Make Recycled Paper Holiday Ornaments

First you’ll need:

• Scraps of white paper or junk mail from your recycling bin at home. (Avoid glossy pieces.)

• Scraps of one color of paper if you’d like to dye the paper a color other than white.

• Blender

• Teflon window screen

• Embroidery hoop

• Dish tub

• Thin kitchen towel or an old cloth diaper

• Thick, absorbent terry cloth towel

• Sponge

• Cookie cutters in holiday shapes or other fun shapes

Ask an adult to help you follow these steps:

Second - Get Your Screen and Tub Ready:
1. Cut the screen to be a couple inches larger than the embroidery hoop. Put the screen between the two rings of the hoop just like it was fabric.

2. Place the screened hoop on top of the tub.

Third - Make Your Paper Slurry:

1. Tear or cut up three pieces of paper in pieces about 1 inch x 1 inch and put in blender.

2. Fill the blender with water.

3. Whir the pulp until you can no longer see the individual bits of paper.

4. Add up to 2-3 more pieces of paper (cut into small pieces) until your slurry is the consistency of oatmeal. To color your paper, gradually add colored pieces until you get the shade you want.
   

Fourth - Make Your Ornament:

1. Place your cookie cutter on the screen

2. Pour your slurry in the cookie cutter, letting the water dribble into the tub below.

3. Use your hands to help spread the slurry evenly inside the cutter. Be sure to press it into the corners and up to the edges. Press down with your fingers to get more water out. (The more slurry you use, the thicker your paper.)

4. Remove the cookie cutter. You should have slurry on the screen in the cutter’s shape. Lift the screen straight up, letting excess water drain off into the tub.

5. Lay the terry cloth towel on the table with the dish towel on top of it.

6. Turn your hoop upside down on the dish towel, with your ornament facing down. Don’t worry, it won’t slide off.

7. Wet your sponge and wring it out thoroughly. Press it down on the back of the screen to absorb water and to press the paper away from the screen and onto the towel. Pay special attention to the edges.

8. Peel the paper from the towel and place it on newspaper to dry. (The newspaper can still be recycled even if it gets wet).

9. Decorate your ornament and put a hole in the top. Tie a string through the hole and you’ve made a recycled ornament!
   

Fun Tips:
Try putting flower petals, plant material, glitter, pieces of string, etc. in the slurry or on the surface of the paper while it’s still wet for a unique decoration. Preserve your ornament by mixing non-toxic glue with a little water and painting it on for a clear coating.