Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

This is from Crafting Caro's blog:   http://www.craftincaro.ca/2010/08/more-from-our-monthly-team-gathering.htm

At our "Canadians, INK!" Team Gathering on Saturday, we were lucky enough to have Maria show us a really cool project she does using those "paper snakes" we demonstrators get in our orders all the time.

You know what those are, they're the crazy long massive packing paper lengths that they use to help keep our orders from rattling around in those boxes quite so much.

Anyhow, when she gets a new order, she flattens the paper out and irons out some of the wrinkles, and she uses them to cover or make book projects, like the one you see here.

She can distress the covers with ink to highlight the cool textures -- isn't that neat? Reduce, Re-use, Recycle... way to go, Maria!

If you don't recognize where the bison and quotation stamps come from, they're from a new set in the 2010 Stampin' Up! Catalogue called "In Wilderness".

Best Wishes - a card made with Hand made paper

This card I cased from Page 208 of the current Idea Book and Catalogue, but I used hand made paper rather than card stock.
Paper: Pink Pirouette, hand made paper (red, mauve)
Accessories:  1 3/8" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, 5/8" victoria crochet trim, antique button. 1/4" old olive grosgrain ribbon, Flower folds die and the Big Shot.

Making your own paper

A number of people have asked me how I made my own paper.  Here is a brief explanation.

Supplies Needed:
.Wooden mold with blue screen, black screen and hard white screen
.Blender
.Waste paper (e.g. envelopes, remnants of card stock, photocopy paper)
.water tub or dishpan
.cookie sheet or tray with shallow sides
.couching paper or orange felts (terms are interchangeable)
.sponge
.roller

Hints:
You can use any paper that can be torn by hand
A business size envelope will make one sheet.  You can add a small piece of tissue paper for colour.
Other things to add:
.dried flowers
.coffee grounds
.tea leaves
.wild flowers
.spices
.potpourri
.sparkles
.fluff
.etc

1.  Place box with blue screen and white rack, which has been velcroed in place in a tub of water.  Have water come to within about an inch or two of the top of the tub.
2.  Select paper.  It should measure about 1: longer and 1: wider than the mold.  Tear it into pieces and put in it blender with 2 cups of water
3.  Blend for 20-30 seconds (on liquify setting)
4.  Pour pulp into box and spread with fingers to make even.
5.  Lift box out of the water slowly and evenly.  Let it drain
6.  Place mold on cookie sheet or tray with edges to contain water
7.  Undo velcro straps and remove screen, pulp and white rack from the box
8.  Place black screen on top of pulp
9.  Press sponge on black screen to absorb water and wring out sponge.  Continue until water is gone.
10.  Remove black screen
11.  Put an orange felt on top of new paper
12. Use dowel or rolling pin and roll it over orange felt pressing hard to remove extra moisture and flatten paper
13.  Turn blue screen, paper, and orange felt over so the orange felt is on the bottom
14.  Peel blue screen from paper.
15.  Place a dry orange felt over the new piece of paper and roll again, pressing hard
16.  Peel off the orange felt and flip paper over into a dry town on a flat surface
17.  Remove remaining orange felt.
18.  Air dry for several hours.
19.  After air drying, stack papers between orange felt and press  between a stack of books or magazines.

20.  Alternately, the sheets can be ironed on high heat.  Than  stack them and press for complete flatness.

If any one is interested in making your own paper, Pappermint Patty is selling the kits.  Get in touch with her at:papermintpattie@gmail.com

ORSA - July Swap - water

I received 3 wonderful cards in the mail on Friday from the July SOT M.  This month's theme was water, and I'm always intrigued by how people interpret that theme and come up with a card.  All 3 cards I received had a boat as an image, but  after that they were truly unique.
This card was done by Jean Bircham.  I love the way she did the sky.

Julia did an Iris Folded sailboat.  This is one of my favourite techniques and seeing this card reminds me that I haven't made a card using this technique for quite some time.  Love the little birds in the corner.

Yellow and blue - such bright colours.  This sailboat was done by Julia.  T he sails were stamped twice and then superimposed on each other. Some glitter on the water and the boat is sailing on a sparkling windy day.

This is the card I submitted for swapping.  This distressing technique is a favourite of mine.  The image is a Stampscape stamp.

Another passion - Making my own paper

Gail U taught me how to make paper last weekend and I've been busy making paper ever since.  I've been trying hard not to get obsessed in this process as I have a tendency to do that, but I do make some paper every day. 

Above you'll see some paper I have made.
I'm still very much a novice, but I'm having fun and starting to make some projects.

Here is a box I made using the Bitty Box and Envelope die.  The tissue paper flower on top was made using the Big Flower punch the same tissue paper which provided the basis for the new paper and the leaf is from the Big Bird punch.
 Glitter and real dried flowers (purchased) have been added to this paper, but I am going to incorporate my own flowers. So  I have started drying the flowers from my garden using a flower press.  Already I have a batch to use.  I've dried geraniums, petunias, verbena, cosmos, zinnias, marigolds, clematis, and the leaves from cosmos, ferns,  yarrow, and summer phlox (blue, red, and white) Stay tuned for paper made from these.
I've made a card, but will post it later.

Stamp:  Loving Daisy, Impressions Obsessions
Paper: Pear Pizzaz, Whisper White, hand made paper
Ink:  Wild Wisabi, Memento, Copic markers to color main image
Accessories: Scallop edge punch, polka dot and vintage wall paper embossing folders, rhinestones, sheer ribbon, word window punch, modern label punch

Stampin UP Workshop

I've been doing some training with Stampin' Up and part of this training is to book a workshop.  I made the decision to have the workshop at my home in Peterborough on August 15, from 1 until 4.  If anyone from this area would like to attend the workshop please contact me via emai\;  mariavanderform@yahoo.com
In this workshop I will be featuring the latest Stampin Up products and of course making cards - stamping, colouring and using the Big Shot