How to Make a Papier Mâché Vase

Co-authored by Amy Guerrero

Last Updated: March 23, 2023

A papier mâché vase can be a fun rainy day craft or a unique gift idea for someone special. While papier mâché is somewhat time consuming because of the drying times involved, the process is quite easy. You will need some basic craft materials and then you can start making your papier mâché vase.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Creating the Vase

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1
Gather your materials. Making a vase from paper is easier than it might seem and since it requires some common household items, you might already have most of the items you need. Before you get started, you will need:^{[1]
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- One large balloon
- White glue (poured into a bowl or onto a plate)
- One toilet paper tube (cut in half)
- Newspaper
- White tissue paper
- One large paintbrush
- Acrylic paint (in the colors of your choice)
- Some embellishments, such as decorative rope, ribbon, or beads
Papier mâché can get very messy, so you will want to cover the table that you will be working on. You can use some newspaper, or you can use a plastic tablecloth. You might also consider wearing an old shirt or an apron to protect your clothing.

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3
Tear the newspaper and tissue paper into strips and squares. It is a good idea to tear the newspaper and tissue paper into different size shapes because that will help you cover the curves of your vase. Don't cut the paper; tearing it will help it stick together better.
- Make the squares up to three inches (7.62 centimeters) on each side.
- Make the strips one inch wide (2.54 centimeters) and several inches long. Try making some shorter ones and some longer ones.
4
Blow up your balloon. You will need to inflate the balloon, but not all the way. Blow it up until it is about the size that you want for your vase, but make sure that there is enough slack to push the center of the balloon in on itself.^{[2]
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- Tie the end of the balloon in a knot when you are finished.
- Do not overinflate the balloon! It should be slightly underinflated.
5
Tuck the balloon knot into the center. Next, take the knot of your balloon and cut off the band around the end (the area above the knot). Set the band aside, but do not discard it! Then, take the knot of the balloon and push it through the center of your balloon to create a doughnut shape.^{[3]
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- Hold onto the knot. Then, take the balloon band that you set aside and use it to secure the balloon knot. Tie the band around the knot a few times until it is tight. The doughnut shape should hold after you release the knot.
- If there is too much air in the balloon, then this will not work. If the balloon pops or it will not stay in the doughnut shape, then get another balloon and start over.
6
Stick newspaper onto the balloon with glue. Take your paintbrush and begin painting white glue onto a small area of the balloon. Then, press a piece of newspaper onto this area and paint more glue over the newspaper.^{[4]
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- Continue painting glue onto the balloon and covering the spots with newspaper and more glue until you have covered the entire balloon.
- Add another layer of newspaper and glue after you finish adding the first layer.
7
Apply the toilet paper tube. As you get closer to the area of the balloon where you tied the band around the knot, you will need to apply the toilet paper tube. Take the toilet paper tub and place it over the knot. Then, apply glue to the base of the tube and to the tube itself. Layer pieces of newspaper over the tube and then paint more glue over the newspaper.^{[5]
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- Make sure that you cover the rim of the tube with newspaper and glue as well.
- Add another layer of glue, newspaper, and more glue after you finish with the first layer.
- After you have finished the second layer, let the glue dry completely before you do anything else.

Part 2

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Finishing the Vase

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1
Glue tissue paper over the newspaper. Adding a layer of tissue paper over the newspaper will create a more uniform color and this will make it easier for you to decorate your vase the way that you want. After the last layer of glue has dried, apply some more glue over the newspaper. Then, place a piece of tissue paper over the glue and apply more glue over the tissue paper.^{[6]
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- Continue to layer glue, tissue paper, and more glue over the entire balloon and the toilet paper tube.
- Add another layer of tissue paper after you finish the first layer.
- Let the glue dry completely before you do anything else.
2
Apply another layer of glue. After the last layer of glue you applied has dried, use your paintbrush to apply another layer of glue to the entire vase. Then, set the vase aside and allow this layer of glue to dry. This layer of glue will help to ensure that the vase is strong.^{[7]
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- You can pop the balloon inside your vase when the last layer of glue is completely dry.^{[8]
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3
Paint over the tissue paper after the glue dries. When the glue is dry, you can begin to paint your vase. You can paint it any color (or colors) you like, but you may want to start with a base and then embellish after the first layer of paint has dried.^{[9]
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- For example, you could paint your vase black and then embellish it with some red designs after the black paint has dried.
- You can also use stencils, sponges, or other techniques to create a unique design on your vase.
4
Add embellishments if desired. After the paint has dried, you can also add embellishments to your vase. For example, you can glue some ribbon or decorative rope to the neck of the vase, or add some beads, sequins, or glitter the base.^{[10]
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- After you have applied your embellishments, let the glue dry and your vase will be ready to use or give as a gift!

Community Q&A

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Question

Can you make a vase without using a balloon?

Community Answer

Yes. However, you will still need something to provide the structure for your vase. For example, you could use a tall, narrow cardboard box, an old vase that you don't mind covering in paper mâché, or an empty plastic water bottle. Balloons are just nice because you can pop them and remove them after the paper mâché dries.

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Question

Could you use paper instead of tissue paper?

Community Answer

Yes; use the thinnest paper you have. You may need to tear it into small pieces to get it to adhere to the form.

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What if the balloon pops when making papier mache?

Community Answer

Make sure you do not inflate it all the way so less pressure will be on the balloon. While is doesn't 100% take away the chance it will pop, having extra air in the balloon will help it have more give so it's less likely to pop while putting the paper mache on.

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