How To Tea Stain Paper | The EASY Way to DIY Vintage/Old Looking Paper for Journaling

Join me for this super easy DIY as I tea stain a batch of paper for use in my reading journal! This is a great way to give paper an old or vintage look that requires very few supplies.
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SUPPLIES YOU'LL NEED:
- Kettle
- Tea (I used 6 bags of chai)
- Jug with a Spout
- Spoon
- Deep Baking Pan (the pan I used: amzn.to/3z3hNuP *this is an affiliate link)
- A4 Paper (I used basic printer paper)
- Mister
Bake paper at 350°F or 180°C for 5 minutes at a time (approximately 15 minutes total) and keep an eye on it!
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FAQs
What does your channel name mean? I picked "Plant Based Bride" for my blog when I started it back in 2015 as I was starting the process of planning my vegan wedding and wanted to document it. I have been vegan for 8+ years and married since 2016!
What's your real name? Elizabeth
Where are you from? I'm a Canadian from Toronto, Ontario, currently living in Saskatchewan.
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What nail polish are you wearing? Coffee Talk by Cirque Colors.
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[@andreajacobs6069]

A little tip from paper making: when you pull your pages out of the oven do it when they still have a little dampness, place them on the edge of a towel so that you can then fold the towel over them as well. When you have stacked them all and folded the towel over them (or another towel if it is too small to fold) place a couple of books on top of them and let them dry under the weight of the books. Check on them after a couple of hours and when you do, separate each page and change the towel if it is wet. This just makes them dry flat if that is something you are interested in.

[@PlantBasedBride]

That’s a great tip! Thank you for sharing it ❤️

[@anomalyunit4637]

Question: Will the towel be wet or damp? Shall I remove it after a few hours if it is damp?

[@andreajacobs6069]

@@anomalyunit4637 it will get damp/wet eventually and I do recommend changing it after a couple of hours

[@Sukekiyoki]

Will they stick together too much if you stack them?

[@andreajacobs6069]

@@Sukekiyoki that hasn't happened to me, so I don't think they would. Something you can do is restack them every hour or so, so they don't get a chance to stick together

[@bonnierosendale]

Another fun thing is to open a tea bag and sprinkle some of the leaves on the paper before baking them. They will brush off after ward and leave really interesting patterns! "Discovered" this when a bag broke and I got some on the paper accidently. It was so cool!

[@sarahaimwithmoore]

Such a wonderful video!

[@PlantBasedBride]

That is an amazing tip! Thank you so much for sharing ❤️

[@TessaOswin]

If you wanted it to last really well you could get a pH meter (there are electrical one or paper strips though the electrical one need calibrating regularly so not if you aren’t going to use it a lot). pH 7 is neutral so that would what you would want to be at. Different water and tea/coffee will have different acidity so the strip could be useful.

[@suzanne532]

Just for those who read this comment... Purple onion skins create a green color on your papers, not purple. Avocado skins will create a nice pink color.

[@DonnaJo3452]

How long would it take for the papers to become brittle? Thanks.

[@amber._.]

I remember making tea-stained paper at my grandparents' house when I was younger so my brother and I could draw a treasure map. We didn't put the paper in the oven, but let it air-dry. Definitely took a lot longer lol. Anyway, thanks for this video! I always forget that this is something I could do to make pages in my bullet journal (or letters to my friends) more interesting!

[@PlantBasedBride]

Aw haha that’s so sweet! It definitely speeds up the process ❤️

[@SakiStargazer]

Nice! I dob't have an oven - just a mikrowave and I was wondering if air-dry is possible. Thank you for mentioning

[@hannahbrookswithmagic9711]

I tea stained paper this evening. So calming. And so happy. I went crazy and did 50 pages of tea stained paper

[@kristymounsey3941]

tip using fruit teas and herbal teas gives a variety of awesome colours I love the pink dyes from raspberry tea.

