After picking up the latest issue of Cloth Paper and Scissors "Pages" magazine, I wanted to try the technique that Laura Ryan shared in her article entitled "Boiled Books." The technique uses plant material for dyeing paper to make books. I couldn't wait to get started, so I grabbed the dog and headed outside to start collecting plant material!
All of a sudden, there was a whole new reason to take the dog out for a walk! I found myself scrutinizing my neighbor's yards. My eyes were drawn to colors, more so than textures. I was also focused on finding fresh plant materials, not so much the decayed leaves or tree bark. By the time we finished our walk, nearly two hours had elapsed!
I took my treasure trove of nature's palette and spread the items I had collected out onto a paper towel. As they were drying, I created my little accordian fold book out of a single sheet of 9 x 12 watercolor paper. The finished book came to roughly 2 x 3" sized page.
I began to place my plant material into each fold of the tiny book. When all the folds were filled, I used binder clips to hold the book together. I placed the book into a large pot with 2 gallons of water and 1/2 cup white vinegar. I brought it to a boil and then let it simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
I removed the book from the pot to cool. When the book was cool enough to handle, I removed the plant material from the folds. The paper is very fragile when wet. To help the pages of the book dry completely, I used a hair dryer.
I was surprised to learn that the flowers that I thought would bring lots of vibrant color to my pages barely left a mark. Other plants that did not seem to be very interesting left beautiful texture markings. Note to self: the next time I gather plant materials, I will try to focus on plants with more texture including decaying leaves and tree bark.
To give my books (yes, I made two) a more finished look, I created simple covers for the ends using chipboard and scrap paper. I also made paper clasps to keep the book closed. Aren't they cute?
All of a sudden, there was a whole new reason to take the dog out for a walk! I found myself scrutinizing my neighbor's yards. My eyes were drawn to colors, more so than textures. I was also focused on finding fresh plant materials, not so much the decayed leaves or tree bark. By the time we finished our walk, nearly two hours had elapsed!
I took my treasure trove of nature's palette and spread the items I had collected out onto a paper towel. As they were drying, I created my little accordian fold book out of a single sheet of 9 x 12 watercolor paper. The finished book came to roughly 2 x 3" sized page.
I began to place my plant material into each fold of the tiny book. When all the folds were filled, I used binder clips to hold the book together. I placed the book into a large pot with 2 gallons of water and 1/2 cup white vinegar. I brought it to a boil and then let it simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
I removed the book from the pot to cool. When the book was cool enough to handle, I removed the plant material from the folds. The paper is very fragile when wet. To help the pages of the book dry completely, I used a hair dryer.
I was surprised to learn that the flowers that I thought would bring lots of vibrant color to my pages barely left a mark. Other plants that did not seem to be very interesting left beautiful texture markings. Note to self: the next time I gather plant materials, I will try to focus on plants with more texture including decaying leaves and tree bark.
To give my books (yes, I made two) a more finished look, I created simple covers for the ends using chipboard and scrap paper. I also made paper clasps to keep the book closed. Aren't they cute?
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I love these! What plants did you use?
ReplyDeleteJanet, I couldn't really tell you what plants and flowers I used. I just looked for color. I chose small flowers because the pages were small, but it's not necessary. There were purple ones, yellow, orange, red, white...One was a pink geranium, but some were ground cover or even weeds! You can use any kind of plant material but I am still trying to figure out plants which ones leave color (or not) and which leave texture (or not). Next time, I am going to also look for tree bark and decaying leaves and see what results those produce. Try it!
DeleteI can see where the surprise of seeing what plants produce what effect could become addictive. I would love to try this.
ReplyDelete