My DIY paper mache~ Easter/Spring Lamb

I picked up a ceramic lamb at a yard sale last summer thinking that I could "de glaze" it and then

re paint it.  I'm not sure what I had in mind, but I figured I could do something with it.  I even considered painting and distressing it like I did here with my shabby bunny.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find any product to take the glaze off without a tremendous amount of work, or without using toxic fumes.  So, it sat in my basement, and  I hate to have things just sitting around!  I was determined to do something with this lamb, and the only thing I could think of was to cover it with something...like maybe tissue paper.  I went to my best resource for just about everything these days...Pinterest...and realized that paper mache might be my best bet.

So, after finding this recipe here, (I quartered the recipe each time I made it) I got to work tearing up newspaper strips and dipping my hands in flour water.  I felt like a little kid playing around in the mud, and wondered why I had never tried paper mache before.  This guy looked a little scrawny before I added three coats of newspaper to him!  He needed some fattening up.

I covered him in foil...

sprayed him with cooking spray...

and then dipped newspaper strips in the mixture to cover him.  I put him in a big plastic container to keep the flour mix from getting everywhere.  I used three coats of newspaper, and only added a coat after each was thoroughly dry.  And then, I took an exacto knife and cut the new lamb out of the mold.  I did have to patch him up with a little more paper mache as indicated in the recipe.  Then I gave him a coat of cream craft paint, and then "aged" and defined areas with watered down brown and green paint.  I painted the eyes and nose with a little paintbrush dipped in just a little bit of dark brown paint.

I'm not quite sure where I will put him yet, but it was a fun project, and a much needed break from the daily monotony of life. I think it would be the perfect craft to do with kids.  And, it got me thinking...what else could be changed with just a couple coats of paper mache?

Happy Spring!
~Robyn