Making homemade paper is such a fun summer activity, the pulp dries fast in the sun and pressing the paper is mess-free when done outside. Using beautiful summer wildflowers makes this even better! Find some that are growing plentiful and have fun gathering a few for this nature and recycled craft.

Materials:

1. A framed screen

2. Additional mesh piece of similar size

3. Recycled white paper

4. Coloured paper to help add some colour

5. A blender

6. Water

7. Towels - tea towels work well

8. Gathered fresh or dried flowers

9. Two toilet paper rolls - per binoculars

10. Glue - school glue or a hot glue gun

11. String (if desired)

These homemade nature-inspired binoculars are fun for pretend play. The unique texture and patterns created from the paper and flowers make these a special craft to hold onto all summer. We used Wild Daisies - but any wildflower would be beautiful!

You can also turn this craft into a hand-kite! Follow along with the instructions below and then add some fabric. More information at the bottom.

Directions:

Blending the paper pulp:

1. Rip up your recycled paper into tiny pieces, about an inch or less.

2. We added a few recycled white pieces of paper with two purple ones.

3. Add the pieces of paper to a blender, about half way full.

4. Add water to the blender to cover the entire paper pieces and fill it 3/4th full.

5. Blend on high until it makes a nice, wet pulp.

Add the pulp to your paper making mesh frame:

1. Pour some of the pulp directly onto your frame, making sure the entire mesh area is covered with the pulp. Don‘t make it too thin or thick. We used a smaller frame to match the size of the toilet paper roll. A larger frame will work too.

2. Since you will be adding flowers, don’t press it down yet, so that there’s still water to help the flowers stick to the pulp when you do press it altogether.

Add your wildflowers to the pulp:

1. Place the flowers onto the paper pulp in the paper making frame. Laying them as flat as possible so they will stick to the pulp as it dries.

Press it down using a piece of mesh:

1. Place a mesh piece (without a frame) directly onto the paper, and press it down with your hands or by using a roller. When you press it with the mesh, the pulp will not stick to it. If you buy a small paper-making kit, all of the proper materials for pressing the paper will be in it.

2. Press as much water out as you can, it doesn’t have to be perfect.

3. When you remove the mesh from the top layer, it should look flat and the flowers should be sticking into the pulp like the photo below.

Taking out the paper from the frame:

1. Place a towel down onto a table outside.

2. Turn your frame with your paper upside down onto the towel and simply tap the mesh until the paper comes out of the frame.

When the paper is removed from the frame it will be upside down.

Roll your paper onto a toilet paper roll:

1. Place your toilet paper roll at the end of your homemade paper.

2. Gently start to curl the paper up onto the toilet paper roll, pressing it down onto the roll, so that it sticks to it.

3. Roll the toilet paper roll and paper together - until the paper completely forms around the roll.

Make sure you wrap the entire paper around the roll, cutting off any excess paper, or folding the edges into the toilet paper roll. We used a frame that matches in size. If your frame is larger, cut down the paper to the proper length at this stage.

Do the same process for the other binocular - so that you have two!

Allow it to dry in the sun:

Place your creations onto a towel to dry, They will dry fully in one afternoon outside.

If it’s too sunny, allow it to dry outside in the shade, so that the paper doesn’t discolor or burn.

Completing you binoculars:

When both rolls are dry, attach them together with glue or a glue gun. Apply the glue to one side then attach the other one to it and allow it to dry.

Create a hand kite instead - using the steps above!

Using the steps above, create one homemade paper roll and turn it into a hand kite. Simply add some cut fabric, ribbon, yarn or tissue paper to one end of the paper roll by gluing it onto the inside.

We hope you have fun creating these homemade paper and wildflower crafts!

If you make this craft and would like to show us, tag @acorns.and.aprons on instagram - we would love to see and share your creations! If you tag the photo itself, we will see it on our grid.