Paper Mache Outdoor Sitting Frog

Welcome to our monthly challenge blog hop!  I've joined a group of creative bloggers to bring you a themed monthly challenge blog hop on the 2nd Monday of each month! For May, it’s 

 Outdoor Decor and Entertaining Ideas!

I'm sharing with you a project I actually started in June of 2018 - a paper mache sitting frog. I was originally inspired by a picture of a yoga frog for sale in a popular catalog. Back then when I was working on making the frog - when it was time to apply the paper mache, I just lost interest. So I picked the frog frame up and placed it on a table in my craft room and it sat there for months! I kept thinking I should finish it someday, but that day never came until now. When the theme for this month's blog hop challenge was outdoor decor, I said to myself, "it's time to finish the frog." 

Materials used:

2.1 quart plastic soda bottle

Small rocks and pebbles

Plastic trash bags

Styrofoam balls (head, eyes)

Masking tape

Aluminum foil

Wire clothes hangers

Hot glue

Paper Mache Paste

White paper/newspaper

Natural vine wrapped wire

Air dry clay

Acrylic paints

Outdoor sealer (spray)

I'm sorry that this is a long tutorial. Please bare with me! Maybe that's why I stopped the first time! 

Lets begin with a clean soda bottle.  I first added small rocks on the bottom for weight and then stuffed with plastic bags to keep the bottle from caving in.

 Next,  put a four inch styrofoam ball inside a plastic bag wrapping the bag around the ball, securing  tightly in a knot. Then insert the ends of the bag down into the opening of the bottle, for the frog's head.

 Next, fold a plastic bag lengthwise and wrap around the neck of the bottle.  Secure with masking tape.

 Use wire from clothes hangers to make the arms and legs and insert them into the bottle. Add dabs of hot glue on the wire at the bottle and secure with masking tape.

 Use aluminum foil to shape the body of the frog, starting with the shoulders and arms. Shape natural vine wrapped wire into fingers by folding together three times and twisting ends together. Insert into foil and continue wrapping fingers with foil.

Next, wrap the frog's legs with foil .  .  .

 making the toes the same as the fingers and insert into the foil legs.

To make paper mache paste: Mix one part water to one part flour and add a pinch of salt. Stir together until smooth.

Then tear up small pieces of paper to dip in the paste and apply all over the frame. Apply at least three layers or more - and let dry between layers 

Once the paper mache layers were completely dry, I added more flour to the paste to make it thicker and sponged it on in an attempt to make the paper mache smoother.

 Once the frog was completely dry, glue on two, 1 1/4" styrofoam balls to the head for the eyes. Then roll and cut out strips of air dry clay .  .  . 

to enclose around the eyes and head, Use water to seal the clay.

Then roll up a strip of air dry clay for the mouth. Shape and blend in to head using water.

 Then paint on the eyes .  .  .

 and then the body.

I used several different shades of green acrylic paint that I had on hand. I'll probably paint the frog a darker green when I'm able to pick some up!

Be sure to seal the frog with several coats of sealant made for outdoors.

 Thank goodness the sun was shining to take this picture. It's been rainy and cold all week!

Looks pretty cute and whimsy sitting in my garden!

Now onto our blog hop!

and meet our co-hosts:

Across the Blvd | Purple Hues & Me

Stone Cottage Adventures | Southern Sunflowers

Slices of Life | Chas' Crazy Creations

Sew Crafty Crochet  l Sum of Their Stories

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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Decoupage Napkins on Paper Mache Vases

I was so excited to make paper mache vases and decoupage them with purple paper napkins. I wanted to imitate porcelain vases. You know the kind you see everywhere in blue and white.  Why don't they come in purple and white?   I looked all over the net,  no such luck. So I decided to make my own. 

I thought it would be easy with awesome results. I've decoupage before. Most of the time my projects turn out okay, but not this time.  All I can say is ugh, ugh, and ugh for the texture! Too many wrinkles! But I love, love, love the design!

Lets start from the beginning.  I blew up two balloons. One, into a regular oval balloon shape. The other balloon, I pushed the center into the balloon to grab the bottom end, pulling it up and tying both ends off with a string .  .  .

making for a cute round donut shape.

Next, I painted mod podge over the balloons and began adding strips of newspapers .  .  .

 

until the entire balloons were covered. I applied seven layers, using different types of paper, and drying between each layer to make it very sturdy.

Once all of the layers were applied and dried, I popped the balloons.

Then I centered cardboard tubes over the middle knot and traced the vase opening. Carefully cutting out the opening, and attaching the tube with masking tape.

Then I applied mode podge and newspaper strips over the tubes, as before, making sure to cover the rims. 

 

I cut off a portion of the cardboard tube for a shorter neck on this one.

For the donut shaped vase, I added twine to the rim to make a lip .  .  .

and covered it with paper and glue.

Then, I spray painted both with a white primer and let dry.

You can see that the finish is not smooth, although I did try to sand the lumps out.

I decided that the flaws were part of the finish and continued on. I started tearing the straight edges from the napkins .  .  .  since torn edges blend in better in decoupage.

The white backing layers of the napkin pattern were separated .  .  .

and a light layer of mod podge was applied to the vase and the napkin pattern was patted in place using a brush dipped in water. 

I used plastic wrap to help smooth out the wrinkles (like I did here) but that didn't help this time.

And I continued on .  .  .  out of frustration.

After covering the entire vases with napkins and mod podge, and allowing them to dry, I applied a final coat of mod podge to seal.  Then I applied a layer of Tripe Thick Glaze to give it a hard glossy look, wrinkles and all.

The vases blend in with my décor. And look great from a distance!

BUT .  .  .  Lesson learned! Flaws and all! But great designs!

I think next time I might try stenciling on the paper mache instead!

What do you think?

Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Crafting!