Paper Mache with the Team

Team Crowdstory got together on Saturday afternoon to do a bit of paper maché -- or papier-mâché, to be snooty --  while watching one of the Final Four games (per request from the gentlemen). Crowdstory is planning a super huge, super awesome launch on campus in a couple weeks (look for us on April 20th and 21st!), to promote our App and get the OU student body to use it. Part of the planning for that launch is creating a giant sculpture of a snippet (basically the red Google pin) to hang out on the South Oval with us.

After bouncing around a gazillion ideas for the sculpture's materials, we settled on paper maché-ing a giant helium-filled three foot balloon. It was hanging out in my house for a few days before the paper maché party, and it was actually really fun to have a huge balloon in the living room. Rather festive.

But all good things must come to an end, I guess. Kinda like college.

Blah.

Anywho... covering a giant helium-filled balloon with wet strips of newspaper (or torn up phone books in our case) is not as easy as it sounds. First of all, before the balloon is covered with enough paper to weigh it down, it's like a mini wrestling match. And the balloon usually wins.

That helium is some powerful stuff.

Then after you cover it with that first round of wet paper, you have to cover it again with a second round of paper, this time with glue on it.

And of course, one layer of goopy glue paper is never enough, so you'll need a couple more layers. But you have to wait twenty-four hours between each layer so it can completely dry. Gross. I just want to start the project and complete it in the same day. Instant satisfaction, s'il vous plaît.

So basically the ball still isn't finished because I haven't gotten around to those last couple layers yet. Covering a three foot balloon takes time. Something which is quickly disappearing. Poof.

Terrifying stuff.

Also, did you know that flour + water = paste?! Crazy! And flour + water + salt = paste that doesn't mold.

You learn new things every day.

So naturally, after my first experience with paper maché since elementary school, I now feel like an expert and deign to pass on my vast wealth of knowledge to the masses.

So here it goes...

The Essentials of a Paper Maché Project:
- newspaper or phonebook paper clippings
- flour/water mixture (the glue)
- water
- lots of hands
- a bowl or pot to hold the giant balloon in one place
- a Disney Princess towel to catch excess drips from getting on nice new rental carpet
- festive little balloons, to remind you that at least you aren't covering all of them