OPERATION PAPER MACHE

Oh did I mention that there will be two insane kids, both under the age of 3, running around while I try and do this?  And no, naps do not happen at the same time, sometimes not at all.  I am attempting to create something out of all the cardboard boxes laying around my new home like lazy cats on a hot summer day.  And this summer is HOT.  

Since its Maddy's birthday soon, I thought I'd try and make something for her.  She's proving herself to be quite a little girly-girl, so I thought I'd make her a cradle for all her little dudes.  Not dollies, she calls them 'her dooooooods'.  And so, OPERATION PAPER MACHE begins!  

I started out by finding the sturdiest box we had, and reinforcing the bottom and sides with more cardboard.  I made a paste (5 parts water to 1 part flour, boiled and cooled) and glued and then wired the extra cardboard on.  Maddy and Charlie 'helped' me with this part.  Charlie took away all the pieces that fell as I cut and Madeline threw dudes in the cradle as I tried to glue.  

Next we played the 'paper game'.  The kids are familiar with this game from past projects.  I put out a stack of newspaper, we rip it up.  I set up shop outside with my bowl of nasty glue (it looked like oatmeal, and I have a whole bunch left in the fridge with a note on it that states that it is NOT oatmeal) and the cardboard cradle-to-be.  I filled up the kiddie pool and plopped the kids in.  Operation Paper Mache continued!

I got pretty far, I got the whole outside covered with a layer or two.  Special thanks to free paper people, there were lots of zombie pictures and articles on bands.  And lots of cursing.  It was very entertaining to read the little scraps of paper I glued on over and and over.  Tomorrow, we start again!