if you visit my Magpie’s Nest now and then you surely know about Kimmie’s Tea on Tuesday where friends get together and post about whatever strikes their fancy…
it might be about their favorite drink, travel, nature, art or life in general…
you just never know what you’ll find when you visit everyone which is a big part of the charm each week…
since last year I had planned a tea post showing some of my tea bag collection which is always growing…
but you know how life can move at warp speed sometimes so I never got around to showing you the photos…
I have used pretty silk tea bags like the ones above as “wings” with altered cutlery…
after removing the used tea I sprinkle it in the garden to help enrich the soil…
you didn’t think I’d throw that away did you…
the paper is great to rubber stamp on…
many of the Tea on Tuesday participants are especially creative and innovative using tea bags in their artwork…
Judy Perez’ blog post is where I recently discovered a wonderful tutorial on how to print on tea bags…
I was delighted at how easy it was…
I held my breath the first couple of times and got very relaxed by the thirteenth or so go round trying some color images too…
with thanks to The Graphics Fairy for all of these lovely images…
pausing to print on a piece of paper that had separated our cheese slices…
surely you save similar things too…
the pretty purple background above was a gift from my friend Lisa as we were singing the praises of security envelopes and I had never seen a purple patterned one before…
each printing turns out a little differently because of the designs the tea makes on the tea bag and how it runs through the inkjet printer…
now that I know just how easy this is I will be doing more and I may try ironing the tea bags a little bit for my next go round…
getting out the iron never seems to be foremost on my mind…
thanks to the many inspiring people that visit and post in blogland making it such a special place to be…
I am really enjoying everyone’s excitement about my recent gelatin monoprinting which reminds me why I started blogging in the first place back in 2007…
being excited and sharing what you enjoy is contagious…
I am very happy you came to visit today…
you can visit Kimmie for lots of other tea stops here…
and lastly,
Eleanor Roosevelt has some of the best quotes…
this oldie but goodie was perfect to share today:
- “A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt 1884-1962
- OXO
Magpie's Nest ~*~ Patty Szymkowicz 
What a beautiful post Patty! I have never seen tea bags look so gorgeous with all their subtle variations of colors in your bowl. The spoon, the lovely bird tassel with tea strings and all the wonderful images are such a treat.
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Oh no…now I’m going to have to start saving another thing! Mr. G will not be pleased. 😉
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Beautiful photos Patty! You’ve really captured the varying colors and textures …. Just this morning I was emptying my teabags – they pile up fast!!! I love the idea of ink jet printing on them – but, alas, my printer jams too easily! I have tried other things and had to completely take the thing apart to get the shreds out … oh bother!!!
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Thank you Kimmie. We have an Epson Stylus C88+ that feeds from the top and the paper comes out without having to wrap around anything. It is the printer Lesley Riley suggested for using her TAP transfer paper 🙂
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I LOVE what you’ve done with teabags! When my VAST supply of loose tea is gone, I may have to go back to bags just so I can use the teabags! Happy Tea!
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I’ve stamped on them , sewed them, and CONTEMPLATED running them through my printer, but haven’t done so thus far. I’m delighted you did it first, so I won’t mess up. After all, if I can run my handmade paper through the printer, a tea bag or sixty (grin) should b a snap. I want some of those silk ones. Those are new to me (and probably this part of the country).
I’m off to see the plastic piece you are talking about in the monoprinting post. I should have gone there first. Talk about hindsight!
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It’s a snip of pine tree branch! I pride myself in reading every word, but somehow I missed that. How CLEVER!!
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Oh how cool is that!!!! I didn’t know they made teabags out of silk!!! Which brands? I may have to quit drinking coffee and switch to tea!
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Hi
A fabulous post that certainly held my interest.
I am not a tea drinker (or coffee) but they are important commodities for me. I’ve stamped onto tea bags but haven’t run them through my printer – I need to try this!
Is it a matter of trial and error to work out which tea bag is most suited for printing?
Thanks for this post.
Wishes
Lynne
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Patty this is fabulous, I’ve been throwing away perfectly good brewed bags… I’ll have to figure out how to stash them away from dear hubby, otherwise they’ll be tossed. There are some things about me he still does not ‘get’ 🙂
xo
Gaye
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Patty, I hope you are having an excellent tea day! These are more great ideas. Please take care.
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Oh Dear. I will never throw another teabag away again. So many wonderful ideas. Who knew? (Obviously you did).
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Patty, this is a wonderful post and thanks for the link. Your work always dazzles me. The tip on tea in the garden is great. I never new that! (I always keep my used teabags in a cup by the sink. Rick asked why I never threw those out and I said they were art supplies. He didn’t get it.)
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this is very inspiring! and eco-friendly, nothing goes to waste and it becomes beautiful art.
