Amy Rose Designs: Paper Mache' Pumpkin

Newspaper, whole and cut into 1" and 1 1/2" wide strips

Paints, Tempura or Art

Paint Brushes

Starch

Bowl

Paper Towels

Aluminum Foil

Tray or Plate

Preparation:
Cover your working space with a table cloth or vinyl covering.
Cut the newspaper into strips of 1" and 1 1/2" wide Take aluminum foil and cover a tray or plate and set it aside. Pour a good amount of the starch in the bowl. (2"inches or enough to dip the strips)

Process:
Begin by taking the whole sheets of newspaper and smashing them into a ball.
Continue to do this until you have the size of the pumpkin you desire.

Sealing in the main body:
Take one of the 1 1/2" strips of newspaper and dip it into the starch; getting it fairly wet.

Holding one end of the strip with your left hand and placing your index finger and your middle finger together at the top of the strip (like scissors in a closed position) and slide it between your fingers pulling off the extra starch from the strip.

Take the wet strip of newspaper and place it at the top of the pumpkin and lay it down the right side of the pumpkin body, under the bottom and back up to the top of the pumpkin and seal it on top of the beginning strip.

Take the next strip and repeat the same process again, but do it on the left side of the body at the same starting point on the top.

Turn the body so the first strip is facing you and repeat the same process on the other "middle" of the pumpkin. Keep turning the pumpkin and repeating this process until all the "middles" have been covered and you can no longer see the inside of the pumpkin. This process helps to seal he body so the pumpkin becomes easier to handle in the finishing process.

Creating the final look:
To finish the final look of your pumpkin you are going repeat the same process as above, but now use the 1" strips.

After laying the initial strip down in this process when you go to do the second strip lay it down in the same manner, but lay the strip slightly over the first strips edge. Remember to smooth the strips down as you go.

Repeat this process at least TWO times over the entire pumpkin.

When you have covered the body place a few small dry pieces of newspaper to the bottom of the pumpkin to keep it from sticking to the tray/plate. At this point your pumpkin should look like this:

Stem of the pumpkin:Decide how long you want your pumpkin stem to be and choose the width of the newspaper strip to achieve it.

Get the strip wet with starch and begin to turn the strip on to itself (like a fruit roll-up). Keep adding more strips till you have your desired stem thickness taking care to keep the bottom of the stem even.

Take the end of the stem and dip it lightly in the starch and place it on the top of the pumpkin.

Take the 1" wet newspaper strips and wrap them on the top of the pumpkin and over the top of the stem to the other side. Repeat the same "sealing process" to secure the stem into place.

Tear the 1" strips in smaller, more manageable wet pieces, and wrap them around the body of the stem to give it a more finished, smoother look. Let your pumpkin completely dry before painting it.