Day 56

Today's work started with a roll of paper. But the day started with a paradigm shift. A paradigm shift in the truest sense, in that this new vision casts everything else in a warmer light.
It was the discovery that I love someone more than I knew. It's only an accident that this discovery was made on Valentine's Day. As far as I'm concerned, it happened on a Monday.
Understanding came in quietly and without ceremony, like morning. And it seems, though I'll never know for sure, it came just in the nick of time.

So there was the rest of the day, which seemed very ordinary but was not. Not in the least.

So the work for today began with a roll of paper.

Shown here in Photo 1: Painters masking paper found at any hardware store. Comes in various widths and thickness. This one is about like newsprint.



Photo 2: Soosi watches over all, waiting for paper to pile up, her cue to attack.

Photo 3: I tear the paper into smallish squares, with no cut edges. There's really no technical reason for torn edges. I think they look better.

Photo 4: The flour, glue and water. Again. Yes, same photo. Making papier mache means mixing paste as many times as needed.

Photo 5: The mix. Again.

Photo 6: Where I begin layering the masking paper over the first layers of phone book paper. I'll add three to five layers of masking paper.

Photo 7: I begin to shape the sleeves with masking paper. Here it helps that the mix is thick and plastic.

Photo 8: I use crinkled lengths of masking paper to build up the angle.

Photo 9: I cover the addition with smoother strips and shape to form a neat crease.

Photo 10: ( I just realized I started the photo numbers over instead of continuing. I decide it doesn't matter.)

I choose parchment paper for this particular type of ruff. It will be a crinkly one with lots of shaping. Parchment paper is tough and can take a bit of pulling without tearing.

Photo 11: I smooth a layer of paste onto the parchment. The surface is a little resistant, but brushing will yield a smooth layer of paste.

Photo 12: Folding the parchment into thirds, it ends up twice as wide as I want the ruffle.

Photo 13: I gather and secure the ruffle on with wire.

Photo 14: Now a tricky part--separating the layers. It has to be done quickly before the paper dries. It has to be done gently so as not to tear it. It has to be done without overworking, because over-pulling will weaken the paper.

This part has taken a lot of practice. Today I got it right the first time, thanks to many other do-overs.












Photo 15: close up of the ruffle. I'm fairly happy with it. It's ruffled, not wrinkled.

Photo 16: Where I left off today.

And now it's evening and I'm very glad to have experienced this day, which may have looked like any other day, but was so much more and full of promise, bigger inside than out.

Hope yours brought you happiness.