Great Junk Mail Crafts

Crafts can be expensive, but not when you have a never ending source of FREE material being delivered to your very own mail box every single day of the week.

Believe me, nothing beats the satisfaction that comes from turning unwanted junk mail into your own special paper creations to give as gifts or to use as serviceable items around your home.

Paper has been made from lots of things; paper towels, toilet paper, wrapping paper, newspapers, magazines, rags, candy bar wrappers, and kleenex are just a few examples, and for paper with a more interesting texture, shrubs, grass, vegetables, flower petals, dryer lint, herbs, and even wasp nests have been used.

You may want to experiment with some of these ingredients after you master the simple steps of paper making, but, for now, let's work on eliminating some of the more offensive piles of junk mail you received this week.

YOU WILL NEED:

A blender, a rolling pin, and a kettle
1 cottage cheese container with lid
1 small round margarine container
2 old towels (can use paper towels, instead)
1 tablespoon household bleach
6 couching cloths 8x8 inches cut from old towels,
worn out blankets, or felt
3 pieces fiberglass screen 8x8 inches
5 cups loosely packed junk mail cut or torn into small pieces. If you use envelopes, discard any plastic or cellophane windows.

THEN:

1. Place paper and bleach in kettle, cover with water, and boil for 1-2 hours. (30-45 minutes in a microwave oven.) Drain and rinse with cool water until mixture is cool enough to handle. Drain again.

2. Squeeze out liquid and form mixture into walnut-sized balls. This is your pulp supply. Store in secured plastic bag in refrigerator. Mixture will keep for 2 or 3 weeks.

NEXT:

1. Cut out and discard center of the cottage cheese container lid.

2. Place one 8x8 inch screen over the top of the cottage cheese container and clamp on with the rim you prepared in step 1.

3. Cut bottom from margarine tub and place on top of screen to control the size and shape of each sheet. Your paper mold is now ready to use.