Playing with Paper

Let me start by saying that I like this technique a lot.  A couple of years ago my daughter and I made paper fabric valentines and had a lot of fun with the stitchable paper/fabric.

So I took some muslin and dipped it in the glue/water solution per Rosalita's instructions.  It finished with a pleasantly textured result.  I also did some cheesecloth and added some paint to the solution -- I'll talk about that in a future post.  Then I took some of my precious Godiva tissue paper and did the diluted glue dip.  It was kind of boring like that, so I added a couple of pieces of paper towels that I had used for clean up on a previous project.

The whole thing started to remind me of the ground after a hard rainstorm in late fall (except for the color), so I added a few maple pods for a resist.

I sprayed the whole thing with walnut antiquing spray and let it dry in the sun.

Now I have this textured piece of stiffish fabric.  I was planning to layer it with batting and a backing of some kind, then stitching all over it.  Then maybe some paint?  And I was wondering if getting out the burning tool and applying it to the edges might make an interesting finish...

A Fabric of Rememberance

Here is my finished cloth paper.  It is about 1/2 a yard long and the width of the bolt.

I started out with unbleached muslin which I painted with a glue/water solution.  I then placed rose petals from off my ex-husband's grave.

Next was the tissue paper on which I wrote my feelings regarding my ex.  By the end I was able to give to him the same thing I hope for--acknowledgement that he did his best.  A word of warning here as far as technique goes--wet tissue paper is very fragile so don't brush over and over the same area.  I don't know if you can see the texture.  Since I skipped the crunching and drying stage that Rosalita began with, my texture is less pronounced and is caused primarily by the tissue paper.

Next was some rose gold paint.  I applied it while the cloth paper was still wet but remember that tip about fragile wet tissue paper.  Next I liberally sprinkled with some clear glitter.

 

I was worried the paper cloth would take forever to dry but in less than 24 hours it was dry and ready for ...something.  The process took less time and effort than dyeing fabric or many other surface techniques.  I am  not sure where I will take this piece of fabric yet but it is a beautiful beginning for something.

This is a technique that I think is worth further investigation and I hope to play with some more. Here are a couple of detail shots.

 

A Memorial Series

My ex-husband died last week.  It has been 20+ years since we lived together and 10+ years since we have been divorced.  However, a divorce does not end a relationship as much as changes it. For better or worse, we continued to be connected by our  7 children. 

I thought I would use this month's technique to work out some of my sadness and grief and anger over what could have been but wasn't.  This is only a beginning but I am writing stories about my ex-husband on the tissue paper.  First I will write about the things that he did during the last 40 years that I have not yet forgiven. Then I will write about how angry I am about the things that could have been and weren't.  Hopefully I will be able to end by writing some fond memories and acceptance of our lives that will bring a peaceful closure to our very turbulent relationship.

That is my first step in trying Rosalita's paper cloth technique. When the tissue paper is full of my writing, I will tear it into pieces to glue it to the muslin.  It will become a nice background for ...  I don't know yet.   I think perhaps several small art works to give as a remembrance.