Paper Woes

I enjoyed coloring the focal image and stamps above with Glaze and Souffle pens. I always find coloring to be very meditative. This page is layered, baby, layered! Paper, tape, paint, stamps, pens, all that jazz! I didn't think that I liked this page at first but I'm really happy with it. It says everything I want it to say and I love the layers.

So those of you who follow my blog and have taken my classes know that my paper of choice is 140 lb wausau exact index. I've been using Wausau paper for fifteen years now. I use it in almost all of my classes. I make almost all of my books with it. It is My Paper of Choice. 

Can you imagine how I felt on Monday (which turned out to be the Day from Hell Where Almost Everything That Could Go Wrong Went Wrong) when I called Kelly Paper and told them that I needed to order 100 sheets of 3051A (I know it by heart) and their response was that product has been discontinued. I almost keeled over. Then he told me that the Wausau paper mill had closed two months ago and I DID keel over (I apologize Mr. Kelly Paper Man for the few expletives that I uttered. They weren't directed towards you!) Um, did I mention that I was teaching a class on Wednesday and that I needed the paper um, by Tuesday in order to cut it and get it ready and that again, this was MONDAY? The guys at Kelly Paper were on the job! At first they recommended a Lynx brand paper (100# weight) but it was out of stock. He told me they'd call me back with a replacement. I went into panic mode and scoured the net as I waited for his return call.

Yesterday I picked up 100 sheets of Accent Opaque in parent size sheets as well as a ream of Lynx 100# in 8 1/2 x 11". I have not put anything to it other than a glue stick but I hope to test it out at some point today. (I just got home from teaching and haven't had much time to do anything other than eat dinner, check email and now work on this blog post.) 

I did find out (thanks, Terri K!) that Neenah papers picked up the 140 lb wausau and that they still have it in large parent size sheets (as well as 8 1/2 x 11".) So, all is not lost. However, Kelly Paper says that you can order it but only as a CASE! That's 500 sheets of paper!!!! Um, I live in a little apartment. Where am I going to PUT THAT? I'm going to call The Man in Charge of Ordering For Kelly Paper tomorrow and see what I have to do (that's legal) to convince them to carry the 140 exact index in large (and small) sheets on a regular basis. Mr Manager of My Local Kelly Paper was not convinced and said that the 100 lb weight was "good enough." Well, he has never thrown paint on 140 exact index paper now has he?

I am now an Artist/Art Teacher on a Mission.

I want 140 lb cardstock at an affordable price (I pay around $.60 or so a sheet for the large parent sheet sizes. I don't want to raise my class prices because of this!)

I want it local. I do NOT want to have to mail order my class paper. That's a LOT of paper, folks.

I want it in stock on a regular basis. 

This is my list of demands! I will let you know if they've been met!

(and yes, I already know that I'm weird. Thank you.)