I am always irresistibly drawn to the paper selection at my local art supply store. I love the vast array of offerings, but I can't afford to buy them. So, a few years ago, frustrated by the cost of flower paper, I decided to make my own.

I checked paper making books out of our library and found them all to be too complex. Too many rules and ingredients were listed alongside their recipes. So, I began to experiment to find a method of paper making simple enough for even children to master.

Your garden will supply you with enough plant fibers (such as straw, bark, stems, leaves, cornstalks, cabbage leaves, seeds, flower petals, hemp, linen, flax and cotton) to create your own unique papers. The key to your success is to make this an adventure. Experiment and remember that there are no set rules to paper making.

Ingredients:

*Blender
*Soaker buckets (non corrosive)
*Plastic wash tub large enough to accommodate the screened frame
*Pieces of pure rag paper cut or torn into small pieces (no larger than 2")
*Large sponge
*Large plastic cups
*Felts of wool, canvas or burlap, cut slightly larger than proposed paper size. (Felts are used for absorption of water and drying.)
*A few pieces of water proof plywood, larger than paper size
*Screen stretched taut and secured to some sort of a frame. You can make your own with nylon screen stapled to wood. Or, go to a local screen shop and have some custom made. Screens stretched onto aluminum frames are not costly. Remember, the size of your frame determines your paper size. (Do a tiny frame for the kids so they can make their own fairy notes).

I don't follow any measurements when making my papers. Like the traditional family soup pot, my bucket of ingredients changes daily according to what I trim or harvest from the garden.

Soak your selection of plant products in a large bucket for at least 24 hours. By the end of that time, the fibers should be somewhat broken down and mushy. Stems are tougher and may need to soak for 48 hours before you see any significant softening and separating of fibers. Use a stick to stir and beat the tougher stems. This is a job the children love.

Use your plastic cup to scoop the flower-stem pulp into your blender. Drop in a few small pieces of rag paper (think of the paper scraps as both thickeners and binders). Cap blender and turn it on low until the paper and flowers are blended. You may need to add a little water to the blender to facilitate the mixing. Your finished pulp should have the consistency of pancake batter...not too watery, not too thick.

Pour the blended paper, water and flower pulp into the rectangular wash tub. Repeat above process and add this to the wash tub. Repeat until the wash tub is at least 2/3 full of mush, your future paper.

At this point you may wish to drop in some essential oils to scent your paper. (I sometimes add old pot pourri to give scent and texture). Stir ingredients thoroughly. Move your screen through the mixture in a smooth, skimming motion. As you skim, try to cover the whole screen with a thin layer of pulp. Lift the filled screen above the water and allow the excess moisture to drain. Shake the screen gently from side to side; this strengthens the fibers in the paper.

You may wish to add some whole flower petals or pieces of vine to create an intricate pattern or design. Use your large sponge to press the petals and vine into the thin pulp on your screen. Wring out the sponge and press paper again to remove excess moisture.

Dampen your felts and place two of them on one of your pieces of plywood. Gently turn your screen upside down over the felts and transfer your paper from the screen onto the felts. Cover with another damp felt and put a piece of plywood over the stack. Press firmly to squeeze out excess moisture. Allow the paper to sit between felts and wood for a couple of hours. You can build tall stacks of felts, wood, and paper if you are producing in quantities.

After a few hours of pressing, the paper can be lifted off the felt and hung outdoors on a clothesline or placed on a flat, dry surface.

If you wish to marbleize papers (see examples in the paper making article in Country Living GARDENER , January-February 1997), you will need to purchase some special supplies at an art or craft store. First, there is a marbleizing medium that is added to clear water to thicken it. Then, special oil based or enamel paints are dropped onto the surface of the thickened water. By gently blowing the spots of paint, you can achieve the attractive, swirled marble effect. Quickly place your paper on the surface of the paint-marbled water, lift it, turn it over and repeat process, then hang to dry.

Happy paper making...remember, it is an adventure, so don't fret, just do it!


Copyright 1996, Sharon Lovejoy