The Martha Stewart Show

Piggy Bank

The Martha Stewart Show

Martha and Dylan Ratigan make a cute papier mache piggy bank.

Piggy Bank

Save up your dough with this bottle-fashioned piggy bank.

Tools and Materials
2-liter plastic bottle
Egg carton
Masking tape
Ear template
Flour
Water
Bowl
Whisk
Newspaper torn into strips
Electric fan (optional)
Sanding block or sandpaper
Craft glue
White acrylic paint
Black construction paper (optional)
Craft knife

Piggy Bank How-To
1. Wash and dry a 2-liter bottle. Once completely dry, place cap back on.

2. Crumple a piece of newspaper, and use multiple pieces of masking tape to attach the newspaper to the bottom of the bottle. Round out the crumpled newspaper as you tape to create the pig's bottom.

3. Cut out four cups from an egg carton, and shape them into a curve to fit the bottle. Attach cups to bottle with masking tape to create the legs. Check the balance of the pig, and re-tape if necessary.

4. Trace ear templates onto the top part of an egg carton, and cut out. Tape ears to top of bottle.

5. For the tail, twist a strip of newspaper and wrap with tape. Tape the tail to the back end of the pig.

6. Whisk to combine one part flour with one part water until all the lumps have disappeared. Dip a strip of newspaper into the mixture. Squeeze excess paste off with fingers to minimize dripping. Lay the strip on the bottle, and smooth with fingers. Repeat to cover the entire pig at least twice. Let dry overnight. (A fan will speed the drying process.)

7. For a super strong pig, add two to three more layers of paper strips, and let dry overnight again.

8. Sand pig with a sanding block to smooth out any bumps, ridges, or excess paste.

9. For the final layer, create a mixture of 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup craft glue, and 1 tablespoon white acrylic paint. Select and tear pieces of newspaper that only have small words. Dip pieces in glue mixture, and smooth on over entire pig.

10. If you would like a spotted pig, rip black construction paper in desired spot shapes, and glue to pig with plain craft glue.

11. Cut an opening in the top of the pig with a craft knife, and start saving.

Resources
Almost all the materials in this craft are recycled items from around the home; all other tools and materials are available at craft stores.

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The Martha Stewart Show

Piggy Bank

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