| Recycled Paper Did you know you can make your own paper at home? Make your own stationery or birthday invitations and personalize them how you want!
Rating: HARD
Adult Supervision Required? YES
What you need
- Old paper - newspaper, copy paper, wrapping paper, etc. (Use paper that was going to be recycled instead of using fresh clean paper. This helps cut down on waste.)
- Water
- Blender - preferably an older one as the paper may dull or clog the
blades
- Large baking dish or pan
- Two 5x7 wooden frames with no glass (IKEA frames work great)
- A piece of screen slightly larger than your frames (don't use the screen from your bedroom
window). Most hardware stores will have extra scraps you can purchase or they may donate to
you.
- Scissors or wire cutters
- 2 pieces of blotting paper (blank white copy paper)
- Old towel
- Stapler
- Iron
- Decorative elements such as dried leaves or flower petals, seeds, dryer lint, spices from your kitchen, etc.
Before you begin making paper, you need to make a mold. You will need one of the frames, the screen and the stapler for this.
1. Take one frame (no glass) and lay the screen over the top of it.
2. Use the stapler to staple the screen to the edges of the frame. Make sure the screen is securely fastened to the frame. Cut away extra edges. This will be your mold.
(See photo)
How to make it
Read through the whole set of instructions first to familiarize yourself with the steps before you actually begin making paper. It makes things much easier!
- Rip your old paper into small pieces. You only need the equivalent of 2 pages of newspaper to start with.
- Pour 2-3 cups of warm water into the blender HAVE AN ADULT HELP YOU WHILE USING THE BLENDER! Add
the paper to the blender.
- Put lid on and blend on medium for 2-5 minutes. If it seems too thick, add more water and blend again.
It should be the consistency of really watery oatmeal. What you have created now is called
"slurry." This is the basis of papermaking.
- Dump the slurry into the baking dish.
- Grab your towel and blotting paper. Set them aside.
- Plug in the iron. HAVE AN ADULT HELP YOU WHILE USING THE IRON! Make sure the iron cord is out of the way where it won't get caught on something and no one can trip on it.
- Grab your mold and the extra frame. Hold the mold with the screen side facing up. Set the extra frame directly on top of it so the screen is in the middle and the edges line up.
- Holding the edges tightly, dip your mold and frame into the slurry and gently swish it back and forth to have the slurry distribute itself evenly over the screen.
- Slowly pull the mold and frame straight up out of the water. Allow it to drain
for about 1 minute.
- Carefully remove the frame from the mold and set aside. Place the mold on a table.
- Set one piece of blotting paper on top of your new wet paper. Place the folded towel on top of the blotting paper and press down to soak up the water. Hold for about 30 seconds. Remove towel.
- Flip mold and blotting paper upside down and set on the table. Gently peel the new paper off of the mold but leave it on the blotting paper.
- Place the second sheet of blotting paper on your new paper, put the towel on top and press down. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat this on each side until most of the water is soaked up. Gently peel your new paper from the blotting papers. The paper should be slightly damp.
- Lay out the towel and place your new paper on it. Have an adult gently iron the new paper on each side to help it dry faster.
- Your new paper is done!
You can also try...
- For fun variations try adding some decorative elements such as dried leaves, petals, seeds, dryer lint or spices to your paper. Make sure you add these elements to your slurry AFTER it comes out of the blender. (The blender will just crush it up).
- You can also add bits of colored construction paper.
- Make your own birthday invitations, cards or stationery. The possibilities are endless!
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