Start making homemade paper

....back in August….I got a paper making kit. Shame…shame on me…because I have not yet tried it yet. I used to use the excuse that I did not have a frame. Now I have a frame (from the kit). I do need to go to a thrift store and buy a cheap blender. I really wanted to make homemade Christmas cards this year. Don’t think that is going to happen :(.

I still have the wonderful ideas in my mind of art work made on homemade paper. I need to get started on this….no more excuses….

there was a kids paper recycling kit with everything I need at walmart. It not only has the screen and deckle but also has a hand cranked paper blende. So I bought that. It was comparable to the craft store one in price but that one required I use my own blender.

I’ve got scrap paper I’d like to try, I’ll get to this soon enough.

A paper making kit at micheals was very reasonably priced, which I think is quite unusual for them.

I may grab this with a bit of money out of my next paycheck. If only I could find a good source for book board or greyboard. In a few hours I could make several items to sell online for a profit that would hopefully pay for the materials and time. Then after that I could start trying to actually get really unique craft items to sell.

maybe that should be my motto… anyway. I Had some ideas of projects to do that involved this, and during the summer a crafts fair in the area had an instruction class for it. I took it and made paper.

Now to do it at home and use it for the original ideas as well as a few new ones I got while looking at crafters work and mixing things up a bit in my mind.

My 8 year old and I attempted this yesterday. We made a big mess, but no paper. So I googled different directions (with a video) and now I’m set to try again!

I bought a book on papermaking and paper collages from Dick Blick last night. I used to make my own paper in college. I would make the pulp from boiled newspaper, dye it with food coloring, and dry it on homemade screens.

I’m excited to learn how to make it from flowers and other natural fibers…

I’ve already got plenty of scrap paper for me to start making my own paper at home, such as:

Computer Paper (unprinted)
Newspaper (If you want a grayish colored paper)
Magazines
Egg Cartons
Old Cards (For heavier paper)
Paper Bags
Non Waxed Boxes (Pre-soak in warm water)
Office Paper
Typing Paper
Construction Paper

All I need is the equipment, such as:

a screen from a window or door (mold)
an old picture frame or other wooden frame (deckle)
a plastic tub large enough to accommodate the wooden frame
a blender or food processor
a white felt or flannel fabric (for tacking screen on frame)
staples or tacks (for tacking screen on frame)
liquid starch (optional)

I can’t wait to get started! :D