How to make marble paper with liquid starch

Buying scrapbooking paper and stationary can be costly. Making your own marble paper, however, not only helps you save money, but also allows you to create paper designs with any colour scheme you prefer for your project or stationary. Using a process that floats acrylic paint on liquid starch, this technique allows you to create your own specialised paper inexpensively.

Fill one dishpan with enough liquid starch to cover the bottom.

Fill the other dishpan with enough water to cover the bottom.

Combine 1 tbsp of acrylic paint with 2 tbsp of water on a paper plate and set aside. Do this for each colour you wish to use.

Drop, splatter or spoon the paint and water solution onto the liquid starch. Avoid muted colours by using a maximum of three colours. Create a bull's-eye by dropping one colour on top of another. Form a heart by making a bull's-eye, then drawing the paintbrush directly down the drop.

Swirl the colours in the liquid starch by gently moving a clean paintbrush across the top of the starch. Do not mix the colours thoroughly as this will cause the effect to be lost.

Grab the corners of the paper and place it gently on top of the liquid starch, making sure the entire surface of the paper is touching the starch.

Remove the paper from the starch when the ends begin to curl, which will take approximately one minute. Hold the paper over the starch while the excess drips off.

Place the paper, painted side facing down, onto the surface of the water in the tub to remove the starch.

Remove the paper from the water bath and place it, painted side facing up, on newspaper to dry. For best results, allow the marble paper to dry overnight.