Papier mache furniture: tall table

 

I've been working hard on trying to prepare chairs to create my first video on how to make papier mache furniture. This is a table that was a bit of an unplanned bi-product of that. 

The base was pre-made for another project a while ago. at it's centre is the majority of a bag of weighted beads which got everywhere. I tried to fold them into the pulp which was very messy. If I was going to make it again I'd make a pulp container and start by filling that. 

The 'stem' of the table is an old carpet roll tube that was discovered in the cellar and stuffed with pva soaked newspaper to add strength.

For the table top I cut out a hexagon of cardboard and covered it with about 6 layers of pulp. It's currently still drying and a long way off being completed. 

How will it look when it's finished? I'm not sure yet. I'll be working on strengthening it for a while. The plan was to make a table to go with a set of papier mache chairs but this table is far too tall. It's probably going to be one of those projects that gets set aside until something comes to me. Probably as I'm trying to get to sleep.

Papier mache shoe rack

About 10 years ago I was a skint student and got fed up with having to buy new shoe racks because the kids and their friends kept destroying them. So I made one out of papier mache. It's still sturdy enough to take the weight of an adult standing on it. 

I started with stuffing toilet roll tubes with pva dampened newspaper for the sides which gave a nice bamboo like effect and covered cardboard sheets with pulp to make the shelves. 

I'll make more detailed posts on  making each piece in later blog posts. I've been trying to save up enough old toilet roll tubes to make something with and hopefully will post a video on you tube. Christmas activities are keeping me busy at the moment.

 

Papier mache furniture is increadably simple to make and very impressive. The only really challenging things are: 

1) getting hold of enough paper for large projects. 

2) time - waiting for everything to dry thoroughly takes a lot of patience

3) space, especially for large projects. 

4) remembering less is more - thinner layers take more patience but it's much easier to correct mistakes.

 

Apparently making it drove me to drink.

Keeping kids busy

 I asked my children what it was like growing up with me. We live in a house with no sofa (I've made so much furniture we don't have space for a proper sofa) or inside doors downstairs (I tried restoring them from the 70's panelling and discovered lead paint that my landlord took them away to deal with, very slowly) and way too much clutter. I worry that they missed out on a lot of normal things. But apparently they appreciated having cars made out of boxes, giant heads and an army of dinosaurs, being entertained by origami creatures whilst we were waiting for things. And my eldest (who is now 20) is actually proud of the things I make. Although I think the kids kind of like telling people about the papier mache furniture - not everyone believes it could be strong enough to actually use. As I write this I'm curled up on a large and surprisingly comfortable papier mache chair. Not all kids are the same but most kids enjoy being creative. Schools have to follow a curriculum and they don't have time to allow children to freely think up their own designs and learn for themselves. To just be creative and free can make crafting and art so much more fun.

 

Cardboard boxes

These are a great form of entertainment no matter how big or small. The larger ones can be cars or boats or even play houses. The smaller ones make great houses for dinosaurs, dolls or ramps for cars. And it doesn't have to be perfect, don't be put off by not feeling like you're artistic or creative. The harder it is to guess what you've made the more you're 'fostering their imagination and they just appreciate that time, effort and love you're spending on them. Once you're done with it then it can usually go in the recycle bin and then it's onto the next project.  

Old receipts and bits of scrap paper 

Origami doesn't have to be complicated. There are some more simple designs to get you started. Someone once told me you can either do origami or you can't but I believe it's just a matter of patience. I'm not so great at origami myself, some designs have taken me weeks to master. Little balls of screwed up paper have filled a pan ready to make pulp whilst

Simple origami leaves

 These are incredibly simple but effective origami leaves. 

 

You will need:

1 square of paper

a little time and patience. 

Fold your square of paper in half

Unfold it

Fold the uncreased corners in to meet the centre fold - you can fold them in a little less to change the shape of your leaf.

Fold it back along the middle crease

Choose one end and fold it over in a concertina fashion. As long as the folds are fairly even you will still get the leaf effect.

Keep going until you run out of leaf and then unfold the two sides. 

