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Basic Claycrete Mache Instructions

1. Cover work surface with a plastic disposable table cloth or waxed
paper to protect it. Pour 1/8 to 1/4 cup of water (per 1 oz. of
Claycrete) into a large plastic or metal bowl.
2. Slowly add Claycrete paper mache pulp to the water and stir with a
fork or spoon until it feels hard to mix. If the mixture is too dry
add a little more water. If it's too wet add a little more Claycrete.
Mix only the amount you can use within 1/2 hour.

3. When you want to cover objects, you'll need to roll a thin, flat
sheet of Claycrete. Place the ball on one half of a large piece
of plastic wrap and fold the plastic over the top of clay. Press
clay into a flatter pancake shape between the layers of plastic wrap.

4. Using a heavy rolling pin, roll over the clay evenly in both
directions until you have a big enough piece for the project.
5. If you are shaping the clay, roll it into a ball the size of
your shape, then shape it into what ever you'd like.
6. To smooth the surface of the Claycrete, dip your finger in
a shallow dish of water and rub it over the surface.
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Painting the Dry Claycrete

1. Allow your project to dry all the way through. This will take 1-2 days
on a drying rack. Even when the surface feels dry the inner layer may
be soft and moist. If you have NOT used ANY plastic (egg, CD, etc.)
inside, you can ask an adult to put your project on a foil covered
cookie sheet and into a 150o oven until it's dry. Ask the adult
to turn project over occasionally so it does
not curl, and dries evenly.
2. Use Permapaque paint pens to color your projects. You don't have
to shake them at all! Just remove the lid, press it on the opposite
side of the marker and color with them. They are not as messy
as paints and there are no brushes to clean when you're done!
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Project Instructions

Dice


1. Shape Claycrete balls into small 1" cubes, Smooth the sides
and allow to dry as in step 1 of "Painting".
2. Color all sides white and allow the paint to dry (about 5 minutes).
3. Dot on the black spots with a different amount on each side,
1-6, and allow to dry.
4. Spray the dots with gloss and allow to dry overnight.
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Sports Balls Switchplate

1. Shape Claycrete into 2 small balls and 1 even smaller ball.
Shape one larger ball into a football (flat on the back side),
and the remaining into two sizes of round circles.
2. Allow them to dry as in step 1 of "Painting".
3. Color the
football with a brown Permapaque marker, LEAVING the laces and
two stripes white.
4. Color the basketball orange and the baseball white and let dry
(about 5 minutes).
5. Use a red fine point Permapaque marker to add red laces on the
baseball, and a fine point black to add lines on the basketball as shown.
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CD Pig


1. Cover an old, used CD with a thin sheet of clay. Make the
outline a little larger then CD and fold the clay to the back side,
over the side edge.
2. Shape two small balls of clay into triangles and press on for ears.
3. Shape a snout (nose) from a ball of clay and press onto face.
Poke nostrils with a pencil and press a craft stick or table
knife into clay for the mouth.
4. Press two small oval shapes onto face for eyes. Make a hole
in each eye with pencil.
5. Allow Claycrete to dry and paint the clock following steps 1-2 of
"Painting" above, but, do NOT put the CD in the oven! Sadie,
the 10 year old designer and crafter of this project used pale orange,
pink and white for the pig and around eyes, then sky blue
inside the eyes. The dot in the center of the eyes is blue.
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Flower Wheel Mobile


1. Follow steps 3-4 of "Basics" above to make flat circles of clay.

2. Press a chunky foam stamp into a clay circle and remove slowly.
Press a round cookie cutter or similar object around the design
and remove. Clean the stamp and cutter edges for the next piece.
3. Cut around the circle with scissors right through the plastic wrap!
Repeat steps 2-3 to make 4 more circle disks.
4. Poke a hole in the center of each disk with a pencil, large
enough for a brad to fit into. Poke holes near the top center of each
disk with a pencil. Pole a hole in the bottom center of TWO of the disks only.

5. Allow to dry and paint as in step 1-2 of "Painting"
above. I used blue and green.
6. When dry, secure a green brad in the center holes and bend prongs
apart on the backside of disks.

