Moldy papier mache!?!

Who would've thought that papier mache could go moldy?!?! Not I that's for sure! Our papier mache experience was so much fun and the kids really enjoyed making it. But... they were not the ones that had to pop the balloons and release the moldy and stinky air.

On Monday morning I got to school in a nice top and cute skirt. I had not planned on the balloons exploding goopy mold onto me or else I would have worn something else and put a cute apron (thanks to my mom) over the outfit. Needless to say I wasn't prepared. I collected all of the kids papier mache which were still in their plastic bowls to provide stability while drying. The first few balloons went great. I peeled them out of the bowl, popped the balloon, and moved on. On about my 4th or 5th bowl I peeled the balloon out of the bowl and smelled something TERRIBLE. I thought it was my air conditioner or something but not the papier mache! Once I popped the balloon this goop splattered onto me. And then... the smell became over bearing! It was NASTY! I looked into the bowl and it had cream goopy liquid still not dry from the papier mache and green mold growing in the bowl! Then I looked inside the hole of the papier mache and saw it was still a little wet with green mold spots too! DIS-GUST-ING! I still had about 10 more balloons to pop and was not looking forward to this. For some reason... I didn't think any of the other ones would be bad so I still didn't put on an apron to prevent further splatter. Well low and behold, I was wrong. I'd say about 9 out of the remaining 10 were moldy and left some amount of liquid on my clean clothes that have to be dry cleaned.

Once I was done popping all of them I thought to myself...gross.... now I have to clean out all of these bowls!!! I told my parent who provided the bowls what had happened and she found it to be hysterical. She insisted on taking the bowls home with her and washing them which took the smell out of my room! Phew!!

We painted our pumpkins orange on Monday and a second coat on Tuesday and then on Wednesday we painted silver faces on them. I made two holes, one on each side, and then put string through it for them to carry their goodies home in. Here are the finished products.... lumpy, dented, and everything in between! And don't worry, I ended up wiping out each inside of the pumpkins to kill the mold as much as possible:)

Making the pumpkins! This was the beginning... it got very ooey, gooey, and fun!

This one resembles a helmet more than a pumpkin... like I said - this was all them - no help from me:)
Hers turned out much better:)