[@aquaticats7118]

I tend to crumple the pages before I stain them, it makes interesting dark lines on the pages where the tea collected in the grooves, to flatten the pages when they are dry I iron them on a low heat

[@bluejchou4404]

Wow. I have been tea-staining paper for years for my boys who make maps and write stories on it. I can't believe I never thought to use a deeper pan and do more sheets at once! Your tips will save me so much time! 😅 Thank you for this video!

[@jessexisting933]

i have an English assignment where i have to make a journal for a character in a book and write entries in them from that character’s point of view. i chose Hermoine Granger from Harry Potter, so this tutorial is great!

[@DonnaJo3452]

How cool!

[@Narja23]

I do pretty much the same with tea and coffee (instant coffee, usually, because I don't have supplies to brew proper coffee as I don't drink it) and I noticed that coffee has a better light resistance, as well as a little less warm tone ^^ Tea smells better, but it seems that it holds less exposure to the direct sun and the tone fades. If it's to keep it enclosed on a journal it's not a problem, but it could be one for piece of arts that are to be exposed on the wall ^^ I love painting with tea and coffee

[@PlantBasedBride]

Oh that’s a great tip! I love the smell of baking paper soaked in tea and/or coffee 🥰

[@eileenthompson3231]

Love this video, I just used a tea bag and just kinda stamped it all over my paper when I made some and I did the same with my husband’s coffee just took the filter out of the coffee pot and made a little bag with it and stamped it on some paper

[@love_anneliese]

I would definitely try this in my next journaling sesh ✨ It seems to be a very therapeutic process 🌷 also, just want to say… You’re my biggest inspiration for bullet journaling & my favourite bullet journal channel on KZbin 💫

[@PlantBasedBride]

Aw thank you! That is so kind of you 🥰

[@Skerrigan87]

I absolutely love this! I lead a therapeutic journaling group in a hospital and love the idea of adding this process to our program! Thank you for sharing ✨

[@PlantBasedBride]

Oh I love that! ❤️

[@angelacovarrubiasrwab]

This exactly what I was looking for. Thanks! Now I’m off to tea stain some papers. 😃

[@marianadar8143]

Wonderful video😍😍 Thank you for sharing ☺☺The pan definitely makes the process faster 😅 I have never used a pan to make tea paper. I make small batches (10-12 sheets) with loose tea leaves. Instead of boiling, I just soak the leaves for 15mins and squeeze it with a spoon, and use a paint brush to coat the paper along with the tea leaves. It gives different patters every time. I also like to crumple the paper and tear the edges before dyeing to give it a more vintage like feel. I coat the paper twice and leave it to air dry. It a lot more time consuming but its worth it☺

[@beautiful_tyrant7428]

Currently watching my envelopes and pages as they soak in the pan! I'll be using these pages for my grimoire. Thank you.

[@navijha122]

Man just a few days ago I was like "Man, I bet tea stained paper would be so nice to put in my art journal" and here you are, just what I needed!

[@sorbetsalut7933]

when I tea stain paper, I usually just make a cup of tea and use the tea bag to colour the paper straight from the cup. That way someone gets a cup of tea and I have aged paper. It takes a while to dry but it's very rewarding when it's done. Since I normally use it to make treasure maps or old posters I'll go over the edges of the paper with a lighter to make it look burned

[@Galmatic]

Hello from Sydney Australia darling. I put mine in the oven on a flat cookie tray (easier to not burn yourself) on top of a sheet of baking paper. If you use the same sheet of baking paper for several tea sessions the effect is amazing! 💙

[@inattentiveshrimp]

This was so helpful! I wanted to age some paper so I could roll it up and have scrolls sticking out of my bag as part of my renaissance faire outfit. Thank you!!

[@jollyjohn11]

I made tea-stained paper today (which is probably the first craft-y thing I've done since I was a kid) using your method and it went great! Thank you for this video!

