Around 500 BC, early writers starting using papyrus (a plant) or parchment made from animal skins - a significant improvement over clay tablets. In the second century AD, a Chinese official named T'sai Lun was the first to start a paper making industry. He made his paper from chopped mulberry bark, linen, and hemp. People started making paper as we know it in the thirteenth century. Most of the paper we use today is manufactured from wood products.
Specialty paper
We all know there are many types of paper nowadays. But until I looked it up I didn't know what specialty paper is. Specialty paper, I now know, is paper that is not commonly used in printing and publishing shops. It is, in other words, special.
Specialty paper includes metallic paper, cardstock, letterhead, and overstock, to name just a few. It comes in different colors, sizes, textures, and weights. With so many choices, there's a specialty paper for every project.
Types of specialty paper
If you like paper as much as I do, you'll appreciate the names and descriptions of specialty paper available from online merchants. Here are just a few:
* Astroparch is an elegant-looking stock with the look and feel of antique parchment. The subtle color palette adds a touch of class to letterhead, announcements, menus, certificates, and awards.
* Stardream Chiara has a pearlescent metallic finish on both sides. Recycles and acid free, this laser safe paper is perfect for announcements, business cards, stationery, flyers, and scrap booking.
* Astrobrights come in deep, rich, solid colors on uncoated paper. Use is for letterhead, envelopes, flyers, announcements, or certificates.
* Metallics have the sparkling surface and luminescent sheen of metal on both sides of each sheet. With a pearlescent metal finish, it's ideal for invitations, business cards, flyers, programs, announcement, and scrap booking.
* With colors like Razzle Berry, Lunar Blue, and Lift-off Lemon, you know these are vibrant, pop colors. Heavy uncoated stock is just right for business cards, announcements, invitations, awards, and scrap booking.
Don't forget the envelopes! Most papers come with matching envelopes. Or, you can mix and match and create colorful combinations. Envelopes do come in different sizes, from five and one-half to six inch squares to regular #10 rectangles.
Inkpads
What's paper without ink! Inkpads come in dozens of colors, from cherry red to soft celery. Reversible inkpads can be filled with any color dye based ink, a different color on each side. Metallic markers in silver, blue, purple, pink, green, and gold complement the ink.
Stamps
If you are into scrap booking, you're probably looking for letters to go with your ink and paper. Font sets come complete with letter, symbols, flourishes, and numbers in three different sizes. Use them with self-inking monogram stampers or wood stampers and store them in a stackable storage system.
Customizable stamps come with various phrases such as "From the Library of" and "From the Desk of" circling your initials. A great personal gift for a committed stamper. You can also buy stamp ensembles for important occasions like Christmas and new babies. A special occasions kit with various borders, centers, and fonts lets you customize stamps for any event.
There's no shortage of specialty paper available from quality online merchants.
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Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon
International. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2009 (Fri Sep 25 2009)
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