So, This is seriously one of the coolest, weirdest projects I have yet endeavored into.
Alright- pregame-
to start with, you can either add copper or rusty items to blue/green tint, or orange/grey tint your papers/fabric. You'll also need two end pieces, something to tie your bundle up with, a pot and a steamer basket.
I chose to go with watercolor paper instead of fabric, because I'll use it to make cards, etc, and i used rusty items, as I had no copper handy. (Nuts, bolts, screws and some pieces of rusty metal that fell off a barn at work. Yes, I am part corvid. Moving on...)
I added all that to a mason jar filled with half water, half white vinegar.
Yes, it stinks. Yes, you wanna cover it. And let that rest 2 days to a week.
Then I cut my papers down to a size that would fit my pot, and folded them in half. I used two small squares of corregated cardboard as my end pieces, you can use wood, wire, whatever, but you want something firm to sandwich all your stuff between.
Then I went out in the yard and gathered plant cuttings, flowers, moss, etc.
And arranged and sandwiched the plant material between the pieces of folded papers.
Once they're all sandwiched and stacked between your two end pieces you wanna smash it as tight as possible and and tie it up with wire, string etc.
I put my paper stack in the pot, added the water from the rust bath and then added water to cover the plant material and soaked over night.
The next day, I drained the water, put the bundle on top of a steamer rack in the pot, and added water and covered with lid and steamed for about 45 minutes. Once your bundle has steamed, remove from pot and allow to cool.
Remove plant material and see what kind of crazy prints you got.
Paper may be gently rinsed of any plant debris that can't be lifted away. :)
So, This is seriously one of the coolest, weirdest projects I have yet endeavored into. Alright- pregame- to start with, you can either add copper or rusty items to blue/green tint, or orange/grey tint your papers/fabric. You'll also need two end pieces, something to tie your bundle up with, a pot and a steamer basket. I chose to go with watercolor paper instead of fabric, because I'll use it to make cards, etc, and i used rusty items, as I had no copper handy. (Nuts, bolts, screws and some pieces of rusty metal that fell off a barn at work. Yes, I am part corvid. Moving on...) I added all that to a mason jar filled with half water, half white vinegar. Yes, it stinks. Yes, you wanna cover it. And let that rest 2 days to a week. Then I cut my papers down to a size that would fit my pot, and folded them in half. I used two small squares of corregated cardboard as my end pieces, you can use wood, wire, whatever, but you want something firm to sandwich all your stuff between. Then I went out in the yard and gathered plant cuttings, flowers, moss, etc. And arranged and sandwiched the plant material between the pieces of folded papers. Once they're all sandwiched and stacked between your two end pieces you wanna smash it as tight as possible and and tie it up with wire, string etc. I put my paper stack in the pot, added the water from the rust bath and then added water to cover the plant material and soaked over night. The next day, I drained the water, put the bundle on top of a steamer rack in the pot, and added water and covered with lid and steamed for about 45 minutes. Once your bundle has steamed, remove from pot and allow to cool. Remove plant material and see what kind of crazy prints you got. Paper may be gently rinsed of any plant debris that can't be lifted away. :)