PAPIER MACHE' ROUNDED BALLS

PAPIER MACHE' ROUNDED BALLS
£2.50
Item number: 25 mixed sizes N
  • PAPIER MACHE' balls, nuggets, rounded shapes.
  • Not perfecly spherical, handmade and shaped in the palm of the hand.
  • Undrilled, drill your own hole through middle . TIP! Take care to tether the bead whilst drilling. Use a small drill bit first to start off the hole, bit make 'bounce off' the surface.
  • The 'natural' coloured balls are made from brown card and recycled clean wrapping paper, the 'green tinge' from recycled, clean green egg boxes
  • I make the balls from macerated paper pulp (using my extra kitchen blender purchased specifically for craft use) with added PVA and salt. Nuggets are rolled by hand from clumps of soft, wet pulp into a vaguely rounded shape. They are left to dry naturally in the air, taking up to 2 weeks to fully dry out and harden to a solid nugget.
  • The balls shrink as they dry to form quite a solid little ball shape which can then be drilled to form a hole if required.
  • The balls can be painted using acrylic, emulsion or poster paints (adding PVA will increase the durability of the poster paints). Add gold leaf for extra luxury to the surface.
  • The balls when painted and drilled can be used to make chunky contemporary necklaces and bracelets. Thread with a decorative yarn through the holes, add spacer beads, make to any length.
  • Paint and use as baubles and beads in decorative wreaths.