Paper mache Easter egg basket

For Easter this year, we decided to make paper mache baskets. Afterall it is always important to make sure you have something to collect your chocolate Easter eggs! There is nothing worse than trying to hoard a bunch of chocolate eggs in your hands, under your chin or in your pockets and then finding them all squashed and sticky.

We used the following materials:

• Newspaper
• Flour
• Water
• Liquid glue
• Balloon
• Paint
• Ribbon
• Stickers

It takes a few days to make the baskets so you will need a space set aside for the activity. Follow the steps below and have fun.

Step 1: Blow up a balloon and place in a bowl. Prepare to make your paper mache by tearing newspaper into strips.

Step 2: To make the paper mache paste, mix some flour and water together with a bit of liquid glue. I didn't measure my flour and water but instead just mixed until I had a decent consistency for sticking the paper onto the balloon. It was roughly one third flour to one third water and a couple of squirts of glue.

Step 3: Put two layers of paper over half of the balloon and leave to dry overnight. You will need to repeat this step a few times to make sure the paper basket is sturdy.

Step 4: For your final paper mache layer, use plain white paper instead of newspaper as this will provide an easier, cleaner surface to paint.

Step 5: Cut the balloon and remove it.







 Step 6: Paint it, inside and out. You can add stickers or decorate as you wish.





 Step 7: Attach a ribbon to make it easier to carry. I used a stapler to attach the ribbon.