Handmade paper is easy to create in your own kitchen. Made from scrap paper and pressed flowers, you won't believe how pretty it turns out.
I've always wanted to make my own handmade paper with real plant material. However, after researching the process, I decided to take an easier approach and make handmade paper with pressed flowers using household paper waste. The process is simple. The first batch I made was just okay but the second time was much better, and I'm going to share them with you here today.
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Supplies
- Scrap paper torn into small pieces
- Pressed leaves and flowers
- Large plastic bowl
- Large plastic bin
- 2 - 8 x 10 picture frames
- Piece of screening material to cover one frame
- Old towels
- Sponge or absorbent towel
- Old blender or chopper
The Process of Making Handmade Paper
First, put your paper scraps into a large bowl and add hot water to cover, and let it sit.
The first time I used copy paper from the trash. Then I remembered that my husband uses a shredder in his office and that paper worked much better because it was really smaller and saved me the time it took to tear or cut the paper.
Staple the screen material to the smooth side of each frame.
Place the second frame on top. I bought these two from the dollar store and they worked great. You can use old frames from your home or Goodwill. Some people also use old pantyhose.
Fill up a large plastic bin about 1/3 with water. This tub was really big. I could have used one much smaller.
Make pulp by blending the soaked paper and water in a blender or some other chopping instrument.
Pour the pulp into the large container and mix around with your hands. Then dip the frames in at an angle to scoop up the pulp.
Hold the frames under the water with one hand and lay the pressed flowers on top with the other. Then with both hands move the frames around a bit to thoroughly coat the frames, and using your hand gently over the pressing flowers.
Lift the frames out the water and tilt slightly to drain as much water as possible. Remove the top frame and gently place a cloth on top of the paper.
Then carefully flip it over and place on the counter.
Using a rolled up towel or sponge gently press on the screen and soak up as much water as you can. Wring out the towel into the pulp container and repeat.
Gently remove the screen and let dry. The first batch dried naturally overnight but then when I made a second batch I used a hairdryer to speed up time.
The Results
The first batch looked pretty gray when wet and the second was a greenish blue.
However, they both dried a lot lighter. This picture above shows the first batch where I used only copy paper and it turned out really white. The rosebud petals bunched up to the one end.
When I placed the ferns by hand the result was much better
This is definitely something I would want to try again.
Although it's not great paper for writing on, it would make beautiful gift tags and backing paper for vellum shower or wedding invitations.
P.S. You may also enjoy 9 Pressed Flower Ideas or this post about Flower Pounding. You can find them and much more fun flower crafting ideas on my DIY Projects Page.
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Bernie
Hi, I can't seem to get an even layer of pulp when placing the flowers on the frame as they just float up. Hence when I start to move it around, the pulp gets uneven. Any idea how to solve this problem? Thank you!
Patti Estep
Bernie, one thing that worked well for me was adding a few additional flowers on top at the end by hand.
Kate Supino
Very pretty. Thanks for the post, Patti.
Patti Estep
So glad you like it Kate!
Annie Glacken
I have a question. If you want to use handmade paper that has flower inclusions to cover book board for a journal, should you seal it with so,ething somthe flowers don't rub off?
Patti Estep
Hi Annie,
I'm sorry but I have never done this. You might try a spray on polyurethane but I don't think it will add the protection you need.
Another idea would be to find some kind of transparent cover to place on top of the flower paper.
Roshan
You could cover it with a very thin almost translucent layer of pulp
Sabina
Hi and thanks for this post!
Question - do your flowers bleed onto the handmade paper while drying? (leaving stains in the respective color - e.g. yellow flowers stain the paper in yellow). This happens to me especially when using larger pressed flowers/petals, not small chunks.
If so, how do you avoid this? Thanks!
Patti Estep
Hi Sabina,
I know what you mean. For me, some did bleed a little bit but it varied from flower to flower. I don't know what to say about how to prevent this, but you might be able to test them first by setting a flower on something like a white paper towel and misting it with water to see if the color bleeds.
Roshan
You could soak the flowers in a mordant like alum , etc
bath sponges
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Vikki Yuen
I have a question regarding making handmade paper with dried flowers in it. I've done it multiple times and the way I do it is, I put the flowers face down on my screen/ frame ( I actually use a plastic container/tray with holes in the bottom & sides instead of dunking the whole thing into a tub of water, I just spoon in the plastic tray with pulp that has the consistency of vegetable soup), then I let it dry in the sun. Each time the flowers never retain their color and it just turns brown, beside the luck I had with Dusty Miller ( don't lose color since it's white but it still turns the paper yellowish brown), I can't get the paper with flowers to look like what I was aiming for, something like this where the flower retains it's color and the paper doesn't brown at all.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/149252175138323336/
or this
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/366902700890740173/
What has been your experience & what do you suggest? Thank you so much.
Patti Estep
Vikki, my experience is just what you see here. Some of the flowers did turn a little but not all. Maybe the sun is part of the problem. Also, consider trying adding the pressed flowers on top of the pulp.