I always try to think of craft ideas that I can make with supplies I already have. This month I have lots of tissue paper scraps leftover from another project so I came up with this papier-mâché garland. It’s easy to make and customize with any colors of tissue you like – tailor the color palette to use as decor for a party or just to add a colorful glow to a room.
Materials needed: Tissue paper
Step 1: Cut small squares out of tissue paper.
Step 2: Prepare the rest of the supplies – spread newspaper out over your work surface, mix decoupage glue with water (two parts glue to one part water), and inflate balloons so they are round (use less air than can fully inflate the balloon).
Step 3: Papier-mâché the balloons: paint a layer of watered down glue over the balloon and stick on bits on tissue. Add more glue as needed so the tissue is completely soaked. Continue covering the entire balloon, leaving as small of an opening as possible around the knotted end of the balloon. Repeat with a second layer of tissue.
Step 4: Clip balloons onto string with clothespins and let dry overnight.
Step 5: Once balloons are dry, use the scissors to deflate them. Holding the tied end of the balloon while the air is let out, carefully pull it out of the papier-mâché ball. Stick each ball over a lightbulb on the light string and hang!
Photography by Veronica Sharon
Nicole
February 26, 2014
Where do you find tissue paper in such fantastic colors?
It’s hard sometimes! There are a lot of good options online (like here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006IE0H/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00006IE0H&linkCode=as2&tag=ohhada-20). And we’re always on the lookout when we go craft shopping.
This is another fantastic source for tissue paper here – these are great because they are rolled so they don’t have any creases: http://www.paperpresentation.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=PPN&Category_Code=TISSUE_PAPER
2moiselles
February 26, 2014
I love this garland, it’s very lovely!!
Zandra Zuraw
February 26, 2014
This is so sweet! And looks do-able, which is always nice. Great way to customize if you have particular colors in mind!
Totally!
Tara
February 26, 2014
This is such a great idea! How do you adhere the paper mache ball to the light string?
The balls don’t need to adhere – they just fit over each lightbulb and should stay in place if the holes used to pull out the deflated balloon are small enough. But if you are having trouble keeping them on you can use a small bit of tape to keep them in place.
Lauren Lou Bate
February 26, 2014
Oh, I love this! I’ve had to throw out my case de cousin Paul ones as they got mouldy (stupid, unventilated Parisian apartments), but I’m always changing up the colours in my room, so this way I can have different a different garland whenever I want without spending a fortune! Merci!! xx
Erin
February 26, 2014
So, so cute! Definitely have to try this out.
Erin, beingerin.com
Lindsay Marie
February 27, 2014
I am going to attempt this one – did you find that any of the balls fell off the lights? it seems like the hole would be too big.
If you papier-mâché as close as you can around the knotted end of the balloon, the hole should be small enough to fit snugly over each lightbulb. If the hole does end up too big or gets torn in the process of deflating the balloon, you can always papier-mâché more pieces of tissue around it after you’ve taken the balloon out, or even cover up the hole entirely and just cut a small slit to slide the lights over.
Katharine
March 2, 2014
These are lovely!
A few questions, though:
1. Do you think it would work to pre-load the balloons with a few simple trinkets such as 1 wrapped candy, one small printed message, and one small polished rock? Or a jingle bell?
2. What would you estimate is the time it would take to make, say, 50 of these, if a person were a fast worker?
3. Also, did you have trouble with the balloons deflating on their own, before the project was dry?
Thanks!