 

I would highly recommend not using card as I have here. Thinner paper works better as long as it's strong enough to create a firm crease.

How to make paper pulp or paper clay

Making paper pulp or paper clay is a surprisingly simple process. I can complete a batch of pulp in approximately 90 minutes. Around 30 minutes of that is hands on time. The rest is waiting for boiling, straining, cooling etc. However I would recommend avoiding short cuts until you're confident with the process so it may take up to 24 hours per batch.

 

You will need:

*Fibrous materials such as: newspapers, magazines, egg cartons, old papers, cardboard, junk mail...

*A large pan 

*A bucket and something fabric to strain the pulp through 

* PVA glue (white glue) or flour

Method:

1)Boil it: Add your materials to a large pan. Tear up bits of cardboard and egg boxes, thinner materials like paper need screwing up so that they don't stick together. Cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. This is to sterilise your materials and break down the chemicals on glossy papers and magazines. Then leave it to cool. Ideally, you should leave it to cool overnight. This gives time for all the fibres to fully absorb the water and be at their softest - ready for blending. 

If I'm not using glossy materials and I know what I'm using is clean I will often half fill the pan and stir as I'm boiling to steam the papers. I top it up with cold water and leave it to cool for around 20-30 minutes. 

2) Blend it. I am a big fan of stick blenders. They seem to last longer and be easier to use in the pan. You will ideally need a dedicated blender. Any food in your pulp is highly likely to go mouldy. Having lost count of the number of blenders I have abused until they have died, I wanted to recommend my KOOLLE stick blender but apparently they don't sell them any more, they were pretty cheap and I loved it so much I bought 3. I like being able to use it with hot liquids rather than having to wait for them to cool and it lasts for quite a while without getting too hot.

 

3) Strain it. Secure some fabric to the top of a bucket and pour the pulp into it. I use an old fermenting bucket with the gusset from an old pair of tights. It's secured with a large rubber band I 'rescued' from a postman and has an old piece of scrap fabric over the top (currently a pillowcase). I try to leave it for at least an hour, until most of the water is drained and then put it in the leg pieces of old tights or stockings and squeeze out any access moisture. If you don't have easy or socially acceptable access to old tights then anything fabric you can hold the pulp in whilst you squeeze it out will do like the sleeve of an old t-shirt, pillowcase etc.

 

If you are leaving your equipment for any longer than a day or two you need to make sure everything is dried. The neighbours are used to seeing my manky gusset out on the washing line when the weather is nice. If I'm taking longer than a few days off making pulp I soak my fabric layer in boiling water and hand wash it before drying and storing it.

4) Add PVA/flour or dry it out to use later. I haven't used flour to make pulp yet. There is a higher risk of it going mouldy. I've researched and read Victorian recipes that included garlic or some pretty nasty chemicals to avoid this problem. I assume that to use flour you will either need to mix it into a paste before adding it to the paper or leave a little more moisture in the pulp. 

 

If you're drying it to use later make sure you soak it before adding PVA. I learnt the hard way that adding PVA to dry pulp does not work as well. Even if you mix the PVA with water. Paper brick moulds are a great way to store pulp until you're ready to use it. 

It can take a while to get used to how much pva to mix in with your pulp. I go by texture. I squish some into a lump and if its clinging to itself when I pull it apart then it's ready. It needs to stick to itself better than it sticks to your hands, for your own sanity as much as anything. I add more PVA if I want a smoother finish such as when I'm doing a final layer. I'm currently working on making videos of the process and will add a few posts on working with pulp that will provide more information later. 

Pulp is very forgiving. Work with the wonk and expect a natural flow of contours and shapes - straight lines are extremely challenging without a mould

It's much easier to add to your creation than it is to remove pulp. 

And the carinal rule is make sure everything is dry within 9 days because that's when it's likely to start to go mouldy. 

How to make a pinata

There are lots of ways to make a piñata. Traditionally they are made out of clay, nowadays they’re mostly made out of cardboard. I make mine out of papier mache. You can make a simple one balloon piñata in under two hours the bigger and more detailed models usually take me at least six hours! Ideally the piñata should be completed a few days before the event to allow it time to dry properly.

