How to create watermarks in your handmade paper

All this talk these days about “going green” makes me smile. The Arnold Grummer Co., family and friends have been “green” for decades. Not only are we “green” by recycling, repurposing, and re-using, we are adding to the “green” in our wallets by making our own paper from items most people consider trash. What a winning combination that is!

With March’s Saint Patrick’s Day coming up, what better time to gather all those odds and ends of green scrap paper and get started on an Irish project or two.

    

     

Supplies:

Any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits

Molds: R 004 Scottish Thistle, R 434 Celtic Harp, R 470 Celtic Knot Work, R 497 Celtic Flourish

Microwave, heat gun or a sunny window

Blender, small strainer, cello sponges and soft towels, paper cutter, scissors, bone folder, ruler

Beacon Quick Grab™ Adhesive, double sided foam tape or foam dots

Scraps of green and white paper (think colored junk mail, etc.)

4 sheets of 12 x 12” Forest Green 90# card stock (I used World Win)

Envelopes

Dies: Spellbinders™ Circles, CherryLynn Celtic Circles Stacker Frames

Craftwell™  large Embossing Folder Décor Circles

Spellbinders Grand Calibur™ Machine

ColorBox™ Chalk Ink pads in Warm Green and Olive Pastel and Stylist handle with white foam tips

Directions:

Using two of the 12 x 12” pieces of dark green card stock create the box following the instructions available from www.oragami-fun.com (*save the two ½” strips to use in making the dark green casting.)

Check the grain of the card stock to determine the layout for folding.  Cut four (slightly smaller than) 4 x 8” cards from one sheet of the 12 x 12” card stock. Cut four of the middle size Celtic Circle dies from the dark green card stock (*save the scraps to use in making the dark green casting).

Fold the cards in half. Emboss the front of the card with the Décor Circle folder.

Follow the direction for paper making and casting found in any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits or books to create a sheet of light green paper. When paper is dry cut four 3 ¼“circles and one middle size Celtic Circle die from the handmade paper. Make more slurry and caste one each of the four molds in light green, dry in the microwave, with the heat tool or place in a sunny window. Make a small amount of dark green slurry and cast one thistle (*see notes), dry casting. When castings are dry, use the Stylist and foam tips to add a small amount of Warm Green Chalk ink to bring out the texture and design of the light green castings. Use the Olive Pastel Chalk ink for the dark green casting.

Assemble the cards and box:

Attach the light green castings to the dark green Celtic Circles dies with Quick Grab™ adhesive. Attach the dark green Celtic Circles die to the 31/4” light green circles with foam tape or dots. Attach the light green circles to the front of the embossed 4” cards. Attach the dark green thistle casting to the light green Celtic Circle die. Attach the light green Celtic Circles die to the top of the box. Place the four cards and envelopes inside the box.

What a great gift for my Irish friends.

Project 2:

Supplies:

Any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits

Molds: R 004 Scottish Thistle

Microwave, heat gun or a sunny window

Blender, small strainer, cello sponges and soft towels, paper cutter, scissors, bone folder, ruler

Quick Grab™ Adhesive, double sided foam tape or foam dots

Scraps of green and white paper (think colored junk mail, etc.)

One sheets of 12 x 12” Forest Green 90# card stock (I used World Win)

Envelope for a 6 x 6” card

Dies: CherryLynn Celtic Circles Stacker Frames

Craftwell™  large Embossing Folder Décor Circles

Spellbinders Grand Calibur™ Machine

ColorBox™ Chalk Ink pad in Warm Green and Stylist handle with white foam tips

Light green gel pen

Directions:

Check the grain of the card stock to determine the layout for folding.  Cut one 6 x 12” cards from one sheet of the 12 x 12” card stock. Cut one of the middle sized Celtic Circle dies from the dark green card stock.

Fold the card in half. Emboss the front of the card with the Décor Circle folder.

Follow the direction for paper making and casting found in any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits or books to create a sheet of light green paper. When the paper is dry cut one large Celtic Circle die. Cut one middle size Celtic Circle die from the dark green card stock. Make more light green slurry and caste one of the thistle molds, dry in the microwave, with the heat tool or place in a sunny window.  When casting is dry, use the Stylist and foam tips to add a small amount of Warm Green Chalk ink to bring out the texture and design of the thistle casting.

Assemble the card:

Attach the light green castings to the dark green Celtic Circles die with Quick Grab™ adhesive.  Attach the dark green Celtic Circles die to the large light green Celtic Circles die with foam tape or dots. Attach the light green Celtic Circles die to the front of the embossed 6” cards.

Add an Irish blessing with a light green gel pen. Any of my Irish friends would treasure this card.