The Queen of Hearts Paper Mache

The world’s biggest street party takes place once a year in Rio de Janeiro. Come February/ March, Brazilians bedazzle themselves from head to toe and samba through the streets during Carnivale. Alongst all the glitz, glam and garish, are the floats. These are the platforms for the dancers, decorated with huge paper mache works of art.

This years Carnivale has been and gone. However, for a taste of something similar, for Sydneysiders there are a few festive parades on the horizon.

March 2, 2013: The 35th Sydney’s Mardi Gras Festival.

May 17^th, 2013: Port Douglas Carnivale

Last year I bravely attempted my first grand-scale paper mache project for my daughter’s “Alice in Wonderland” Birthday party. I made a huge 5 foot Queen of hearts.

Not quite a Carnivale masterpiece, but impressive enough for a little girl’s party!

The original post, including other Alice in Wonderland Party decoration ideas can be found here:

Alice in Wonderland Party

The Owl and the Pussycat

It seems that Paula Abdul got it right when she sang that opposites attract. It’s evident everywhere you look…Ying goes with Yang, peanut butter goes with honey and Bella goes with Edward.

 In 1867, Edward Lear penned a poem about a very odd set of intimate companions: The Owl and the Pussycat. These two fell in love, they sailed away for a year and a day in a beautiful pea green boat to the land where the bong tree grows. Upon landing, they swiftly married and spent their honey moon dining on mince and slices of quince, which they ate with a runcible spoon, as they danced by the light of the moon, the moon, they danced by the light of the moon.

How to make an Owl and Pussy-cat in a Pea-Green Boat

Boat made with cardboard then newspaper paper mache and painted green.

Drew a content looking pair and glued into boat. Sails made with brown paper.

Added to the boat a five pound note and a wealth of chocolates.

I made this gift boat for my daughters teacher who started a ukelele club for the kids in her class and taught them The Owl and the Pussycat on the ukelele. Long reign Miss K!

The Owl & the Pussy Cat by Edward Lear

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea

   In a beautiful pea-green boat,

They took some honey, and plenty of money,

   Wrapped up in a five-pound note.

The Owl looked up to the stars above,

   And sang to a small guitar,

“O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love,

    What a beautiful Pussy you are,

         You are,

         You are!

What a beautiful Pussy you are!”

Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl!

   How charmingly sweet you sing!

O let us be married! too long we have tarried:

   But what shall we do for a ring?”

They sailed away, for a year and a day,

   To the land where the Bong-Tree grows

And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood

   With a ring at the end of his nose,

             His nose,

             His nose,

   With a ring at the end of his nose.

“Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling

   Your ring?” Said the Piggy, “I will.”

So they took it away, and were married next day

   By the Turkey who lives on the hill.

They dined on mince, and slices of quince,

   Which they ate with a runcible spoon;

And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,

   They danced by the light of the moon,

             The moon,

             The moon,

They danced by the light of the moon.

The Owl & the Pussy Cat by Edward Lear