Red Ink Blot Rice Paper: Art Journaling, Scripture, Card Making, Scrapbook Paper (13x9.5)

What is it? Rice Paper.

This is a handmade designed collage sheet created from alcohol inks on photo paper stamped with black ink. Each sheet is roughly 9.5x13" and may contain a small white border all the way around the edge.

Specifics:

I played with shades of bright red, pink, and yellow alcohol ink on some old 4x6" photo paper, leaving bits of white space. I stamped on it with various stamps using black archival ink. I then scanned the finished piece and pulled it into Photoshop where I did a lot of surgery, turning the 4x6" image into a 9.5x13" design, cloning, copying, editing, and adding numbers and text (scriptures from the Book of Proverbs).. It is entirely 100% created by me. I do not and will never use AI to help me create my own work. So, I can absolutely promise originality.

Let's talk SHIPPING: To fold or not to fold, why is this a question...

**This is important information, please read the banter prior to ordering. I've sold many copies of my rice papers on Etsy, and had 2 separate versions available: 1 folded with free shipping and 1 rolled with expensive shipping. 

"Now Mabel, why bother with expensive shipping at all, who wants to pay MORE for that?!"

"That is an excellent question, Luella, and aligns perfectly with my own thoughts. Why would anyone WANT to pay more for shipping when you don't have to? The reason is simple: folds."

"I'm confused, Mabel, what do folds have to do with shipping?"

"Interestingly enough, some people do not want their rice paper folded. However, I have learned that the folds are completely reversible! So paying extra to have something rolled is an absolute waste of your precious dollars. There are 2 very simple ways to completely get the folds out, and these are methods that I use myself. Every bit of rice paper I have ordered myself came folded. If I am working with wet media, it is very easy to smooth the folds out using your wet adhesives, like matte gel medium or PVA glue, by using a flat rubber spatula or gift/credit card edge."

"Okay, but what if I don't want to glue my rice paper down like that? I work with greeting cards, scrapbook layouts, and other dry mediums. What is the other trick to smoothing out those bothersome folds?"

"By ironing it, Luella."

"Whoa! Wait a second, ironing? Like I would iron the wrinkles out of my favorite skirt?"

"That is correct, Luella. You will smooth out every single wrinkle and fold on your paper by simply dry ironing over a flat, smooth surface covered with cloth, like the ironing board or counter top with a towel."

"Mabel, how do you know this will really work? It doesn't sound right, ironing paper!?"

"Because I've done it myself! I iron a lot of my papers, not just rice paper. This is why paying excess in shipping is completely pointless. The folds will come right out with a clothing iron. I've even tried it with a hair straightener. Success and money saving brilliance!"

"Okay, if paying extra for shipping is pointless, why are you still offering it?"

"Well, Luella, I want to make sure my customers are comfortable with their choices. If someone still doesn't want their rice paper folded, after learning all this, then they are more than welcome to pay the extra for shipping. The USPS has recently had a price increase, so I've had to up my shipping costs as well. What used to cost $5.89 to ship across the US now costs nearly $10!! Therefore, even the folded version is not free to ship anymore. But, it is still substantially less then the rolled version."

"Mabel dear, how can I assure that I am not paying the extra shipping cost when I order these?"

"Because there are 2 options available when placing your order. And I have labeled them clearly as "folded" and "rolled." Choosing the "folded" option will send you through the order process with the packaging of a 6x9" envelope. Choosing the "rolled" option will drastically increase your shipping costs as you are taken through the ordering process with the 2x12" cardboard tube package."

Quality check:

I printed the design on rice paper with an inkjet printer. I experimented with 2 printed copies and was able to take torn pieces and adhere them with Matte Gel Medium to a wooden frame coated in white gesso without smudging or ruining the print. I used a completely DRY brush, making sure to keep water away from the rice paper. I actually worked the Gel medium quite a bit with a flat brush as I layered more and more torn pieces to cover the board and had no issues with smudging my image. DO NOT use water on rice paper, it will smear and destroy the original image. It is also recommended that you do not overwork your adhesive, too many brush strokes could smudge the original image, depending on the medium used. I do recommend using the side of an old gift card or flat edged scraper/palette knife to adhere the rice paper to your artwork. 

I've included 2 images of my experimentation with Matte Gel so you can see how great it works with other rice paper designs of mine. I did add a layer of stenciling with texture paste on top of it and still had no issues. I've also included photos of other versions of my rice paper folded and creased, and then I show how perfectly smooth it comes out once I adhered it to my frame. I used a silicon brush to smooth it out with the Matte Gel medium and the creases came right out. My surface was smoothed out perfectly. 

Artist Disclaimer:
One of a kind art. There is only one available. 

My prices may seem inconsistent, but every item is priced according to the amount of time I spend creating them as well as the supplies used. I handcraft nearly every piece that goes into my art. The resin pieces are the simplest things I create because the amazing moulds do most of the work for me. But other items found on each of my pieces is completely designed and meticulously put together by me. While there are a lot of fantastically beautiful options out there, I don't buy many pre-made embellishments because I want my art to be unique and entirely MY design. So if the prices seem higher on some pieces and lower on others, it has everything to do with the time spent creating each individual embellishment used on those pieces. I solemnly pour my heart and soul into everything I make. And I truly hope that shows in my attention to every single detail and quality of my products.