How to make recycled paper for a flower diary
Lately, the flowers that surround me have been calling me more and more. Whenever I spot one of the colorful blossoms and calyxes in the lush grass or along the path I’m currently walking, I get the desire to know who is speaking to me in their own unique language, growing against the sky with perseverance.
Each of these plants with their unique colors, fragrances and shapes evoked a different feeling in me.
Some brought back memories that I had already forgotten. Memories of making bouquets and weaving flower crowns as a little girl in a field full of daisies, buttercups and cowslips. Some became part of a new memory.
You know, flowers speak directly to your soul, whether you are aware of it or not.
And all flowers have their own language and their own symbolism that they like to use to communicate with us humans.
The daisy looks so innocent and reminds us to be playful. The rose on the other hand looks bold and brave and wants to evoke this side in us too. There is the shy yet powerful nettle and the passionate poppy to just name a few.
And they all have their own unique message to share.
The more I learn about the plants, the more I fall in love with them. It's just so satisfying to wander through the meadows and the woods and know who you're meeting and learn more about the properties of plants and how I can incorporate them into my practice.
And they all became silent teachers to me, reminding me that everything needs patience and perseverance and blossoms when the time is right.
So if you are at a crossroad in life or don’t know what to do, spend time in nature and see what flower is calling you, because I promise that they have a message for you.
I have been studying quite a lot about trees and herbs and plants recently and also their mythology and because all of the flowers have to tell a story of their own, I decided to collect these stories, these memories and this knowledge, in a diary.
A diary that I wanted to make of recycled paper, weaving the unique wisdom of each plant that would cross my path in the future into my practice.
So come with me on this journey where we will embark on creating our own recycled paper, pouring our love for nature into each page and filling it with the wisdom of the plants we encounter.
Now let’s take a look how you can easily make your own recycled paper at home! (pssst! you can also watch my video on YouTube where I share a little tutorial for how to make a mould and a deckle and my process as well as some tips to get good results if you’re doing this for the first time!)
You will need:
a mould and a deckle
old paper / cardboard
2 plastic trays and a small container (e.g. an empty jam jar)
cloth sheets in a big enough size for the paper you want to make (there should be some space at the top and the upper corners so that you can attach 2 clothespins to hang them up)
a blender (don’t use that one in your kitchen anymore)
First you need to collect old paper and/or cardboard in a big plastic tray. Shred your paper (e.g. with a paper shredder or simply tear it up).
It's good to know that your paper will contain pieces of the old paper. The water in which you soak the old paper will also absorb some of the color contained in this paper. So here you can play a little with the colors and direct how the paper should look later. I tried to incorporate some green for my flower journal. I had about 4 egg cartons and 1 paper shopping bag and made about 30 pieces of paper.
Fill your tray with water. Make sure you add enough water here, as you can use it later. Leave the mixture for about 1 day (if our paper is thin, 15 hours should be enough) so that the paper / cardboard is soaked properly.
The next day you can start making paper. And for paper we need pulp. :) Take about 2-3 handfuls of your soaked paper and put it in your blender. You can now use your empty jam jar to add water. I always put as much in until the maximum (marked on the side of the blender) was reached. The pulp should be really smooth and all of the big pieces should be gone by now.
Fill a good amount of the soaked water in your second plastic tray and add 2-3 handfuls of your pulp to the water and stir it well.
Now you can take your mould with the deckle and dip it into the water until the small pieces of paper lie on the net of the mould. remove the water with gentle circular movements. This takes some practice and in my video I show you how I have achieved the best results!
Carefully remove the deckle.
Prepare a cloth sheet on a hard and smooth surface (e.g. wood) and gently put the mould with the paper on it.
Use a sponge to press out overdue water. You can pour this water back into the plastic tray in which you scoop the paper. you can carefully stack the cloths with the paper on top of each other until you have finished scooping.
Once you are finished, you can hang your cloth-paper-sheets to dry. I simply used my laundry rack. Use two clothespins on top of each sides and hang it on your rack. I would recommend to leave them inside where they can dry for about a day (don’t leave them directly in the Sun!)
The next day your paper should be try. Carefully lift the paper in one corner, turn the cloth with the paper over and then pull the cloth off at the same corner.
And voilà! Your paper for your flower diary is ready!
While I made my paper I always infused some magick into it. You can stir your intention into the paper while soaking the water or while scooping it or whenever it feels right for you! For example to connect with the plants you encounter on a deeper level and to receive their wisdom while you learn more about them and write about them in your flower diary! This was such a calm and gentle process and I deeply enjoyed it!
If you want to start your own green witch diary, here are some journaling prompts to get you started:
Where and when did you find the flower?
Why did it call out to you?
What life situation are you in right now?
What memory does this flower evoke in you?
What feeling does this flower evoke in you?
What do you already know about this flower?
Do you know any mythologies or legends about the flower?
Do you know any other stories that include that specific flower?
How can you incorporate this flower into your practice?
What message do you think the flower wanted to give you?
I will bind the green witch diary later once I am sure how I want to design the pages. Just like my flower teachers I will be patient and make this project an ongoing craft. So don’t forget to do the YouTube magick and subscribe to my channel if you don’t want to miss it!
All my love,
Bebea