On December 31st, 2019, the last day of the year, I found peace in an unusual calm. For years, this day had been synonymous with hectic activity, but 2019 was different. My husband (boyfriend back then 😄) and I made a conscious choice to stay home, embracing the tranquility, engaging in handmade projects, and savoring the simplicity of the moment. As the clock neared 10:00 PM, we ventured out to greet the new year in the heart of our cherished city, Basel. Just the two of us, accompanied by the sparkle of champagne and the brilliance of fireworks, we celebrated the passage of time. It wasn't an extravagant affair, but it was profoundly special to us. In the past, we might have sought complexity, but now, the beauty of simplicity brings us immeasurable joy.
The day kicked off with us all geared up for a DIY adventure - making our own paper. In the days leading up to December 31st, we had gathered what we thought were all the essentials: wooden sticks, a plastic tub, some fabric, and metal screening. We believed we had everything necessary for a small recycled paper project at home – little did we know!
The DIY spark ignited in me sometime in late December. I was on the hunt for inspiration for our wedding invitations when I stumbled upon the magic of handmade paper. Curiosity got the best of me, leading me down a rabbit hole of Internet research, uncovering the intricate process behind it all. You see, it started with our desire to make our wedding invitations unique and personal. Back then, we were just planning to buy some paper, completely unaware of the world of handmade paper. We even planned to write the invitations ourselves – a plan that still happened, but with a delightful twist: we ended up making the paper too! 😄
We dedicated the whole day to crafting a mould and deckle – well, it was mostly Valentin, my husband, doing the making while I happily snapped pictures of the process. Oh, and we attempted to recycle some xerox paper using a humble kitchen blender. Let me share these little snapshots from that day – they capture the beginning of a wonderful new journey for us.
Our adventure began with measuring the frame size; our very first mould and deckle was A6 European size. Armed with basic tools – nothing too fancy, mind you, just what we needed for our DIY project – we cut the wood sticks and started our creative escapade. It might not have been high-tech, but it was exactly what we needed for our homemade paper dreams. 🌟
Once all the wood sticks were cut for both the mould and deckle frame, the assembling followed:
And then, we added the screening on one of the frames to serve as mould (the mould is the frame covered with metal or even nylon mesh sometimes, while deckle the is name for the frame that sits on top of the mould):
And ta-da, here's our very first mould and deckle:
From this point onward, it was all about attempting to create our very first sheet of paper.
Turning recycled paper into homemade paper is an activity practically anyone can dive into, even kids. It's not just fun, but incredibly soothing and therapeutic. Sure, crafting high-quality paper demands knowledge, practice, a slew of tools, and serious moulds and deckles. But you know what? We all start somewhere. If you're thinking about embarking on your own handmade paper journey, start small, just like the frames we put together on December 31st. And remember, patience is key. With time, you'll develop your own techniques and gather your tools.
Now, I wish I had some pictures of the moment I fed xerox paper into the kitchen blender – it was messy, but oh, so fun. I vividly recall my blender struggling with the paper at first. You're supposed to cut the paper into small pieces and let it soak in water before blending – some folks even leave it overnight. But patience isn't my strong suit. Waiting for hours or, heaven forbid, overnight before diving into something I'm so excited about? Nearly impossible for me.
Once I managed to get a decent amount of paper into the blender, the real fun began – we started playing and crafting our very first paper sheets: an experiment in creativity and patience, but oh, the joy it brought! 😄
And voilà! Here's our very first handmade paper sheet delicately resting on a piece of fabric – not too shabby, right? Now, gazing at these pictures, I find myself genuinely surprised at how well these paper sheets turned out. There's a certain magic in seeing your own creation come to life, isn't there? 😊
The final touch before our piece of paper was ready for words was to press the freshly formed wet sheet and let it dry. No need for fancy gadgets – just a few weights did the trick. I believe we left the paper under the weights for around 30 minutes or so... well, until my impatience got the best of me and I couldn't resist the temptation of peeking at those damp paper sheets again. Waiting has never been my strong suit! 😄
We hung the paper in our bathroom, using the same fabrics we transferred the newly formed sheets from our mould onto. This action is called couching (pronounced 'coo-ching'), a term derived from the French verb "se coucher," meaning 'to put to bed.' Unfortunately, I don't have pictures from that initial drying process, but here's another snapshot from this summer when I was sun-drying some paper in our garden. Ah, the simple joys of paper-making in the sun! ☀️🌿
The day after, on January 1st, 2020, was the big reveal – the moment when I held in my hands the very first handmade paper sheets we had crafted at home from recycled paper. It wasn't flawless, far from being the kind of paper you'd use for writing or calligraphy, but it was beautiful in its imperfection. Simple, yet surprisingly sophisticated. Above all, it was incredibly inspiring. It ignited a fire within me, compelling me to keep going on this creative journey, to explore the endless possibilities it held. Sometimes, it's the imperfect beginnings that spark the most exciting adventures, isn't it?
And that's where it all began. Months later, after countless hours of practice, we managed to craft our perfect wedding invitations – every detail, from the paper itself to the writing and sealing, was handmade by us. With each project, we continued to learn, to experiment, and to carve out our unique approach to producing high-quality handmade paper right in our home-based studio. It's amazing how a simple curiosity could turn into such a fulfilling creative journey, isn't it? Here's to the joy of continuous learning and the excitement of endless possibilities!
I hope our story has inspired you, too – whether it's to kickstart your own recycled paper project at home or to dive into any small passion project that could grow into a beloved hobby or even a business. The key? Dedication and that extra mile. Chase your dreams and aspirations with all you've got. Trust me, it will happen! Embrace the journey, and you'll be amazed at where your passion can take you. Here's to the power of dedication and the endless possibilities of following your heart!
Hugs,
Lu