Friday, June 27, 2014

Sustainable and Terrific Tea



Are you looking for an inexpensive and sustainable gift idea for a loved one? This may be it! I am a little proud of the way this came out and let me tell you, I'm not inherently crafty but hey, we've all got strengths, right? This gift also led me to learn more about various teas and how they're packaged and why we need to read labels on everything we consume. 

Items:
Mason Jars (aren't they one of the best inventions?!)
Leftover fabric scraps (cut into 5"x5" squares)
Organic tea (fair trade and non-bleached; loose, if you can find it)
Raw honey sticks 
String and tags 

Lesson Learned!

Loose tea may be a more sustainable choice since you won't have to worry about bleached/chlorinated bags; however, look for organic and/or fair trade. I chose this brand for the purpose of this gift. More information on why plastics, and chlorinated, pesticide ridden tea is a concern for you: here. You can also make your own tea bags (like this) by reusing organic t-shirts (or onesies) like Tracy did from Oh, The Things We'll Make. 

Let's Assemble! 

Place tea of choice in the mason jar then seal it with the lid. I'm sure you can get super crafty and use a prettier tag for the "You're Tea-riffic" and your name on the back. Grab any string that will compliment the fabric or style you're going for. I tied two honey sticks to the string (triple knotted) so they wouldn't slip out. You'll need an extra set of hands to hold the fabric in place while you tie the string with the honey sticks around the top of the jar without the fabric slipping out of place. (I had some fabric scraps left over from another project so they were cut to the 5 inch by 5 inch squares.) 

Gift Giving!

My 5 year old son had shared with me that one of his teachers uses a mason jar every day while in the classroom. He also mentioned to me that his other teacher has talked about drinking tea when she's been under the weather. The things that kids remember! 

So he presented one jar to each of his teachers at the end of the school year this past May. (He has two teachers at the Montessori school.) One of the teachers replied, "Love it! I have tea almost daily in a mason jar while at the school." His other teacher replied, "I enjoy this type of tea a lot. Great gift idea. So creative!"


This is a gift that can be reused and repurposed. Now, if I was super crafty, I would have made the fabric square into a coaster. Hey - what a great idea for you!! =)

Share with me the first time you made a craft for a loved one. What did you make, what was the occasion, and what was their reaction?

Be well!







3 comments:

  1. I was the happy recipient of such a gift and I enjoyed it so much! The jar, I use every single day. The tea (on ice, this time of year) delights and soothes me after a long day. The honey sticks were a perfect convenience for a recent backpacking trip and the fabric was craftily repurposed in gift-giving (passing along the care and sentiment to another). Thank you for sharing! :)

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    Replies
    1. It was a joy making it for you! I'm grateful that my son has you (and Mrs. Zellner) for his teachers!

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  2. I love this! How fabulous. Thank you!!

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