Homemade citrus paper!
November 29th, 2008
Here is something fun that Bug and I did together the other day. That’s my secret, you know. That’s how I get stuff done when she is awake. I force her to help me. Actually, it’s more like I rack my brain all day long for things that we can do together so that I can actually cross something off my list and not go insane at the same time. I get very bored of playing picnic and watching Dora all day long. I think boredom brings out the creativity in me. That might be a good explanation for why having kids can be so inspiring for creative moms and why we all feel like we are going insane because there is never enough time to do everything we want to do! But if we didn’t have the kids we’d never have all the ideas so it’s a catch-22!!
We made wrapping paper! We’ve done this lots of times before, with crayons and potato stamps…but this wrapping paper was made especially for some people on my gift-giving list who like lemons. It’s not exactly the most Christmas-y paper but it does fit the recipient. I really wish I had some bright yellow cheery ribbon to go with it but I refuse to go shop for any. I’m going to do as much of my holiday gift-making/shopping at home as possible. Long live Etsy!
You can do this too if you are so inclined. I just carved two lemon shapes out of some apples we had (we didn’t have any potatoes so apples did just fine in a pinch). One of the shapes is a lemon slice and the other is an oval with those characteristic lemon bumps on both ends. (Though I think in real life lemons don’t actually come in that shape that often…but whatever, it’s all about recognition and I’m not going to get all Norman Rockwell while carving an apple.) It is sort of funny that no citrus fruits were harmed while making this paper. Just apples.
We stamped the crap out of those apples. Too bad poster paint isn’t edible because those apples were ready to be applesauce by the time we were done. It was pretty fun. The perfect craft a two-year-old attention span. After she was done slapping the paper with apples we hung it out to dry on our handy dandy patio lighting.
And then, me being me, I had to add something. The paper was perfectly cute with just lemon stamps and the odd kid thumb print here and there but my black roller ball pen was calling my name and the next thing I knew I was scrawling silly phrases about lemons. I think it turned out cute. I gave one present to a friend already (her wedding was last week so it was a late wedding gift) and she wadded up the paper right away not even realizing it was homemade. Then when I told her, she shrieked and un-wadded it right away. So you could say that the paper looked so good it looked store-bought, or maybe you could say that it looked like something to throw away. Haha. I’m going with the former, of course.
So there you have it. Homemade lemon paper.
We also made some Christmas paper from candy canes carved out of apples but by then Bug’s attention span had flitted off to something else and she started finger-printing my beautiful paper like some kind of murder happened. So I shooed her away and finished it up by myself.
I tried to tell Toby that Bug made the paper but he was onto me. So I guess this 100% kid art was made by a 100% 36-year-old kid. I still like it and I think everyone getting a gift from me in this paper will like it too. I may or may not clarify who did the painting. We’ll just say that Bug helped in her own way. And she did! See that massacre of red fingerprints attacking my nice cinnamon bun swirls? That was all her.
Wrapping paper with a story is always better anyway.
November 30th, 2008 at 1:08 am
Ooh! You could add lemon extract to the paint to make citrus-scented citrus paper…
November 30th, 2008 at 5:26 am
Looky there! I was thinking this would be perfect to do a candy cane and then scrolled down to your next picture. I’m with you on the catch 22. When she gets a bit older try Word Girl on PBS…it rocks and even you will be entertained.
November 30th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Beautiful, and I love that you had to add the black detail and phrases to the lemon paper!!
November 30th, 2008 at 6:24 am
I love the lemon paper! What a fun idea.
November 30th, 2008 at 6:46 am
So amazing. I just bought a ginormous roll of Costco wrapping paper, but it does not even start to compare to the citrus paper! And by the way, you have very cool writing.
November 30th, 2008 at 7:37 am
So neat!!!! That wrapped package is too beautiful to unwrap! Love the spotted ribbon too. Woot!
November 30th, 2008 at 8:40 am
All the wrapping paper turned out so nice. I like the accent with the roller ball. Could you please cut my potatoes and apples for me? I make terrible potato stamps.
I think I might have a wrapping paper production day in my near future…
November 30th, 2008 at 9:13 am
We’ll just have to make do with store bought wrapping paper. At least it’s cool looking paper. I am loving all the retro prints they have this year.
November 30th, 2008 at 9:27 am
So stinkin’ cute! I love the lemon paper.
November 30th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Your creativity is amazing! I think at times reading this blog is inspiration for us S.A.H.M’s who are dealing with an overly energetic 2 year old, crafts? OK!
November 30th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Great idea! You could do so many different shapes! :)
November 30th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Awesome paper!
November 30th, 2008 at 11:31 am
beautiful – i love it.
what kind of paper are you stamping on?
SAJ says: Actually we just used cheap butcher paper from Smart & Final. We could have used the Ikea paper but I opted for the one I have more of.
November 30th, 2008 at 11:31 am
You are so creative! You and Bug did a beautiful job!
November 30th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
love the lemons!
November 30th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
The sayings and subtle illustrations you use to highlight the lemons really make your paper something special! You know, a big-deal greeting card company should pay you great sums to dream up such lovely designs!
November 30th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
You are too freakin’ creative for your own good. This is genius, you genius!
November 30th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
those all look cute, cute, cute! tell bug she’s talented for me. :]
November 30th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
great technic for a beautiful result
December 1st, 2008 at 11:08 am
Thanks for yet another fun idea for getting artsy with my daughters! I am going to try to cut out a holly leaf shape and use a cork for the berries . . .
December 1st, 2008 at 2:54 pm
beautiful paper!! I am a little hesitant to ask this… however if I were to receive a gift wrapped with homemade paper I wouldn’t want to commit a faux pas or offend the maker, so here goes… what am I supposed to do with the homemade paper?
especially if I have a clutter issue I am currently trying to correct?
SAJ says: Hahahahahahah! Great question. I say comment on it, fold it up nicely and then throw it away as soon as the gift-giver is gone. I hate clutter too!
December 1st, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Great job on the homemade paper, I just love it. I have been repurposing J’s old art in my packaging this year and it is fun to find out that some people have been keeping it.
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:59 am
I just find it funny that you’re actually wrapping Christmas presents and I have barely even started thinking about buying presents. I think some of my people might be getting New Year’s presents this year…
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
This is such a great idea! I love lemons too so I might just have to make some of my own.
December 4th, 2008 at 6:54 am
Those are gorgeous! Someday…I’ll totally make something like this! :)
December 16th, 2008 at 1:00 am
I just saw these pics on flickr. I’m SO glad you reminded me of making prints with fruit and veggies. My mom used to do this with us when we were little and I forgot all about it! I can’t wait to try it with my own children. :)