Crafts : Boxes : Papier-Mache Television : Home & Garden Television

Project by Laura Tolley from St. Louis, Mo.

Laura Tolley might best be known for her Guinness Book of Records entry for most bridesmaids in a wedding (90 if you're wondering). But now she's more focused on setting a record straight "You don't have to have a lot of money to make art." This outgoing and witty crafter's obsession with papier-mâché was formed after her mom gave her a paper making kit. She was soon making all kinds of cartoon-like sculptures, like the papier-mâché television set which doubles as a picture frame.

Materials:

cardboard box
masking tape
5 sheets of plastic foam
newspaper
sharp knife
wallpaper paste
colored paper; blue and orange
blender
water
screen
black acrylic paint
glue gun and glue sticks
paintbrush
2 wooden dowels

Steps:

1. Seal the box closed with masking tape.

2. Tear newspaper into strips.

3. Apply the newspaper strips to five plastic foam sheets with wallpaper paste. Allow the first side to dry before tackling the other side.

Figure A

Figure B

4. Draw television pattern onto plastic foam and cut out with a knife (figure A):

two television faceplate patterns (one will be the back plate)
feet, for the television to stand off the ground
two television sidepieces
one television top

5. Tape one faceplate and two sides to the box.

6. Cover the seams and edges with newspaper and wallpaper paste (figure B). Let dry.

7. Tape the back plate and the top to the piece; cover the seams with wallpaper paste and newspaper. Let dry.

Figure C

Figure D

Figure E

8. Make paper pulp in various colors by tearing colored paper into small pieces then blending them (with water) in a blender. Use separate colors to create single colors. Strain the resulting paper pulp over a screen to remove the extra water and mix the paper pulp with wallpaper paste (figure C).

9. Cover the main part of the television in blue paper pulp and orange pulp for the feet (figure D). Let that dry.

10. Paint the seams and edges with black acrylic paint (figure E).

11. Decide how large you want the picture to show on the television screen. Trace a pattern of the television screen onto plastic foam and cut it out.

12. Cover the screen with newspaper and paste. Allow it to dry.

13. Apply black paint to the back of the screen and the sides.

Figure F

Figure G

14. Adhere yellow paper pulp to the front of the screen and allow it to dry (figure F).

15. Cut three strips of plastic foam to fit along the top, bottom, and one side of the desired picture size so the screen will stand out from the television and you can slide a picture inside later (figure G).

16. Glue strips to the back of the screen and paint them black.

17. Glue the screen to the front of the television.

Antenna

1. Shape plastic foam into a base for the antenna.

2. Cover the base with newspaper and paste and allow it to dry.

3. Paint wooden dowels black.

4. Cover the base with black paper pulp. Allow it to dry.

5. Poke holes in the base for the dowels.

6. Put a drop of glue in the holes and insert dowels into the holes.

Figure H

7. Make black paper pulp balls and attach them to the exposed dowel ends. Sit the antenna on top of the television, unattached (figure H).

E-mail: Tolleyvision@sbcglobal.net

Also in this Episode

That's Clever! : Episode HCLVR-141
•	Papier-Mache Television
•	"Starfish" Nail Letter Opener
•	"Pumpkin Dude" Doll
•	Ceramic Keepsake Box

Crafts

Papier-Mache Television

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Crafts

Papier-Mache Television

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