Now more than ever, it is important to celebrate the happy occasions. Whether it is a birthday, a graduation, Valentine’s day, a job promotion, or just a really productive day, there is reason to acknowledge the event and applaud the occasion. What better way to do so than with something personal and heartfelt? A handmade card shows just the right amount of personal touch; and if you take a bit of extra time and age the paper first, you will create something so unique and special.
But special occasions are not the only reason you may want to artificially age paper. You may want to make paper look old for an arts and crafts project in history class. You may want to show your kids what something from the olden days would look like. You may even want to create old fashioned invitations for a themed party. Whatever the reason may be, ageing paper can be a very cool technique to use and can come in handy more often than you would think.
There are many techniques that can be used to make weathered paper. Before you begin, choose the type of paper you would like to use. You can stress cardstock and you can age regular printer paper too. Keep in mind that the thicker the paper, the longer it will take to stain. That is not a bad thing; thicker paper is more durable and will withstand a stronger staining and not be as delicate. The look you want for your end result is entirely up to you.
Once you have chosen your paper, you need to write, print, or decorate it with whatever you plan for it to say. After staining, the paper is uneven and does not withstand writing or coloring that well, so it is best to do all of that first and leave the aging for the last step. After you have chosen your paper and decorated it, you are ready to begin the ageing process. There are many techniques you can utilize. If you really want to lean into the old-fashioned look, begin by carefully crumbling up your paper and then opening it back up. This will add to the distressed look.
Aging Paper With Tea
Tea is not just for rainy afternoons in London. You can make aged paper with tea. Place a sheet of paper onto a baking sheet or any type of tray that has a rim to prevent spillage. Boil up a small pot of water and fill a mug with the boiled water. The amount of tea bags you need will depend on how many papers you would like to stain. Generally, one tea bag is good for one paper, but this can vary depending on the thickness of the paper.
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The more you let the tea bags steep, the darker your tea will be, so don’t rush the tea making process. Once you have your tea prepared, you can either use a sponge brush or the tea bag itself to begin the staining process. When using a sponge brush, simply dip the brush into the tea and start painting the paper. Don’t worry about painting evenly. Pages never age evenly so an uneven look will just add to its authenticity. If you are using a tea bag, simply dab the tea bag over the paper until you see the desired amount of color transfer onto it.
Once you are done coloring the paper, it is important to put weights along the edges of the paper to hold it down while it dries. If there is nothing holding the paper down, it will crumble and warp as it dries. Another easy method to prevent warping is to place a few sheets of paper towel over the wet paper and then a book or two on top of the paper towel. That will provide plenty of weight, ensuring the paper dries and maintains its integrity. |
Aging Paper With Coffee
Not all of us are tea drinkers, so what if you don’t have tea bags in the house? Not to worry, you don’t need to run to the grocery store. You can also artificially age paper with another common household item – coffee grounds. To age paper with coffee, begin by brewing the coffee. Again, remember to allow the coffee to brew so that it is strong. The stronger the coffee, the darker the stain will be. The actual staining process can be done in a few different ways.
| Once you have your paper prepared on a rimmed baking tray, you can use a paint brush to stain the paper just like you would do with the tea. Alternatively, you can mimic the tea bag technique by placing coffee grounds onto the center of a paper towel sheet. Twist the paper towel around the coffee and use a rubber band or twist tie to hold it in place. Then simply dip the self-made coffee pouch into boiling water and dab it onto your paper to begin staining.
If you would like an even darker stain, simply pour the coffee over the entire paper until the paper becomes completely submerged in the coffee. Let it soak for about five minutes and then very carefully, lift the paper by its edges and place it onto a surface to dry. For faster drying, you can either use a blow dryer or put the paper in the oven for five minutes at 200 degrees. You can use this fast-drying technique for the tea aging process as well. |
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Aging Paper With Vinegar
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If you have time to prepare, you can age paper naturally with vinegar. All you need to do is pour some vinegar into a jar and add steel wool to it. Make sure not to close the lid too tightly – the chemical reaction that occurs needs room to breathe and you don’t want any explosions.
Allow the jar to sit for a few days, or until the steel wool fully dissolves. Then simply soak the paper with the solution to achieve your desired stain effect. This method is also the fastest drying one. |
Aging Paper With Lemon Juice
| One last method you can use to stain your paper is with another very common household item – lemon juice. Begin by carefully tearing off the edges of your paper and then brushing lemon juice in broad strokes over the entire paper. Use just a touch of water to wet the torn edges of the paper. Very carefully, hold the paper over an exposed heat source and it will begin to brown. The longer you expose the paper to the flame, the darker it will become. The wet edges will prevent the paper from burning too much.
As you can see from the techniques listed above, there is no best way to age paper or cardstock. There are various methods, both artificial and natural, and it really is entirely up to you which one you prefer. Each technique creates a slightly different end result, so if you really want to have fun, you can experiment with all four and choose your favorite. |
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