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