- 1). Tear the brown craft paper into pieces approximately 1-inch square. Place the torn paper in the 5-gallon plastic tub. Brush the paper around in the tub until it is level.
- 2). Boil three to four cups of water to a low boil. Remove the pan from the stove and pour the boiling water over the paper. Look to see that the water just covers the paper. Boil more water as needed until the paper is covered. Allow the brown craft paper to soak in the water for one hour.
- 3). Strain the water from the paper in the plastic tub. Place your hand over the paper on one side of the plastic tub. Pick the tub up from the opposite end and pour the water into a sink. Hold your hand over the paper to keep it from pouring from the container. Do not worry about getting every last drop from the tub at this point.
- 4). Place the wet paper in a large bowl. Pour any excess water from the plastic tub.
- 5). Fill the plastic tub half full of clean water. Place the tub on a stable, flat work surface.
- 6). Pour two cups of water in a blender. Add a handful of wet brown craft paper. Place the lid on the blender. Turn on the blender for 15 seconds. Stop the blender and open the lid. Look at the paper pulp to see if there are any large pieces. Blend 10 more seconds if large pieces of brown craft paper are still visible. Pour the contents of the blender into the plastic tub. Repeat the process for a total of six blenders full of homemade brown craft paper pulp.
- 7). Stir the paper pulp mixture in the plastic tub with your hand. Move your hand back and forth to make sure the pulp is evenly distributed throughout the water.
- 8). Place the top frame on the paper deckle. (The bottom frame is the one with the screen.) Hold the two pieces together. Slide a narrow edge along the inside edge of the plastic tub, then along the bottom. Slide the deckle back and forth three to four times along the bottom of the plastic tub.
- 9). Slowly, lift the deckle straight up and out of the water. Hold the deckle 1- to 2-inches above the water line and allow any excess water to drain from the deckle.
- 10
Remove the top frame from the deckle. Place a couching sheet or piece of white felt over the top of the newly created paper sheet. Very quickly flip the deckle and couching sheet over on a flat work surface. Allow the recycled brown craft paper sheet to dry 12 to 24 hours before using.
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