Reviving Ginger

Before: Ginger in pieces

I got to serve as a missionary in West Virginia for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for a year and a half in 2002-2003. While I was there, I fell in love with the quirky little cement goose porch decorations that the locals put so much time and money into. They stood about three feet in height and had many different outfits that would be changed for the season. I got a kick out of them. When my time as a missionary was nearly over, one of my closest West Virginian friends gave me a little mini-cement goose to remember them by. I named her Ginger and have dragged her to every place I have lived since then.

Unfortunately, I am not the only one who loves Ginger. Mason gave her so much love and affection that she broke into pieces last Summer. I thought she was history but my good husband suggested I save her pieces to see if I could fix her one day. Well, nearly a year later, that day has come! I decided that the holidays were too lonely without her on our porch to celebrate. With some gorilla glue, paper mache mulch (more reason for me to love this stuff) and a little paint, she was back and better than ever! Hot dog!!!

After the Gorilla glue

After sanding down the excess glue, I used the paper mache to fill in the cracks and build in places that were totally destroyed. The beak, for example, had a huge piece missing at the front.

Here she is in all of her glory! Sanded down, painted and sprayed with a finish to protect her better in the future.

I was thrilled to see how easy it was to mend an otherwise lost statue. Paper mache truly is a wonderful, wonderful thing!