Papermaking directions

Thanks so much to Lisa for taking an incredible amount of time to send this to me!!

Directions:

Materials needed:
*6 sheets of 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch computer or typing paper (recycle from
the office)
*1 sheet of pastel-colored wrapping tissue (optional)
*2 large bowls
*boiling water
*Wooden spoon
*Kitchen blender
*Dried flower petals or tiny leaves
*Newspaper
*Large plastic cutting board or baking sheet
*an empty pic. frame
*wool felt, manmade chamois cloth, or old woolen blanket, cut into pieces
several inches larger than the frame
*1-qt measuring cup
*Large absorbent sponge
*towel
*rolling pin
****Instructions: Tear (don't cut) the office paper into pieces about 1
inch square. Place the paper into a large, heat-safe bowl. If desired, add a
sheet of colored tissue paper, torn into 4inch squares, as well.
Pour boiling water over the paper until covered, and stir with the spoon
to make sure all of the paper is moistened. Let stand for one or two hours,
or until the paper is very fragile.
Choose a work area where water slopping about won't hurt. Put about half
a cup of the soaked paper into the clean blender and fill it with tepid
water. Turn the blender on low, then high, and whirl for 15-20 sec. (be sure
to hold the lid on tight) Check the pulp; it should appear creamy. You don't
want to overblend the paper and destroy all of the fibers, but you don't want
chunks either.
Pour the blended pulp into a second bowl. Continue blending the remainder
of the soaked paper, half a cup at a time. When all the pulp is blended,
gently stir in dried flower petals, such as from roses, lavender, or
calendula, or tiny dried leaves, such as bits of fern fronds.
Lay a folded section of newspaper on a cutting board or baking sheet
turned upside down. Put a piece of felt or other material on top of this
surface, and then lay the empty pic. frame on the felt.
Use the measuring cup to stir the pulp a bit, and then fill the cup with
2-3 cups of pulp (dep. on how thick you want your paper to be) Pour the
mixture into the frame as quickly and evenly as possible, smoothing with your
finger, if necessary to create a relatively uniform sheet.
Let water drain into the felt for about a minute. Soak up the water that
leaks from around the frame with a towel and sponge. When most of the water
has been drained away, carefully remove the frame and lay another piece of
dry felt or other material on top of the wet sheet of paper.
Gently press the felt with your hand until it begins to absorb water,
then press the sponge onto the felt to absorb more moisture. Wring out the
sponge and repeat until most of the moisture has been removed from the paper.
Next, roll a rolling pin over the surface to remove more water.
When as much water as possible has been removed, carefully peel off the
top layer of felt. Gently lay the lower felt, with the paper still attached,
on a dry surface or on a wire rack or screen. Repeat the above process with
the remaining pulp mixture.
Once your handmade paper is thoroughly dry, gently remove it from the
felt.

Uses:
To use the handmade paper as notecards, cut a piece of notepaper slightly
smaller than the handmade paper. Carefully fold both the notepaper and
handmade paper in half, so that you have a card 3&1/2 inches by 5 inches in
size. Use a small amount of white craft glue to attach the note paper inside
the handmade paper.
Another way to use these sheet of handmade paper is to punch several
holes along one side of two sheets and also in some notepaper or watercolor
paper, and then to lace the book together with a raffia. You can also
decorate the cover of your book with pressed flowers and leaves. Yields four
to six 5-inch-by 7inch sheets.