Dirty Mugs

Matt and I are drinking a lot of tea. Somehow this translates to twice as many mugs to clean, but I don't mind. The various infusions spread a pleasant warmth within. And we need it, because the weather keeps switching back and forth, and we both feel like we're coming down with something.

I am certain that tea is the answer.

Sun-Brewed Mint Tea

It's important to stay hydrated, especially on a hot summer's day.  Do you remember when I made sun tea with green tea? Now I have sun-brewed peppermint tea!

I have already shared my love of peppermint tea. Iced mint tea is a healthy and refreshing alternative to soda. Best of all, the tea has 0 calories!

To brew the tea put between four and six bags of tea and water in a lidded glass container. Let it sit in the sun for several hours. Pour the tea over ice and enjoy! You can garnish the tea with fruit and herbs. Or create an "Arnold Palmer" by pouring half tea and half lemonade.

Matt tried a sip of the tea and promptly poured a tall glass!

I could drink mint tea all day!

Biggby's Peppermint Tea Latte

Matt and I visited Biggby Coffee last week. It was getting late and I did not want caffeine. I ordered a plain hot peppermint tea (you may remember my post about my love for peppermint tea).

via

The barista asked if I wanted to try a Peppermint Tea Latte. She explained the peppermint tea was brewed in steamed milk. I was skeptical, but I decided to try it. I am glad I did! My drink was delicious; it was minty heaven in warm, creamy milk.

I might have to buy one before work.

Wordless Wednesday: Scottish Cuppa

Minty Garden

The mints my mother and I planted last month has grown quite a bit. We planted four types of peppermint: mentha, variagated, orange and chocolate. We also planted spearmint. 

The orange peppermint is full and leafy; it should be ready to harvest for peppermint tea soon.

Peppermint Tea

Peppermint Tea via Sarah Jio

If you follow me on Twitter, you may notice I tweet about peppermint tea a lot. Peppermint tea is a caffeine-free infusion of dried peppermint (mentha piperita) leaves. It has been brewed since ancient times.

Mint tea can be served either hot or cold. Iced peppermint tea is amazing on a hot summer's day. The herb's cooling effect is said to help stomach digestion, reduce headaches and nausea, and aid in relaxation. It can be used in spa treatments such as facials and foot soaks as well.

Peppermint Spa Pedicures via Nails Magazine

My favorite mint teas are Traditional Medicine's Organic Peppermint and Bigelow's Moroccan Mint.

My mom and I are experimenting with growing various mints this summer. We will dry the herb to make teas, soaps and essential oil.

Coffee and Tea Dyed Yarn

Although many of us enjoy iced coffee or sun tea on a warm summer's day, they are not just for drinking--you can also use coffee and tea to dye yarn! I have been interested in dyeing for some time, and Friday's rain made it a great day to experiment. 

Natural fibres (cotton, hair, linen, silk, wool, etc.) are easily dyed.  For centuries humans used herbs and berries to change the color of fabric, yarn and even paper. While modern commercial dyes have consistant color, they sometimes include strong chemicals.

Dyeing yarn with Kool-Aid is an alternate to using commercial dyes. Using packets of Kool-Aid you can dye a broad range of vibrant colors. I recommend the following tutorials: Leethal's Crockpot Kool-Aid Dyeing, Knitty.com's Dyed in the Wool or Eunny's Techniques: Self-Striping Yarn).

Coffee and tea can be used to dye fibres as well. Many crafters use them to make fabric, yarn and paper appear aged. I chose four teas (green, black, Earl Grey, and chamomile) and a coffee for my experiment.

I boiled water in a tea kettle and poured it into mason jars. I used two types of yarn: a wool blend and silk ribbon yarn. Both were from thrifted sweaters I unraveled. I looped the yarn around my arm to create loose sections.  I soaked the yarn in lukewarm water with splash of vinegar, pushing the air bubbles out of the yarn so it would be thoroughly saturated. The tea brewed for an hour before I added the yarn.

Left to right: Bigelow Green Tea, Tazo Awake Tea, Coffee, Twinings Earl Grey Tea, Chamomile Tea

The yarn soaked in the dye for four hours. I rinsed it in the sink, and then I gently pressed out the excess water with towel. After the yarn dried I roll it into balls.

The variables make the dyeing possibilities endless. I got five different shades of soft brown. A darker hue would require another tea bag and an overnight soak. 

My next project for the yarn to explore knit, crochet and macramé texture.

Sun Tea

In celebration of the sudden onset of summer in Michigan, I made sun tea. Although I normally use regular tea, I decided to try using green tea. I put four bags of green tea into a gallon of water. I used a glass container because I didn't want the water to absorb any plastic. The tea sat outside for several hours.

Although it was on the weak side, the tea was refreshing on such a humid day. Next time, I'll use five or six bags to improve the flavor.