Ladybug
Materials
One red paper circle for the wings
One black paper circle slightly larger than the red circle
⅛″-wide double-sided tape
Black felt-tipped marker (optional)
Instructions
1. Cut the red circle down the middle, but leave it attached at one end.
2. Cut the black circle into a teardrop shape.
3. Attach the red ladybug wings circle on top of the black teardrop body with double-sided tape.
Cupcake Toppers
These cheerful shapes were made using a handmade pie-tin mold for the bird (see page 81) and cookie cutter molds for the flowers (see page 80). The decorations on the flowers were made from origami paper, wrapping paper, napkins, and construction paper embedded in the surface as the paper was made (see page 64).
Materials
Hole punch
Handmade paper bird and flower shapes (two per double-sided topper)
10″ bamboo skewers (one per flower; two per bird)
Clear tape
Pencil
⅛″-wide double-sided tape
Bird
1. Punch a hole for bird’s eye.
2. Affix two skewers to the back of bird body shape with clear tape. Rub down with a pencil or fingernail to ensure a secure joint.
3. Hide the taped skewer tops in a double-sided bird by attaching a second bird shape on the back of the other with double-sided tape.
Flowers
1. Affix a skewer to the back the paper flower shape with clear tape. Rub down with a pencil or fingernail to ensure a secure joint.
2. Hide the taped skewer top in a double-sided flower by attaching a second flower shape on the back of the other with double-sided tape.
Flowers
Create a floral display anytime of the year with these fun-and-easy flowers. The large background paper circles were made with embedded bougainvillea petals (see page 66), and the inside flower shapes and leaves were made with shaped cookie cutter molds. Centers were made using a pulp gun (see page 27).
Materials
10″ square of newspaper
⅛″-wide clear or double-sided tape
Scissors
Cardboard
One large paper circle with embedded petals and one smaller molded or cut-out flower shape per flower (two each for double-sided flowers)
Two to four leaf shapes per flower
Instructions
1. Roll a section of newspaper on the diagonal into a tight tube to make the flower stem. Tape the end with clear tape or use double-sided tape if you don’t want the tape to show.
2. Cut a ¼″ cardboard square and attach it to the back of a small flower shape with double-sided tape. This is to give the flower a bit of dimension. Note: If your flower shapes are tiny, the ¼″ cardboard square may be too big; cut to a size that will ensure you don’t see cardboard peeking out from behind the flower shape.
3. Tape the flower shape to the embedded-petal circle and then tape the circle to the front of the stem. For double-sided flowers, repeat steps 2 and 3, matching the second circle to the first on the opposite side of the stem and taping the two together with double-sided tape.
4. Lay two leaves together at the points and tape them together on the back. Tape the pair to the stem as desired. For double-sided flowers, repeat this step on opposite side of stem and secure leaf sets to one another with double-sided tape.
Simple Mini Name Garland
This simple garland can be hung on a door or wall, but is just as cute as a personal touch to gift wrapping. Instead of just plain ribbon around a package, create this mini garland with recipient’s name. It uses a variety of shapes, made with pulp poured into cookie cutters and aspic cutters (see page 80). When making the paper, add extra water to the pulp and use a squeeze bottle with a small nozzle, to make pouring into small molds easier.
Materials
Several paper shapes in varying sizes (we used flowers, circles, hearts and teardrops)
Rubber alphabet stamps and ink pad(s)
Strip of ½″-wide ribbon
⅛″-wide double-sided tape
Instructions
1. Decorate the shapes with stamps, as desired.
2. Lay the ribbon out on the table.
3. Put a small piece of double-sided tape on the back of each shape and affix them to the ribbon. Rub hard on back of ribbon to make sure shape and ribbon are joined securely.
4. Tie loops at both ends of the ribbon for hanging.
Name Garland
Name personalization is a popular trend in decorating kids’ rooms, but retail lettered wall hangings can be pricey. Create the same personal flair in your child’s room with this adorable name garland, without the expense. The letters on these circles are made with the pulp painting technique (see page 84). We used very smoothly pureed pulp, in two contrasting colors.
Materials
⅛″-wide double-sided tape
Paper circles that spell out a name
½″-wide ribbon or bias tape (the length will depend on the desired length of the finished project)
Instructions
1. Attach piece of double-sided tape across the center back of each circle.
2. Create a loop on one end of the ribbon or bias tape, using double-sided tape to adhere ribbon end to ribbon.
3. Affix ribbon to back of first letter and work your way over to the last letter, pressing the ribbon firmly to the tape as you go.
4. Finish the garland with another closed loop for hanging.
Deluxe Garland
The circles for this garland were made with the mottled surface technique (see page 62). Pulp made from old tissue paper, paper napkins, and old wrapping paper was poured into cookie cutter and tincan molds (see page 80). Some decorative elements were added with pulp layering (see page 78). The instructions that follow are for a one-sided garland about 3 feet in length.
