Easy Paste Papers Crafting
Labor Day can signify the end of summer for many. It's the perfect long weekend to capture your favorite summer moments in a pretty journal covered in beautiful paper that you designed yourself!
Creating paste papers is a centuries-old craft used by bookbinders, and many examples of paste paper can be found in old books today. It was common practice for bookbinders to use leftover bookbinding paste, add pigment to it, and then apply texture and pattern to paper with a variety of brushstrokes. They would then use these paste papers as colorful book covers or end pages.
There are many recipes for making your own paste paper concoction from boiling cornstarch and water to using wallpaper paste. With just a few simple ingredients, a little creativity, and a lot of fun, you can make an array of cool papers with this quick and easy paste paper craft.
Start by preparing your work surface by covering an outdoor table with a disposable plastic tablecloth. Spread out newspapers nearby for papers to dry on. You will need a collection of colorful inexpensive acrylic paints found in your local craft store. In disposable plastic cups, squeeze a little bit of acrylic paint and mix with some liquid spray starch (about a 1:2 ratio) found in your local grocery or drugstore. Use spongerbrushes to mix and apply to a piece of white cardstock paper or heavyweight white craft paper. While the paint is still wet, use a variety of tools to create patterns in your paper, like a plastic fork, comb, toothpick, and chopstick. Drag an item across paper and have fun designing your own paper. The use of one color on white paper will give you a subtle pattern when applying texture to it. For a more dramatic effect, try using two contrasting colors together. First apply a coat of one color on paper and let dry. Apply a second coat with a contrasting color and drag your design on it while this layer is still wet. The color on the bottom will show through and create some fantastic visual effects. Let all the papers dry completely.
Get the whole family involved and make your own colorful patterned paste papers that you can turn into beautiful paper crafts. Wrap a blank journal with your paste paper creations to make a dynamic summer scrapbook to capture all of your favorite summer memories. You can also use them as pretty bookends cut to size with your X-ACTO knife, or a stunning set of stationery cards. Whatever the craft, treat yourself to this easy and fun way to make your own paste papers.