[@PlantBasedBride]

Wonderful! 🥰

[@KaitlinGrey]

Thanks for sharing such a strait forward walkthrough! I can't wait to make some for my own journal 😄

[@madddoll8685]

I've done this many times too for journaling pages and projects! The first time I ever did it was with coffee for a "Survivor" themed birthday party I had when I was 13 LOL I wanted the paper to look aged and weathered. The pages end up having a coffee scent which I personal love lol Black tea bags also work! Then let dry on a rack of sorts. Can be messy, but super fun.

[@PlantBasedBride]

Yes, I love the smell! My whole house smelled like chai while they were baking and it was heavenly 🥰

[@madddoll8685]

@@PlantBasedBride Think I'm gonna have to make some this week, you have inspired me!

[@isabellatheodoralillith]

Last year I recreated your October 2019 set up where you used the tea stained paper and I absolutely loved it. I‘m so tempted to go with the exact same theme again just to look if and how I improved during an entire year. If I do I’m definitely going to tea stain paper again next weekend :)

[@branches_of_activities]

Wow such a wonderful idea... it is going to help me for my vintage theme journals... Thankyou Elizabeth

[@IndiianaMusic]

Ohhh I'm planning to do a tea/coffee type theme for November (ordered some stickers too) so I definitely want to try this!! Thanks so much for the walk through, it was very clear and I'm already excited to try it myself.

[@PlantBasedBride]

I’m so glad it was clear! ❤️

[@almablinn9755]

Thank you for this tutorial. I made some paper today using your method and they turned out great!

[@petitsjoujoux5011]

I was waiting for this video from you!! I'm so happy! You've made my day!!!

[@maleesaweerahennedige3782]

This is so informative! Thank you! Your content is always great, that is for sure!🥰🥰🥰😘😘

[@TheNutmegStitcher]

Wow! I love all the tips in the comments. Can't wait to try.

[@broella6493]

Hello Yoda, you beauty! Good job with the tea dying. Can’t wait to try it! 🐈‍⬛❤️

[@Enjuvaru]

it worked like a charm. thanks so much for this walkthrough :D

[@pokeyrella]

Your paper is beautiful! Great job‼️

[@SheMeetsPaper]

Lovely video. Thank you for sharing!♥️

[@ChristyatNepenthe]

Thank you for this video! I tried your method today and it worked beautifully. For my paper that was still a tiny bit damp, I ironed them between parchment paper sheets.

[@jacobpeddle3388]

love your video so much its the best thing i have ever seen!!!!!!!🥰

[@createwithcait]

Now wanting to try this so I can have some papers to include in my bullet journal 🥰🥰

[@PlantBasedBride]

I hope you enjoy the process!

[@teacupthestoryteller]

This is great, thank you 🥰 I love vintage things but never tried this before.

[@PlantBasedBride]

It’s so easy! Really nice to use in art/journaling ❤️

[@debbieapostol7783]

Great tips! Getting ready to “age” some piano music for a display at school about Music Composers. Thank you! Plus, your nails look amazing!

[@AyzaZahid]

Great processs .... im surely gonna try this

[@mystlady85]

Neat process. I love vintage things

[@PlantBasedBride]

Me too!

[@stephaniecarter973]

I’m giving it a try today!!

[@bridgetteburnett6415]

Those kitty chirps! So cute

[@tammylayton3786]

THIS WAS GREAT. I EVEN TOOK IT A STEP FURTHER AND USED A PUNCH ON THE CORNERS OF MY PAPERS.

[@HayleyRemdeArt]

Using a tray is GENIUS! Why am I always trying to do it on my desk and just making a mess 😂 I can't believe I didn't think of this 🤣

[@kailachristina9163]

queen i'll say it every video- you NEVER disappoint.

[@PlantBasedBride]

Aw thank you! You are too sweet 🥰

[@Mythic-BAD]

I'm going to be making some today!

[@fnDxny]

thanks this helped me alot with my history project!

[@mohammadkamelan1047]

That was interesting. Thanks a bunch.

