Etsy Again!

I received an email the other day from a Japanese TV Network (TV Asahi) that claims to be one of the biggest tv networks in Japan.  They are doing a program about the papermaking industry and want to include a bit about my moose poo paper, including photos from my blog.  I agreed but asked that they include a link to my Etsy shop in return.

Moose poo paper card from my Etsy shop

My Etsy shop, however, has been on vacation mode for several months.  So, once again, I'm responding to crisis and will be spending this week getting some listings back into my Etsy shop.

If you would like to learn more about the process behind making moose poo paper, check out my tutorial here. It includes links to the series.

My Moose Poo Paper is USDA Approved!

Moose Poo Card in my Etsy Shop.

Even though I knew my moose poo paper was free of impurities, I didn't want to run into any problems selling to buyers in the U.S.  So, I contacted U.S. Customs who in turn contacted the USDA who confirmed that there are no restrictions on this paper.


And here's a funny aside. The agent who responded to my query said, "I once made a moose nugget tie for my brother..."

Moose Poo Paper - The Final Chapter

The moose poo paper is finished so I have started making cards for my Etsy shop.  I am using digitally altered photographs of moose that my husband and I have taken and some that have been contributed by my friends, August and Margaret Meutzner.  The photos are printed on handmade paper.  Each card varies slightly due to the type of handmade paper used for the print and the embellishments used.

The rest of the moose poo paper series can be found here:
Moose Poo Paper - Chapter One,
Moose Poo - Day Two, 
Moose Poo Paper - Chapter Three,
My Moose Poo Paper is USDA approved!






































My friends told me last night that they have collected 5 gallons of moose poo for me!  I haven't found much on my property this winter as it keeps getting covered with snow.  The moose have been regular visitors, though, so I'll find a lot in the spring.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer.

Moose Poo Paper - Chapter Three

After the moose poo has been boiled for almost 3 hours, it is strained in a paint straining bag and thoroughly rinsed until the water runs clear.  At this point, all that remains of the moose poo is the fine willow fibres and bark.  Now I put these plant materials in a bleach solution and let it soak for several hours before rinsing thoroughly once more.

This is the plant fibre that remains when the processing is completed.  It has no odour.

Next I mix the fibre with paper pulp that I make from recycled copy paper or other good quality paper.  The fibres that the moose has 'processed' are too short to make good paper without the addition of the recycled paper pulp.

Now I'm ready to start making moose poo paper.  The fibres are added to a water bath and with my mold and deckle I scoop some out of the water at the same time as I make a back and forth motion with the mold.  This is called "throwing the wave."

The water is drained off and the newly formed sheet of paper is released onto a smooth board.  This method produces nice flat sheets of paper with one smooth side.

The sheets of moose poo paper will be left on the board to dry for a day or two and then I'll make my cards.