paper making project:
Going Green Earth Day Journal Project

Our earth is worth celebrating, as is the Creator who made it. 

This earth day journal is fun project made with 100% recycled paper! The journal cover is made from recycled junk mail and the  5 x 7" mold and deckle from the Going Green Papermaking Kit.

The handmade paper earth is made from scraps of blue and green paper.  The inside of the journal consists of loose leaf paper cut to size, and finally it's all bound together with raffia. 

A handmade papermaking instruction booklet included with the Going Green Papermaking Kit thoroughly explains how to make handmade paper by recycling paper, but here's how to make a handmade paper earth, using tin cans as a mold and deckle:

making a handmade paper earth

1.  Tear up several sheets each of blue and green paper, and soak them separately in small bowls of water.

2.  Blend the blue and green separately in a blender, using approximately 2 cups of water for each handful of wet paper. Put each slurry (blended paper) aside.  

3.  Locate a large empty can (I used a 28 oz can), a smaller can with both ends cut out, and a piece of screen (I used heavy duty patio door screen)

4.  Place the screen on top of the large can, and place the smaller can on top of the screen, just like the picture below.

5.  Take approx. 1/2 cup of the blue slurry, mix it well, and pour it into the small can, allowing the water to drain through the screen, into the large can. The blue paper pulp will remain on top of the screen.  Then, take a spoonful or so of the green slurry and dribble it carefully on top of the  blue pulp in the small can.  Those dribbles are your continents!

6.  Carefully remove the small can from the screen, and place the screen down on a small stack of newspapers. Then lay a piece of felt, or a handi-wipe cloth on top of the screen and newly formed paper.  Now, carefully flip the screen and felt over on the newspaper, so that the felt rests on the bottom, and the screen is on top.  Your "earth" is in between.  Using a sponge, press the back of the screen, forcing the water to go through the felt and into the newspaper.  Do this several times, squeezing the water out of the sponge as you go. 

7.  Carefully remove the screen, leaving the paper earth on the felt.  You probably won't be able to see your continents at this point.  Let it dry, then gently peel your "earth" off of the felt.  Press your earth in a large book for an hour or so if it has curled up before gluing it onto your journal cover, poster...or whatever you decide to do with it.  Enjoy!  

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