ALL THINGS PAPER

I have an incredible cedar tree by the studio and it recently needed to be trimmed. I decided to take the trimmings and see if they would make a decent paper. The results were beautiful! It keeps the soft, fuzzy texture and warm brown tones. It is firm to the touch but also light. I can imagine this as an incredible wall covering.

I have a soft spot for rose of sharon. There was one at my house growing up and now whenever I see a rose of sharon I am reminded of my childhood (the good, the bad and the ugly). I added some recycled strawberry container to the pulp mix as well as a squash flower that my daughter found for me. The results were beautiful! A grey/brown tone with flecks of orange and blue. The paper is light and I was able to make quite thin sheets with it. Check out my youtube- @studioblynne to watch this, along with others, paper being made.

What a special honor it was to make this paper!! My best companion, my dog Annabelle, passed away in 2023 & my family and I buried her under a red bud. This tree will forever be a reminder of such an incredible friendship. This paper came out very firm and a rich dark color. It has been difficult to get completely flat but has potential to use in cast mouldings, as it is very durable.

One of the first things I noticed when I moved to North Carolina in 2020, was a magical, fairy green covering that appeared to cover spots of land as far as the eye could see. As I did some research, I discovered this eye candy is actually an invasive species that needs to be dealt with. Click on the image for research articles and kudzu paper samples I've made.

My most recent adventure is with bamboo from my backyard. I know that it's an invasive species and that also creates beautiful wood. I'm curious to see how difficult  it is to break down and what kind of textile it will make. I will be posting my latest findings here!

I feel very lucky to have this incredible tree growing in my backyard! It's rather barren and creepy looking in the winter but come spring it produces large beautiful leaves and delicate, fancy flowers! I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of paper it will produce!

My family and I came across some crazy looking vines in the woods behind our house and took some home with us to see if we could figure out what it was. I have yet to make it into a pulp, I've been taking my time removing the bark from the outside (quite the meditation).

The lotus shaped petals on this queen are quite remarkable. I'm very curious to see what kind of paper this bark makes. I'm going to try and make mini dollhouse wallpaper for the kids! I'll keep you posted on how it goes.