Faux Tea Bags With Tea-Scented Soap

Intro: Faux Tea Bags With Tea-Scented Soap

Easy soap packaging idea that makes for a great gift!

STEP 1: Materials

(a)Soap: I used a Melt & Pour Soap Base which some may think is cheating, but I think it's fantastic. It's incredibly easy - you just cut up the block of soap and melt it in the microwave (or if you are like me and don't have a microwave, use a double-boiler) and add in whatever ingredients you want.
I used Earl Greyer Tea which has more bergamot than usual. Then just pour it into a mold or pan and let it set. After a few hours mine was set and I cut it into rectangles about 1" x 2". These are small (think hotel soap) and I was able to get eight soaps from a 1 lb. block, plus scraps that I can melt down into another one or two. You can see an instructable on melt & pour soap here.
(b)Tags: You can create your own tags, or download mine here. Just cut them out, fold them in half, and snip little notches in the corners (see photos). [A note about the tags: Feel free to print out these tags for your personal, non-commercial use. Please do not redistribute in any way.]
(c)White tissue paper: Pieces cut to approximately 6" x 9", one per soap.
(d)Tape
(e)String
(f)Stapler
(g)Scissors

You can buy everything you need for this project HERE.

STEP 2: Download the Tags

You can create some tags of your own or download mine. I have provided several different tags, including one plain "Tea Soap" tag. Each tag has a "Made By" and "For" on the back so you can give these as gifts.
Download my tags here.
http://www.cucumbersome.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/teabag_tags.jpg
Please don't redistribute these tags or use them for commercial purposes. Thank you!

STEP 3: Wrapping It Up

1. Place the soap (with the side you want on the front face-down) in the center of the paper, but a little higher than the middle.
2. Fold the tissue paper over the soap, overlapping the edges. Tape closed.
3. Pinch and fold the sides to form a rectangular box, and then pleat the sides inward.

STEP 4: Folding the Tea Bag

4. Fold the bottom up over the soap and secure with a loop of tape (or double-sided tape)
5. Trim the top to be even.
6. Fold the corners down to form a peak at the top.
7. Pull the peak down and tape closed.

STEP 5: Staple

Turn the bag over and staple on the string, tying a knot to keep it from slipping through. Staple the tag on the end of the string.

Comments

[ShabbyHijabi]

What happened to your blog? :(

[Soap Mage Bathtime Alchemy]

I saw this on Pinterest and pinned it of course! I think these are great and actually made some awhile back for my Earl Gray tea scented soaps for a little gift shop in town. :)

[huddlehouseninja]

I'm curious... do you steep your tea before adding it to the glycerin base or add it loose?

[jrehnke]

Thanks for this project! I volunteer doing crafts at a women's center and we found a bag full of small lavender soaps - we're making these this morning! Yay! the perfect last minute gift for the ladies to make for their friends and families :)

[ginab6]

Wonderful! I'll be posting this on my blog for Tatting Tea Tuesday" - just the photos and link back to here.!

[scoochmaroo]

I also added this to a bunch of groups. Don't be surprised if CRAFTblog picks this up.

[scoochmaroo]

LURV. And favorited. Remind me in December that I'm going to make a bunch of these. . . ok? thanks.

[OnePrettyThing]

That is adorable! Perfect for tying on packages too. Thanks so much, I'll be linking.

[KateS52]

I looked up tea-bag-paper. The obvious solution, of course, coffee filters. There some rectangle types-not so much waste cutting to size. I actually make my own soap and I have been looking for ideas on how to package. I love your idea!

[cucumbersome]

Sorry for the confusion, I meant for this to be just packaging - not for use in the tub. I just used gift-wrapping tissue paper. If you wanted to have something that could get wet, I would recommend making a little bag out of mesh or silk (maybe reuseable).

[him9292]

Cheese cloth would work great for this me thinks.

[KateS52]

Cucumbersome, that makes a lot of sense. I guess we all got a bunch of ideas from yours. It is a great packaging idea! I thought again about how we we're all adding ideas about using the 'wrapping' -in-the-water...well, they used to call it soap on a rope. So I was digging around in some boxes and I found cheese cloth and some mice white rope. I know I have tissue paper too. I could do it all. Da-Da Da

[discontinuuity]

That's really cool. Do you mind if I borrow this idea for packaging my own soap for sale?

[cucumbersome]

Of course, I don't own the idea. :) The tags, however, are not for commercial use. I would love to see what you come up with. I thought it would be really great to package 6 or so of the soaps up in a little box and brand that. Fun!

[omnibot]

Brilliant. This can also save those unsitely soapexperiments that works but looks like crud.

[HARSHAD BHATT]

Does any one know why already done soap (what we use in our day to day life) does not melt in microwave? Actually it foams up in microwave!!!Why?

[lindipowell]

fantastic idea! do you have any easy and cheap recipes for soap? where i live,glycerine is very expensive...xx

[Kaelessin]

Soap can be made without the glycerin . . .just use some form of fat and lye (proportions and instructions are all over the net and a few are here on instructables too) and you've got a very basic soap with no funky chemicals. I made a few soaps for my mom on her birthday and used household lye and veggie oil with a little bit of crayon for color and essential oil for scent.

[romedeiros1970]

WOW! Well done. Simple, but wow.

[jrehnke]

I feel kind of stupid for not thinking of this myself. I love it! I now know what I'm going to do for holiday gifts this year - thanks!