How to Make Recycled Paper Cards

Making your own cards from recycled paper.

You can use a wide variety of store-bought recycled paper to make greetings cards, but if you really want to impress your recipient and help the environment, as well as creatively dispose of that pile of paper cluttering your house, then the most satisfying and generous way is by making your own recycled paper.

Things You'll Need

• Art canvas frame Nylon tights Drawing pins Assorted paper Bucket Potato masher Blender Large washing bowl J-cloths, newspapers or towels Books or A3 Drawing Boards Plastic covering Clothes pegs and line Metal ruler Set square Scissors Pencil Eraser Craft knife Optional: Paints or colored pens or pencils Food coloring Indian inks Twigs, petals, seeds, leaves Perfume oil Card craft accessories Embossed pens Glue stick or glue spots Letter transfers Stencils Computer and printer

Instructions

Making Recycled Paper

1. To make your paper tray, carefully remove the stretched canvas from the canvas frame. Stretch the tights over the wooden frame and tightly pin them in place using drawing pins.

2. Tear up your assorted paper into squares, smaller than two inches, and soak it in a bucket of warm water for several hours or overnight.

3. Mash your soaked paper into a souplike pulp with the masher or blender. Half-fill the blender with water, add 2 handfuls of soaked paper and blend for 2 to 3 minutes. Then place the pulp into a dish of water. You will need up to a pint of pulp to make your first sheet of recycled paper. More pulp means thicker paper.

4. Slowly lower your paper tray into the bowl of water, which should be at least half full. Capture the pulp by slowly lifting the paper tray back up to the surface. Take the paper tray out of the water and leave it to drain over the sink. You can add texture at this stage, such as leaves, petals, etc.

5. Turn your paper out onto the J-cloths, newspaper or towels to drain off excess water. You must gently rock the paper tray to be able to peel the paper off the nylon gauze. You can layer other sheets over the first sheet, but layer cloth over each sheet to absorb the water.

6. Press your sheets of paper by placing books or drawing boards on top of the wet paper sheets. Place plastic covering underneath to catch excess water. Leave your paper pressing for at least 8 hours or preferably overnight before hanging it up to dry on a clothes line, in between J-cloths.

Making Recycled Paper Cards

1. Take a thick sheet of dry recycled paper to use as your base card. Trim off uneven edges using a metal ruler and craft knife, making sure the ruler is straight to the edge. Use a set square to help mark straight lines to ensure 90-degree angles for vertical and horizontal lines and to keep your corners square.

2. Fold the sheet in half to create the basic card, making sure it can stand up. You can fold it over again to make a smaller card and one that will stand up more easily.

3. Choose a design for the front of the card. You can draw or paint a small picture; use stencils or rubber stamps; decoupage a variety of shapes and materials into a picture; use ready-made shapes and similar accessories from your local arts and crafts store; or use organic found materials like seashells, pebbles, leaves, petals, flowers, twigs, dried oranges and lemons, vanilla pods, etc. Also, mosaic designs using colored paper, felt, beads or buttons, or even mini-tapestries create interesting patterns and tactile effects. Abstract collages using print, colored recycled paper, fabrics and interesting objects make arty card designs. Tissue can be moulded like papier-mache to create shapes and textures. Your design choices are infinite, but it is best to keep your card simple. You might want to experiment on scrap paper first.

4. Print lettering on the front of the card for a greeting, if required, by using an embossed pen. Write freehand, or, for a more finished effect, use letter stencils or letter paper transfers.

5. Write a verse on the inside of the card. You can write it freehand, use stencils or paper transfers, or print it from a computer onto colored paper and stick it on the inside of the card.

Tips & Warnings

• When making your paper tray, the thicker the straining gauze is, the thicker the paper will be, so you might want to stretch two pairs of tights over the frame. Add paint, food coloring or Indian inks to your pulp mix to color the paper. Add organic materials, such as petals, herbs, twigs, seeds or leaves, to your paper mix to create different textures. Add perfume oils to scent your paper for valentines. If you want smooth sheets of paper, run an iron over it.

References

• Recyclezone: Pulp fiction - how to make recycled paper
• Making Your Own: Make Your Own Recycled Paper
• Card Making Inspiration: Card Illustrations

Resources

• Card Making Inspiration: Card Illustrations