Have you ever opened up a book and discovered that the inside of the cover there was a beautiful colorful pattern, or illustration. This double sheet of paper partly glued to the inside of the cover of a book is called an endpaper - the first and last sheet of paper which divide the text block from cover. 

Historically, endpapers were often blank pieces of scrap paper, parchment or vellum that were used to keep the text safe from wear and tear. Sometimes they contained a bookplate showing ownership. Decorated endpapers became popular from the 17th century, inspired by paste paper originating in Germany and paper marbling techniques originating in the Middle East and Asia and paste paper techniques.

Come and learn the ancient form of paper marbling originating from 12th century Japan. Suminagashi 墨 流 し or “floating ink” is the process of marbling plain paper with water and ink to transform it into something magical mystical and unexpected. The word suminagashi literally means spilled ink. The process of Suminagashi is meditative where you enter a collaboration with the elements, water, wind, and earth (paper) and the ink, it is a great practice in quiet and mindfulness.

Paste paper (sometimes known as “pull papers” is one of the oldest decorated papers used by bookbinders. Paste papers have been used since the 16th/17th century as decorative endpapers and cover papers, bookbinders would use up their leftover bookbinding paste by throwing some pigment into the paste and brushing it out on some paper to create patterns by combing, pressing or sliding objects into a wet paste. This style of decoration continues to be used today.and can be found in books that are centuries old.