Find the Fiber

From the Homemade Paper site

Find the fibers. The paper that you'll make is essentially a mesh of plant fibers pressed together to make a strong flat surface. The ingredients you choose will determine the look and quality of the paper. Gather enough fiber to create a few sheets of paper. This need only be a cupful (1/4 liter) of paper scraps, loosely packed, per standard sheet. It's good to have extra raw material on hand in order to experiment with thickness and quality. Expect to lose the equivalent of a page or two of material in the process. Use old paper that has interesting texture. Tear a piece of it-- does it rip cleanly or leave a jagged edge? The harder to tear, the longer the fibers are in the paper. Long fibers create strong paper. Short fibers create smooth texture. Interesting yet durable paper balances these two ingredients.

Optional

Lint from clothes-dryer lint trap is ideal paper fodder. Small flowers and leaves, bits of foil (from leftover holiday paper and champagne bottles) and colored threads also add a special touch. Grab anything you can shred and that floats. But use these specialty items sparingly, otherwise the page won't hold together. Let 'er rip! Once you've gathered enough scraps to make paper, tear them up into pieces about 1 inch (2 cm) square. If you're using different kinds of paper it's a good idea to separate them into different piles. Thread, metallic foils, and other small decorations should be cut to length using a pair of scissors. Be creative--vary the sizes from 1/8 inch to two inches (30mm to two cm). A few long threads are interesting;too many and it looks like spaghetti. Foils and bright colors are better in small pieces less than 1/4 inch (5mm) across. Set any of these decorative fibers aside for now. Don't shred these in the blender.