Handmade Paper from Naturals

by Diane Flowers

Creating handmade paper is fun, easy, and eco-friendly too! Every one of these 25 gorgeous papers uses repurposed, recycled, and natural materials, from junk mail to grass clippings and coffee grounds. The simple recipes yield attractive results, and even beginners can master the basic techniques. And crafters will love the fabulous ideas for showing off their handiwork, including a greeting card, gift wrap, tags, books, a molded decorative bowl, and more.

 

Make paper with:

 

Grass

Seeds

Coffee and tea

Flower petals

Old denim

Herbs

Lavender

Soy fibers

Plant pulp

Cumin and marigold

Chili pepper

Genres: Nonfiction

128 pages, Hardcover

First published April 7, 2009

Reviews

[Rachel Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little book with lots of ideas to up my paper-making game. I feel very inspired to go seek out some source material in the wild, particularly aspen bark and wildflowers (which I need to learn how to press better) so I can prepare myself to make homemade paper flower frames. Love the ideas and suggestions for creative paper-making. My only qualm with the book is that Diane Flowers (what a perfect name though!) goes into a bit too much technical detail at the beginning about how to make paper, when it is far too much information for a beginning paper-maker, to whom this book is supposedly targeted. You don't need all that information. Just get the basic supplies you need and don't worry about all the fancy supplies or cooking techniques; just experiment and try things out on your own.

At least she says this, though:

“As you work, keep in mind that making paper with natural materials is not an exact science. Even if you measure carefully, it is almost impossible to get the same results twice. Sit back, take your time, relax, and enjoy the unpredictable results that appear with each new sheet. There is no single right way to make a sheet of paper. After trying these recipes, I hope you will experiment with different materials and learn how they respond to each other. With time and practice, you will learn the best ways to incorporate your favorite plant materials in paper and develop a style of your own.”

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowed a copy from the local library. After covering the usual basics (both pour and dip methods are properly explained) most of the book is taken with various “recipes” for plant and other inclusions. Most are based on recycled pulp but there are others too. The last few pages demonstrate some interesting uses of handmade paper. One of the better examples of this type of book… I ordered a used one for my collection. Not sure if it’s still in print.