"What are you going to do with it?"

So far, I have heard that question every time I tell people about one of my newest projects.  I guess that it is a valid question, yet I do not understand why I get puzzled looks from them when I reply, "I am going to write on it."

You see, I recently decided to make paper using the cardboard cores of toilet paper and paper towels as the source of fiber for pulp.

I love paper!  In fact, I love it so much that some times I hold onto certain sheets of paper for years until I get just the right pen to write on it, or until I get the perfect idea to sketch on it that would jive with the awesomeness of the paper, or I wait until my handwriting changes to a font that would fit the look and feel of the paper. Sometimes, I just wait. 

My love for paper started early on in life.  Back in 1986 (give or take a year), I made my first batch of handmade paper as an assigment when I was in art school.  The process was great fun, that is until I burnt the motor of our neighbour's blender... which I then replaced it using my allowance money.  That event prompted me to add an item to my "notes to self" list under the "handmade crafts" category... "When getting the pulp ready for paper making, (1) soak the fibers ahead of time and (2) blend with lots of water."

Now fast forward to 2006 and there I am in Tasmania (yes, in that little island south of Australia) driving to the Creative Paper Tasmania Mill/Studio (http://www.creativepapertas.com.au) to take a tour as well as participate in their hands on demo.  It was great and definitely encouraged me to keep paper on the top five list of craft skills in which I want to focus.

It does not come to my surprise that I am at it again.  This time however, my focus is on using 100% post consumer recyclable materials for the pulp, and especially since it rains so much here in Vancouver, it seems fit to use rain water for the paper making process... a process that does require quite a bit of water.  More over, the attached plan to this ever growing project is to apply book binding techniques such as this awesome one, http://www.winkout.com/wordpress/?p=302 by Molly Brooks of winkout.com, to make neat notebooks and sketchpads.

So this is the part where you get to ask "And what are you going to do with the notebooks and sketchbooks?"  Well, I am going to write on the one I keep and the rest will be up for grabs at our Meandering Design shop.  I will keep you posted and let you know when they go on sale.

-KQ