my ex-husband bought me a lokta papermaking kit for christmas. lokta comes from a renewable plant source and makes a very pretty, very strong paper. the lokta pulp can be purchased in compressed blocks which are then soaked in water, and give off a sweet, spicy smell. you can mix small additives into the pulp, or just press in larger enhancements once the paper is drying in its tray.
my first piece of handmade paper contains: a praying mantis molt, some leaves from the bonsai maple plant that i gave tim for christmas, a dried chinese lantern bud... and dirt. you can see the artistic smattering of dirt in the upper portion of the paper, and it was not me who added it - but the squirrels in our backyard who tried to make off with the whole paper tray, then abandoned it when they couldn't climb our wall and carry it simultaneously.
i enjoyed this and have plans to make more, and to involve yarn and knitting in some future projects.