Arnold Grummer Papermaking - Surface Technique

It is always a challenge to come up with something a bit different for the posts I do for the Arnold Grummer Papermaking blog.  It seems that I have this "habit" of never wanting to just make a single sheet of paper or make a single paper casting square.  To me it's always about experimenting or trying something new or at least a new twist on an existing technique.

There are a few different books on "paper making" in my craft library, but the books I refer to the most are "The Complete Guide to Easy Papermaking", "Arnold Grummer's Complete Guide to Paper Casting" and "trash-to-treasure paper making", also by Arnold Grummer.
                                           
It was in "trash-to-treasure papermaking" where I found the idea for "Surface Embedment" and the term "Napkinization", so I decided to give this a try.  This is a process using an artistic paper napkin to transform a simple sheet of paper into something quite different.

The white, second layer of paper must be removed from the napkin, just leaving the patterned design.  Then using a ruler, I tore the napkin into about 1 1/2" strips, to prepare them for embedding.  You begin the same way you would to make a sheet of paper but using a bit more pulp because the surface embedment works best on a thicker sheet.

Process paper for a sheet just like any other. Pour pulp into the papermaking mold.  Lift the mold from the water, immediately place the napkin strips onto the surface of the pulp.  Allow the water to drain as much as possible.  After draining and following the steps to finish the sheet, the end product was a pretty framed sheet to use as a background for a photo in an acrylic frame.  A uniquely, decorative sheet like this would be perfect in any clear acrylic or floating frame.

NOTE: Before drying and ironing the sheet, pull away any of the excess white paper while still soft, from along the edges.  Use a pin, needle or the point of a knife to carefully complete this step.

To place an order for papermaking products, visit the Arnold Grummer website.  Use the savings code - THANKS20 - when ordering for a 20% discount.