This weekend I did some tea-staining on tags for a project I’m working on 😉
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I will have to try this, altho Mr LDV is not thrilled when I jam the printers, lol!! xoxx
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You really are a resourceful genius – who could have thought you could do so much with teabags
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Good on Eleanor… never lost for words. Thanks for the post.. lots of info and great links.
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LOVE THIS POST dear Patty,
as I also collects tea bags, and also have tried printing on them, stamping on them ,or just used them as is, in collages.
They are so wonderful to use, and not as fragile as one could think!
Your prints are beautiful-and so are your little Tea bag fairy.
Oh the joy of tea ,in so many different wayes 🙂
Warm hug, Patty.
xx,Dorthe
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Never, ever would I do most of what I do now if it weren’t for blogging. Who would have thought you could do anything with a used teabag? But you and Kimmie and all the others have proved that teabags make great art. I can’t believe you are able to even print on them. Incredible! Have a great day. Tammy
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Amazing… I might want to start collecting teabags now (OHMY.. I know what my beloved will say: ‘don’t you have enough stuff collected by now, do it have to be TEABAGS too???”) Off to take a look at your monoprints… (I tried that the other day but it didn’t work… )
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Wow – love the prints you made. Thanks for the link to the printing on tea bags. I will try that for sure.
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Doesn’t it amaze you to know how many different ‘things’ there are to print/stamp/create with that are just regular ‘things’ from our homes? Somebody gave me some really funky shaped tea bags eons ago (I think they are from William Sonoma for the holidays)….wonder where I put them? Seems they would make some sweet fairy wings! See what you’ve done. I’m supposed to be moving piles of dirt (from the fence post holes) but now I’m obsessed about tea bags!!!!
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beautiful altered cutlery and art, dear Patty!!
Thank you for sharing the link…I’ll have to try it…
I kept a batch of T bags last week but they went moldy as we’ve been getting much rain of late….will have to make another batch soon….
have a lovely and artful week ahead….
hugs
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haven’t been game to run them through the printer… but maybe it is next on the list…. fabulous post…. loved seeing all your glorious teabag art…xx
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Super post, lady with all that inspiration just swirling around!!
I bought myself some gelatin and a disposable pan and am going to try my hand at some gelatin prints real soon. I love visiting you on T Tuesdays and everyday of the week. Thank you !!
Peace~
Dawn
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Your Tea on Tuesday blogs are always interesting-but this one really caught my imagination! I doubt my printer will do it-but I gotta try! Maybe I will join you girls for tea someday!
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You are so great! I am NOT saving tea bags, tho! rofl I didn’t get my gel printing done…or my gel plate made. Maybe tomorrow. At least I have the gelatin in the house!!! I did hang a picture tho! Major event!
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i stitch with tea bag ‘fabric’ but i’ve never run them through the printer before – will have to try that =D
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Wow Sweetie your work with tea bags rock.
Wonderful idea and I must save my tea bags. Awesome Sweetie.
Your work is my inspiration. xoxo
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I love your blog cause your inspiring ideas are never ending but always I visit your blog I find a new incredible unique surprise. Thanks for that xox and for the lot of beautiful photos you share with us.
Wish you a nice day my dear,
hugs Anja
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thanks for the shout out 🙂 love the tea bags and now will add that to the list of fun things to try….the images are wonderful…love the transparent feel to them. Cheers!
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I had seen this tut along with a similar one recently and have a handful of ironed tea bags ready to print on but haven’t done it yet. I will hold them in place on a sheet of paper with a bit of tissue tape at the tops and bottoms so I don’t jam my printer. Yours came out so beautifully. If mine turn out I may have to look for the silk bags 🙂 I especially love the swans and your adorable altered spoon. What a perfect quote to end this post too!
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a wonderful use indeed of teabags (I put all ours in the compost. I have never had silk ones though! ;0). My gelitine didn’t get hard enough (using leafs not powder) so guess will have to have another go at it (but I haven’t given up) your always full of inspiration thanks hunny xx
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This looks like great fun! At this moment we’re going through bunches of tea bags making our own ice tea so there’s lots of fodder for play.
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that is the coolest idea ever! i LOVE how your tea bag prints turned out…and did i see an amazing swan stamp somewhere here? a pink one? did you make that??? so coool…
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Such a wonderful idea, love what you’ve done with all the tea bags.
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tons and tons of inspiration here.
every time I visit I’m grateful that one fine day you decided to start blogging.
lots of hugs fromy rainy Poland.
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I have to stop to come here, now the tea bags…what neeeext
ps: i got the gelatine, but didn’t have the chance to try it , can’t wait 😉
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Magnifique ma chère Patty, merci pour le partage.
oxo
MAPY
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Will this work with my hp inkjet printer?..been saving tea bags but have never seen any silk ones.
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