Well, long time no blog. I’ve been thinking about a lot of things lately. Why do people spit? Why don’t people pick up after their dogs between October and April? What’s with Christmas starting so damn early?
I’ve also been thinking about sending Christmas cards. At our house this is a huge project. It all started several years ago when, due to identity theft, we started shredding all the paper in the house with personal information on it. Great, now we’re safe, but what to do with all the shredded paper. You might say throw it out, but, and there’s always a but, we have recycling. Great you say, but, our garbage guys are a little fussy, lazy, whatever you want to call it, they don’t always pick everything up that they should. They particularly won’t take anything for recycling that is put out in a plastic bag, and you can’t just throw the shredded paper loose in the recycling bin. So, now what?
I have heard you can use the paper in the composter in your backyard, and I have done that, but, paper draws a lot of nitrogen out of the soil to decompose. In the composter that is not a big problem, but, it means adding fertilizer to the compost bin to keep things moving. It’s also why shredded paper is not a good idea as a mulch.
That’s when I saw a kids show talking about making paper at home, from scraps. Wow, great idea, I get rid of my shredded paper and we have a craft the kids can participate in. Yeah, sure.
Well, I do get rid of the shredded paper. Although, I have found another great use for the shredded paper. When you dig up things like canna lilies, caladium, tuberous begonias, dahlias, etc. store them in a cardboard box, unwaxed, and fill around the tubers with shredded paper. Store the box in a cool spot in the basement. Voila, in the spring they’re ready to shove back in the ground.
Well, this innocent little endeavor has grown into a hand blender for mixing the paper pulp, various chemical agents to size and dye the paper, and cotton to add a nice richness, and a little strength. Paper made entirely from scrap paper tends to be a little weak. I have also made paper from plants in the backyard. I’ve done hosta paper, which smells just like smushed up hosta and looks the same. I quite like the way Siberian Iris paper turns out. The long tough fibres give it something of a Japanese look.
The plant paper does tend to make the neighbors stare. I cook the plants in a pot with soda on the barbeque side burner in a giant pot. The smells are interesting to say the least. All that’s missing is an apple, a crooked nose and a hairy wart.
So, I make the paper for the Christmas cards, decorate them and send them out. My kids do help. They add glitter, tear paper Christmas trees, fold origami and help with the production line. I hope they like it. After all, it’s all for them. We recycle the paper, protecting the planet. We protect our valuable personal information so that their vast (ha) inheritance is safe. They better like it.
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