Submitted by Kid@Heart

I thought this was a very cute/somewhat messy idea [perhaps] to use with Charlotte's Web :) Enjoy!

Make a Paper Mache Piggy Bank

You'll need these materials:

• A balloon
• Newspaper
• Masking tape
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 1/2 cup of water
• 4 cups of boiling water
• Pink tempera paint (or any other color you'd like your pig to be)
• Paintbrush
• Masking tape
• A pink pipe cleaner
• A knife (a craft knife will work best)
• A paper egg carton
• Black paint or markers

What to do:
Before you begin, blow up a balloon and then cut a bunch of 1-inch wide strips of newspaper. Put them to the side for later use.

First, you'll make the paper mache body and head.

Step One:
Mix 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water together in a mixing bowl. Stir it well until the mixture is thin.

Step Two:
Stir in 4 cups of boiling water.

Step Three:
Let the mixture simmer for about 3 minutes, then leave it to cool. This will be your glue.

Step Four:
Using the strips of newspaper you've cut, dip each in the flour glue and wrap them around the balloon.

Step Five:
Cover the balloon with about two to three layers of newspaper. Allow each layer to dry well before adding another.

Step Six:
After you've completely covered the balloon with a few layers of paper mache, let it dry for a day or two.

Step Seven:
When it's completely dry, make a tiny opening and pop and remove the balloon from the inside. This will be the body and head of the pig.

Now, make the rest of the body.

Step One:
Separate five sections of the paper egg carton.

Step Two:
Attach one egg carton section for each leg and one for the snout to the body using the masking tape.

Step Three:
Paint your pig. Then allow the paint to dry for several hours.

Step Four:
Make a small hole at the end of the pig for its tail.

Step Five:
Shape the pipe cleaner into a spiral and insert it into the hole.

Step Six:
Take a marker or some black paint and give your pig eyes.

Step Seven:
Cut a slot at the top of the body where you can drop your money.

Submitted by Artjam

Lint clay is one of those marvels of modern ingenuity. We all produce lint when we dry our clothes, and it's galling to throw it away - after all, it's from clothing for which we paid good money! Why not stockpile your lint and preserve your investment?

Recipe #1

Supplies:

• 1 1/2 C lint from the dryer
• 1 C water
• 1/2 C regular flour
• 2 drops wintergreen mint flavoring
• Newspaper

Making and using it:

• Place lint in a saucepan and cover it with the water. When the lint is saturated, add the flour and stir until the mixture is smooth.
• Add the flavoring. (This is to help it smell better - for God's sake, don't try eating this mess!)
• Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it forms peaks and holds together.
• Pour it onto the newspaper to cool.
• Shape and model figures, or cover a form with it, such as a balloon, armature, etc.
• Allow to dry for 3 - 5 days, then paint and decorate as required.
• Stand back and wait to be contacted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Recipe #2

Supplies:

• 2 cups firmly packed dryer lint
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 6 tablespoons white glue
• 1 tablespoon clear dishwashing liquid
• Food coloring

Making and using it:

• Put lint into a mixing bowl.
• Add the other ingredients.
• Mix thoroughly. When you can no longer mix, knead with hands until of a uniform texture.
• Shape and model figures or cover an armature with it, as above.