Avoid placing fresh sheets of paper next to pages of newsprint. The inks used in making newspapers is smudgy and will transfer to the surface of your nice clean sheet.

2torial #0697: Learn2 Make Homemade Paper (Continued) Blend it to bits And now a dash of paper theory--in order to make new paper from old paper, you've got to change it to a mushier state. Blenders accomplish this nicely, and the result is the pulp. Fill a blender about 3/4 full with clean water. Take a handful of scraps from your base color pile and put them into the blender. Cover the top and blend on medium-high for a few seconds. The water will start to look like very watery oatmeal.   Add various scraps one by one, and give a short blast with the blender each time. You want to put shorter fibers in first, then gradually add scraps of longer fibers. Otherwise all the fibers will end up about the same length--short!   Add any special items (including threads) last. Don't turn the blender on at this point as it may ruin these items or wreck the blender, or do both.   Don't make a pulp more than one part scraps to four parts water--ie, don't fill the blender more than 3/4 full. If you're making large volumes, pour out the finished pulp mix and start again. Step 5