This Katamari ball Christmas tree topper is fun alternative to an angel or star, and looks great with katamari Cousin tree decorations! Plus paper mache is messy and fun! :D

This instructable is a Christmas two-parter with these Katamari Cousin Christmas Tree Decorations

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Step 1: You Will Need:

a) Hollow Polystyrene ball. I used one 16cm in diameter
b) Polystyrene cone. I used one 12cm long
c) Thin card. I used a cereal box
d) Scissors
e) Pen
f) Tape
g) Newspaper
h) Flour
i) Mixing bowl
j) Spoon
k) Ric rac or ribbon
l) sharp scissors
m) Superglue

You may also find a scalpel or craft knife useful

Step 2: Making the Cones

1) The Hollow polystyrene ball i used came in two parts so i started by taping it together

2) Mark a circle on the bottom of the ball. I drew round a lip balm lid :)

3) Cut the circle out using sharp scissors or a craft knife

To make the little cones:
4) Wrap some scrap paper around your polystyrene cone

5) Tape and slide off cone

6) Cut down to size. Mine are 4cm long

7) Cut down the middle and fold out flat, this is your template

8) Draw around your template onto card 9 times

9) Cut out all the card pieces. Tip: if you leave a flap on one end you will end up with a neater curve to the cone.

10) Curl each one around, line up the pen marks and tape together

Step 3: Attatch the Cones to the Ball

11) Start by taping one cone to the upper pole of the ball.

12) Evenly space 4 more cones around it.

13) Flip the ball over and place 4 more cones, in-between the last ones you taped on, onto the lower half of the ball.

Step 4: Paper Mache!

Right here's the fun part! Put some newspaper down to stop your workspace getting too messy

14) Pour some flour into your mixing bowl, and add water a little at a time...

15) .... And mix, keep adding water until you get a runny porridge-y consistency

16) Rip up newspaper into strips

17) Start by papering over the card cones you made. Dip strips of newspaper in the glue mix and put them on the open end of the cone. Fold the edges down.

18) Take another strip and run it around the cone, trapping in the folded down edges from the strips you put across the top.

19) Place your Katamari ball on a stand until its dry. I made this stand out of a jar filled with water to give it weight, and taped the polystyrene cone i used at the beginning of the instructable onto it.

20) Paper the whole ball. Leave the bottom open.

21) leave to dry, i put mine next to a radiator because i'm impatient :)

22) Once it's dry cover the hole in the bottom by placing thin strips of paper all around the hole and tucking the ends inside. Give it a couple of layers all the way round.

leave this to dry again, preferably overnight

Step 5: Paint!

I painted my Katamari ball using a spray gun and cellulose paint. Not everyone has access to this kind of stuff - canned spray paint or poster paint would work just as well. I chose to paint mine two shades of green, this is how i did it.

23) Time to paint your Katamari ball. i gave mine a layer or pale lime green all over first

24) Masked off main body and painted the ends of the cones emerald green.

25) I then gave the whole thing a layer of lacquer with gold flake in it for a bit of sparkle. With hindsight I think it would look awesome painted with PVA glue and sprinkled with glitter :)

Step 6: Finishing Touches

26) Put a blob of superglue where the paint changes colour, stick end of ribbon on.

27) Put little blobs of glue all the way round until you get back to the beginning. Neatly trim the end off

28) Repeat on all 9 cones.

That's it! Now make some Katamari Cousin Christmas Tree Decorations to go with it :)

A new instructable every week on www.alittlestranger.com