lot less mess! We’re going to make paper mache bowls with Mod Podge.
No Paste Making Required
This tutorial doesn’t require you to mix any paste. You’ll be using Mod Podge straight out of the bottle.
Instead of chopping up and soaking, you’ll simply be layering pieces of paper with adhesive to create a solid form. It’s another version of a classic project, and I think you’re going to love it!
Before we start, let’s gather all the materials. You probably already have most of these at home!
- Any bowl as a mold
- Newspaper or recycled paper
- Mod Podge – any formula, but Gloss or Matte work great
- Craft paint
- Scissors
- Plastic wrap
- Paintbrushes
- Sandpaper (optional)
I think once you try this, you’re going to realize that there are so many ways you can personalize this project just for you.
The great thing about this project is that both adults and kids can get into it. Here’s the how to, and I can’t wait to see what you think. Have fun and get busy crafting!
DIY Paper Mache Bowl
Equipment
- Bowl(s)
- Sandpaper optional
Materials
- Newspaper or scrap paper
- Mod Podge any formula
- Multisurface craft paint
- Plastic wrap
Instructions
- Cover a clean, dry bowl in plastic wrap. Tape the plastic wrap to the insides of the bowl if necessary to secure. Cover your work surface.
- Tear or cut several pages of newspaper into 1 to 2” squares.
- Place a layer of decoupage medium on the outside of the plastic wrap. Lay down pieces of newspaper down on the surface of the bowl and smooth with a paintbrush covered in decoupage medium.
- Continue overlapping newspaper pieces and applying with decoupage medium until the entire bowl is covered. Apply a second layer.
- Let the entire bowl dry on your work surface. It will take a few hours depending on the climate.
- Once dry, remove the layer of plastic wrap from the bowl mold, releasing the paper mache bowl. Remove the plastic wrap from the paper mache. If not all of the plastic wrap releases, that’s okay. You can remove as much as possible and paint over it.
- Use the bowl mold as a template to trim the edges of your newspaper bowl.
- Paint the bowl using the colors of your choice and a paintbrush. Paint several layers and let dry.
Notes
Additional Project Ideas
Shape It Up
Use different molds to create unique shapes. How about a heart-shaped bowl for Valentine’s Day or a star for a festive touch?Go Big or Small
Make a set of bowls in various sizes. Smaller bowls can be used for jewelry or keys, while larger ones make perfect decorative pieces.Add Texture
Incorporate materials like yarn, fabric, or tissue paper for added texture and dimension.I hope you loved this project! Please let me know what you think in the comments. I’d also love for you to check out these other budget friendly posts:
