Stationery Scoop, the stationery blog for people who love paper and stylish stationery

Just back from...

That's right, I just returned from a lovely week at Disney World with my family. We stayed at the Port Orleans resort and had a completely fabulous time!

I won't be posting pictures because Disney pictures don't really fit with my stationery and entrepreneur-themed blog, but what does fit is talking about the importance of taking a vacation. Getting away for a stretch of time, and I mean REALLY getting away (no phones, no email) has immediate and long-term benefits. Read these tips from the experts at The Energy Project in a short post called Take All Your Holidays. I'm so glad I took this holiday!

Part 11 of starting a paper company - Getting messy in Brooklyn

So back to my story about my Mom's and my trip to New York. As I started writing about in part 9 of my entrepreneur story, a few years into starting Botanical PaperWorks, we decided that we needed more papermaking training. We traveled to Brooklyn, New York, to spend two weeks with the papermakers of Carriage House Paper.

After experimenting with pulp painting and pulp spraying, the next day was time to learn to make paper from kozo. Kozo is a traditional Eastern papermaking fibre and the basic process is this:

(photo credit: Awagami Factory)

If that looks like a LOT of WORK, it is! We scraped and pounded and sweated it out for several days just to get a few semi-decent pieces of paper. It was hot and messy work. Many sheets and tempers were destroyed in this process.

Step 1 - we soaked, then scraped the kozo fiber. We had to watch our for our hands in this step. The scraper had a tendency to bounce off the hard kozo and head straight for our skin.

Step 2 - Cook the kozo fiber in a solution of water and something to break down the fiber (I can't remember the name of the "something"!). Rinse thoroughly and try not to smell the odor wafting up.

Step 3 - Pick and cut the fiber into 1-inch pieces. If the fibers are left too long, the paper won't drain on the mould and it will be hard to get an even sheet.

Step 4 - Feed the fiber into the Hollander Beater. Leave it in there for a long time (many hours), keeping your ears open for anything jamming.

Step 5 - Build up a bunch of aggression and take it out on the poor kozo. Pound until your hands blister.

Step 6 - Add the pulp to the vat and get ready to make some paper.

 

Step 7 - Pull some sheets, wreak some sheets, then remember that it's the journey not the destination that's important. 

It was a GREAT experience being at Carriage House and making the kozo paper. But it's not something that we do on a regular basis at Botanical PaperWorks. We'll stick to the Western method of papermaking and leave the kozo to the experts!

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Just joining us? Catch up by reading Part 1: "Maybe we could make a business out of this" or How I Became An Entrepreneur

Want to see where my company is today? Go to Botanical PaperWorks to see or read about how plantable paper works. While you're there, check out the plantable memorial cards, available in three new colors.

Newly updated - the Green Gifts Guide

We've updated the Green Gifts Guide to include eco-friendly gift-giving ideas for teachers, Father's Day, christenings and other summer occasions. Check it out!

Part 10 of starting a paper company - the staff visits the stuffed animal museum

Continued from Part 9 of my story of starting a paper company - Heidi and Mary head to the big city, New York

As our company grew, so did the size of our staff. Each new person who joined the company brought a fresh energy and perspective. One day, we talked about going on a company outing. Where to go? Toni suggested the Trophy Museum, aka The Stuffed Animal Museum. The Museum was a special room filled with animals from North American, Africa and the Middle East, all collected by my husband's grandfather in the 50's and 60's.

So off we went, to visit the Trophy Museum and then have dinner.

Me and Jami posing in front of some of the smaller trophies. Jami worked at Botanical PaperWorks for many years eventually gaining experience in every department except papermaking!

Joanna, Tiffany and John with some ibex, deer and other animals.

 

Joanna kissing a mountain goat. Nowadays, Joanna is the owner and design of Jix Design, gorgeous jewelry made with sterling silver and semiprecious stones.

Miriam hamming it up with a tiger. Miriam was a vegetarian, so I think the whole animal museum thing was a bit disturbing.

Toni posing with a giraffe.

After the tour of the museum, we went to La Fiesta Cafecito for dinner. It was a good time and made working together at Botanical PaperWorks fun.

We've had other great parties - the house tour when we piled into a bunch of cars and visited each others' homes; the potluck where Monique's daughter did thematic table decor; the junk food potluck where people only brought junk food (the staff was pretty sick after a whole lunch of chips and candy!). Thank you to every person who's ever been part of Botanical PaperWorks. It's been my privilege to work (and laugh) with you!

The next installment is called Part 11 of starting a paper company - Getting messy in Brooklyn where we tackle cooked fibers and Japanese-style papermaking. It's messy, it's frustrating but the results are gorgeous.

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Just joining us? Catch up by starting with Part 1: "Maybe we could make a business out of this" or How I Became An Entrepreneur

Want to see where my company is today? Go to Botanical PaperWorks to see or read about how plantable paper works. Stop by the Botanical PaperWorks blog where we post stories and craft articles, and sometimes just post things that make us laugh like this Pug In A Jug post.

Snapshot of a regular day - thinking

Sometimes you just have to turn away from the computer and do a little thinking. I'm working out a few thoughts with my favorite manilla jotter paper and blue Papermates, clickable only please, I don't like the ones with caps!