 

All you need is;

Some old papers, newspapers or magazines – even an old phone book will do. Glossy pages don't stick as easily but they are useful for making pulp.

 

PVA glue mixed 2:1 with water you can also use flour mixed 2:1 with water (it should be the same constancy as Yorkshire pudding or pancake batter)

Balloons (you can also use cardboard to help with the shape or items wrapped with cling film, the list goes on)

String and/or masking tape

Scissors or a sharp knife

As well as whatever you will need for the final layer

Its traditional to stuff them with sweets but healthier to add a few prizes! Of course there is a lot more scope with an adult piñata...

Cardboard sheets, tubes and boxes as well as your imagination!

 

Instructions

1) Blow up the balloons then use string and masking tape to hold them into the shape you’re aiming to make. Masking tape is better to use than stronger tapes because it doesn’t pop the balloons as easily.

If you stretch the balloons before blowing them up, blow them up to their fullest extent and then allow them to deflate a little they will last longer.

2) Tare newspaper into pieces. Then use a mixture of 1 part water to 2 parts pva glue to smear all over the paper before sticking it to the structure. You can also use paste made out of flour and water. Slap it on and make sure you get right to the edges of the paper! Cover the whole model in newspaper and leave it to dry in a warm place for about 4 hours, although overnight is ideal. You can do more than one layer at once but the model is more likely to wrinkle. Smoothing it down afterwards helps to avoid air bubbles. Using a large bowl will help to hold your piñata in place whilst you apply each layer. Larger pieces of paper are faster but smaller pieces are neater. You can water down the glue a little for more absorbent paper or add more pva to thicken it up for stiffer, heavier or less absorbent materials. Over lapping strips makes for stronger layers.

To avoid loosing track of which bits I have and haven't added a layer to I sometimes alternate between layers of newspaper and another type of scrap paper. This is especially handy with complicated designs and when dealing with interruptions!

3) Repeat step two until you have several layers that are completely dry. 3 - 4 layers is good for a children’s piñata. You need 2-3 layers covering the balloons before they pop or start to deflate otherwise the model will lose its shape.

To build lumps into the structure and shape it often helps to experiment with screwed up lumps, twisted or folded strips of newspaper covered in paste. 

4) Then it’s up to you how you decorate the final layer. Tissue paper is traditional but you can use most paper, thin plastic or fabric, paints and crayons etc, even beads or feathers to give it an unusual look.  If you are sticking on something heavier than paper you will need stronger and faster drying glue than PVA!

If you are using pale or thin paper for your final layer it often helps to use an undercoat of plain white or a suitable coloured thicker layer underneath. 

5) Once it’s all completely dry you can cut a hole for the door with a sharp knife. Cut out three sides of a square or rectangle and fold it outwards. Pull out any balloons, string or masking tape after popping any that haven’t already deflated.

The piñata will feel more sold once its dry, although it should still have a little flexibility to its structure.

6) Then choose somewhere at least a few centimetres away from the door to string the piñata. Make a hole on either side with a sharp knife to thread the string through, using the door to guide the ribbon or string through one side to the other and then tie in a knot. You can always add more string to add length later!

I use a wooden barbecue skewer with a piece of cotton threaded through the end to help me string the piñatas. You could also buy a mattress needle from a fabric shop for £2-3 to help with threading them.

7 ) Organise your filling. Once you have stuffed it you can pop the door back into place and use a few strips of your final layer to reseal it.

You can also stuff the door with bendy straws (each with a ribbon threaded through and knotted at the end) to create a ‘pull piñata’ effect. I just think its more fun to bash it to bits with a big stick!

If you have a design that you're not sure of or would like to know how we've made any of the piñatas on the blogs then why not drop us a line and we'll show you how its done!

Setting up your busines 1: What comes first?

