How to Build a Snowman for a Parade Float

Recycling old newspapers into papier-mâché is an inexpensive and practical way to build a snowman for a parade float. The finished product will be a lightweight snowman secured to a wood base. The size of the wood base will depend on the size of snowman you are building. A larger snowman will require a larger base.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 3 inflatable beach balls or balloons 2 cups water 1 cup flour Newspaper Paper towels Scissors Bowl Coffee can Black tissue paper White acrylic paint Paint brush Wood base Silver glitter Hot glue gun

1. 
    

   Cut newspaper and paper towels into narrow strips.

2. 
    

   Mix the flour and water in a bowl to make flour glue.

3. 
    

   Inflate three round balls of graduating sizes. These might be round balloons, or inexpensive beach balls. One ball should be for the snowman's head, and the other two should be for the upper and lower body.

4. 
    

   Dip a strip of newspaper into the flour glue and remove excess liquid.

5. 
    

   Lay the strip of newspaper onto one ball, and press down. Continue adding strips, applying in a weave or crisscross pattern. Completely cover the ball. Give it two more coats of the papier-mâché. Allow to dry between each coat of papier-mâché.

6. Cover the other two balls in the same way you covered the first in Steps 5 and 6. Allow all to dry.

7. Wrap a coffee can in plastic wrap. Make a stovepipe hat by applying papier-mâché over the can. Leave one end open. On the end that is open, build up the papier-mâché to make a hat brim. Apply a second and then a third coat. Allow it to dry between layers. When the final layer is dry, slip the can from the paper hat.

8. Glue the largest ball onto the wood base. After the glue dries, glue the middle sized ball onto the largest ball. After the glue dries, glue the head onto the middle ball. After the glue dries, glue the hat to the head. Allow it to dry before moving on to the next step. Use a hot glue gun for this step.

9. Put papier-mâché over the entire snowman, including the hat and wood base, using the paper towel strips instead of the newspaper. Allow to dry, and give two more coats. This process will help seal the balls together.

10. Color the hat by covering with strips of black tissue paper. Wet the tissue paper in the flour glue. Be careful not to get the black ink from the tissue paper onto the snowman.

11. Paint the snowman white, using acrylic paint. Sprinkle with a bit of silver glitter for sparkle.

12. Paint on features, such as the eyes and mouth.

Tips & Warnings

• Another option is to papier-mâché over an inflated snowman holiday decoration. Do not cover the bottom of the snowman with papier-mâché, and when the final layer is dried, deflate and remove the vinyl snowman from the opening.