Using mulberry papers in your scrapbooks or card making adds texture and interest to your projects. But if you’re not sure how, let me explain.
Mulberry paper is often used as a layer underneath stamped images on a card. The same principal can be made for a scrapbook page. However, on layout I’ve seen many use mulberry paper as matting behind a photo, or to place a journaling box on. You can use it to embellish the page. I like placing some of the metal quotes on top of a piece.
No matter what the thickness of the mulberry paper is, which varies because it’s actually “handmade paper”, there are several ways you can get your desired look. You can either cut the mulberry paper with regular scissors, decorative scissors, or you can do it my favorite way. By tearing it. This creates the wispy edge that mulberry paper is famous for.
If you are wanting to tear your mulberry paper, first dampen the paper with a wet paintbrush or q-tip, a water color barrel (a pen-like tool that holds water in the handle), or a blender pen. Then gently and slowly tear where you’ve moistened the paper.
If you cannot find a certain color or you are trying to match the paper to a color, guess what? You can dye white mulberry paper!
Just add splatters of ink, or food coloring. The safest way to do this is by using a re-inker bottle used in stamping. Or if you have a color and would like it to be a softer look, just spray water from a spray bottle onto your paper. Using a mist, this will change the color tone in the paper. The more water that you use, the lighter the color will become. Just be sure to allow the paper to completely dry before adding it to any project.
You can also use stamp pads, sponges, markers and other methods to change the color of the mulberry paper or to add more interest.
You can stamp directly onto your mulberry paper, however I would recommend using metallic inks when you do this. The metallic inks stand out more on the mulberry paper than regular inks.
Mulberry paper is a lot of fun to work with and can add some wonderful dimension and texture to your layouts. No matter what you do with it, have fun and let me know how it works!