Make Your Own Art Supplies

Materials:

• 2 cups dry plaster
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup cold water
• Empty toilet paper tube
• Water-based paint
• Plastic mixing container and stir stick
• Wax paper or plastic sheet

Instructions:

1. Mix together water, paint, and plaster. Stir so there are no lumps, and plaster is the consistency of cake batter.
2. Working quickly, before the plaster sets, stand toilet paper tube on plastic or wax paper.
3. Pour plaster into tube to top.
4. Let the mixture dry completely.

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup water
• Mixing bowl and spoon
• Plastic wrap

1. Put all ingredients into mixing bowl.
2. Stir together well.
3. Sprinkle flour on counter, and knead clay like dough. Add extra flour until mixture is no longer sticky.
4. Wrap clay in plastic wrap if you are not going to use it immediately.
5. When you have completed a sculpture and are ready for it to harden, simply leave it out overnight in the open air.

• 1 package gelatin
• Peppermint oil (optional)
• 1/2 cup hot water
• Small bowl
• Magazine
• Scissors
• Paintbrush

1. Pour hot water into bowl. Sprinkle gelatin on top of the water.
2. Let gelatin dissolve. If there are still lumps, you can heat it for a few seconds in microwave. Do not overheat!
3. For taste, put one or two drops of peppermint oil into gelatin mixture (optional).
4. Cut out pictures or shapes that you want to make into stickers.
5. Paint a thin coat of the gelatin mixture onto the backs of the pictures you have selected.
6. Let dry. You can store these and save them to use in the future.
7. Simply lick the backs of your new stickers to stick.

• Broken crayons
• Cupcake or cookie pan, or candy mold
• Shortening (if needed)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Spray pan or molds with nonstick spray, or grease lightly with shortening.
3. Put different color crayons or crayon bits into molds.
4. Place pan or mold in oven.
5. Remove from oven in 15 minutes, or until crayons are melted.
6. Let cool.
7. Turn tin or mold upside down and tap on bottom. Rainbow crayons should pop out easily.

• Salt
• Food coloring
• Wax paper
• Small zipper bags

Instructions:

1. For each color, measure out 1/2 cup salt.
2. Add 4 to 6 drops of food coloring, and mix well, so the salt is covered evenly.
3. Spread evenly onto wax paper. Let dry.
4. To protect your glitter from moisture, store in zipper bags.
5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 for each color of glitter desired.

• Newspaper
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Mixing bowl
• Cooking spray or shortening
• Ceramic or plastic bowl (for mold)

1. Tear about ten newspaper sheets into strips, 1- to 2-inches wide and 6-inches long. Set aside.
2. In mixing bowl, mix flour and water together well.
3. Turn the bowl you have chosen upside down. Grease with cooking spray or shortening.
4. One at a time, dip the strips of paper in the flour mixture. Squeeze between two fingers to get rid of the excess. Drape strips over the bowl.
5. Cover the bowl in crisscrossing strips. Add a second layer for strength.
6. Let the covering dry completely.
7. When dry, pop your papier-mache bowl off the mold.

• Soft sponge
• Scrubby sponge
• Cardboard
• Masking tape
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Paint tray