Oh my, here is another fun technique for journal pages, scrapbook pages, and yes-even greeting cards. It is so simple and yet it is elegant and fun. You can use any brew of coffee that you would like. The stronger the brew the darker the paper.
Instant coffee will certainly work (you can easily get it at your local dollar store). If you use coffee from a pod brewer like a Keurig, you are apt to get a richer looking paper.
You can use any type of paper you have, the older the better. Try different papers to see the results. This is a great way to use scraps.
You can also coffee dye doilies and fabric too. Try book pages, printed paper, any paper will make some great pages.
Supplies
- Instant Coffee or a brewed coffee
- Hot water if you are using the instant type.
- A coffee mug or other container
- Shallow baking pan
- Paper
- Stencils (optional)
Basic Coffee Dyed Paper
- Mix a strong cup of coffee in a mug or other container. Use two teaspoons of instant coffee or 12 oz of brewed coffee.
- Lay a piece of your paper in the baking dish.
- Brush some of the coffee onto one side of the paper.
- Flip the paper over and brush the other side.
- Do as many pages as you need.
Stenciled Coffee-Stained Paper
- Mix the coffee as stated above,
- Lay a stencil in the baking dish.
- Paint the paper with the brush, back first.
- Lay it on the stencil.
- Paint the other side with the brush,
- Lay another stencil on top.
- Keep layering as many layers as desired.
You can use a doily as a stencil. You will get both the paper and the doily stained.
Make sure to clean your stencils when your project is finished.
Drying The Coffee-Stained Paper
There are a few different ways to dry the paper. If you use an oven, heat tool or iron, please be very careful as you can burn or scorch the paper if it gets too hot.
Air Dry
If you have a nice sunny day, hang your paper on a clothesline with clothes pins that are clean. You can also lay them on towels anywhere where you have some space,
Use A Heat Tool
You can use a heat tool to dry your paper if you are extremely careful. Use the lowest setting on your heat tool. Make sure that you move the tool over the paper. Keep your paper at least 6-7 i9nches from your heat tool. Do not concentrate on one specific spot. Make sure to hold the paper with some long tweezers to protect your fingers.
Use An Iron
Lay a towel on the surface that you are using. Lay the paper on the towel. Lay another towel or a pressing cloth over the wet coffee dyed paper. Press over the second towel with the iron. Once you are done using the iron and it is cooled, make sure to clean any coffee stains off the iron plate.
We hope that you will give this technique a try. The process itself does not take that long at all. The drying takes a little time, but the results are worth the wait.
Till next time, Happy Crafting!
Linda