Another Paper to Hoard

My sweet friend, Tamara (aka "The Queen of Fun",) just returned from an amazing trip to Egypt. While she was there, she bought some papyrus and brought it all the way back just for me. She thought I'd have fun with it. I felt the love.

 
I really wanted to tuck my special paper away and save it for something amazing, but I also started thinking about all the fun things I could try with it. I definitely want to paint something on a good-sized hunk of it, but I also wanted to cut some of it and experiment a little bit too. I started by testing it in a circle cutter.

It popped out into perfect discs.

Next, I tried some Gelli printmaking. I just used craft acrylics and a foam stamp to create a layered design. The paint did not pick up in all areas, but I liked the worn look anyway. I wonder if a thicker layer of paint might work better... next time.

Finally, I decided to see how well it would work in my sewing machine. It sewed beautifully. I made a small garland and thought about how beautiful a big garland would be hanging in a sunny window.

For now, I am not ready to cut into any more of my prized papyrus. I wonder how long I will hoard the rest of it. About a month ago, I found a piece of lacy purple paper that I bought in 1992. I remember this because I was still in college when I bought it! I was amazed that I had hoarded it for the last 20 years. I finally tore into it and put it into a collage. It felt good. Enjoying hoarded art supplies feels a bit like having a glass of the wine you've been saving for a special occasion. You enjoy it, but you kinda wonder... why didn't I do this sooner?