Paper Mâché Rainbow Vase

Paper Mâché Rainbow Vase

If you’re a crafter (or you live with one…) you probably have paintbrushes, pencils, rulers, markers, and pens scattered all over your workspace. This might make you (or the person you live with…) a bit crazy. As much as you want to put them away, these are tools that you need at the ready! So you can’t just simply put them away! Okay, so maybe this is my self-conscious trying to justify my untidy tendencies. I’m hoping I’m not alone in these feelings. But because I’m more right-brained, the art of organization is just not my strong suit! Yet I’ve come to realize that it’s a necessity in order to run a successful business. Consequently, there has been a large increase in storage boxes, bins, and baskets at the studio. Yet, I still needed a convenient place for my everyday tools. Insert: the Paper Mâché Rainbow Vase! It is the perfect solution for storing craft tools, while still passing as a unique art piece. I have crafted a rainbow to hold my craft supplies so I can craft more rainbows. Now if that isn’t genius I don’t know what is

We’re big fans of ceramics artist, Lisa Junius, and came across her rainbow vase, which was no longer available for purchase. Being the paper lovers that we are, we had to try out a paper version so we could get our rainbow fix on this month. We love using ours as a pencil holder.

Continue for Directions!

You could also use this for a flower vase as well! We thought it would look adorable with some four-leaf clovers overflowing out of it! Or some lush pink peonies in the next few months.

Paper Mâché Rainbow Vase

Materials:

• Cardboard
• Heavy duty tape, such as packing tape or Duct tape
• Newspaper
• Flour
• Water
• Container or bucket for mixing Paper Mâché
• Paintbrush
• Paint in white, peach, pink, yellow, green, and purple.
• Terracotta pot or other vessel to place inside your rainbow

Instructions:

1. On cardboard draw a rainbow arch. Ours is about 9″ X 9″. Cut out the arch with scissors or an Exacto knife.
2. Trace the arch on another piece of cardboard so you have two arches.
3. Cut two strips of cardboard, one to cover the top of the rainbow and one to cover the small inner arch of the rainbow. Ours is 5.5″ wide, but you can choose your desired width for the vase.
4. Trace the widest part of your terracotta pot on the top of the rainbow arch and cut out, so there is a hole at the top.
5. Use tape to attach the strips to the arches. *This technique is also used for pinatas.
6. For the paper mache mixture, combine 1 part flour with 1 part water in a bucket and mix well.
7. Tear up your newspaper into small pieces.
8. Dip the newspaper pieces into the paper mache mixture and smooth onto the cardboard rainbow.
9. Cover completely, ensuring that the surface is smooth and even. Let dry.
10. Paint a base coat of white, probably two coats. Let dry.
11. Paint on your rainbow to the front of the vase. Let dry.
12. Place your pot into the hole at the top and fill with craft supplies!

Original article and pictures take thehousethatlarsbuilt.com site