If you’re an enthusiastic scrapbook creator, you know how fun it can be to use creative scrapbooking techniques to give your scrapbook pages interesting finishes and details. If you have vintage photos to display in your scrapbook, why not add some character to your scrapbook pages by aging them with tea? This will provide the perfect backdrop for your older photos and will really add character to your scrapbook.
Aging paper for your scrapbook using tea couldn’t be simpler and can be quite satisfying when you see the beautiful results. Here’s how to quickly and effectively age scrapbook paper using tea:
Brew a Batch of Strong Tea
Three black teabags steeped in two cups of water is a good ratio. You don’t want your tea to be too weak or your results will be disappointingly subtle. Leave the tea bags immersed in the water for about 45 minutes to get a strong color. Pour your prepared tea into a large, flat bowl that can accommodate your sheet of paper.
Decide How Heavy Your Want Your Stain to Be
If you want a light stain, simply immerse the paper in the tea and quickly remove it. The longer the paper remains in the tea mixture, the darker your stain will be.
Allow Your Paper to Dry
After removing the paper, lay it on a dry paper towel and allow it to dry. Since wet paper has a tendency to curl up during the drying process, you’ll need to apply a heavy object such as a book to weigh the paper down. If you don’t want to wait until it dries, you can a piece of heavy, clear vinyl on top to protect your paper and iron it on a low setting.
Why not get creative when you age your scrapbook paper?
Use a moist tea bag to randomly blot your paper with tea or lightly rub your tea bag over the surface of the paper you want to age. If you want a very mottled effect, use lose tea leaves that have been moistened with water and sprinkle them on top of your paper. Let your paper dry. You can further enhance the effects using selected scrapbook inks to add additional interest.
Using this scrapbooking technique, you’ll be able to create a vintage backdrop for any of your vintage photos or older paper collectibles. This procedure for adding age to paper can also be used for artistic paper collages. It’s a simple procedure for which you’ll find endless
applications.
Have fun experimenting with this creative scrapbooking idea. You’ll never settle for boring, ordinary paper again.
Written by Kristie.Leong.M.D