Eco-Dye Flower Printing on Watercolor Paper

Updated: Mar 4

Learn how to take flowers and leaves and print their image on watercolor paper creating beautiful eco-dyed paper, which can be used in a variety of creative ways such as gift bags, cards, and boxes; wrapping paper; scrapbooking; digital art, and more!

Eco-dyed paper made from leaves and flowers, a pot with sandwiched flowers and paper boil,, gift bags and cards made from eco-dyed paper, and a eco-dye sandwich. — Eco dying paper with flowers and leaves to create beautiful gift bags and more.

In this class you will create 8 – 5 x 7 inch sheets of eco-dyed watercolor paper using yellow and orange flowers layered between paper and sandwiched between two stainless steel wire mesh screens, then boiled in a big pot of rusty water!

While the “sandwiches” are boiling it’s time to eat your sack lunch and sit back and watch the live demonstration on, “How to turn your paper into Gift Bags with Matching Greeting Cards.” You will receive printed instructions and supplies needed to create 3 gift bags & 3 greeting cards at home once your paper is dry, using Eco-Dyed Paper created in class.

SUPPLIES AND TOOLS PROVIDED AT CLASS (STUDENT KEEPS):

2 – 6 x 8 sheets of stainless-steel wire mesh 6 – lengths of aluminum wire 10 – 4.75 x 6.75 sheets of cold press watercolor paper treated with Alum 1 – 9 x 13 inch aluminum pan with lid 2 – sets latex free disposable gloves

SUPPLIES PROVIDED TO CREATE GIFT BAGS AND CARDS AT HOME:

Supplies to make gift bags and cards from your eco-dyed paper created the day of class.

1 – roll of 6 mm double-sided scrapbook tape 1 – Xacto knife with #11 blade 1 – 4 oz bottle of clear gel tacky glue 1 – palette knife 1 – burnishing tool 3 – 5.25 x 3.75 x 8 in craft paper gift bags 3 – 5 x 7 in craft paper greeting cards with envelopes 3 – sheets of vintage fancy paper 3 – lengths of jute twine

TOOLS PROVIDED FOR USE AT CLASS - But you may want to bring your own too!

Needle nose pliers
Fresh marigolds, zinnias, and other yellow and orange flowers, as well as ferns and leaves that are easy to press between two sheets of paper (coneflowers do not work well). We will be working in warm colors of yellows, oranges, and red. Purples and blues are great but we will not be working with those colors in class.
Rusty nails, bolts, hinges, and bits of rusty stuff – Feel free to bring your own!
You may want to bring a pair of leather gloves. The wire mesh used can be prickly!
Please bring a sack lunch to eat during card-making demonstration. We have a microwave and refrigerator for your convenience. We ask that you do not leave for lunch for this will disrupt the flow of the class. Thank you.