How to make and package your own blend of tea

By Phoebe Michels Roberts, eHow Member

This is a great idea for personalized, creative gifts or party favors. I did this for my wedding favors. It would also be a great idea for holiday care packages, and to include with bigger gifts for a personal touch.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A sampling of your favorite dried herbs, teas, fruits, etc.
• Heat sealable teabags.
• An iron and ironing board.
• Party favor boxes (you can make your own - see the resources section for how).
• A teaspoon
• A tea ball or infuser
• >A few hours of free time. 
•  

1. 
   
   
   Pick your blend. This will be the most difficult part. Sample lots of different blends to see which you like best. Consider the occasion and who you are making the tea for, as well as the time of year and what herbs 'fit' with this time well. Spring might inspire you to work with refreshing, lemony herbs, or winter might be a good time for warm, comforting herbs.
   
2. 
   
   
   2
   When you have 3 or more herbs picked out for a perfect blend, set the bags of herbs out on a table or on the ironing board in a row, and spoon them into each teabag in about the same amount that you used when you sampled the blend.
   
3. 
   
   
   3
   Turn the iron to the hottest setting, and allow it to warm up.
   
4. 
   
   
   4
   Shake each teabag so that the herbs are at the bottom, and place it flat on the ironing board, then press down on the open end of the teabag for 5-10 seconds. For the first few bags, try to open them again to make sure they are closed properly. After the first few, you will get a feel for how the heat seal works.
   
5. 
   
   
   5
   Place about 5 teabags in each 2"x2" favor box. If you are using larger boxes, use store-bought boxed teas as a guideline for how many to put in.

Tips & Warnings

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  If you are making tea for winter holiday gifts, you might consider some 'warm' spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Use whole rather than powdered varieties.
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  If you are considering putting caffeinated teas in your blend, think about whether anyone you are making it for would prefer a caffeine-free alternative. Rooibos is a great caffeine alternative.
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  Remember that some dried flowers (roses, for instance, or hibiscus) are herbs, too - and they smell and look wonderful through the teabag. Teas can be very colorful!
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  Celestial Seasonings' secret ingredient is hibiscus! It brings a wonderful sweet, tangy taste that you will recognize in most of their teas, and is a great accent for almost any tea. You can find dried hibiscus flowers at your local health food store or online.
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  Kids should only use an iron with supervision.