Copper Sunsets and Paste Papers

Last night there was a most beautiful "copper" sunset - it looked as if all of Bluffton was ablaze ! The next morning at 7 am the sunrise was equally as beautiful... everything coppery - hmmmm.
I was about to enter my studio for a day of paper decorating - maybe copper paste papers or copper marbleized papers for books or buttons ?


7 am sunrise from my front door in the lush SC low country

I was still thinking of my conversation with my daughter the night before and about how very special old handmade books are...to have the privilege of touching and feeling work from so many centuries before..... inspiring.
My daughter received a gift of an 18th century Italian prayer book dated 1750 with gorges marbleized end papers. Not sure if she was reading the roman numerals correctly, I got out my French book, handmade and water marked papers, gilded, dated 1782 also with beautiful marbleized papers. Our serendipitous conversation was held between the copper sunset and copper sunrise.


title page (French book) 1782



gilt pages and marbleized endpapers
(glue on leather seeping through the end papers around the edges)


paste papers drying

I started working with my recycled photo and sea grass fiber papers and played with metallic copper acrylic and wheat paste. By the end of the day I had a line full paste papers drying and I loved the results. My very own sunset in my studio.


paste paper buttons

These are some of the cards I'm making for the keepsake program for a paper conference in Gatlinburg, TN. Friends of Dard Hunter I used the dried copper papers for some buttons,(my favorite so far) the yellow paper is dyed with turmeric the rest are banana, corn husk and cotton with commercial dyes. I need to make lots more copper or rather "Sunrise" papers...ideas welcome !