Handmade Paper

I love leafing through old photographs and albums.That painted touched up look they had back then, and the stained paper with the scalloped edges. There is something so special about old photographs in this day and age of instant image taking and 'screen culture'.

My parents' wedding photos inspired me so much when I was at studying art at university that I decided to remake their album using handmade paper. Something I have always loved to do was make paper, even as a kid, and throw in all sorts of pretty stuff like glitter and petals.

I release printed photocopied images of the photos and added handwritten text from gift cards they received, as well as other wedding memorabilia my mum kept like news clippings of the notice in the local paper. I watercoloured some areas to achieve that old photograph colour look. I also used collage and paper cutting to add in more details, all to produce a paper keepsake of their special day. I then designed a collage using 'faces of the day' in the shape of a tennant ribbon and release printed it onto some calico for the front and back cover. I embroidered other details and text and then hand bound it together. No special learnt technique here, I just went by feel and made it up as I went along.

It was a great way of exploring part of my family's history through paper craft, a journey into the past and I got a lot of joy out of showing my little girl. 

Some closer details of the binding - I used tulle layers over the paper to capture a wedding veil texture. The embroidery was made up as I went along too - highlighting using stitches.

I hope you enjoyed this window into my parents' wedding in the 1950's - such a great era in fashion and design and one I really love to revisit.