Dear Holly, 
   If you go to the library to get books, which i recommend, watch the 
spelling.  The more recent card files insist on exact spelling. 
   I have done an extensive amt of papier Mache' and even taken some 
awards in it.  I too am concerned about insect incursions, since mine 
are usually displayed out doors.  Ants [love sweets] are my main 
problem.  My solution is to include a pinch of insecticide [like sevin] 
in my paste. 
    For years i made my own paste [yes you must have it and  glue gets 
out of hand expensive, since you need a lot of it] from the same 
wallpaper paste that my mom used:  1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 
combine.  place in quart jar with cup of cold water and shake, add more 
water as you can.  When the jar is full, pour into a large pan and 
continue to add cold water until it is the thickness of half and half. 
cook over medium heat [be ready with more water when it gets to thick] 
sturing frequently, until it has boiled 5 minutes, it will turn 
translucent.  Remove from fire and cool.    Now that you have all that, 
i will tell yu what i use now and why.  The mixture will, in time sour 
or mold.  Keeping it in the refrigerator helps but sometime down the 
line it happens.    What i use now is wall paper paste that i buy by the 
gallon at home depo.  It is more expensive but doesn't need to be 
refrigerated and keeps much longer. 
    OK, now for the paper part.  I would recommend that you go to the 
office  of your local newspaper and ask for an unprinted 'end roll'. 
This saves fighting with the printers ink [nasty stuff when you have 
soaked it off the paper.  If you are going to use your blender or 
strips, you are now in business.  If you are going to use actual 'mash' 
like i do, you will need another lesson.   Let me know. 
     Shalom,  the Lily Lady 
 
 
     
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