TURN TAMALES INTO WRITING PAPER

TURN TAMALES INTO WRITING PAPER

PORTLAND, Ore. (Wireless Flash) -- Here's something not even Martha Stewart has thought of: Turning those corn husks that are wrapped around tamales into paper. Believe it or not, tamales have the right stuff to be writing papers, according to Helen Hiebert, a paper artist in Portland, Oregon. It's a laborious process that takes about three days but, when finished, the tamale paper is perfect for art projects. Other offbeat items that can be turned into paper include old cloth rags, natural plant fibers and even cloth diapers. Hiebert discusses how to make paper in her new book, "The Papermaker's Companion" (Storey Books).