DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Paper Maché Lion Book Holder

This is a very cute little gift for siblings to make for each other or for a favorite grandparent.

Materials:

• shoebox
• scrap cardboard (the corrugated kind is best)  If you only have thin cardboard, then you can just layer it together.
• newspaper
• ONE OF:  white glue, mod podge OR paper mache paste (1 part flour to 4 parts water...  Boil about 3 minutes stirring constantly, add 2 ice cubes and let cool)
• scissors,
• poster or tempra paint -- yellow and orange or brown (or both)
• paintbrush
• black marker or paint
• Optional:  exacto knife
• Optional:  masking tape
• Optional:  spray varnish

Instructions:

• Prepare your paper mache paste right away so it has time to cool (if using the boil method).  I like boiled paste as it's smoother and takes a lot less flour (the REDUCE part of the three R's!).
• Print out the template -- the templates are B&W (or you can choose to do this free hand).
• Cut out the template pieces and lay them on a piece of corrugated cardboard.
• Trace the pieces onto the cardboard
• Cut them out with scissors or an exacto knife.  I recommend an adult help with this as the cardboard is difficult to cut.  Especially the mane (TIP:  have the adult cut out a smooth circle for the mane first and then let the child snip in little triangles to make the jagged edge.  This is a lot easier than trying to cut the jagged edge from the cardboard as you go.)
• I included legs on the template, but we didn't use them.  Be aware of your child's attention span when deciding how much to do.  You could also skip the tail.
• Tear strips of newspaper about 1 " wide and as long as you want
• Dip in the paper mache paste, but then remove excess paste (I run it through my fingers to do this).
• Cover the shoebox, inside and out, in no more than 4 layers of paper mache (I always tell the kids no more than 2 as they always put on too much *grin*).  If you put on more than 4 it will likely mold before it dries.
• Cover each of the cut out pieces with paper mache (all the way around).  Again, no more than 4 layers.
• While it's still wet, arrange the head pieces together on the short side of the shoebox.  
  • The mane goes on the bottom, then the circle head, then the circle nose.
  • The ears go right above the head on the mane.
  • The paper mache should stick the pieces together so you won't need any tape or glue.
• Put the tail on the back, folding it around the side (it will fold easily at this point as it's a bit soggy, but you may want to use masking tape or just add a few more pieces of mache/newspaper to hold it in place.
• Let dry COMPLETELY.  It goes faster in a warm breezy place.  If it's a nice day, just stick it outside (just don't forget it if it starts to rain).  It takes a day or so to dry.
• Optional:  apply a second layer of mache.  The more layers you add, the sturdier it will be.  We applied a second layer, but we only did one layer, not 4 this time.  That just made sure all the parts stayed firmly in place.
• Optional:  we always use scrap white computer paper or toilet paper (don't laugh) for the final layer of all of our paper mache projects.  
  • It takes less paint to cover.
  • I find newspaper needs two coats of paint, whereas the white paper only needs one.
  • Toilet paper gives a rough texture which is nice for some animals.
  • We used computer paper for our lion.
     
• Paint the whole thing yellow (we didn't paint the bottom).
• Use a small paintbrush or old toothbrush to stroke some brown and/or orange paint onto the mane, inner ears and tip of the tail.
• Use a black marker or black paint to add facial features.
• Let dry.
• Optional:  cover in a coat of clear varnish.  This will make it last longer (especially since poster paints aren't water proof).

Printing Templates:

• Close the template window after printing to return to this screen.
• Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers).

Template for head, tail & legs

Template for mane

Print friendly version of these instructions