Arnold Grummer's Design Team Blog

For some reason, I truly enjoy experimenting with paper pulp.  After seeing some interesting designed papers at an art store, this idea came to me. The results from my playing, I feel, was very satisfactory.  Here are two projects made with this pulp technique.  The paper was used as a background for a simple card.  Another application was a decorative plate. It began with some mulberry paper and pulp made from 1/4 cup of cotton linter and a half sheet of colored tissue paper.  Process the colored pulp in a blender.  Using the paper making screen, place a sheet of mulberry paper onto the blue screen.  Wet the sheet by running it under water.  Place the mix of pulp into some type of squeeze bottle.   The photo here shows one way to add the pulp to the paper sheet.  It is randomly placed onto the paper by squeezing it on.    NOTE:  Another way to add designs to the paper is to place a shape of choice (cooki...

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2015 The Independence Day celebration has become a yearly neighborhood pot luck get together. You know that I love paper casting using the many molds available from the Arnold Grummer website.  I often will cast items ahead of time using up the slurry I made for previous projects. Several months ago when I was using the CP “Nature’s Miniatures” mold from AG, I created a lot of the “star” castings knowing that I would need invitations for the 4 th of July celebration. They went together quickly and will be a big hit when they are hand delivered next week. Supplies: Any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits Microwave , heat tool or a sunny window CP “Nature’s Miniatures” casting mold Blender, cello sponges and soft towels Beacon QuickGrip™ Adhesive, Scraps of white (think junk mail, etc.) 5 ½ x 8 ½” red card stock for each card Envelopes to fit cards (or make your own with the AG envelope template)...

Happy Wednesday folks!  Have you ever sat down and felt like you wanted to make something but you had no idea what?  The not knowing what isn't what stops you.  It's you!  Sometimes you really have to play and INSPIRE yourself.  My project today I had no idea what direction I was going, but it didn't stop me from looking at what I had in front of me and creating something gift worthy.  That gift can be to myself , friends and family or even a perfect stranger. Today's project is an accordion or zig zag book to INSPIRE. I first grabbed a few pieces of handmade papers.  You too can create your own paper you can be proud of here, at the Arnold Grummer site.  On the site you will notice a plethora goodies, some in which I used today (smiles) Supplies: Any of the Arnold Grummer Paper Mill Kits Square Zig Zag Book Arnold Grummer Heart Template Scissors Helmar Premium Craft Glue Tim Holtz Idea-ology Chit Chat (word sticker b...

I do love the Spring and flowers blooming.  This year I decided to capture some of the spring and keep it!  I used my Arnold Grummer's® Garden Press to press flowers from a neighborhood tree.  I am sure I got a few odd looks as I looked for the perfect petals and then plucked them, but the results were wonderful...I would definitely do it all over again!   Materials: Arnold Grummer's® Garden Press Mod Podge® handmade paper scraps in colors of choice scrapbook paper in colors of choice rubber stamp alphabet rubber stamp ink corner punch scissors     Step 1: Cut a straight edge on the handmade paper.  If you are like me, you have a huge stash of papers that have been created using the Papermill Pro®.  The benefit of keeping scraps is using them for a cool project like this one! 2) Cut a piece of scrapbook paper a little wider than the handmade paper (mine pieces measured about 2" and 2 1/2" each).  Place...

Hi,  Ann (from http://annmakes.blogspot.com ) here today to share with you my project for the Arnold Grummer Design Team and Blog.  I used the Arnold Grummer flower press to collect and press a variety of flowers growing in containers around my pool.  I love to make things and I love gardening too, so it is so much fun when I get to combine the two.  Here is the completed project: I started with a plain candle that burns from the inside and a collection of pressed flowers I collected just two weeks earlier.  I was so pleased with how well pressed and preserved my flowers are.  The colours are so deep and vibrant. By coating the candle with a thick layer of Deco-Page I used this as the base to grab a hold of the flowers.  I gently pressed each flower onto the candle.  I let that set for a few minutes and then I brushed on another layer of the sealer.  Once that layer was dry I applied a third and final coat of Deco-Page to mak...

There are many ways that you can create a design in paper.  I have shown you how add a heart into the center of a newly made sheet in my Love Notes tutorial.  I shared how to create an open area for a design in my Say I Love You with Handmade Paper post.  Today I would like to share with you how to make a striped sheet of handmade paper and how easy it is to do.  This Zig Zag book is covered with a piece of striped paper to give it a splash of color.   Create several colors of paper pulp to make the striped sheet and one addition sheet to cover the back of the book.  You can choose if you want it to be striped or a solid sheet.   Now you will need something to make a barrier in the deckle of your Papermill Pro .  I taped 2 of the templates together to use.  I held the template as I ladled the first color of pulp into the first section.     Then, I gently ladled some pulp onto the opposite side of the template....

