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Making Handmade Paper
(Rather “Green” Family Crafts with Great Learning Kids Experience)
We all know that paper comes from trees, and the more paper we use, the more trees that tend to be felled. Today recycled paper is becoming more widespread, and it is a good idea to explain the benefits of using and even making recycled paper to your child. Why don’t you do it through play? Making recycled paper is also a great way to get kids involved in recycling and reusing.
Recycled homemade paper can be used as writing or notepaper if pressed. It can also be used in art and craft projects such as paper weaving or card making. So sit down together with your child and have fun.
What you would need for making your own homemade paper
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An old newspaper, magazine and paper scraps
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Bucket
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An old or second-hand food blender
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A wooden or plastic picture frame
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A pair of old nylon tights
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Drawing pins
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Egg cartoons
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A large washing up bowl, tub or tray (for immersing the frames in)
Get started
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Select the pieces of paper to be recycled. You can mix different types to create your own unique paper.
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Rip the paper into small bits (yes, your child would love doing that bit), and place into the blender (here comes mummy to help). Fill the blender with warm water and run it slowly at first then increase the speed until the pulp looks smooth and well blended. It shouldn’t take more than 30 -40 seconds. Make sure that no flakes of paper remain. You’ll need roughly two and half blender portions’ worth of pulp to make your first batch of papers.
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The next step is to make a mould. The mould, in this case, is made simply by stretching plain old door and window screen over a wooden frame and stapling it. It should be as tight as possible. This is another part of the paper-making where a parent is needed, but kids could always be involved my discussing how this step will get them closer to the final homemade paper. Explain everything you do, so you encourage their curiosity and learning experience.
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Fill a large container with water. Add 3 blender loads of pulp. The more pulp you add the thicker the finished paper will be. Stir the mixture.
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Now is the time to add the liquid starch for sizing. You should add this only if you are going to use paper for writing, otherwise is not necessary. Stir 2 teaspoons of liquid starch into the pulp.
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You will need to submerge the frame slowly to the bottom of the water container. To capture the pulp in the water, you need to then slowly bring the mould back to the water’s surface. Once you’ve taken the mould out of the water, leave it to drain over a sink for a few minutes. At this point you can also add in extra features, such as leaf skeletons. Why not add an extra dimension to your paper by scenting it? Just a few drops of essential oil added to your pulp will suffice.
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Now turn out the paper onto some sheets of newspaper, a towel and some fine cotton linen, cut slightly larger than your paper mould. Turn the mould upside down onto the linen’s surface, and gently rock the mould back and forth to peel it away from the nylon mesh. As it lies on the linen, the towel underneath should soak up any excess water. If you have several sheets of paper made in one batch, you can layer up by placing each new piece of paper on layers of towel and linen over your first piece.
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After you press the stack, gently separate the sheets. They can be dried by hanging on a clothesline or laying them out on sheets of newspaper. When they have dried peel them off the fabric and here you go – your handmade recycled paper is ready!
Also in this section: Find out how to make your own homemade play dough and greeting cards.
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