Materials
Twelve 4″-diameter shapes (we used circles and flowers)
⅛″-wide double-sided tape
Ruler or measuring tape
Approximately 6 feet string, ribbon, bias tape, or fabric
Instructions
1. Plan out the order of the shapes and lay them out on a long table. Carefully turn over each shape, keeping them in the correct position.
2. Cut 4″ strips of double-sided tape (the width of each shape) and affix them down the center backs of the shapes.
3. Lay out the ribbon or other connecting strips on the table. Fold it in half to make two long strands. The top folded end will become the top loop for hanging. Affix the ribbon to the back of each shape, one at a time. Spaces can be left between the shapes, or shapes can be butted up next to each other.
Crafty Tips
To save time, prepare four flowers at once.
Instead of three layers of paper on each shape, simplify to two layers.
Remember to rinse the molds you are reusing each time you change colors.
When using certain colored papers, color may run onto the paper towel (used for blotting) and may transfer onto other colors if the paper towel is reused.
Pour the base (first) color a little heavier than subsequent layers, to ensure sturdiness.
When using smaller molds, mix a little more water into the pulp for ease of pouring.
Hot glue gun can be used for a more secure attachment, if required, instead of double-sided tape.
Gift Wrap Embellishment and Tags
Just as with the Simple Mini Name Garland (see page 158), this project dresses up typical gift wrapping. It’s also a good project for using up scraps from other projects; use circular paper or cut or punch circles from scraps.
Materials
Small and medium paper punches
1″ handmade paper circles (10 shapes per 1′ length)
String
Clear tape
Glue stick or white glue
2
½″ to 3″ handmade paper circle
Instructions
1. Use paper punches to make interesting shapes inside the 1″ paper circles. Set aside paper punch-outs for use in decorating the tag, step 4.
2. Lay out the paper circles in desired order, with about ¼″ between them.
3. Attach string to the back side of the circles using clear tape.
4. Glue paper punch-outs from step 1 to the large paper circle to make the coordinating gift tag.
Decorate one side of the tag and keep the other side blank for a personal message.
Holiday Wreath
This charming wreath can be made in colors to match any season: red and brown for autumn, red and green for the holidays, or pastels for spring. The sample shown here was created primarily with mottled paper, made from a brown paper bag, gold origami paper, and a paper-lined candy wrapper, with glitter thrown in. Most shapes were molded in shaped cookie cutters, with the oak leaves cast in a custom-shaped pie tin (see page 81) and embedded with pieces of metallic string.
Materials
Pencil or pen
8″-diameter mixing bowl
8½″ square cardboard
7″-diameter mixing bowl
One paper clip or equivalent length of wire
1″-wide masking tape
18 red handmade paper circles
18 white handmade paper circles
Stapler and staples
11 brown leaves
Four brown oak leaves (optional)
Instructions
1. Place the 8″ mixing bowl onto the cardboard, trace around it, and cut out the circle.
2. Center the 7″ bowl inside the cut circle, trace, and cut out to make the ring backing for the wreath.
3. Bend the wire or paper clip into a loop with two tails and attach the loop to the back of cardboard with masking tape, as shown, to create the wreath hanger.
4. Position the white and red circles around the cardboard ring to plan placement. Staple them in place, one at a time, to the cardboard ring, curling the shapes at one end to give them a bit of volume. Overlap each row of red and white circles as you go around the ring to hide the staples in the previous row.
5. Staple the simple leaf shapes on top of the circles in the same way.
6. Optional: Tape the oak leaves to the back of the cardboard ring or tuck them behind other leaves and staple them in place.
Illustrated Cards
Here’s a great project for letting your imagination go wild. It’s also a good way to use up scraps from other projects. You can custom-make shapes to fit the scene you have in mind for your card.
Materials
Ruler
8½″ × 11″ sheet of thick handmade paper or commercial cardstock
Scissors or utility knife
Scoring tool (bone folder)
Handmade paper scraps
Glue stick
Instructions
1. Measure the halfway point of the 11″ side of the paper/cardstock sheets and cut them in half to make 5½″ × 8½″ sheets.
2. Measure and score each paper/card-stock piece to make two cards that will be 5½″ × 4¼″ when folded.
3. Plan your design. You can make templates to use for cutting out the pieces from the handmade paper scraps, or cut them out freehand.
4. Lay out your design on the card. When you’re satisfied with the arrangement, secure the pieces with glue stick.
Mailing Your Cards
These instructions are for cards that will fit a standard envelope size. To make your own custom envelopes, see the suggestions on page 189.
Jar Lid Labels
What a great way to personalize your homemade creations! Use the tin-can papermaking method (see page 42), with a mold that is at least ¼″ larger than the lid you want to cover. These were made by adding cut-out shapes, ribbon, and rickrack to the pulp, using the surface embedment technique (see page 64).