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2015 Here in Southeastern Arizona, summer is upon us! The Independence Day celebration coming up next month is one of my favorite holidays. I love the patriotism, the flags and the feeling of pride in our country. In honor of the holiday I have created a memory box for my neighbor whose husband is deployed. It will be a great place for her to keep the many letters and photos he sends to her. Perhaps it will help ease his being away. Supplies: Any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits CP large Angel mold A sunny window, microwave or heat gun Blender, cello sponges and soft towels Beacon ZipDry™ and QuickGrab™ Adhesive Scraps of white paper (think junk mail, left over cardstock scrap, etc.) White pearl card stock Dark blue cardstock Dies: Spellbinders Grand Ovals Die cut machine: Spellbinders’ Grand Calibur II Spool of Kreinik gold metallic #32 braided cord Bow Easy™, scissors 16 Gold stars (brads...

Hi everyone, I hope you are having a nice spring, summer is officially around the corner here in the States and what better way to begin your summer than by making a journal to record your garden plants or maybe some hiking trails you discovered? I began with    my  Arnold Grummer Paper Mill Kit   to make my paper with the left over napkin I had when I created my Wabi Sabi Bowl  back in March.  The directions to making your own paper can be found   here .  First I liberally applied some Helmar Decoupage & Craft Paste  to the outside cover of my journal and lay my paper on top. I made to sure to coat the binding of the journal since that is where the paper will get the most stress from opening and closing it. The sheet of paper was a little too long so I creased the edge where it overlapped by folding it and then tearing along that creased line. Handmade paper tears very easily giving you a wonderful natural deckled edge. ...

Hello, Ann here today from the blog: AnnMakes at: http://annmakes.blogspot.com.  For my project as part of the AG Design Team I decided to take my passion for DIY a little bit further this week.  You see not only do I enjoy making handmade paper like the original Arnold Grummer Method (see video her e) but I also like to print my own prints! After going through my stash of handmade papers I pulled three of what I considered the most plainest of my sheets.  I also got my Gelli Plate (Gelatin Mono- Printing Plate) some good quality acrylic paints, a brayer, a stencil and mask set, and my enthusiasm. I learned that when working with these types of paper it is important to work very quickly.  Another important tip is to let each print dry thoroughly before adding another layer.  I learned the hard way that my handmade paper tends to be fragile when wet. I limited my palette to three (3) colours and some black for contrast.  I actually made prints...

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2015 Today’s project is using another of the AG “books a’ la Carte!” kits. We will be going to a neighborhood party with a summer sea theme in a few days. The recipients are recently back home after an ocean cruise, so this new book will be the perfect hostess gift for the photos and memorabilia from their trip. Supplies: Any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits A sunny window Blender, cello sponges and soft towels Westcott™ paper trimmer &scissors Scraps of ivory or off white and rusty orange paper (think junk mail, etc.) A tiny amount of dried crushed leaves or old spices AG #2720 “Books a la carte” kit Thin rust colored leather cord for binding (I wanted a different thread than came with the kit) Scor-Tape Ivory colored beads with large holes ColorBox Chalk™ charcoal black ink pad Sea themed rubber stamp Alcohol markers: light brown, light blue and yellow Iron (if you want ...

Hey folks Tamiko here.. Today I am feeling a little under the weather but I was able to stamp and color an image to create a card. I have been staring at a little wooden birdie on my desk for well over a week and I vowed to also to add him, some kinda way.  The papers I recycled were brown kraft shipping paper.  Here is my card for today. As with all paper projects you can't do anything unless you start with paper.  First thing I do make sure I have what's  needed by c reating my  favorite papers with any of the  Arnold Grummer Paper Mill Kits .  The directions can be found   here .   After my paper was made I stamped the image and painted it using Colour Arte Twinkling H2Os  . I fussy cut the image and adhered it to the base of the card with Helmar's Craft & Hobby PVA glue.  I added some lace trim and hand stamped a sentiment on painted paper.. and embellished with a wooden bird. This card was simple and sho...

©Michele Emerson-Roberts 2015 For many years I have been happily watching two neighbor kids grow up. They played together and chased butterflies as little ones and became “best friends” in their teens. I was pleased to see the friendship turn into love and will be attending their wedding this summer. I was delighted when they asked me to create the invitations for their wedding.  I had 100 invitations to make so I chose to go with purchased cardstock instead of making the card bases from handmade paper. I was able to concentrate on creating the peach butterflies and completed the 100 cards in just a few days. Follow along to create your own versions of this card, which would make a lovely birthday, get well, thanks or thinking of you card.   Supplies: Any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits A sunny window Blender, cello sponges and soft towels Scraps of white and peach paper (think junk mail, etc.) Iridescent copper flakes 12 x 12” ...

Hi everyone! I made another pressed flower card today using my Arnold Grummer Garden Press , now that summer is here and flowers are blooming I can see this hobby as addictive as paper making! Speaking of flowers, I used Sea Lavender flowers in my paper as a surface embedment. You can go here to watch Arnold Grummer himself demonstrate this method in a video. I had to do a little research on what type of flower this was, lol It's called Statice Flowers, common names are  Sea foam, sea lavender, limonium, latifolia, marsh rosemary.  Grown for both its colorful  flowers  and its everlasting calyx (the green leaf that encloses the  flower  bud),  statice  is also considered an herb, referred to as “sea lavender.” Statice  is commonly used in dried  flower  arrangements as well as fresh bouquets.  The base of the paper comes from an old phone book directory that I tore up when I got my new one...who uses phone book...