Paper Mache Turkey
We wanted to make a turkey centerpiece for our Holiday Cook Off. Now, see, I have issues. A project like this originates simply enough. Like “oh, let’s just cut out some hand-turkeys, color them and call it a day.” But then this weird part of me takes over. It starts with a “Hmm, how can I make it round? Paper mache and a balloon?” then it moves to “Oh, those tie dye leaves my neighbor made are pretty, that could work for the feathers” and then, well… then it’s on. Soon the kitchen is covered in glue and food coloring and there’s just no turning back.
This is what Fumbleweeds is about, winging it all the way through. So I’m going to level with you. The following instructions will likely make no sense. I am not entirely sure what I did to get this thing together.
All in all, it was an ok project that needs some fine-tuning. The kids had fun with the feathers, painting, and about 2 mins of the paper mache. It’s a multi-day endeavor with all the drying of things. And it’s messy. Paper Mache is very messy.
I like this twist though… we decided to write all of the things we’re thankful for on the turkey body over the next few days. Kinda like a Thanksgiving turkey cast.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Paper Mache Turkey Supplies: – Fall colored cardstock – Unbleached cone coffee filters – Food Coloring – Glue – Shredded newspaper – a balloon – Sharpie – Scissors – masking tape – brown paint
Turkey Body: -Mix 3/4th Glue to 1/4 water in a pan -Blow up a balloon -dip strips of newspaper into glue mixture, pull each piece through fingers to get rid of extra glue, place onto the balloon -Repeat this until the balloon is fully covered with at least 3 layers of paper/glue -Tie string or dental floss around the tied part of the balloon and hang somewhere overnight. Put a towel or bowl under it for the dripping glue. – Wipe up all the messy glue all over your kitchen before it dries and becomes a big pain in the butt (lesson learned) – Once dry, paint the turkey body brown
Feathers: – Draw a feather on the coffee filter (see pic of supplies) – Cut out feathers – Put a little water in a shallow pan – hold each feather over the pan and drip food coloring on it – Then dip the feather into the water to “spread” the food coloring around – Lay out flat to dry overnight
Turkey Head & Base – Draw and cut out a turkey head from dark brown card stock – Cut out a yellow beak and tape or glue dot onto the face – draw eyes with a sharpie
– Cut out a red waddle and glue it to the neck
Assembly: – Don’t cut off the knot of the balloon in the paper mache turkey body until the end. It gives structure so it doesn’t cave in – Take a piece of card stock (I used yellow, brown would have been better) and cut into a semi-circle and mold around the largest part of the turkey body and tape. I used packing tape but I think masking tape would have been better and easer to cover over with paint at the end. Speaking of, paint over this taped up rear end with brown paint. – Glue the “feathers” in a fan design onto the front covering all of the cardstock – Cut off the tip of the balloon and either glue the turkey head over the hole OR, using strips of brown paper, attach it around the body of the turkey (see pic). – Make a base by taking a long strip of card stock, make it into a circle and tape it together to make a stand
