Old Paper
Paper was a luxury in the colonies; Mem was very lucky to have her diary to record her daily life.
Things You’ll Need:- Several sheets of paper
- 2 (9" x 13") baking pans or trays
- Instant coffee crystals
- Several tea bags
- Paper towels
Preheat your oven to 150 degrees. The oven will be used at the end of the aging process to dry the paper.
Use the instant coffee crystals to make a 6-ounce cup of hot coffee. Make the coffee up to four times as strong as you usually would, adding extra crystals if desired. Brew a six-ounce cup of hot tea. The finished product will be lighter or darker depending upon the strength of the tea and coffee.
Pour a mixture of half coffee and half tea into the baking pan until it is about 1/4 inch deep. Reserve the remaining coffee and tea and refill as necessary. Soak the paper, one sheet at a time, in the coffee and tea mixture. Allow the paper to soak for ten minutes.
Carefully remove the wet paper from the pan. Lay flat on a second baking pan, soaking up any pools of liquid with paper towels. Bake the paper in the oven until dried. Keep a close eye on the paper in oven while it is drying.
For more artistic effects, try these tips:
Crumple up the paper into a ball and flatten it out once more. Continue to soak as usual.
Sprinkle some of the instant coffee crystals on the wet paper before baking for a spotted look. You could also open up a tea bag and sprinkle bits of the leaves on the paper for a similar effect.
Rub a dry piece of paper with a used tea bag before soaking for a feathery effect.
Use the instant coffee crystals to make a 6-ounce cup of hot coffee. Make the coffee up to four times as strong as you usually would, adding extra crystals if desired. Brew a six-ounce cup of hot tea. The finished product will be lighter or darker depending upon the strength of the tea and coffee.
Pour a mixture of half coffee and half tea into the baking pan until it is about 1/4 inch deep. Reserve the remaining coffee and tea and refill as necessary. Soak the paper, one sheet at a time, in the coffee and tea mixture. Allow the paper to soak for ten minutes.
Carefully remove the wet paper from the pan. Lay flat on a second baking pan, soaking up any pools of liquid with paper towels. Bake the paper in the oven until dried. Keep a close eye on the paper in oven while it is drying.
For more artistic effects, try these tips:
Crumple up the paper into a ball and flatten it out once more. Continue to soak as usual.
Sprinkle some of the instant coffee crystals on the wet paper before baking for a spotted look. You could also open up a tea bag and sprinkle bits of the leaves on the paper for a similar effect.
Rub a dry piece of paper with a used tea bag before soaking for a feathery effect.
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