Minking mad heads

It was mad head day at the primary school today. Paper mache modeling with kitchen towel and wallpaper paste. I had told the teacher that this was a mess free technique, God forgive me. The kids were coated, as were the tables, the loo floor, the mirrors, the classroom floor, me....need I go on? Teach was pretty cool about it all, declaring the day a success. I was less sure.

The first weird thing happened when I showed the kids this one I made earlier. It's Tommy they declared. Then Tommy came in, stopped in his tracks and announced it to be a representation of him. Poor child, it was. Tommy was not know to me until that moment so I can only assume I am channeling some famous sculptor. I've long suspected it.

The fungal free cellulose paste was a Pig with a capital P. It refused to mix in anything like a uniform fashion. I'll take my hand whisk next time. Also, the largest tub my supplier could come up with was not enough so I'll have to send for more and pay extra carriage charges which is a pig with a small p.

Listening to the children talking as they worked was so funny. Well seen what telly they watch when one little guy declared it to be just like plastic surgery. Wonder if he'll get as far as the implants? Another child declared ' This is minking - it wid gie yi the jandees!' Translation: the viscosity of this paste is making me feel nauseous.

I had intended taking in some pictures of tribal carvings but didn't get around to it. None the less a kind of tribal feel is emerging, wouldn't you say?

This is week five of an eight week project and I'm starting to form a relationship with the kids, even the naughty ones. I will miss them when it's time to go.

Next week the schools are on holiday but the week after we'll be finishing our mad heads and moving onto the polystyrene cows. The bottle dogs I'm keeping up my sleeve for the last two weeks. Is that something you can be reported to the RSPCA for?

Before I allowed them to start their mad heads I made them string their Bender puppets. You'll have to do it for me, I can't tie a knot was the cry. I took the time to show them how to tie a knot and the satisfied sighs from the kids when they finally accomplished it was just great. Sad though, at age 11, this is the level of craft tuition they need. Velcro has a lot ot answer for.