Creative Karen

Yesterday was a friend's birthday. A friend that is a guy. So I agonised (ok, agonised is a bit strong of a word) over what to get him. About a month ago we somehow had a half hour conversation about hoovering (vacuuming for those American readers) and how rubbish his hoover was. He really wanted a Dyson. As his birthday was coming up, I suggested he should ask for money towards a Dyson from his friends and family. He poo-pooed the idea, saying his family didn't really "do" birthdays.
I'm obviously not going to go out and spend £160 ($300) on a birthday present for a friend - if I had that money I would, but I don't have that kind of spare cash. So what's a gal to do. Perfect fun present - get his a miniature Dyson (kid's toy kind of thing), couldn't find one. So back to the drawing board of what to get said friend for a birthday present. Monday we were having a conversation by text message and made an off handed sarcastic remark about paper mache'-ing (we were trying to decided what to do on his birthday). Light bulb moment for Karen - tie the 2 random conversations together (wanting a Dyson and paper mache'-ing) and vwa-la - the perfect fun present ... a paper mache'd Dyson.
I forgot to get pictures of the boxes that I taped together before painting, so you'll have to use your imagination. This is made up of a toothpaste box, a toilet paper cylinder thing, and a couple other random toiletry boxes. Then paper mache'd with glue and an old magazine (very rushed process as it was after midnight on Monday night).

Paint drying on Tuesday after work (I had to paint the bits that were going to be yellow, white first as the paper showed through the yellow but not the white - go figure.)

A handle and yellow paint added Tuesday evening

Paint job completed late Tuesday night

Details added Wednesday morning. The finished product:

Completed with electrical cord!

I showed my impressive work of art to one of the art teachers here. She said it was good enough to pass for a year 8 student (9th grade) :-)