Konnyaku is a traditional Japanese jelly-like health food made from a kind of potato (Devil's Tongue root) and calcium hydroxide extracted from eggshells. The 'Konnyaku potato' is native to Indonesia and is a kind of herbaceous perennial plant. Konnyaku is 97% water and 3% fibre (with some useful minerals mixed in) and acts like a "broom for the stomach" when eaten, as in, it sweeps your insides clean! It's proven to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and help you loose weight.
Aside from it's many health benefits, Konnyaku also mixes wonderfully with paper to make it more resilient and malleable. It's very simple to use: mix into a milky paste, brush on and that's that! The paper becomes resilient so that you can crinkle it, weave it, sew it ... you name it!
These earrings (above) will survive rain or being crumpled or squished.
*please remember that these are pieces of jewelry and are not indestructible*
Freedom CC Gallery has a wonderful 'all things paper' exhibition running through mid June to Mid July make sure to come visit all the wonderful creations made from paper! >> freedomccgallery.wordpress.com
for exact instructions on preperation or to buy some Konnyaku, go to or email >> www.japanesepaperplace.com
another great blog post about Konnyaku >> riverlark.blogspot.com
Two of FreedomCC's fantastical paper artists >> www.lizzaston.com and www.tanialove.com