Materials
Handmade paper circle (slightly larger than jar lid)
Glue stick
Canning jars and lids
Utility knife
Instructions
1. Lay the handmade paper circle face down on a flat, protected surface and coat with glue stick.
2. Center the jar lid, top down, on the paper. Turn over both lid and paper and use your finger to smooth the paper over the lid. Press firmly.
3. Trim the excess paper from around the circle, using a utility knife.
Other Label Ideas
Some of these labels were cut from handmade paper, and some were made to fit, using cookie cutter shapes. If you are making paper to fit, measure the label surface and keep in mind that paper tends to “grow” an unknown amount when it’s flattened and dried. You can embed white paper in the surface as you make the labels (see page 64), or glue on white paper shapes after the paper is dry. Finished labels can be attached to most any surface using glue stick.
Magnets
The paper for these little cuties was made with aspic molds and the pulp layering technique (see page 78). You can also custom-shape your own molds from aluminum pie tins (see page 81).
Materials
Rubber stamps and ink pad(s) (optional)
Handmade paper circles
Heavy-duty double-sided tape or craft glue
1″ or smaller magnetic disks
Instructions
1. Use rubber stamps to decorate the paper circles, if desired, and then flip the circles face down.
2. Press squares of double-sided tape or place a dot of glue on the back of each magnet.
3. Center the glue side of the magnets on the back of each paper circle and press hard to attach.
Simple Mobile
This project has a lovely result without a great deal of effort. Use paper that is thick enough to be sturdy, but thin enough to fit in the paper punch. The paper shown here was made with phone book pages and wrapping paper. The pretty colors came from recycled tissue paper and party napkins that were crumpled and no longer fit for entertaining.
Materials
1½″ flower-shaped paper punch
Eight circles of paper, at least 3″ in diameter
-hole paper punch
Scissors
Colored cotton string or topstitching thread
12″ stick
Instructions
1. Punch out flower shapes in the center of each handmade paper circle.
2. Lay out the circles and the flower shapes in three rows, alternating the shapes as shown in the project photo.
3. Use the hole punch to make small holes in the top of each paper piece, for attaching the string.
4. Cut 1¼″ pieces of string and run them through the holes one at a time. Tie off with knots.
5. Position the stick horizontally at the top and tie on all three embellished strings. Since the papers are all about the same size and weight, the mobile should balance.
6. Tie another string at the top, with a knot at each end, and long enough to make a loop for hanging.
Mobile Imagination
Find an interesting rod or stick, and use simple shapes to make up your own design. Keep experimenting until you find the right balance.
Cloud Mobile
This mobile is a sweet addition to the wall décor of a baby’s room. The pulp for these papers was made with gift wrap, newspaper, and construction paper. The cloud was assembled and pressed all as one piece, using the pulp layering technique (see page 78), but you can glue individual dried paper circles together. The raindrops were made with homemade pie tin molds in three different sizes.
Materials
Pulp-layered cloud shape (or an assortment of 3″ and 4″ circles taped or glued together)
Scissors
80″ colored cotton string or topstitching thread
12 paper raindrops in varying sizes
Needle and thread or hole punch
Short length of flexible wire (optional), if hanging on the wall
Instructions
1. Begin with an evenly balanced cloud shape, whether pulp-layered or created from individual circles that are overlapped and taped or glued together into a cloud shape.
2. Cut three pieces string or thread, each 24″ long.
3. Lay out the raindrops on a flat surface in varying positions along the three strings.
4. Use a needle and thread or a hole punch to make holes in the top of each raindrop, as well as three holes equally spaced on the bottom of the cloud shape.
5. Knot string/thread to keep each raindrop in place.
6. Attach a string to the top of mobile, with one end on each side and enough to make a loop for hanging. (Another option is to attach a wire loop to the back, if the mobile will be hung against a wall.)
7. Test the balance of the mobile by temporarily taping the three raindrop-embellished strings to the back of the cloud and then hanging the mobile. Adjust the position of the strings as necessary. When satisfied, permanently attach strings to the cloud by creating three holes with hole punch or needle and knotting the raindrop strings in place.
Shelf Edging
This shelf edging is adorable in a child’s bedroom or perhaps on a small kitchen shelf full of cookbooks. The circles were made using the surface embedment technique (see page 64), with very thin fabrics made of natural fibers.
Materials
Three 4″-diameter handmade paper circles for every foot of shelf edging
Ruler
Utility knife
1″-wide double-fold bias tape
¼″-wide fusible tape
Press cloth
Iron
Instructions
1. Cut handmade paper circles in half down the middle, using a ruler and sharp utility knife. Be sure circles are completely dry before cutting.
Arnold E. Grummer Page 12