Arnold Grummer's Papermaking - Christmas In July

Is it too soon to give any thoughts to Christmas?  When days are hot and steamy why not!  Actually I have been into a couple of craft stores in the area and "holiday" items are already on display.

It was time to play around and experiment again.  Going through the casting molds and other things items to use as deckles for shapes, I found a Wilton cookie mold and some plaster molds.

 Here is a snowflake casting, using the Wilton cookie mold and cotton linter squares.  I used enough of the squares that would cover the size of the mold and processed them in a blender as suggested for making pulp.  I included  "Iridescent Flakes" into the pulp before making the casting.  Once the snowflake casting was dry, I used some glitter glue to add dimension on some of the raised lines on the casting.  I small hole is punched and a narrow ribbon hanger is added.   Just for a few ideas, the snowflakes would make a nice additon to a Christmas tree or could be used as decorations in a sway over a doorway or along a mantle edge.  NOTE: I created over 100 of these snowflakes several years ago as a favor at a friends "winter wedding".  I had brushed the raised areas with white glue and sprinkled them with iridescent glitter.  A decorative, silver ornament hanger was attached.  Each was packaged in a cellophane bag along with some artifical snow, with gift tag attached from the bride and groom.

These two package tags were created with recycling thin, kraft colored packing paper pulp.  Process the pulp in a blender and strain.  Press the pulp into molds of choice.  I used two molds that are meant for plaster casting.  Remove as much water with sponges or rags.  Allow the casting to dry. NOTE:  I help the drying process along by placing the  pieces on a microwave safe surface and use 30 secong intervals to dry pieces. Use this method to dry slightly and then leave overnight to dry completely.  

Once the pieces are dry, they can be painted if desired or embellished in any way.  Use a purchased tag or die-cut a tag shape.  Add a strip of torn holiday fabric and glue the casting onto the surface.  Add a ribbon or cord for attaching the tag to a package.

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Arnold Grummer's Papermaking - Remembering Mom

With Mother's Day just a couple weeks away, this special day became the inspiration for my latest project, using handmade paper and some casted elements to create a keepsake for a mother or grandmother or any special lady.

A variety of previously formed sheets of handmade paper were used to construct a mini album.  Three dimensional flowers are die-cut and colored from plain sheets of handmade paper and leaves are caste in a mold used for clay.

The base of the album was die-cut from tan chipboard. NOTE: I used Sizzix Scoreboard XL - Album Photo die, (#657122). The front cover uses a sheet of paper made from a mix of a brown paper lunch bag and white copy paper.  This mixture of paper creates a nice mottled look to the paper.  NOTE: This sheet is also die-cut to match the chipboard cover.  Glue this sheet to the chipboard cover.  Paint the back cover and binding piece with Vintage Photo Distress Paint.  Use Distress Inks to shade the edges of all pieces.  Use a strong double faced tape like "red tape" to put the album together, by attaching the front and back covers to the binding strip.  Create a page anchor by accordion folding a piece of paper 4" tall paper every 1/2".  NOTE: My piece was 4 1/2" wide, this will hold four pages.  Add one inch more for each additional page wanted.  Apply double sided adhesive to both ends of the accordion folded piece.  Adhere the ends flaps of this piece to the front and back covers.

For the insert pages I used other handmade sheets.  The pages are random widths.  I ran these through the Big Shot using the same album die, only trimming away the edge that will be attached to the binding.  The right edge is left with the deckle as formed when making the sheet of paper.  Glue each page onto a binding fold.

Flowers are formed from die-cuts. NOTE: I used Sizzix Bigz - Flowers, 3-D die.  Each flower is lightly inked with Distress Inks.  NOTE: I used Tattered Rose and Festive Berries.  Twist the flowers using tweezers to form and glue with hot glue to hold in place.

Leaves were caste in a Makin's Clay Leaves mold.  Trim away any excess paper and color each leaf with green Distress Inks.  With a small fine brush, paint the stem and veins with a green paint.

Form a bow for the edge binding with ribbon.  Glue the leaves and flowers in place in any pattern on the cover.  Die-cut letters to spell M-O-M and glue onto cover if desired.

Add photos or personal messages onto the pages.