Making Sand Paper
For a solid year of my life, I was expressly focused on making paper. But not just any paper. Experimental paper. I’d collect random things I found in thrift stores, or collect natural materials to use as additives in my paper.
Making Journals with Antique Books
A couple summers ago, I was visiting a friend in rural Missouri when we decided to go antiquing. I’ve always enjoyed perusing the aisles of antique stores, pondering where so many of these incredibly old items came from . . .
A Colorful Custom Book
Making this colorful book for Lauraleigh was a true pleasure! To create this piece, I mixed different colored pulps to create not only a bespoke cover paper but a one-of-a-kind journal.
Chasing Texture on Handmade Paper
Texture is one of the key attributes of a piece of handmade paper. My journey into papermaking is coming to the one-year mark and texture has been one of the main drivers of change in my process. I’ve been chasing it, on the hunt for the perfect smooth texture that makes both writing and art seamless.
A Custom Set of Watercolor Books
I was recently commissioned by Holly to create a set of five custom watercolor books. I always love when friends, family, or followers reach out for custom work. It’s the ultimate pleasure to make somebody’s idea come to life.
Making Handmade Leaf Paper
I made paper, out of leaves! Okay, not 100% out of leaves, but pretty close. Ever since I started making paper last summer, making paper with leaves was something I was interested in experimenting with. And, I finally did it!
Making Handmade Grass Paper
I remember exactly where I was on November 3, 2020. Making grass paper. I was stressed about the presidential election, so I figured why not give this strange paper idea a try, while keep my mind from pondering the day’s events? What’s the worst that could happen?
A Custom Book for an Avid Tea Drinker
I recently finished creating a custom handmade journal for a new customer, Lauren. Lauren is an avid tea drinker who wanted a book that would make her tea drinking experience easier. Making this book was a collaborative process between the two of us, but the process was not without its challenges! Keep reading to learn more about how this custom book was made.
Making a Dry Box
Over the last several weeks, I’ve been focusing my energy on making my papermaking set-up more efficient. One of the key things I’ve been wanting to try (and now finally have!) is making a dry box for drying freshly pulled sheets. Dry boxes are sort of the gold standard for drying handmade paper, mainly because they are efficient and produce a quality sheet.
Making Handmade Coffee Paper
I tried making handmade coffee paper when I was still in my very early days of learning how to make paper. Making handmade coffee paper was something I had wanted to try from the get-go, since I have such a strong love (and need, really) for coffee. It seemed only natural that I try using it in my handmade paper.
Sizing Handmade Paper with Wheat Starch Paste
This past weekend, I attempted to size my handmade paper with wheat starch paste. Sizing is an important part of the handmade paper process, especially if the goal is to make a quality paper that one can write, draw, or paint on, so it’s something I’ve wanted to master before I delved deeper into making new paper batches. This article is a little bit of a how-to, but also a recap of what I learned and the outcome of this first sizing test.
Reflecting on 2020
What a weird year, 2020 was. Literally, the entire population of the entire world was affected by a virus. Businesses, schools, hospitals, neighborhoods, friends, families . . . It’s hard to believe that the heartbeat of our world changed so much in 2020.
Jumping Back Into Papermaking
It’s been a hot minute since I made paper. My last paper batch was made on the night of the election, an activity I deemed as necessary to relieve my stress and not obsess over the news.