Decorated Paper Mache Letters

Hey there! Let's bust out our crafty side again this week. I have a great DIY project you will want to try. This project is extremely easy and you can do so many different things with it. Here, take a peek at what I did in my little girl's nursery. Talk about a great wall of ABCs, huh? Let me show you how to do the same thing.

Keep in mind, once you know how to make these letters, you can do whatever you'd like. You can get letters and put your child's name above their bed or make the alphabet like I did. You could even do something completely different- like add gems or glitter. The idea here is to show you how to get started and what you need to do to decorate the letters, and then you can let your imagination run wild.

Supplies:

• Paper Mache Letters {use your craft store coupons to get a deal!}
• Foam Brushes for painting and gluing
• Paint - in your selected color (I used gray, coral, and seafoam green)
• Scrapbook Paper (1 sheet per letter)
• Pencil
• X-acto Knife
• Scissors
• Scrapbook Glue
• Poster Putty/Mounting Putty

Here's What To Do:

1. Take the unpainted paper mache letters and trace them onto your craft paper. Make sure that you trace it facedown on the back of the scrapbook paper so once it is cut out it will lay properly on top of the paper mache letter. 
2. Cut out the traced letter with scissors or the X-acto knife, and set aside for later. I found that using the X-acto knife was much easier.
3. Take your paper mache letters and set them on newspaper or cardboard and paint the sides of the letters. You don't need to paint the back of the letters because you won't see the back once it's on the wall and you don't need to paint the front of the letters because they will be covered up by the scrapbook paper. Make sure to paint the edges well too.
4. Once the paint is dry, apply another coat of paint if needed.
5. After the paint has dried completely, find the scrapbook paper letter you cut out and set aside. You will want the letter quickly available after applying the glue. Use one of the foam brushes to apply the scrapbook glue to the front of one of your letters. The glue dries quickly so work on only one letter at a time. I suggest putting the glue on the paper mache letter and using the foam brush to evenly spread it around. 
6. Once the glue is on the letter, place the scrapbook paper letter on top and gently rub it onto the paper mache letter to ensure that it is stuck together. Set aside to let it dry.
7. Complete steps 5 and 6 until all paper mache letters have a scrapbook paper letter glued to the front.
8. Once everything is dry you are ready to put them on the wall. I used poster putty/mounting putty. All you need to do is put a small amount on the back of the paper mache letters and stick the letters on the wall. 

I chose to use poster putty/mounting putty because the paper mache letters are very lightweight, so they can be held up easily without having to nail them to the wall. However, you can add string, ribbons, etc. to the back if you want a different kind of look.

Here is how our nursery turned out. I just love how the staggered look of the letters bring a unique feel to the room. 

Ps- I'll be posting a DIY soon on how to do those hanging fabric balls. Stay tuned. 

Have fun! I can't wait to hear about what you've done. Please let me know if you have any questions.

xoxo

Nicole