Don't throw these away!
popcicle sticks
milk cartons
2 liter bottles
newspapers
birthday/holiday
cards
used wrapping paper
shoe boxes
paper bags from
the grocery store
jars
You can never tell
what will be helpful when creating art!
Wheelbarrow Planter
Laundry detergent
scoop
2 plastic milk
jug lids
6" length of ribbon
potting soil
flower seeds
craft glue
water
Glue a milk jug
lid to each side of the scoop to form the wheels. Allow
the glue to dry.
Tie the ribbon to the handle of the scoop. Fill the
scoop with potting
soil and plant seeds. Sprinkle the soil with a few
drops of water.
These make excellent gifts that children can make
themselves.
Blender Paper
Paper trash/scraps
blender
2-picture frames
of the same size
a piece of screen
to fit over the frame
The frame:
You can use inexpensive picture frames, artist canvas
stretchers (available
at an art supply store) or frames constructed out
of two-by-ones.
Nail or staple the screen to one frame. This is called
the mold, it's
used to catch the paper pulp. The other frame is called
the deckle and
is used to keep the piece of paper properly shaped, and
is simply held
on top of the mold.
The pulp:
Gather scraps of paper (avoiding glossy paper). Tear the
paper into small
pieces, like you would make confetti, and soak them in
warm water in the
blender for about an hour. For every cup of paper
add about one cup
of water. Blend until mushy. Add more water if
necessary, keeping
in mind that the smoother the pulp, the more
uniform the paper.
For colored paper, add a few drops of food coloring
to the blender
or sprinkle the sheet when you remove it from the basin.
Molding:
Place the mold (screen side up), with the deckle on top of it,
into a large dishpan
and fill the pan with water. Pour in the pulp and,
gripping the deckle
onto the mold, shake the frame to distribute the wet
pulp evenly onto
the screen. After a minute or two, the pulp will settle
into a thin film.
Drying:
Lift the mold and deckle from the dishpan and let the water
drip off of the
paper. Take the deckle off of the mold, and using a
towel or a sponge,
press out as much water as possible (if the pulp
sticks to the sponge,
it is too wet). Carefully flip the mold over onto a
piece of cloth
or paper bags. Let the paper dry flat or iron it between
two dish towels.
If a sheet does not work out, return it to the blender
and repeat the
process.
Variations:
-For textured paper,
you can add glitter, dried flowers, sawdust, or
threads to the
mold before you press out the water.
-To create a fossil
effect, place ferns or leaves on the paper once it
comes off the screen
and roll it with a rolling pin.
-To make paper
shapes, use cookie cutters on top of the mold instead
of the deckle.
-To create a paper
cup, press the pulp into cupcake tins or bowls.
-To make white
paper, add a little bleach while the paper is soaking.