Papier-mâché from egg trays

Making various crafts from papier-mâché is popular among both children and adults. Using this technique, you can create a toy or decoration using ordinary paper egg trays as a basis.

There are many benefits to using egg trays as a base for your crafts.

1. Strength. Products made from such boxes are durable and last a long time. They can be used both for decorating a room and for playing.

2. The appeal of finished toys. Egg trays are as beautiful as napkins or plain paper. They can be a great gift for loved ones.

3. Cheapness. Paper egg trays are free raw materials. You can find them in almost every home. It is very profitable to be engaged in the creation of such figures.

In order to make a decoration for a home or garden from egg cages, you need to prepare a sticky paper mass in advance. This should be done in several stages. First, the egg trays are torn into small pieces and placed in a deep container. After that, the paper is poured with boiling water and everything is left in this form for a day. During this time, the material will soften and become pliable.

When the paper is ready, it must be turned into a homogeneous mass using a blender. After that, add 2-3 tablespoons of PVA glue or paste to the mixture. After that, the mass must be filtered through cheesecloth and placed under a press. After a couple of hours, it will become dense enough that it can be used for making crafts.Leftover material is stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed bag or container.

To create papier-mâché toys, they often use a handmade paste. It prepares quite simply. The first step is to pour 2 tablespoons of starch and flour into a bowl. After that, add 6 tablespoons of warm water there, and mix everything thoroughly.

Boil a glass of water in a small saucepan. Next, it must be carefully poured into a bowl of paste, stirring constantly this mixture until it becomes thick enough.

You can make three types of crafts from paper pulp with your own hands.

1. With a frame. Before starting work, you need to find a frame, which will become the basis of the decoration. Her choice depends on the characteristics of the future figure. Typically, an empty plastic bottle, wire, or piece of cardboard is used as a frame. The adhesive mass is fixed on the surface of the base. After it dries out a little, the master only has to correct minor imperfections and make the surface of the future figure smoother.

2. Frameless. Such models are made even easier. Figures from them are molded in the same way as from plasticine. There are no voids in them.

3. Empty inside. For the manufacture of such toys, special forms are used. The paper mass is laid out inside and gently straightened over the surface of the container. After that, the form must be left for several hours in order for the future figure to freeze.

Regardless of which method of creating toys was chosen, the figures need to be dried within a few days. At the same time, the air temperature should not change, otherwise they may crack. It is also not recommended to store such toys in a room with high humidity.

After the figures are ready, you can start decorating them. Most often, such products are simply coated with oil or acrylic paints. In some cases, they are also decorated with pieces of fabric.

To create a beautiful papier-mâché frame, you need to use fresh glue mixture. The first step is to prepare a cutting board by wrapping it with cling film or cellophane for safety. You need to put paper pulp on it. It must be carefully rolled out over the surface of the board with a rolling pin. From this base, you need to cut a rectangle of a suitable size.

Next, you need to draw another figure on the surface of this rectangle. It must correspond in size to the photo that will be inserted into this frame. Next, this small rectangle must be gently pressed inward, forming a depression.

The edges of the frame must be carefully aligned. After that, it remains only to dry it and decorate it at your discretion. You can decorate it using decoupage technique.

Decorations for the courtyard and garden are made on the basis of a simple frame. The paper sticky mass is applied to it in layers. Each layer should dry well before applying the next. To create various small parts, you can use small pieces of wire as a frame. The finished decoration must be finally dried and painted.

Even a beginner can make a beautiful papier-mâché plate with his own hands. As a frame, you can use a regular bowl wrapped in cling film. It must be turned over and covered with several layers of paper. In this form, the structure must be left overnight. In the morning, the paper craft must be removed, and its edges must be carefully sanded. The finished paper bowl can be colored and decorated as you like.

Crafts made from egg trays are very beautiful. If you have imagination and enough free time, you can learn how to make beautiful Christmas tree decorations, dishes and figures for the home from this material.

For a more detailed recipe for preparing the mass, see the next video.