GIANT PAPER FLOWERS

Ready to go to the library...............

Here you can see how large the daffodil is on my kitchen counter.  I anchored it with a rubberband between the cabinets so it would dry perpendicular when I added the plaster of paris to the can.

Here are the two poppies (I use that term loosely).  I decided to use a larger can for their base to make sure that they did not tip over.  We don't want anything falling onto the patrons in the library.

I mixed the plaster in the can, set the "stem" in the can and held the flower straight.  The plaster dries in about 30 minutes.  I anchored it with a rubber band to hold it in place for that time.

You can see how I attached the back of the flower to the cardboard wrapping roll.  I used a piece of foam core board and hot glued it.

HALLOWEEN MUMMY TUTORIAL

Mummies at the Library!  That's right.  In honor of Halloween I wanted to bring some fun decorating into the library.  I had to tie in books with the decorations so I decided on the theme "Wrap up with a good book".  Our library usually doesn't decorate for Halloween but I thought I'd give it a go, hopefully we won't get any complaints.

This was my inspiration...........I think it is out of this month's Country Living magazine.
A co-worker brought it to me and said "Isn't this cool?"  I thought, I can make that!

I used mostly things that I had on hand.  We did have on hand wood poles and bases that had been used in a previous display.  I found these cool styrofoam skulls at Wal-mart.  I had some large sheets of (purple) foam and cut them in the shape of a body using a matte knife, but you could even use a large sheet of cardboard or thin plywood.

To add some dimension to the bodies I taped plastic Kroger bags and newspaper to form arms, legs and abdomen areas.

I had some butcher paper that I cut into 3 to 4 inch strips and wrapped around the body forms.  You could use crepe paper or old sheets.   I couldn't find my hot glue gun so I used plenty of clear packing tape.

I then covered the entire area with cheesecloth soaked in starch.  I made sure to leave room to add a book later under the hands.  I let it dry for the afternoon on the deck.

When it was dry I added some spider webbing, a few spiders and a book.  Presto - a mummy!

The mummies' new home - Woodstock Public Library for the month of October.  They've got a good book to read and look happy, don't they?

PAPER MACHE TUTORIAL

This is a paper mache piggy bank I made for a library display featuring novels about money.  Most of the materials I had at home.  I found the gold plastic coins and oversized paper money at Party City.

I started out with round balloons.  Tape them together using masking tape.  I only had painter's tape around.  I used toilet paper rolls for the legs and taped them in place.

I tear up newspapers in about 3-4" pieces and dip them into wallpaper paste.  Be sure to scrape most of the paster off of the paper before you apply to the form so it doesn't take too long to dry.  Sometimes I will dry with a hair dryer.  Keep applying pieces of paper mache all over the form.

Let the form dry between layers.  You will probably need to add 3 to 4 layers to make it sturdy.

I added a tail using a wire and wrapping newspaper around it.

The nose is made using part of a toilet paper roll.   I taped it on first, then added paper mache around it.

When the newspaper is completely dry, I paint the entire form with gesso.  This will seal the newspaper and serve as a base for your paint.

Now, start painting your precious little creature!

My finished display "MONEY MONEY MONEY" featuring all sorts of books about money.