Introduction: Age Paper Using Tea


This is my first instructable so bare with me as I attempt to put this fun and easy tutorial on the screen for you.

I made sweet tea today and had tea bags, so I decided to age some paper before tossing them in the trash.

This is how you achieve that old paper appearance to your craft and art projects.
I've even heard of people using tea bags to dye fabric.I'll try that and get back to you on it okay!

All you need is
tea bags
water
paper that you want to age. most any kind will work from drawing paper to card stock to stretched canvas
paper towels
and something heavy like a couple books

Step 1:

First all you do is make some tea!
I brew tea on the stove top using a small pan about 6-8 tea bags and almost enough water to fill the pot.
after it nearly comes to a boil, I drain the tea water, and sugar my tea.
I sat the pot to the side with the used tea bags in it.

Step 2:


Next you take a tea bag and dab it all over the paper.
Use the tea bag to smear tea on every inch of the paper.

Don't worry about the lines  we will get rid of them later.
The paper will be pretty wet and that is normal.

Step 3:


Now take one of your paper towels. I like to scrunch it in my hand, and use it to wipe off the excess tea.
The paper will appear darker than the white piece you started out with at first.
After you wipe off the tea you can repeat step 2 until you reach your desired darkness.

I have also let the paper dry and came back to it in a few hours and reapplied tea and achieved a darker outcome.

Step 4:


Now you want to put your aged paper under some weight until it dries. Otherwise it will warp as it dries and make for a very hard to use piece of aged paper.

I like to take a few paper towels and lay them over the aged paper and set a small towel over that. I then take a few books and sit them on top for a few hours.

It doesn't take too long to dry and the outcome its great!
Much cheaper than buying wood stain or other products and you get to feel good for recycling your used up tea bags! :)

Once you paper is dry you can paint, draw, color or do what elver else you like to it.