paper cards made from junk mail

Make the Change: Craft Paper from Junk Mail

Week 3

It's going to take a few months for that junk mail to stop taking over my mailbox. Until then, I'm going to use it to make some cute paper.

What you'll need:

  • Junk mail
  • Window screen or flat strainer - I use an actual full window screen that I found in my garage. You can use the screen from an busted old window and staple it to a picture frame. A large flat kitchen strainer woul also work, but will produce smaller round pieces of paper.
  • Blender - you can usually find a cheap used one at second hand shops.
  • Water catch - a tub or baking sheet that is ideally bigger than your screen.
  • Towel - for blotting excess water.
  • Scoop or spoon - completely optional, your hands will work just as well.
  • Flower petals and leaves - also optional. You can add any kind of flair to your paper or none at all.
  1. box of junk mail

    Gather you junk mail. You can use old bills, coupons, magazines, advertisements, credit card offers (minus the plastic credit card).

  2. hands removing platic window from envelope

    Remove all of the plastic windows from envelopes.

  3. hands ripping paper near blender full of shredded paper

    Shred or rip up the paper into small pieces and put them in a blender. Fill to top.

  4. hands pouring water from bottle into blender

    Pour water in the blender, just enough to cover the paper strips.

  5. overhead view of paper pulp in blender

    Blend until paper becomes a mushy pulp and all large pieces are gone.

  6. plastic storage bin lid being placed under window screen

    Set your screen over something to catch the excess water. I used the lid of plastic storage bin.

  7. flower petals and leaves being put on window screen

    This is an optional step, but if you would like to add a little extra flair, now is the time to do it. You can put flower petals, leaves, or whatever you want to expirement with directly on the screen.

  8. hands scooping paper pulp from blender and plopping it on the screen

    Scoop the paper pulp out of the blender and plop it on your screen. I used a small kitchen strainer so that I could leave some of the water behind.

  9. paper pulp spread out on screen and hand patting it dry with towel

    Spread the pulp out on the screen as thin as you can without creating holes. Use a towel to pat the pulp and soak up excess water. Leave it to dry.

  10. dried paper removed from screen

    Once the paper is completely dry, which might take a few days, slowly and carefully peel it off of the screen.

  11. hands folding the paper

    Cut the paper into desired size. I like the look of the rough edges, so instead of using scissors, I simply fold the paper and carefully pull it apart at the fold.

  12. hands writing on paper with sharpie

    You can use this paper to make cards, to-do lists, labels...be creative!

  13. finished look at paper made from junk mail

    Now you know how to make cute, zero waste cards and stationary!

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