Here are my DIY tips for creating the papier mache planets. This is a great craft to do with your kids. Keep in mind that this is a labor-intensive DIY project but so much fun!

Step 1: Gather Balloons

I gathered an assortment of round balloons

Step 2: Create Papier Mache Mixture

I then created my papier mache mixture by mixing flour and water. This is your "glue". Should be the consistency of pancake batter...you could probably add some eggs and milk, hmm, and some chocolate chips...ok...I digress. You get the point.

Step 3: Start Applying

I applied three layers of strips to each balloon, allowing each layer to dry in between. You don't want to be so neat and smooth with the layering. Remember, planets are textured, I think, either way, they're more interesting that way.

Step 4: Drying Process

On a damp day, placing the planets in front of the oven door helped speed up the drying process. Temperature around 200°

The balloons will shrivel up...and die, I mean dry. No point in trying to remove them.

Step 5: Base Coat

Once dry, I painted each planet with a coat of white primer before applying the color. Then let them dry again. Resting the planets on flower pots helps keep them stable.

Step 6: Start Painting!

I use acrylic paints. The colors are easy to mix and they clean up easily with water.

This image shows the first layer of color. Let each dry before your second coat. At this point, I added hooks made out of a piece of wire. Almost like an upside down "T" with a loop. insert into the hollow planet so the top of the "T" sits within each side of the hole.

Step 7: I'm Ready for My Closeup

A closeup of Neptune and Venus.

With two coats of base color, sponge on a second darker or lighter color to bring out the texture. This works best when the planet is not fully dry. Have fun, you can't really make any mistakes here.

Spray a gloss coat on to give the planets some shine and protection.