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Autumn Leaf Handmade Paper
Autumn is a beautiful time of colour and scent. The
distinctive rusts and browns of autumn are captured in a paper made from
leaves, as is the earthy smell of fall. Autumn leaf paper retains its
colour and scent for a long time. Store it in a plastic bag and pull
out the sheets from time to time to enjoy the wonderful scent of
Autumn.
The thick stems and veins of fall leaves must be
stripped before soaking, or the unattractive, unprocessed remnants will
appear in your sheets of paper. These tasks may seem rather tedious,
but the end product will delight you and encourage you to try various
types of leaves.
Materials Required:
- - 1 cup Autumn leaves, torn in 1 inch pieces, stems and large veins removed
- - 7 oz caustic solution
Prepare the caustic solution by filling a cooking
pot with 3 cups of fireplace ashes. Add sufficient cold water to cover
the ashes. Continue pouring until the water fills the pot to
three-quarters full.
Bring pot to a boil in a well-ventillated space,
stirring constantly to dissolve most of the ash. Strain mixture several
times through cheese cloth and discard the wet ashes. Avoid contact with
the caustic liquid with skin.
Fill a cooking pot with the autumn leaves and
cover with 3 cups of caustic liquid. Cook for 2 hours on low-medium heat,
stirring frequently.
Carefully drain liquid from leaves and rinse two
or three times. Process 1/4 cup cooked leaves in a household blender
with 1 cup water. Pulse the blender in bursts of 3 seconds, until the
leaves are thoroughly processed.
Pour leaves in a vat of water and pull sheets
carefully. Finished pieces are fragile and must be handled with care.
TIP: Blend leaves half and half with cotton linter
to add strength to the paper!
by Heidi Reimer-Epp and Mary
Reimer
authors of 300
Papermaking Recipes
founders of Botanical
PaperWorks papermaking
studio.
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