[@wendyhoward2699]

I have tea stained paper as well. I have also tea stained cross stitch fabric before I stitched on it. Looks great. Blessings.

[@pnichols1966]

I watched a video where the person used paints & dish soap in the water, suds it up into bubbles and laid the paper a sheet at a time gently in top of the bubbles. Interesting pattern of circles.

[@kisupantteri]

I just love tea staining and doing art over the papers, very nice and informative tutorial. n_n

[@katinawilliams6052]

Many hugs and snuggles to Yoda and Chewy❤️❤️

[@_yugo]

worked really well thank you!

[@PlantBasedBride]

I’m so glad!

[@tommymarco9893]

really great video

[@Jimba01]

Thanks for sharing🤗🤗

[@RisingMoonEntertainment]

I already loved your thorough video but that RuPaul reference deserves a subscription!

[@sml1561]

This is rally cool, sometimes I like to brew string tea and then paint with it!

[@PlantBasedBride]

Oh that’s an awesome idea!

[@SharonLippincott]

String tea?

[@jsapcakrrow]

if you want some darker spots try putting some of the damp tea grounds on the paper. Thanks for sharing with us!

[@juliennebrendadevos6004]

I just finished a bundle as well coffee dyed

[@maeris7354]

I made my first batch of tea-stained papers today and used ginger and mixed berries tea because my toddler used them for their online class, I didn't want to waste the bags. The ginger made beautiful yellowish brown papers but the berries one didn't. I was kind of hoping it would be a nice reddish color but it just turned out gray 🙃

[@PlantBasedBride]

Aw darn! I haven’t tried it with berry tea myself. I’m glad the ginger papers turned out pretty!

[@matrixiekitty2127]

I have a lot of aged paper I need to make so this is gonna be a big help!! Edit: it was! It came out so nice!

[@PlantBasedBride]

I'm so glad! ❤

[@ajwinterbooks]

Finally found a use for my expired black tea 🥰 I haven’t thrown away because well, it’s a waste 😅 I’m doing this between cookies today 😂

[@PlantBasedBride]

That’s perfect! ❤️

[@oUnTrusts]

tysm i did this fora school project

[@Msicu1221]

Thanks for sharing

[@stephaniesnyder2096]

Trying this out for the first time. My daughter is watching me and staying up to see the whole process.

[@PlantBasedBride]

Oo good luck! I hope you love the results ❤️

[@sumedhapal776]

I do it with coffee. And after doing 20 to 25 pages I bind them into a vintage journal.That also works pretty good

[@PlantBasedBride]

That sounds beautiful! I would love to learn book binding someday.

[@Abby.Lemonade]

If it is a letter then i like to scrunch up the paper because it give it an older look :)

[@lindahigham5317]

Good afternoon 👋☺️ Plant Based Bride 🌹 Thank you for sharing this video congrats 🎉 your pages look great I don't bake my pages tho other than that I do everything you did stay safe and be careful 🙏✍️🖌️🎨💌🌹👋☺️ enjoy your weekend too 👍☺️🦄

[@ethan-b]

Thanks for this video. I know it's meant for journaling but I'm going to use it to make some old scrolls to give out to my players in my D&D game and wanted to say thanks!

[@PlantBasedBride]

I’m so glad it could help! I’ve always wanted to try playing D&D 🤗

[@Melissa-is-a-Raincloud]

Hello Yoda! My black kitty, Effie, is sleeping on my leg as I watch this. I also love that your shirt matches your project 🤭❤️

[@PlantBasedBride]

Aw, hi Effie! 🥰

[@midnightmontage974]

love how your top has a tea stained effect

[@PlantBasedBride]

Haha I do love to match the theme of the video 😂

[@brandiwilesevans557]

Thanks for this video! My 8 year old daughter and I are starting to get into paper crafts. I am going to tea stain some paper and she is going to see what happens with some unsweetened Kool Aid packets for more vibrant colors.

[@PlantBasedBride]

Aw that sounds like so much fun!

