Papier-mâché Tea Set

a Crafting Connections Mini-Magazine

Issue #5

Time to Play : : Papier-mâché Tea Set Make-believe play is the epitome of childhood. There may be no greater joy than watching a litt le one act out day-to-day activities on their own. You know, those moments when your child is so ver y immersed in their own pretend world they don’t notice you ’re nearby, watching the magic of their imaginar y world unfold. A common favorite is making and serving a meal. This papier-mâché project is a fun two-fold endeavor. First, get messy along with your l itt le one as you craft cups, plates, a teapot (and more!) using one of our 4 papier-mâché recipes. Once your l itt le one’s tea set is dried and decorated, you get to enter into their make-believe world as you introduce them to the joy that is a tea party. Boys and gir ls alike love the opportunity to serve up their special imaginar y food & drink to one of the most important people in their l i fe - you .

NewspaperPapier-mâché paste

(see next page)Colorful paper

Paint brushCardboardEmpty cansPlastic wrap

Y O U W I L L N E E D

You have several options when it comes to m a k i n g p a p i e r - m â c h é p a s t e . T h e traditional method mixes water and white f lour. For individuals with a wheat allergy, however, the traditional paste should be avoided. Instead, the cornstarch recipe offers the same strong bond without the gluten! Final ly, there’s the schoolhouse method of mixing water into white glue.

For f lour or cornstarch-based recipes, add a couple Tablespoons of salt to prevent your tea set from getting moldy.

All recipes can be thinned with water as needed.

Glue-based Recipe

Combine 3 parts white glue to 1 part water.

Mix! Mix! Mix!

Cooked Flour-based Recipe

Combine 1 part flour to 5 parts water.

Bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 minutes,

stirring constantly. Let cool prior to use.

Uncooked Flour-based Recipe

Combine 1 part flour with 1 part water.

Mix! Mix! Mix!

Cornstarch Recipe (Gluten-Free)

Combine 1 Cup cornstarch with

approximately 3 Tablespoons of water.

Mix until it becomes a thin paste.

Then add boiling water to the cornstarch

mixture until it begins to set.

Wisk! Wisk! Wisk!

The mixture should turn into a thick jelly-like

consistency. Let cool prior to use.

Papier-mâché Paste Recipes

W H A T T O D OGather your materials. Look for cans, plastic bottles or boxes with interesting shapes. We recommend using bases that are flexible (opposed to hard glass or ceramic), so that when the papier-mâché dries, you can squish the bottle or can a bit to remove it.

Tear your newsprint and decorative paper into pieces. Strips of newsprint are easier to work with to form the tea set, decorative paper can be any shape you’d like. Experiment with tearing and cutting your decorative paper!

Mix together your papier-mâché recipe and choose a place to work. Remember - it ’s going to be messy! Lay down a few sheets of newspaper on your workspace.

Prepare your cup and plate bases. Cut out your plate and saucer shapes from cardboard (cereal boxes are perfect). Cover the cans or bottles you’ve chosen to model the cups and tea pot around in plastic wrap to make it easier to remove your finished papier-mâché.

Dip a strip of newsprint into your papier-mâché paste. Wipe off the excess paste and lay the paper onto your base. Continue adding strips of paper until the base is covered with 2-to-3 layers of paper, smoothing down each layer with your hands or a paintbrush. Let dry for several hours.

**Hands will get very messy - part of the fun for your little one will be pulling off the dried papier-mâché residue, especially if you are using the glue-and-water recipe!

Make your tea pot. Older children may be able to form the spout and handle, but little ones will need your help. Cups can remain handle-free.

Decorate your tea set. If you would like, you can add your decorative paper as the final fourth layer. If your little one would prefer to paint their pieces, use 4 layers of newsprint to craft your tea set pieces. Once fully dried, you can decorate your pieces with acrylic paint. After the paint has dried, you can add a final thin layer of papier-mâché paste to act as a sealant.

Have a tea party! Dress up in fancy clothes, invite your friends (real or pretend), and enjoy your tea set!

EXPLORE MORE

Because it ’s made out of papier-mâché, your tea set won’t be able to hold real tea. What can you make or use to pour instead? What can you make or use to (pretend) eat?

MAKE CONNECTIONS

Did your grown-up have a tea set when they were young? Where is it now? Ask them to share their favorite tea set memories with you.

What better way to connect than with a get-together. Who will you invite to your tea party?

Tea Party I had a l i tt le tea party, this afternoon at three

Twas ver y smal l, three guests in al l - I, Myself, and Me Myself ate up the sandwiches, whi le I drank up the tea

Twas also I who ate the pie and passed the cake to me!

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CREDITS

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Unless otherwise specified, all text and photography copyright © 2013 by Crafting Connections, LLP.

Tea Cups photo: ©2011, Roger Ahlbrand, CC BY 2.0

Mini-Magazine Published by: Crafting Connections, LLP and CraftingConnections.net