Aged paper

I am aware that I have once more been an absolute slacker. I guiltily self indulged and made two steel boned corsets since my birthday is in a few day. So I have to face the fact I need to post a new project. This time I’m sharing one of my favorite things. Aging paper! Like that which my missing  

 Now think about the number of things you could do involving aged paper. Invitations. Creepy old letter props. Old flyers. Treasure maps. Labels. It’s another one of those endless options sort of things.

Firstly you have to decide if you want to stain the paper with coffee or tea. I personally use both because they offer two different colors.You need a bowl for boiling water in the micro wave (or a stove and a tea kettle) because boiling water seems to help the color permeate through the paper best and a large flat pan to do the staining in so your paper doesn’t fold over.

 

 

I usually boil my water in the microwave with the instant coffee pack already in it.

Yay beloved microwave of doom!!!

Then pour it into the flat pan and toss in the tea bags

See the color difference between the tea and coffee

 

 When you put in the paper it will float so you need to push it under. Be mindful of this if you boiled water on the stove or are sensitive to heat

 

 I use the tea bags to hold it under for a couple minutes to get the primary stain going.

 

 One of the neat things is where you leave the tea bags leaves quite a dark stain

 

 Squeeze out one of the tea bags so it’s not dripping every where and dab puddles of it out onto the paper. I cheat and do this after I’ve already placed the paper into the microwave on a paper towel.

 

 

Close the microwave door and set the timer for 1 minute. I have my power level on the highest which is 10. This is the part where you want to watch what’s going on. Don’t want anything bursting into flames. The microwave seems to help dry the dark puddles into place and speed the drying process (a stroke of genius on my part during an over tired crafty night making labels.)

 

At this point it should be barely damp and you have some choices. A) If you like how it looks you can either take it out to dry the rest of the way on some paper towel. Or nuke it again for another min. Then there is B) if you want more aging dab it up again with your tea bag or try out the instant coffee dabs and nuke it again! Also remember to dab the back side for equal aging if it’s going to be seen. If the paper will be glued down don’t even worry about it!!

 WARNING: don’t over nuke your paper though as you scorch the tea ant it leaves rings on it which isn’t as pretty, but then  I guess it’s a personal preference thing Easy peasy.

Then run it through your printer. Draw on it. Write on it. Burn the edges (ß so guilty of that one) and you’ve got your very old paper that you made just last night