Using recycled paper pulp at Annie's House: Bowls, Paper pages and natural dyes.

Annie's house is set up in the hills of Molesworth. It was a relaxing winter day. For some of us it was our time to visit a house set in the bush unconnected to power and water supply.

Zed of course came too.

It was a beautiful two days of engaging creativity. 

From Annie we learnt how to recycle different forms of everyday paper, soaking these in water and then blending them using a regular kitchen blender or industrial whiz stick. These can be stored according to colour in large sealed buckets in-between uses. Over two Monday's, we learnt about different techniques to make and use this paper pulp. 

BOWLS...

Our first task was to make paper bowls using the raw pulp. Annie taught us that these can be made using almost any different vessel. 

First we needed to cover the inside of the bowl with cooking oil. 

It was then time to choose out pulp colour and begin to slowly and carefully press small amounts of pulp together to cover the inside of the bowl. 

Because the pulp also has water into this and we want the pulp to dry moulded to the shape of the bowl, we used a small piece of foam to squeeze excess water out. 

Once our bowls had dried over the warmth of Annie's wood fire and in the sun, we removed these. Annie showed us some of hers. 

We then applied a good coat of PVC glue to seal the paper and allow us to add other materials as a decoration. 

LEARNING ABOUT NATURAL DYES....

While we waited for our bowls to dry, Annie introduced us to the world of natural home made dyes and paper folding techniques to create beautifully patterned sheet paper.

The dyes we worked with all had different shades of earthy colours, coming from a variety of sources including bracken fern and barks.

We poured these into separate bowls.

Annie had prepared some beautiful handmade paper which we learnt how to fold into a concertina pattern. 

Before dipping the corners of the triangle into the die bowls.

 We then sat them to dry slightly before opening them up. 

MAKING SHEET PAPER...

 Returning to Annie's house again the following Monday, we were able to progress out skills to work with the same pulp but this time use specially made mesh frames to create sheets of paper.

We learnt that you need to mix the pulp with very warm water...as warm as you can handle putting your hands into. We used large plastic boxes that meant we had plenty of room! We added a few spoons of pulp until this was clearly present in the water mixture.

Annie had two sizes of frames, one larger and one smaller frame. The frame comes apart in two halves, the first is like a picture frame with a fine wire mesh stretched across it, and the second is a plain frame the exact mirror of this but with no mesh. You hold these together very firmly before submerging them into the bucket of pulpy water.

You can see Tess in the background getting ready to put her frame into the water and "swim" it around the bottom of the bucket slowly a few times before carefully lifting it up again to let the water drain back through.

Hamida has just brought hers out, removed the empty frame and is slowly but firmly pressing the paper down to remove the pulp sheet. Do do this you need a stack of newspapers, damp and a bunch of cotton based clothes, also damp. Lay the cloth over the paper and then get you frame and moving from bottom to top, slowly but firmly roll the frame onto and off the cloth, leaving the paper pulp sheet behind. You can then add another cloth and repeat!

When you have a stack of sheets, place a heavy wooded board over the top of the clothes and weight this for some time to press the water out before hanging each sheet to dry. You can then carefully peel the paper off when its dry.