Paper-maché snowmen.
I really liked these snowmen, and have seen their like in the stores season after season. What I don’t like (what a surprise) is the price. So once again, I get on my Kattitudes high horse and decide that if prices like that are going to be charged, by golly, I am going to figure out how to do it and make them myself.
Well, I figured it out. They are paper-maché over plastic foam balls.
The trick is to use the instant paper-maché mix (and because it sets up fast, keep the mixture in a ziploc type resealable bag and only make a little bit at a time). Keep a bowl of water nearby and you’ll find you need to keep mushing the paper-maché around in the bag to keep it the right consistency to make it work.
OK, another trick. Before you apply the paper-maché to the plastic foam ball to create the snowman, cover the foam ball with a really thin coat of glue. The glue helps the mixture stick to the foam.
When it comes to the head and feet of the snowmen, use florist foam and attach them with toothpicks. Just make sure again to carve the florist foam to the shape you want, cover it with glue before you use paper-maché, then stick a toothpick in it to give the big foam ball of the snowman’s main body something to anchor on. Does that all make sense?
From there it is just a matter of playing with little rolled up balls of paper-maché and your own decorations and embellishments. Then voila. Instant homemade snowmen, for significantly less than is being asked for these days in the upscale markets.
Follow the manufacturers instructions on the paper-maché, especially in terms of drying and such. If I remember right, you’ll have to bake off the finished product in the oven at an extremely low temperature for an hour or two in order to correctly harden the paper-maché. But once that is done, pull out your paint and touch up your little snowmen to your heart’s delight.
What an easy way for you to reproduce one of the season’s most popular styles! And if you find you really have a knack for these little fellows, you can make them as gifts for your friends and maybe even try your hand at selling some on the more popular auction sites. These always are popular sales items.
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