Graffi-TEA Dispenser Project

Welcome to the Graffiti Blog Hop!

My daughter has been sipping a lot of hot tea lately. (No wonder . . . . it's January in Wisconsin.) I'd pinned a tea dispenser about a year ago and thought it would be a fine time to upgrade my daughter's tea stash storage with a style more suited to her liking.

Heidi Backs did a terrific job calculating the size of the container and lid, so I went ahead with her dimensions, even though they are a bit advanced . . . 

1. Determine the grain direction of a 12x12 sheet of Graffiti Black Plain (Smooth or Felt). Place the paper into the trimmer with the most flexible direction running north/south; cut at 6". Score the 6x12 horizontally at 3-1/16, 5-3/4, 8-13/16 and 11-1/2". Yes, you read that correctly. GROAN! Score vertically at 1". Score the second section at 1-3/4", as shown in the diagram. Cut along solid lines and fold along all score lines. Glue the 1/2" tab inside the square to form the walls of the dispenser.

(I simply tucked and adhered the 1-3/4" flap to the inside of the container.)

2. Score a 4-1/4x4-5/8" piece of Graffiti Black Plain 3/4" from each outside edge. Trim along solid lines and adhere corner tabs to form the lid.

3. Take a "pet the pet" break from all of that measuring, scoring and folding. You'll feel better. I'd like to thank Brenda's dog, Missy, for being there to provide comfort after figuring out where 8-13/16ths is.

4. Use a ruler, cutting mat and utility knife to cut a 3-1/4x3-1/2" Book Board or Matte Board Base. (Use whatever you have on hand.) Wrap with 5-1/4x5-1/2" Graffiti Black Plain. This will make a nice base for the dispenser.

5. Cover the bottom of the wrapped base, if desired, and add four wooden feet for an extra-special touch.

6. Apply glue to the bottom flaps of the dispenser and attach to the base. At this point, I simply measured and trimmed panels for the entire exterior of the unit, lid and all. That was the fun part!

7. To make a square paper "handle" for the lid, trim a 1-1/2x2-1/2" piece of black plain and score every 1/2" in each direction. Make cuts according to the solid lines in the diagram and form into a square.

Enjoy decorating and embellishing your very own Graffi-Tea dispenser!

Thirsty for tea? I am, too! Grab a cup and skip on over across the pond to Craft Chaos with Hetty Sanders! If you'd like to go to the beginning of the Graffiti hop, start sipping at Club Scrap Creates.

Tricia