Earth Day Collage Canvases With Handmade Paper

I am still celebrating and honoring some of the pollinators. If it weren’t for all of the birds, bees, butterflies, dragonflies, bugs, bats, etc. were would not have any crops…no fruits or vegetables to eat! It has been a pleasure creating art this month not only with my favorite surface (handmade paper) but also with the Earth Day theme. These two collage canvases are a gift for another gardener friend and will have a special place in her sun room.

Supplies:

• Any of the Arnold Grummer® paper making kits and paper press
• Blender, cello sponges and soft towels
• A sunny window
• Scraps of white paper (think junk mail, etc.)
• Scraps of white and black card stock to die cut
• Black matt boards 8 x 10”
• Die: Quietfire Design™ #1227 “Always) & #1446, “You are perfect”, Fish net die:
        Marianne Designs: Craftables Tiny's Fish net, “honey comb” unknown
• Crafters’ CompanionTM Gemini Jr.™ die cutting and embossing machine
• Stamps: Sue Wilson/Creative Expressions™
• Beacon ZipDryTM adhesive
• Double sided foam tape
• ColorBox™ Black Archival ink pad, Dyestress Blendable Dye ink pads: #23117 “Bumble Bee”
        & #23116 “Capri”, Stylus™ handle and white tips
• Stamp positioner
• Spray mist bottle & water, iron

Instructions:

1. Follow the instructions found in any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits to create
        white slurry and create one or more sheets of medium to heavy weight handmade paper.
NOTE: I always make extra sheets of paper every time!!!
2. Place the sheets of paper in the paper press.
3. Allow the papers to dry.
4. Iron the papers to make them smoother.
5. Rough tear two pieces of handmade paper to approx. 6 x 8”
6. Place one of these pieces into the stamp positioner.
7. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to stamp the “Bee” collage image with ColorBox black
        Archival ink onto the lower portion of the paper.
NOTE: you will probably have to repeat the stamping process several times.
8. Allow the ink to dry.
9. Mist the upper part of the sheet of handmade paper with water.
10. Use the Stylus handle and white tip to lightly apply Dyestress “Bumble Bee” color to the
        top portion of the paper.
11. Allow the ink to dry.
12. Wash the stylus white tip.
13. Repeat these steps on the second piece of paper using “Capr”i Dyestress ink.
14. Die cut the words from black scrap cardstock and the honey comb from white scrap card stock.
15. Attach the stamped inked papers to the 8 x 10” matt boards with small pieces of double
        sided foam tape.
16. Attach the honey comb to the top right of the “Bee” canvas with tiny pieces of double
        sided foam.
17. Attach the word die cut word “Always” to the top left side of the “Bee” cancas.
18. Attach the words “You are perfect to the top of the “dragonfly” canvas.
19. Frame the canvases in simple black frames or place on small black display easels.

Dies are available from Quietfire Design.

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TAGS: Arnold Grummer, Michele Emerson-Roberts, ColorBox, QuietFire, Beacon, Crafters’ Companion, Handmade paper, collage