Handmade block printed writing paper makes an extremely special gift for the May Day. It is especially a great present for your teachers and family. Children can easily learn this craft with a little help from their parents.
Supplies Needed
- White typing paper or solid colored stationery
- Potato
- A collection of leaves, twigs and grass with attention grabbing shapes
- Knife
- 3\4 th piece of plywood for each block
- Rubber cement
- Poster paints and
- Paint Brush
Potato Block
Slice a potato into half and make a pattern on one half with the tip of the knife. Now, gorge out the rest of the potato leaving only the pattern’s shape jutting out of the potato. Leave the block to air dry for a day.
Plywood Block
Take a piece of plywood and cover it with a layer of rubber cement. Now, take a leaf, twig or grass and press it gently on the glue-covered side of the plywood. Remove the leaf and leave the block to dry.
Block Printing Writing Paper
Take one of the above mentioned blocks and brush the pattern with a paint color. Press the block all around the writing paper to create a decorative pattern out of it. You can use a single block on one paper or make a design using two or more blocks and colors. Make twenty such block printed writing paper and leave them to dry. Stack them together in a pile and pack them nicely. Attach a gift tag with your name and message on it.
The art of block printing will come with a little practice. You are likely to smudge the design a few times. To avoid ruining a sheet of paper you can first practice printing the design on rough paper and then move on to block printing the writing paper.