The first thing you need to do is decide what you'll be selling. You can either just choose the things you love and what you're good at or start searching lists of what's popular and trending. Apparently currently this is: 

1) face masks (although the market for this seems pretty saturated already)

2) Jewellery

4) reusable cloth bags

5) upcycled vintage items and dyed clothing

6) ceramics, especially pots

7) home fragrance

8) knitted and fabric home decor such as rag rugs

9) bath stuff (especially bath bombs)

10) resin crafts

I've chosen to sell the things I have and love making which is basically any paper related products I can set my hand to and nothing which was listed as popular anywhere. This is partly because one of the reasons I'm trying to sell my work is because I'm running out of space in my house. The bonus is that if you enjoy what you're doing and producing things with love the outcome is often much better. 

Once you have a product it's time to choose a name. For artwork the ideal is to use your own name, be your own brand. Unless your name is really common like mine. I tried multiple variations but apparently it's so common there was already someone coming up in every google search. whatever you choose needs to be easy to find. Something that isn't difficult to spell and doesn't already come up in searches. I thought about using an old family name but apparently I come from common stock and it didn't feel right somehow using someone elses name.

Choosing a name based on what your selling is great if you have a firm idea of what you will be selling and can think of something that's not already in use. I plan on adapting what I make as I go along and I already have quite a range of things to list and 'random paper stuff' didn't feel quite upmarket enough. In the end I found something that I felt suited me - I can be quite unladylike (allegedly) and I don't think of myself as an artist.

If you get stuck there are random name generators to help spark an idea and I know of at least one fb group of people that are more than happy to help with suggestions. Don't spend too much time getting hung up on a perfect name, you can always change it and rebrand yourself later. Something that amuses you the first time you hear it is likely to be come less amusing with time. 

Remember if you're not selling you're marketing. To become and stay successful you need to learn and adapt as you go along. If you aren't getting sales sometimes it's not the product it's something else.

Advertising: getting on the top 5 social media platforms and posting at least once a week. Sometimes it can take time to get noticed, especially if you're not lucky enough to have money or contacts to help advertise your work. The last time I did this I managed to get an exhibition, mentions in magazines newspapers and even had my work on tv. I was lucky enough to be one of the first making pinatas in the uk. Someone even said we chose you because you were the only one we could find. 

Check your footfall, be it physical or virtual. If people aren't looking at your product then that's the most important thing to fix. And people will look at anything, sometimes because to them it's funny or hideous to them or priced ridiculously, maybe they're randomly browsing, and you get those that like your work but prefer the idea of making their own. If people don't see it and they don't know it's there they can't buy it.

 

Pricing: check out the competition but don't undersell yourself. Pricing is one of the reasons I no longer make and sell pinatas. The amount I could charge didn't cover the time I put into them. People didn't want to spend that much on something they were going to smash up later. I sold my first one for 99p on ebay as I didn't believe they would sell. 

I'm trying out different products this time. Learning and experimenting. There are lots of ways to work out how to price your product, there are websites which help you with the maths and blank business plans to help you think through the process. Take into account the time you've spent making it (your time is precious and important) as well as the cost of materials (double this to take into account inflation and the potential to grow your business), add on around 10% for hidden costs such as using a room in your home or using heating and lighting whilst you work. See what similar products are selling for - although this isn't always a great guide. People are willing to pay more for a product that's better quality or to pay extra for a recognisable name or brand.

Always start with higher prices and adjust down later if necessary.

Where possible sell at a range of prices, such as smaller versions or prints. People will be attracted to one thing and then often find themselves browsing to see what else is available. This way you catch those who love your work but find your original product is out of their price range.

Know your market: sometimes people just love your style and you're lucky enough to have your customers come to you. The rest of us have to live and learn and

Don't marry an idea, flirt with the alternatives: Be prepared to change and adapt as you learn.

Keep a liveable work/life balance: Don't overload yourself. Try to make sure you can take time off when you need to. Trying to sell handcrafted work is stressful and it's pretty rare to strike gold straight away and find your things selling like hotcakes instantly. It takes a lot of work and compromise and sacrifices. Don't forget to look after yourself too.