The increase in health awareness and organic living has helped spark the resurgence of tea drinking across the globe. In the United States alone, tea sales almost tripled from less than two billion dollars in 1990 to over six billion dollars in 2005, according to the Tea Association of the United States.

At present, you will surely find a variety of tealeaves, such as oolong, rose, vanilla, jasmine, mint, and even fruit teas, including lychee, lemon and mango, in local supermarkets and coffee shops. Even tea bags have evolved from the common rectangular shape to the new circular or pyramid-shaped tea bag that is infused with long tealeaves instead of dust, which are indistinguishable tealeaf particles.

Along with the rise in the popularity of tea drinking over the years is the emergence of tea bag folding. Tiny van der Plaas, a woman from Holland, was the one who created this tea bag envelope inspired paper craft. She came up with the idea of tea bag folding, which is commonly known as Miniature Kaleidoscopic Origami, when she started to fold up a fruit tea bag envelope while thinking of a novel way of creating a birthday card for her sister.

Tea bag folding basics

Tea bag folding can be compared to origami, a popular Japanese paper craft, in the sense that both hobbies make use of paper to create various designs. However, tea bag folding creations are usually just used to decorate cards and are made using small matching paper squares. In contrast, the Japanese origami cannot only be used as decorations for cards and gifts, but also to produce paper replicas of different animals, flowers, and almost anything under the sun.

In the past, only tea bag envelopes were used for this paper craft technique. As more and more people all over the world learn of this paper folding art, however, paper manufacturers have started to produce specialty papers exclusively for miniature kaleidoscopic origami. Tea bag folding aficionados all across the globe have also modernized this paper craft art by coming up with more magnificent and intricate geometric designs and innovative and unique materials.

Kaleidoscope papers come in various colors and designs, such as flowers, stars, musical instrument, snowflakes, dragons, spirals, and even soccer balls. Most tea bag papers available in the market are printed in 90-100 grams per square meter paper.

Uses of miniature kaleidoscopic origami

Tea bag folding was traditionally used to decorate birthday cards. Now, you can use this colorful and wonderful paper craft as decorations of greeting cards for all occasions. Some people utilize tea bag folding to decorate photo frames, wall frames, wall clocks, and even scrapbooks. With just a bit of imagination and creativity, you can make use of tea bag folding to decorate almost anything and everything.

Moreover, tea bag folding can be considered as a relaxing hobby. If you feel that you are on the edge, stressed out because of too much work, try creating tea bag folding designs, and you will definitely loosen up a bit.

Tea bag folding materials

The most important material of this craft is tea bag envelope - if you want to be traditional - or colorful paper. For a more intricate effect, you might want to choose paper with geometric designs and elaborate patterns.

Other essential materials of tea bag folding are cutting mat, scissors, ruler (preferable metal edged), knife or cutter, and paper adhesive.

Popular tea bag folding designs

For people who are interested in starting a miniature kaleidoscopic origami, you can find a lot of materials and reference over the Internet. There are also some scrapbooking stores that carry tea bag folding materials and books that could help you learn this paper art. If you are on a tight budget, you can even just print tea bag folding designs that are available on the Net.

If you are a neophyte tea bag folding practitioner, you might want to start creating tea bag rosettes. This is a colorful flower-shaped design that can be used to decorate gifts, cards, and even bookmarks. Another beautiful tea bag folding design that has caught the hearts of many is the starburst design. You can use glitters so that your paper star design will look more brilliant and vibrant.

Tea bag folding is an easy and inexpensive hobby you can take on. Once you have started tea bag folding, you will surely get instantly hooked.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://tea.topicgiant.com where you can learn more about different kinds of tea and tea accessories like the teabag.

Tips for Maintaining Your Paper Folding Machine
Like any other piece of equipment, a paper folding machine requires regular maintenance and cleaning. In order to keep your paper folder in excellent condition, you need to make sure that you maintain it. Here are seven tips for maintaining your pape...

Paper Folding Machine Jamming? A Checklist to Get Back on Track
Paper jams halt productivity and send tempers flaring. Although paper folders save time and money, they can be prone to jams. Because they have a lot of parts, there is a lot that can go awry. If you are struggling with an uncooperative paper fold...

Prepare Your Tea Perfectly Every Time with a Tea Maker
Have you ever wondered how the tea houses you have visited are able to make such amazing brews of great tea time after time again? Do you want to be able to bring that same spectacular brewing style home with you for less than a couple hundred dollar...

How To Bind Documents With Color Coil Binding
Color coil binding (also known as Spiral, CoilBind, plastic coil binding) is one of the most popular and fastest growing of all binding styles. Documents bound in this manner lay flat and the pages can turn 360 degrees around the flexible pvc spine. ...

Small Businesses Filing Amended Federal Tax Returns to Recover Money
Small Businesses Filing Amended Federal Tax Returns to Recover Money By Darren Oliver < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> April 15th may be gone but, but certainly not forgotten especially if you, like m...

Lithographic Printing
There are a breathtakingly enormous number of printers around the world. These range from Lithographers to screen printers and include a variety in between. I will discuss lithography in some depth for those interested.Lithography begins with the pro...

What to Do When Everything Has Already Been Said
They say that in literature everything has already been said (written). If you want to write a novel, you should differentiate on style rather than on anything else.And this is not less true in business. Our Style Compass seems familiar with element...

How To Make Simple And Elegant Business Powerpoint Presentations
Most presenters have remarkable skills in making unique Powerpoint slides which contain related images and text-contents; and complicated multimedia such as video and music clips. Audiences will be mesmerized by these complicated presentations that c...

What to Look For in a Tea Set
How delightful your tea is depends on two separate factors. First, you need to serve a good tasting tea that will excite the taste buds with its unique flavor. Second, in order for you and your guests to fully enjoy the tea you are serving, you need ...

Review: Motorola V60s
The Motorola V60s is an attractive new-age style flip-phone designed and developed by Motorola for Verizon Wireless.This tri-mode CDMA handset offers one-touch hands free communication, Enhanced SMS messaging, quality speaker phone, voice activated c...