Kawaii Elephant Paper Squishy

Assembly overview

1. Print both template pages. Choose BOTH color pages OR BOTH coloring pages. Print at 100% / Actual Size, without Fit to Page. Measure every 50 mm square. Use 100-120 gsm paper. Color first. Gather scissors, thin craft glue, clear tape and soft tissue. Cut all 7 pieces on the heavy outer lines; keep every tab.
2. Check all seven pieces. Keep F, mirrored B, W1, W2, W3, EL and ER. Both faces show the elephant from opposite sides. The two broad feet and trunk are part of each body outline. EL and ER are the only separate decorations. Numbers remain on the pieces after cutting.
3. Glue EL flat onto F. Spread a thin layer of glue over the ENTIRE blank back of EL, shown tan in the diagram. Place it on the matching EL oval of F, pink side outward, covering the oval exactly. Press flat. The section shows the pink ear above the glue and body. No fold, hinge or filling is needed.
4. Glue ER flat onto B. Repeat with ER on the matching ER oval of mirrored B. Glue its entire blank back, leave the pink surface outward, and press flat. The small assembled view shows its final position. Let both ears stick before curving the body; keep them clear of the outer seam.
5. Fold tabs; curve the other areas. Fold the 3 / 5 mm F and B tabs inward about 90 degrees along their dashed roots. Keep F tabs on the same side. Curve the wall bodies gently EXCEPT at the N line on W2: form that corner in steps 6-8. Keep the short tab on W1 and the tab-free gap on W2. The dotted JOIN line marks overlap.
6. Locate N on W2 and both faces. N is about 20.00 mm from the plain start of W2 marked 2, measured along its body. The dashed line crosses the full 20 mm wall in the tab-free gap. The matching N marks on F and mirrored B point to the sharp trunk-root corner. This is a shaping line, not a cut or a JOIN.
7. Pre-fold N with the color inside. Fold W2 on N across its full height. Bring the printed sides toward one another to make the open V shown; leave the V open, not pressed flat. The colored faces line the inside of the V. Keep both tab rows inward. Use F to adjust the angle in the next step; do not force a 90-degree corner.
8. Dry-fit the V into the trunk root. With loose F picture up, put the V-shaped W2 corner alongside the N on its edge. The enlarged end view shows W2 following BOTH sides of the notch and touching its tip. Match N to N. Adjust the crease until it sits against the actual contour; do not bridge across the opening. Keep F loose and unglued.
9. Join W1 behind W2. With both printed wall faces outward, glue the 8 mm JOIN of W1 under the plain start of W2. Match the end marked 2 to the start marked 2. The starting edge of W2 meets the dotted line. The enlarged section shows W2 above the glue flap; below is the joined strip.
10. Add W3 at the numbered seam. Keep W1 attached to W2. Glue JOIN of W2 behind the plain start of W3 at 3, again with 8 mm overlap. Align the start to the dotted line. The close-up shows this second joint; W1 remains attached to the left, outside the close-up. You now have W1 + W2 + W3. Leave the final JOIN free.
11. Close the last wall seam. Use loose F as a contour guide. Follow the colored route and numbers in order. At 1, glue the 8 mm JOIN of W3 behind the plain start of W1. W1 sits above the flap, with its edge on the dotted line. Close one complete ring. Keep the F and B tabs inward and both faces loose for now.
12. Glue F on the inward tabs. Match 1, 2, 3. Apply thin glue to the outward surfaces of the F tabs. Place F above them, picture out, with the tabs under its blank back. Press a few tabs at a time while you can reach inside. Keep the ring aligned to the actual contour; leave B off. Match N to N as well.
13. Tape the front and every wall join. Bridge the entire F perimeter onto the wall with short overlapping pieces of clear tape. Use shorter pieces at tight curves. The enlarged outside views show ALL 3 numbered wall joins: center tape across each seam from F edge to B edge, covering the full 20 mm depth. Keep the back open.
14. Tape closely around the N corner. At N on F, use two short overlapping clear-tape pieces, one on each side of the corner. Press each from F onto W2 right into the corner. The enlarged view shows tape following the notch, not bridging its empty opening. If needed, snip only the free tape edge to lay it flat; do not cut the paper. Repeat at B after closing it in step 19.
15. Turn over and dry-fit B. Turn the shell over and fit mirrored B with its printed side outward. Match 1, 2, 3; do not turn it end-for-end. Align the FILL arc with four ! tabs on W3. The drawing shows the open back and the separate matching panel. Do not cut a filling hole through B. Match N to N as well.
16. Leave the marked filling seam. Glue B to the B tabs EXCEPT the four marked !. Leave the continuous 31.1 mm FILL seam between B and the wall unglued and untaped. The dark gap shows the opening. Keep all four tabs accessible; this is one opening, not four holes.
17. Add loose soft filling. Feed small loose tissue pieces through the open seam. Gently guide a little into the broad trunk and feet without packing them tightly. Keep the 20 mm wall relaxed and both faces shallow. Stop before the seams pull or the panels bulge. Keep filling away from the four loose tabs.
18. Close the four remaining tabs. Move tissue away. Apply a little glue to the four ! tabs and tuck them under the blank back of B. Press B down, matching its contour to the wall. The enlarged section shows B above the tabs. Let the seam hold before taping.
19. Tape the entire back perimeter. Use short overlapping clear-tape pieces to bridge B onto the wall all the way around, including the former FILL opening and any intentional tab-free gap. The side section shows tape turning over the edge. Patch gaps where rim tape meets wall-join tape. At N, repeat the close corner taping shown in step 14.
20. Finish and check every seam. Check both full face seams and every wall join. Let the glue dry, then squeeze gently. You have one shallow whole elephant with two flat ears. The broad trunk is part of the body; do not bend it sharply. Lay it on its side for display.