Paper

Paper is such a huge part of everyone's lives, but even more so for crafters. I started thinking how we toss around terms, but don't always know what they really mean. So today, I thought I would go through a few of the most common paper-related terms and maybe throw in a tip or two...

Paper - A thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon or packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets.

Acid free - Paper that is free from any acid content or other substances likely to have a detrimental effect on the paper or its longevity. This is a very important term anytime you are working with photos, albums, scrapbooking and anything you want to be archival. Always look for "acid-free" on the description when purchasing for those purposes. If you've ever seen an old photo album where the pages and photos are turning yellow, that is an example of what happens when you don't use acid-free paper or albums for long-term storage.

Weight - The weight of paper is usually expressed in lb (pounds) per ream or gsm (grams) and refers to how thick or thin a paper is. Text weight paper is thinner than cardstock.

Grain - The direction of the fibers in a sheet.

Parent Sheet - This is the name for a large sheet size of paper before it is cut down to smaller or standard sizes.

Deckle - This term refers to a frame that handmade paper is made on as well as the feathered or ragged edge that handmade paper sometimes has. It looks like this:

You can duplicate this look by taking the following steps:

1) Fold your paper where you want your deckled edge

2) Using your finger or a small paintbrush, gently wet the folded edge of paper. If the paper is thick, you may need to wet both sides of your fold. Once you've wet it, unfold the paper - it should look like this:

3) Lay your paper flat on your work surface and gently pull the paper apart at the fold. The paper being wet will allow the fibers to separate more easily.

4) And you are done! Soft and fibrous papers work best for this technique as the fibers pull apart and give that handmade look.

Obviously I love paper and could talk about it all day... hopefully I've passed some of that on to you.