When I was asked to review Mulberry Cardstock, my first response was, “What is
Mulberry Cardstock? I’ve never heard of such!” So I acquired a few sheets and the rest, as they
say, is history.
Mulberry paper is the term we use today to define a thin, tissue-like paper with large, visible fibers. The first mulberry paper was made in China, sometime around 100 A.D. and was not really paper at all. It was made by pounding various parts of the mulberry, hemp, and flax plants together, then formed into a flat surface suitable for inks and paints.
Today, mulberry paper and cardstock are available at most fine stamping and art stores. A wide range of colors and sizes are offered. I even found two-toned, or duplex, cardstock colors. These had two shades of mulberry paper, one on each side of the cardstock.
Mulberry cardstock is a piece of cardstock coated on both sides with mulberry paper.
This gives the paper a thick, yet manageable hand. The layers come apart easily when sprayed with
water and allowed to soak. This allows you to stamp and emboss an image on one side and color it from
the other for a muted, yet textured effect. I then reassembled the layers to make the central image
of my card. 
Because of the layers, Mulberry card stock has additional sturdiness. My next thought
for this paper was to break out the 3-dimensional pear set from ”Some Assembly Required”. These
stamps work best with heavy cardstock, or two layers of regular cardstock. By using the mulberry
cardstock, I got the sturdiness I desired with the added bonus of texture.
Mulberry card stock can simply be used as a regular card stock. It can be the foundation for cards and embellishments, as it is sturdy enough to support heavier, dimensional objects, yet smooth enough to write your personal sentiments inside. This cardstock is great for layering. To give the card stock a good edge, I like to use a deckle ruler. Just run a wet paintbrush, or better yet, a water barrel brush, along the edge of the ruler. Allow the water to soak in for a minute, and then tear your paper. Use your fingers or a stiff bristled brush to “fluff” the fibers.
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This paper also takes ink and embossing powder wells. My first fear was that the inks would bleed, but this proved to be an unfounded concern. 
I have seen regular white mulberry paper used for a neat faux batik technique, so I
decided to try it on the mulberry cardstock. I have to admit that it didn’t turn out quite the same.
The watercolor inks tended to seep under the clear embossing powder and I wasn’t able to remove the
embossing powder afterward, so I created a “faux-faux batik”. 
Once you are done with your cards, what should you do with all those scraps of paper?
Separate out the mulberry paper from the card stock by spraying water as above, and you will have
scraps of mulberry paper to use for collage. Very nice use of the scraps!
I hope you have as much fun exploring the many uses of mulberry cardstock as I did. If you have any questions regarding this article, please feel free to contact me at daryasmith@yahoo.com.
Sources:
http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/328Fall 98/paper.htm
http ://www.gseis.ucla.edu/~howard/Personal/Trips/Vietnam99/Photo-essays/ninafact.htm
