Friday, September 16, 2011

Making Paper From Scratch

I am going to show you have to turn your scraps of paper into new artsy pieces of construction paper!


What you will need :

-a food processor
-scraps of paper (better if you have a variety of color,
and if it is shredded but it can also just be ripped to small pieces)
-a large tupperware tub that you can fill with 4-5 inchs of water
(preferably longer without a too high of a brim)
-wooden frames with thin screens stapled on them 
(make sure the holes on the frame are only small enough for water to get through)
-optional : food coloring, sparkles, or any other decorations
-dull butter knife

Step 1 :
Collect paper that is non plastic/non metallic - which can be anything else ranging from newspaper, thin cardboard, egg cartons, and more commonly photocopy paper :)
Tear the papers up into tiny squares and put about 4 hand fulls into the food processor with around 2 cups of water.
Keep adding water and paper alternatively until the mixture has turned into a nice pulp, and has been chopped up quite fine.

Step 2 :
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees f, if you are going to be using an oven to dry your paper.
Pour the pulp into the tupperware container..

and mix with 4-5 inches of water 
until well stirred and the water looks quite cloudy,
but not too thick...

Now take your frames...

Slide the screen on to the bottom (with the frame side up) 
by sliding the screen down the side of the tub gently.
Hold the screen on the bottom of the tub and continue,
moving the pulp over the screen so you get
a nice even layer of pulp. 

Then carefully with both hands,
lift the screen from the bottom evenly,
so that you have a thin layer of pulp on the screen 
with no holes or thin spots. 
Allow the excess water to drain out through the screen, 
and you are ready to place it in the oven. 

*If you are not happy with how it came out, 
simply turn it over and gently tap out the pulp and start again.

You can either use the oven to dry your paper or just leave it on a even surface to for approx 6 hours.

Step 3 :

Set the frames on the oven rack, and remove when the paper feels dry to touch...
*Note : the instructions I used when I first made paper said to leave them for 20 mins, but I found that was not long enough. I would not recommend turning up the heat of the oven as you could melt the screens, but instead leaving them for approx. 45 mins and keeping a keen eye on them :)


Step 4 :
Once your paper is dry to the touch. Run your fingers over the bottom of the screen to simply lift the paper from the screen and then take a dull knife around the edges to break the paper away from the frame gently. 

And VOILA!
You have made paper!




*Note : If you have any extra pulp please do not put it down the sink,
simply drain out the extra water and freeze the excess pulp,
till the next time you feel creatively paper inclined :) 

 Thanks!



Saturday, September 10, 2011

Early Fall Mornings

*wakes up singing* Hello World! morning to you! 
I love you brisk fresh air, and your sunny light glow. I can't wait to bike in you, and ebb with your flow! Farmers markets, and mid afternoon fringe... volunteering, and mojitos with a sweet after tinge...
Movies with old friends, Miayzaki inspired, falling asleep in the mans arms of who I admire ♥... what a weekend, and its only the beginning, I'm loving life, and it feels like I'm winning ♥

Sunday, September 4, 2011

September is here at last!

Don't get me wrong the summer has been amazing so far...
but my September is going to be epic.

Take diagram number 1 for example :
Relaxation to the max!

My partner Nates house has been taken over by a television production crew,
so he has been graciously kicked out 
and put up in a 4 star hotel in the fancy downtown core for a week.
So obviously I have taken advantage of this situation, 
grabbed hold of his coat tails,
and rode this train as far as I can :)

Nate and his 6 other roommates also got compensated with $1100 each,
so they have really been living it up in the lap of luxury. 
I have followed suite, and spoiled myself with some LUSH bath goodies and face masks,
took the bathroom hostage, and claimed the gold embroidered bath robe as my own.


Over the last few weeks I have been feeling particularly stressed out, 
as I haven't had a chance to sleep in, 
let alone actual time to relax because I always feel like I have to be doing "something" 
with my down time. 
The last few days in the hotel have been quite the contrary...
-Sleeping in (which to me is just sleeping past 9:30)
-Daily luxury baths
-Trying to finish my book club book in bed, and taking napping breaks
-Spoiling myself with chai's from nearby cafe's

Its been divine!

Other than hotel living September brings...

-Last nights epic Franklin Fest concert : 
Which Nathan graciously hosted in his backyard, 
featuring 5 of Vancouver's established and up and coming bands,
plus one amazing slam poet, 
and included an epic dance party in the back lit yard.
 He plans these events for months on end, and works out every detail of their execution,
and it really shows on game day, when everything goes off without a hitch, 
and it is talked about for months to come. 
I'm proud of you babe.

-This week starts the much anticipated Fringe Festival in Vancouver,
and as I am volunteering for it once again, 
I am looking forward to wholly emersing myself into all its playful glory,
and hitting every show I can fit into my schedule. 
I've gone to the training and taken a sharpie to its eccentric program guide,
 and now I am ready for the fun to begin.

-September 13th marks a wonderful occasion in my life, 
as I will be checking off one of my larger bucket list contenders :
I will be setting sail on a sunrise HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE!
As many of you might know, earlier this year I got a tattoo of a hot air balloon 
on my upper right arm, with the hope that I could commemorate it this year 
with an actual ride in one of these beauties.
Dorky as it may sound, this is going to be one of the highlights of my year,
right up there with my Naked Bungee Jumping, and vast UK trip,
and I have even stumbled upon the perfect hot air balloon dress for the occasion,
at a "fill-a-bag-for-$5-back-alley-thrift-store-sale"... what a crazy find!
I will be sure to share photos with you after the event!

-And last but certainly not least...
I am going to be heading to the high seas of the Mediterranean
for a two week cruise on Sept 23rd!
My family and I will be catching a plane over to Spain, 
where we will get to explore Barcelona for a couple of days before setting sail
on my sisters birthday (the 27th), and venturing around to the gorgeous ports of
Italy, Greece, France and Turkey, thus ending back in Venice to venture home again.
I am excited beyond belief, although it still feels very much like a dream. 

So as you can see... September is truly my month of summer :) 
I hope all your summers are going as planned <3
Love Nymph
oxoxoxoxox etc...