Things You'll Need
Measuring tape
Scissors
3-by-4 inch high-density urethane foam block
3 1/2-by-5-inch faux suede marble pouch
Flour
Pot
Small bowl
1-by-3-inch newspaper strips (multiple)
1-by-3-inch paper towel strips (multiple)
Thread (length will vary)
Acrylic paint
Paint brush
1/4-by-8-inch wooden dowel rod
80-grit sandpaper
Permanent epoxy
Making a cocoon craft is a creative way to express a passion for wildlife, and can also present positive artistic challenges to children and art students. Real-life cocoons are the enclosures that moths use to undergo metamorphosis -- the transformation into a butterfly. Employing paper mache technique to make your own cocoon allows you to mimic this structure while decorating it with paint in a creative way. Your final piece makes an excellent contribution to an art or environmental studies class, or as a decorative model in the home.
Step 1
Cut out a 3-by-4 inch high-density urethane foam block with a pair of scissors. Insert the block into a 3 1/2-by-5-inch faux suede marble pouch. Pull the pouch strings taught until the pocket remains 1/2-inch open. Trim away excess pouch string. The foam prevents the bag from collapsing during later steps.
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Step 2
Boil 1 cup water and 1 cup flour in a pot for three minutes to make a paper mache mix. Allow the mix to cool, and then pour it into a small bowl.
Step 3
Soak a 1-by-3-inch newspaper strip into the mix. Press the strip into the body of the bag. Continue until the entire surface of the bag is covered in newspaper. Avoid covering the 1/2-inch pocket opening.
Step 4
Soak a 1-by-3-inch paper towel strip into the mix. Press the strip into the body of the bag. Continue until the entire surface of the bag covered in paper towel; avoid covering the 1/2-inch pocket opening. Wrap the entire surface area of the bag with thread while the craft remains wet. Allow the craft three hours to dry.
Step 5
Coat the bag with acrylic paint. Allow two hours for the bag to dry. Move on to the next step while the bag is drying.
Step 6
Sand a 1/4-by-8-inch wooden dowel rod with 80 grit paper. Coat the bag with dark brown paint to resemble a tree branch. Allow two hours for the craft to dry. Bond one side of the pocket lip on the bag to the faux branch with permanent epoxy to complete your craft.
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