Homemade Recycled Paper

We all have it, piles of used paper (newspaper, filled note pads, used printer paper, even bank statements or bills) we want to recycle but why just put it in a box by the road when you can recycle and reuse it yourself...And it is Soooo easy and fun...
Oh and FYI by the time you are done with it
NO-ONE will be able to get your personal information from those old bills and bank statements...


So first things first, we need to make our old paper into pulp...All you need is old paper of course, a bucket, warm water and a blender...

Tear your paper into rough square inch pieces and drop them in your bucket half filled with the warm water, let soak for about an hour...mix with your hand or a wooden spoon occasionally to make sure the paper is thoroughly wet through and begin the process of the paper breaking down...

Now we half fill the blender with the wet paper
(You can also add some flower petals at this point)
and then top off the blender with more hot water, blend for about 30seconds, now we have "pulp...Empty the pulp into a tub large enough to fit your screen into (see below)...repeat this step until your wet paper is all made into pulp...

If you are without a blender you could continue to simply mix the paper in the bucket by hand (or wooden spoon) until it completely breaks down and looks like watered down instant potatoes ....

Once all your pulp is in your tub you want to add more water, like pictured above...you can also add food coloring to create colored paper...you will need to experiment to see how much coloring you need for your tub and water level...

These are the screens I made using old photo frames with bug screen stapled to them...

Stir up the water so it is cloudy with the paper particles, then dip the frame in at an angle into the tub and hold flat at the bottom of tub for 1 to 5 minutes depending on how thick you wish your paper to be...

Being careful to hold it flat as you lift out of the water, then allow to drip dry for about 15 to 30 minutes (on a hot day)...You can use a sponge to gently soak up the excess water from beneath the frame...

When the edges of the paper begin to lift from the frame invert onto a drying rack and allow to dry until the paper completely separates from the frame without tearing...leave on drying rack until complete dried out...

You have now made your very own recycled paper....

All that is left to do is put it to use...

Water Color and Ink Rooster on Homemade Recycled Paper

Blessings Kelsie

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Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop @ http://www.homemakeronadime.com/

Paper, Teapot and Give away....

Today I have about a thousand things I SHOULD be doing...but instead I am experimenting with making my own Recycled Paper...I promise to provide yall with a how-to tutorial just as soon as I am confident that my theory can work in practice...this could also mean a give-away could be just around the corner....

And simply because every post should have a photo and today is Teacup Tuesday in blog land I am sharing a photo from the archives...This teapot belonged to Hubby's Granny and is now in my care until Lil Sara is old enough...Is it not the cutest little teapot?

Blessings Kelsie

Sharing today's post at the following parties:

Rose Chintz Cottage & Inspirations - Tea Time Tuesday

Lady Katherine Tea Parlor - Tea Time Tuesday

Wander Lee and Pam's - Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday

and party Co-hosts:

Martha's Favorites - Tea Cup Tuesday
&
Terri, Artful Afirmations - Tea Cup Tuesday

What do you see?...It is all about the *RE*

It started 7yrs ago when hubby and his brother were doing a clean out and fixing to do a scrap metal run...(this is what car guys do when they are nagged enough about the "crap" around the yard...if you are lucky)

So BIL arrives with his contribution to the load, lo & behold he has a big ole Weber BBQ grill lid...Much to my hubbies horror I claim this and one of his many spare car rims.

I was like, look hunny a divine planter...
He was like, umm really??
I was like, yer YOU just got to paint it...

Fast Forward 7yrs later....Because yesterday it finally got painted lol

Not only is it really cute, add instant height and much needed eclectic cottage feel to the front garden....

But also much needed protection to the corner of the bed from the garden hose during watering.

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