Paper Mache Hot Air Balloons
17Apr

Paper Mache Hot Air Balloons

And a bit of a catch up...

Hello! It feels like a very long time since I've posted anything here. I have been busy crocheting, although recently my efforts have been focused on designs for other people. This has been both exciting and challenging. I have enjoyed being able to pin down some of my ideas into new projects - it has taken me out of my comfort zone but this is a good thing!

Anyway I thought I'd stop by quickly today to share some of the Easter crafting the children (and I) enjoyed...

It was lovely to have the children home for two weeks over Easter, but the weather was so cold it meant a lot of time indoors. To keep them out of mischief and save my sanity I tried to keep them busy. Painting never goes down well in this house - it takes an age to set up, Lulu spends 10 minutes covering everything possible in paint, claims she's finished, then it takes another age to clear up! So I looked for some alternatives. 

The project that was most enjoyed (and lasted several days!) were these paper/fabric mache hot air balloons (I'm going for paper mache not papier mache as it sounds better in my head!).

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Papermache

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We all got stuck in tearing up sheets of newspapers, then sticking them to the balloons with a pva/water mix (I made a 50/50 mix that seemed to work well). Once the balloons were well covered we left them to dry.

The following day, to save another painting episode, I suggested we used fabric strips to cover our balloons. I'd not done this before with paper mache, but it worked brilliantly. I cut the strips of fabric and left a big pile of them in the middle of the table for them to choose from. They then soaked the fabric strips in the pva mix and added them to their balloons.  

It was quite funny to watch them 'organise' themselves. Oli wanted big stripes and only a few colours so he used two strips at time. Lulu wanted lots of colours but needed a bit of help getting her stripes straight (although I tried not to 'help' to much). Once they had finished they added another layer of pva mix and left them for another day to dry.

We used the same method of fabric and pva to cover some yogurt pots for the baskets and because I can't leave 'well enough alone' I crocheted a little edging for them. ;)

Once they were fully dry I snipped the ends of the balloons off and attached some twine to the pots. They were so pleased with them and they are now both hanging proudly in their bedroom with an assortment of tiny riders.

Oli's balloon:

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and Lulu's:

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I want to make one for me now ;)

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Up, up...

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...and away.

When the weather was warm enough we also made small steps in preparing the garden for the summer by clearing out and tidying.

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We also ate lots of chocolate. The children were happy that the Easter bunny had left them some treats around the garden - he was very good this year and left two of everything so there were no squabbles.

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So I think that's it for now. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter.

I have some more patterns and reviews to post so I shall be back soon.

Bye for now. Em xx

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Posted in Crochet and Crafts