Most of you probably already know about this, but for those that don't, here's a little trick. First, and foremost, this construction is NOT FIRE RETARDANT! It scares the living daylights out of me most of the time, but it is so cheap, and with no budget, it is our only alternative. We start with rolls of paper, a heavy type of construction paper that was donated to us by a local paper mill. It's 36" wide, so it spreads quickly. We then mix a batch of wallpaper paste, glue two sheets together, and let that dry. It will be stiff when it's done. For really neat stuff, we fold two sheets together, say for a corner for a wall or post, then glue the sheets together by spreading the glue all over the mating surfaces; the glue makes a sandwich of the paper. It is very easy to form different shapes, such as arches, columns, posts, etc., and when it dries, it retains its shape. I suppose if you glued enough together and put enough bends in it, you could make it all freestanding, although we have never tried it. What is really nice is that paint application is a breeze, and if necessary, it can be applied on the floor, glued together, and then put into place. That's how we did most of the bricks for A Christmas Carol.

-- From Patrick Flanagan