Instant Vintage! - Grunge Tutorial 101

 I decided to dye some paper tags.  

I had a big pot of super strong instant coffee

 on the stove.

I like to boil it.  

It's not necessary, but I think it stains better if it's hot.

And here

we

go...

Get three different colors

(shades of brown)

of alcohol ink.

Put about 3-4 drops of each color

into a small plastic bag

with a zipper top.

Drop the paper tag

into the coffee mixture.

Approximately 2/3 cup of instant coffee

to 6-8 cups of water. Heat on stove.

My husband came in to the smell of what he referred to as burnt coffee.

I like to call it Cowboy Coffee.

He said, "I am not a cowboy."

Some people just don't understand 

the importance of crafts.

Remove the tag from the coffee.

Drop it into the plastic bag with dye.

I use tongs for this.

Don't leave the tag in the coffee 

too long.  The paper will dissolve.

I thought about contacting

 the tag manufacturer

and asking 

WHY the tags don't hold up

to a good cowboy coffee boil?

I figured I'd get the same look

that I did from my husband.

So I didn't.

Smoosh the tag around in the dye.

Lay them out to dry.

Preferably, all over the kitchen counter.

Thus, further confounding your husband.

I actually poured a little vanilla on top 

of the tags while they were still wet.

I thought it would make them

smell nice.  It did!

Don't even ask me

what my husband thought.

See!  They look old and decrepit now.

My husband said I should 

put them in the garage and

just back the car over them.

Hey!  That's an IDEA!

I'll be right back...

Decorate 'em up.

There you are.  

And

 they only took 

a little over 12 hours to make.