[@lisamalley1295]

Hi I saw your video and thought I would try the papers in Tea and make a journal. I just lost my fiancé and I needed something to occupy my mind this is relaxing me thank you

[@PlantBasedBride]

I’m so sorry you’re going through such a hard time ❤️ sending a big hug your way 🫂

[@LauraMalfoy2011]

"It's uniqueness, nerve and talent" YASSS QUEEN

[@PlantBasedBride]

Haha I couldn’t resist 😂❤️

[@ravent3016]

I've done this with matcha powder and with ground turmeric, also. I might try beet juice next.

[@PlantBasedBride]

Ohh that’s a great idea!

[@samanthabean6362]

Treasure hunt paper perfection!!!! I am making a scavenger hunt for a birthday and this worked perfectly!!! I too used Chai.

[@PlantBasedBride]

Oh I'm so glad 🥰

[@samueljackson605]

If you do this with paper with print already on it, does it mar the legibility of the writing/ images?

[@v.mishrasart43]

Nice👍👏😊

[@AbdullahKhan-ny2fr]

Sorry I just have two questions. Is the oven part necessary? Do the results vary depending on air drying or oven? Also after putting the paper in the oven can you fold the paper, or is to brittle?

[@GazpachoTabletop]

Here for Dungeons & Dragons prop making Bob World Builder used soy sauce. I think I'll do a mix for variation

[@shannonfairywalker2466]

Im trying this with hibiscius tea to get purple 💕

[@PlantBasedBride]

Oo I hope it turns out beautifully 💜

[@ValRie84]

i only tried coffee stained paper before and I just let it air dry. I didn’t bake them. Is that really necessary with tea?

[@rosildacristina2415]

❤️❤️❤️

[@brie_g6880]

Can you print before or after staining the paper? Does the ink mess anything up?

[@ginah9338]

can you store the remain tea water and if so where? does it need to be refrigerated? thank you

[@shanyavirasinghe8591]

I do this with coffee and sometimes I crush the paper and straighten it before dunking it in the coffee.

[@mystlady85]

Hey, I think we have the same stove. Far out! 🤟🏽

[@PlantBasedBride]

Haha nice ❤️

[@megansmith8488]

Do you know if this process will work on pages that already have ink on them?

[@vane12685]

Do you think you can easily run yhese through a printer??

[@abbycrossing13]

Can you do this with more than 5 sheets at a time?

[@MayYablonko]

when i made tea stained paper i just used the bags to "paint" the paper + add spots etc... then i'd let it air dry. but i'm really not an expert lol.

[@eddiew2797]

Using coffee granules when the paper is wet gives you some great dark age spots

[@n.08822]

متابعتك من المملكة العربية السعودية تحديدًا المدينه المنوره اشكرك و جدًا غير استفادتي لورق الشاي استفدت من لغتك اتمنى المزيد من فيديوهاتك😢❤❤❤❤❤🎉

[@Kimo0tJJ]

4:50 was that a kitty? ;A; what a cute lil noise ,, How did they not stick together tho when you baked them on top of each other? :o ps: lol your outfit is very fitting :D It looks teastained

[@vennilasanthanam2313]

Hey maybe instead of using an oven what about just letting it dry ? Maybe under sunlight

[@petitsjoujoux5011]

Thank you for the video! I have a question: Can I air dry my papers if I don't have easy access to an oven? (I don't live by myself)

[@PlantBasedBride]

You can! It just takes a lot longer ❤️

[@petitsjoujoux5011]

@@PlantBasedBride Yay! Thank you!

[@asascarmins]

you can't comprehend the DISTRESS i felt when i thought i heard you say SIXTY bags, instead of six tea bags... great video nonetheless!!!!!

[@PlantBasedBride]

Haha sixty oh my goodness 😂

[@BreeShareePlans]

Distress ink and spray will do this

[@PlantBasedBride]

Ohh that’s a cool idea!

[@dawncramer2131]

What would happen if you used blue Berry water?