Handmade Paper

As promised, here is my paper-making tutorial.

I started with two sheets of this cotton linter.  I think I got the linter and my paper-making mold from the toy store that used to be in Ward Warehouse. I forget the name . . . Child's Play?


I tore up the linter along with a sheet of dark blue card stock.  I put the pieces in a bowl of warm water and let it soak for a few minutes. 


Then I dumped everything into this old blender that I keep in my closet just for this purpose.  It's been quite a few years since I last used the blender so it shocked me that it still worked.  

I actually shoulda done half at a time and put double the water, but too late . . .  I ended up using a chopstick to shove all the stuff on the top down to the bottom.  


Here's the pulp.  If I had done it right, I coulda got it shredded finer, but nooooooo . . .  


This is my deckle and mold.  The screen part (mold) goes on the bottom and the wooden frame thing (deckle) goes on top of the screen.


I put a handful of pulp into each section and swooshed it around in a tub filled with water to level out the pulp.  


Then I removed the deckle and turned the screen upside down onto a felt sheet.


I removed some of the water by dabbing with a sponge.


Then I lifted off the screen.


I placed another felt sheet on top and repeated and repeated and repeated.


I placed the finished sheets of felt between two cutting boards and pressed them together over the sink to drain off as much water as I could.  I even put the boards on the floor and stepped on um to press out as much water as I could.


Then I separated the paper and let them dry.  It usually takes about a day to dry.


Here is the finished product. It came out kinda thick and bumpy. 


Here is the card that I made using the paper.


And same thing as with the "love always" cards, I made a whole bunch.  Let me know if you want cards . . . JalnaA@aol.com.  I'll send you some. Free.