DISCLAIMER: No valuable vinyl was harmed in the making of this craft. I swear on a stack of 1963 Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan LPs.
The space we garden in currently is small. I joke that it’s the size of a postage stamp . In reality, it is a bit larger than that and we are rather fortunate that we have the yard that we do have, living in the center of town. Still…the point is, my garden space is small and about half of it is driveway, that is unused for the things that driveways are supposed to be used for. We’ve been car-free for 6 years now and a car in our driveway instead of bicycles,scooters & potted plants is an idea as foreign to me as eating peanut butter on hotdogs.
Most of my plants are in containers,including the veggies. Earlier this Spring,I found I lacked enough containers ( well, duh…who in their right mind has enough containers for 70 pepper plants? ) so I decided to make some.
Using the standard method of making a bowl from a vinyl record, I heated the record upside down in the oven on a metal bowl until it was droopy but instead of leaving the edges wavy & fluted, I squeezed the folds together to make more of a solid pot form.
I used my bare hands (because I’m either a badass or a dumbass…you choose) but it probably would be recommended to use workgloves or even gardening gloves to protect your hands from scorching hot vinyl.
I found that it worked well with some of the areas that didn’t seal as tight on first molding to just simply reheat those areas with a lighter and press to get the desired effect. It also worked to stick the “pot’ back into the oven ,upside down over a mason jar and let the oven meld the creases even tighter. Reheating w/ a lighter and hand molding left a pot looking like it’s former incarnation, complete w/ grooves. reheating in the oven made a completely solid black vinyl pot, with some very nice whirly doo-dads & nice design elements around the brim.
I’ve been sick way too long and I’m no better today. My plan was to do a paper making tutorial today ,as promised here but I did little else but sleep today (remind me to properly thank the hubby for taking over domestic duties when I’m feeling better).
So,I had thought…ok, so I’ll find a good papermaking tutorial on You Tube!
Now, I know that each “paper maker” has their own way of doing things but I honestly thought the process itself…the basic,fundamentals …were pretty much the same. I guess I was wrong.
My creative process for many things is probably unorthodox.I don’t follow directions.I improvise a lot,especially when I see an easier ( and cheaper) way of doing something. I don’t over think things…I just do.
this video is the closest tutorial I could find to the way I do things:
The biggest exception to how I do things that I see is the drying process. I stack all sheets of paper in a pile (or several piles) to dry. I put something heavy on top to help flatten and squeeze out excess water. If it’s a nice day, a few hours in the sun dries paper quite quickly.
I also use magazines that I intended to recycle anyway instead of newspaper, mostly just because I have more access to junky magazines(thanks,Mom) than newspaper.
Instead of a sponge,I use rags
Also, supplies…
You can make your own papermaking screen and deckle using an old wooden picture frame with the and recycled screen.All my papermaking screens were made for free by salvaging broken picture frames and screens tossed in roadside free piles or the trash (hell yes,I garbage pick!)
To make a screen, simple make sure all glass is removed from a wooden frame. Cut a piece of screen slightly larger than the opening in the frame size. Use a staple gun to secure the screen around the perimeter of the frame, making sure it’s taut and firm.
To make a deckle , just use the same size frame.
When doing custom paper for customers, I found that many people don’t even want straight edges on their handmade paper and rather like that very ragged edge so using a deckle is completely optional and when making paper with kids, definitely an easier process.
There are a slew of videos on You Tube that show a variety of ways to make paper if you’re interested in seeing other methods but most of them lost me at their supply list (a mortar and pestle?? For what?) , uses of chemical additives and dyes (I use none,not even a bonding agent) or just making the process much more difficult and complex than it really is (handcutting the paper with scissors? Are you kidding me? The best part of papermaking is the stress relief you get from shredding and ripping up old bills ).
It really is just a very simple process with just 6 Steps.
1, shred paper,put in blender with water and pulverize it.
2. Fill a tub or a bin with warm water and pour your pulverized pulp into it.
3.Dip screen in pulp ,letting pulp cover screen .Let water drain.
4.Flip screen w/ paper pulp side down onto cotton sheeting or whatever you’re drying it on
5.Sponge off as much water from the topside
6.Lift screen.Voila.Sheet of paper.
Oh..one thing that trips some people up when they first start paper making is,which side of the screen to dip into the water. You want the recessed edge down and the side that’s flat facing up.If it’s the other way around, you’ll just be scooping pulp into a sieve and it won’t “couch” (flip off onto the drying sheet) very easily.
AND…I advise picking up a blender at a yard sale or the thrift shop specifically for papermaking . I would not advise using a blender that you’re totally in love with and don’t want to replace,especially if you plan on doing papermaking frequently. I picked up the blender I’m using now for papermaking at a yard sale for $3.It’s lasted me quite some time but I can tell it’s on it’s last legs.The nice thing is,I’m not going to feel horrible when it dies since it was only a $3 investment .
When she sees people leave the post office with the bright red Netflix envelope clasped in their hand, she fights the urge to say,”Hey,whatcha watching tonight?”. Now she just wants to know if she can have the tear-off flap thingy so she can make more Netflix Paper.
Handmade paper made from the tear off flap from accumulated Netflix mailers
Pink w/ speckly bits of red,black & white. It’s very White Stripes.
