Introduction: Character Tea Bags and Infused Sugar Cubes

About: I am married with two children. Spring, summer, and fall are my very favorite times of the year. I enjoy working in the yard, sewing, cooking, quilting, gardening, and creating. I do this to keep my sanity.
Working at the office or home is hard work!  I decided I wanted to enjoy my breaks a lot more,  so I made this tutorial on how to enjoy your favorite character while at work or home using stickers to embellish sugar cubes and tea bags.  I also made some pretty sugar cubes.  I used the Instructable robot because I love Instructables so much.  I spend a lot of time here.  A while back they had Instructables cups to win in a contest and I fell in love with them.  I decided to make my own!  Here is what I did.  It might not be the real deal but I am happy to gaze upon my lovely new Instructables cup!


Step 1: Ingredients

Please read the entire tutorial before gathering the ingredients because there are several different things you can make here. It will also save you some frustration.
  • Sugar
  • Tea Bag
  • Edible Lavender oil, Vanilla, Mint oil, cinnamon oil, or what ever flavoring you like.  Please see picture.
  • Food coloring.

Pure vanilla from Mexico is always one of my favorite  vanilla brands.  
Choose an oil that will compliment your coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

There are so many different variations you can do with this idea.  Mint would be awesome in some hot chocolate.  The Cinnamon  oil with an orange citrus tea would be very good.  Vanilla with coffee or hot chocolate would go together.

Step 2: Supplies

Here is a list of all the supplies I used:
  • Scotch Tape.
  • Your favorite character sticker.  It could be Angry birds, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Vampire, Mario, Super Man or who ever you like.  
  • Small brown paper bag or paper.
  • Stapler.
  • Scissors.
  • Spoons.
  • Skewer.
  • Mini cookie cutters with 2 that inlay.
  • Small pieces of plastic milk jug.
  • Halloween stickers.
  • Wax paper or paper towel.
  • Pen.
  • Craft Knife not shown.
You will also need several small bowls, a spoon, plate or platter, cutting board is optional, cup, saucer, and plastic spoons or fork.  The craft knife is used for precision cutting on the stabilizer.  The sticker sugar cube is not recommended for small children, I would leave it off if small kids will be using them.




Step 3: Mixing the Ingredients

Measuring and mixing the ingredients:
I used about 1 cup of sugar to make these sugar cubes.  Depending on the size of your cookie cutters will determine how much sugar will be needed and how much water.  I strongly suggest to get the minis because even a small mini will make a tablespoon or a little more than a tablespoon of sugar.  I know a lot of people who add that much to their cup.  Normally to the larger cups.  The tiny heart shapes that I made were 1/2  teaspoon.  I took the cookie cutters and measured a teaspoon and poured it into the cookie cutter to see how much sugar they held.  You do not need to fill them to the brim.  I thought  it was easier to push through the cutter as I tried it both ways.  It  measures more sugar though.  I suppose with practice you could make them perfect teaspoons.  My hubby likes a lot of sugar so I was not worried about it.  
  • Add the sugar to the bowl.
  • Add flavoring to taste.  I added a full teaspoon of vanilla.  I only added a few drops of the rest because it is concentrated oil.
  • Mix.
  • Add food coloring to desired color.
  • Mix.
  • Add just enough water to make it the consistency of wet sand for molding,  like you would need for making a sand castle. Too much or not enough water will cause it not to keep its form.
  • Mix well.
I made two separate  flavors using the Cinnamon oil and vanilla.  I loved the cinnamon it was very  good.  

 


Step 4: Cutting Out the Stabilizer

Instructions for the stabilizer: 
  • Place the cutters on the cardboard or plastic piece.
  • Outline them using a pen.
  • Cut them out with the scissors or a craft knife.
  • You will need to trim some off so it will fit inside the cookie cutter.  
  • Measure to make sure it will go through the cookie cutter with no problem.
  • Trim more off if needed.  
The plastic shape is used to keep the pressure the same when you are pushing the sugar through the cutter.  It will help keep it together.  

Step 5: Molding the Sugar

The sugar mold:

  • Place some wax paper or a paper towel on the plate to keep the sugar from sticking to the plate.
  • Spoon the sugar mixture into the mold.
  • Using the skewer's rounded end lightly tap down the sugar to make it firm.
  • Place the plastic stabilizer into the cookie cutter.

Step 6: Removing the Sugar Cube From the Mold

Carefully remove the sugar cube:
  • Using the rounded end of the skewer slightly push the corners and around the edges downward just a bit.
  • Set the smaller cutter inside the larger cutter and carefully push it through the cutter very slowly.
  • You may need to alternate between the smaller cutter and the skewer.
  • Very carefully push evenly to remove the sugar cube.
This will take some practice. If after many tries the sugar falls apart try adding a little more water if you think it is too dry.
If that does not work add a little more sugar.
Be careful not to squash the sugar when it is coming out.  Leave it some room to plop but not too much room.
I found when I had the correct consistency it was much easier and the sugar kept its shape.
 

Step 7: Drying Time

Drying:
  • After the shapes are removed from the cutter they need to dry completely.
  • Depending on the humidity it takes about 30 minutes.  
  • It rained the day I made these and it took them several hours to dry.  
Make sure they are completely dry and have hardened before going to step 7.

Step 8: Embellishing the Tea Bag

Here is the tea bag that I embellished but it  is optional:
  • I made a matchbook cover for the tea bag by carefully cutting the top of the tea bag package and removing the tea.  I reserved the bag and reused it to keep the tea bag fresh, and inserted the entire thing into the brown bag.
  • Removed the string tag.
  • Placed a sticker as shown in the picture on the string.
  • I added a piece of cardboard to the back of the sticker.
  • I made sure the sticker was placed in the right direction to swing down to make the matchbook cover label.
  • Cut out  the matchbook cover from brown paper.
  • Fold the matchbook cover as shown.
  • Place the tea bag into the cover and staple it at the flap.

Step 9: Embellishing the Sugar Cubes

Stickers:
  • I removed the stickers and cut out some of them for embellishing.
  • I added some eye balls and gems to the Robot.
  • I stuck tape on the back of the stickers because it held them on the sugar cubes better.
  • Placed the stickers on all the bots.
  • I added stickers to my cup and saucer just for the fun of it.
  • Added a sticker to the napkin.
  • Placed a sugar cube on the spoons and fork thinking this would be a cute way to display them at a party.

The wonderful thing about this is you can use what ever character stickers you want.  I used the Instructables Robot because I am a die hard for the Instructables robot.  I have loved the Instructables cup ever since I saw it.  I finally decided I had to have one so I made my own!  Isn't he cute?  
 

Step 10: Sunshiine's Final Thoughts

As always I enjoyed making these.  These would make nice gifts for any occasion for family, friends, or for a boss or teacher appreciation gift.  Great fun for parties!  

Thank you for stopping by.  Please do visit again soon. I am always making stuff to share here.  It is a great outlet for me.  Have a splendorous day!  
sunshiine