Designer Debra Beagle recycled the flowers from her daughter's "flower girl" basket -- along with paper scraps -- into beautiful handmade botanical paper. Creating the handmade paper is not only a great way to accent her "Flower Girl" scrapbook page, but is an inventive way to incorporate a memento from the wedding! Materials: Paper scraps
2 cups water
Dried botanicals
1/4 tsp. calcium carbonate (pH neutralizer)
Blender
Couching sheets
Sponge
Pressing bar
Hardwood deckle
Cover screen
Iron with pressing pad, or heavy books - Add paper, water, botanicals and calcium carbonate (figure A) to blender.
- Blend ingredients and pour pulp into deckle (figure B) that has been placed into a large container filled with a few inches of water.
- Swish ingredients with hands to create even coverage. Place additional petals or other botanicals on top and press into surface as you lift deckle from pan of water (figure C).
- Place small screen on top of paper (figure D) and use sponge to press the paper and absorb water (figure E).
- Use couching sheet to absorb water. Blot top of couching sheet with sponge to absorb excess water.
- Replace couching sheet and continue to press using pressing block.
- Finally, peel couching sheets away (figure F) and cover paper with pressing pad on heat-safe ironing surface. With iron on low-setting, press the paper (figure G) and dry the excess water. Alternately, the couching sheets can be left on and the paper pressed by the weight of large, heavy books.
Tip: Once dried, any shape can be die-cut from the paper to increase its versatility. Die-cuts/templates provided by Ellison Craft & Design. For more information about Ellison, see Resources. Click here for DIY's Scrapbooking Glossary.
RESOURCES :
Paper Art: The Complete Guide to Papercraft Techniques
Model: 0823038408
Author: Diane Maurer-Mathison and Jennifer Phillippoff
(1997)
Watson-Guptill Publications
Website: www.watsonguptill.com
Papermaking Techniques Book: Over 50 Techniques for Making and Embellishing Handmade Papers
Model: 1581802099
Author: John Plowman and Kath Russon
(2001)
F & W Publications Inc. (North Light and Betterway Books, Story Press, Popular Woodworking Books)
Website: www.fwpublications.com
The Art and Craft of Paper Making: Step-By-Step Instructions for Creating Distinctive Handmade Paper
Model: 1887374248
Author: Sophie Dawson
(1997)
Lark Books / Altamont Press
Website: www.larkbooks.com
The Art of Handmade Paper and Collage: Transforming the Ordinary Into the Extraordinary
Model: 1564771583
Author: Cheryl Stevenson
(1998)
Martingale & Co. / That Patchwork Place
Website: www.martingale-pub.com
Die-Cuts and Templates (Ellison Craft & Design)
Cropping and cutting system are not available
Ellison
Website: www.ellison.com
Papermill Complete Papermaking Kit (Arnold Grummer)
Model: 301
Arnold Grummer's Paper Making
Website: www.arnoldgrummer.com
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