6. Remove the eraser and sand the yellow paint off of a pencil.

7. Form two small balls of Claycrete and press onto he ends of the
pencil. Shape to a point at either end and carefully remove from
pencil. Allow ends to dry or place in a warm oven as directed
in step 1 of "Painting" above.
8.Paint the pencil blue and the mache ends green and let dry.
9. Tie the mobile together with fancy yarn through the holes in disks
and hang from the pencil as shown in first image above. Glue green
ends in place with tacky glue and let dry. Hang on your wall
or from the ceiling and enjoy!
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Swirl Clock

1. Cover an old used CD with clay and pierce a hole in the center that
is the same size as the clock shaft (middle threaded bar).
2. Smooth the clay surface as in step 6 of "Basics" above.
Press chunky foam stamp into clay to cover the circle. Clean the stamp
after each impression, and lift stamp slowly.
3. Follow the basic steps 1-2 of "Painting" above, but do NOT put the
CD in the oven! I used blue blended to sky blue and green
blended to yellow to color the clock face.
4. Assemble the clockworks as directed on the package. I also bent the
second hand in a zig-zag pattern. This is optional but fun!
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Shaker Egg Demo Project


1. Scoop 1 tablespoon of raw, hard popcorn kernels and one tablespoon
of rice into egg and close halves. Tape around the egg seam.
2. Roll out a ball of Claycrete as in steps 3-4 of "Basics" above.
3. Cover the egg with a thin layer of Claycrete, smoothing
the surface with moist fingers as you work.


4. Allow mache to dry and paint egg following steps 1-2 of "Painting"
above. I first drew sections with a fine point black Permapaque pen
for a patchwork look. Then, I colored in each section differently
with various primary Permapaque colors and shapes
(leaves, ladybugs, spirals, squares, dots etc.)
5. When dry, spray egg with gloss lacquer. You will need to spray
one side at a time and let dry overnight.
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Monkey Maraca

1. Glue the flat sides of 4 popsicle (craft) sticks together to
form a thick handle. Let dry.
2. Scoop 1 tablespoon of raw, hard popcorn kernels and one tablespoon
of rice into egg and close halves. Tape around the egg seam.

3. Have an adult drill or burn (with woodburning tool) a hole into the narrow end
of a large plastic Easter egg, so the handle just fits tightly inside.
Place 1" length of handle inside and secure in place with masking
tape. Apply hot glue to the area around the tape to reinforce handle.
4. Follow basic steps 3-4 above to cover the maraca with a thin
sheet of Claycrete, and allow to dry for 1-2 days.
5. Lightly draw a simple face shape with pencil as shown in the
first photo of the finished monkey above.

6. Scribble out some pale orange Permapaque paint onto plastic wrap,
and rub a white Permapaque marker over the pale orange to pick up color.
Color in the monkey face with the light peach mixture using this technique.
7. Paint the head with a brown Permapaque marker, and paint a yellow
bow tie. Paint the mouth red with a add a highlight of pink in the center.
8. Let dry, then paint the eyes and nostrils and outline the
tie and mouth with a fine point black marker.
9. Last of all paint the handle sky blue, drawing around the
bow tie, and add fine point black dots.
10. Spray the maraca with gloss lacquer and dry overnight.
11. Using tacky glue, secure two cut out felt ears (capital "D"
shapes) to the sides of head and let dry.
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Sombrero Ring Holder
1. Flatten a pad of Claycrete to a 3/16" thick pad, and curl
the edges upward, like a shallow bowl.
2. Form a tall thin cone shape and press into center, straight up.
Allow to dry as in step 1 of "Basics" above.
3. Paint solid with a yellow Permapaque marker and let dry. Paint
red peppers with green stems and designs with fine point
Permapaque markers.
4. When dry, spray with gloss lacquer
and dry overnight.
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Glasses Holder Tray

1. Form a large, 1/4" thick diver's mask shape, pad of Claycrete.
Place on one half of a large piece of plastic wrap.
2. Fold the wrap over on top of the clay and begin pinching a
rim around the shape to form the side walls. Work with the shape
until it matches the glasses holder image above, with 1/2" high walls.
3. Allow to dry and paint tray, following steps 1-2 of "Painting"
above. I colored the rim and outside green, and the roses
pink with a red swirl, with green stems and leaves. Let dry.
4. Spray the tray with gloss lacquer and allow to dry overnight.
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Nose Glasses Holder



1. Form foil into a tall triangle shape as shown. Make a
second foil shape for the nose.

2. Cover foil with a flat sheet of Claycrete as in steps 1-2
of "Basics" above. Press the nose against the front of base to
make an indentation, and remove.

3. Impress a mouth with teeth into the base using a pencil tip,
leaving room for a mustache under the nose. Form two
teardrop shapes for the mustache.

4. Carefully press the nose shape against the base to form the
correct indentation for it,. Remove nose.

5. Allow pieces to dry and paint following steps 1-2 of "Painting"
above. Follow step 6 of Maraca Monkey above, although add
bronze metallic Permapaque using a white marker for the
face color. Add a pinch of red to the mix for lip color.

6. Glue the nose to the base as shown, leaving an open "v" shape
between them for the glasses. Glue on the mustache pieces under
the nose. Prop the holder so it will lay flat to dry.
7. Spray with gloss and allow to dry overnight.
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