I purchased a couple of Hatboxes for storage at Big Lots. They are bright pink and white striped and yellow and white striped. I like them alot, but they look a little too "new" to suit me. Now, i know about using tea to age fabric, but these are paper, so I'm afraid to use anything water based for fear the paper will get all "rippled" (for lack of a better word). I had thought of mixing a little brown acrylic paint in with mod podge to give is some color and using that, but wondered if it would make them shiny (which I don't really want). Any ideas?

-- connie in nm (karrelandconnie@msn.com), December 29, 2001

Answers

I have used folkArt Antiquing Medium for years and years. It is water base but works wonders on all surfaces. You can use a rag or brush and since you do not use it runny, it should do what you want it to. Practise with it first. FolkArt is the name of the brand. The site they list is www.plaidonline.com Really good stuff. Using an acrylic paint will also fog the finish although you could actually come up with an antiqued look. Chances are, with just an acrylic paint, you will rub some of the "wet" paper off. Oh - a small 2 ounce bottle of this antiquing medium will do a ton of projects. Annette

-- a.Eadie (a.eadie@mailexcite.com), December 29, 2001.

Hello Connie, I like the way sunlight darkens paper and soft woods. If you are not in a hurry to "age" them, may I suggest just leaving them to age slowly in a bright sunny part of your house.

Sincerely,

Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), December 29, 2001.

What about wiping them down with a towel dampened lightly with lemon juice. Let the juice dry then heat the box slightly with a blow dryer to turn the lemon juice a light brown. This worked as "invisible ink" when I was going through my "Hardy Boys" phase as a child.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 30, 2001.

Connie,

Smoke, dust, tarnish and newsprint. Cigarette, cigar, fireplace, outdoor grill, the ruined filet mignon...any kind. Get a huge plastic bag, get some some smoke in there with the boxes, and let them sit for a few days. If you use a polishing cloth to polish silver, brass, or copper, take the dirty cloth and wipe it over your boxes, or take a newspaper and rub it over the boxes -- the ink will smudge and rub for Intsa-aging! (I've used both many times when having to match up old wallpaper or do something about the "clean spot" behind a moved picture.)

Or, you can stick cool stuff on them, like cutouts from magazines, bits of fabric or lace, stickers to places you wish you'd been....

-- Sooz (deerfarm@rcn.com), April 28, 2002.

Connie,

Smoke, dust, tarnish and newsprint. Cigarette, cigar, fireplace, outdoor grill, the ruined filet mignon...any kind. Get a huge plastic bag, get some some smoke in there with the boxes, and let them sit for a few days. If you use a polishing cloth to polish silver, brass, or copper, take the dirty cloth and wipe it over your boxes, or take a newspaper and rub it over the boxes -- the ink will smudge and rub for Intsa-aging! (I've used both many times when having to match up old wallpaper or do something about the "clean spot" behind a moved picture.)

Or, you can stick cool stuff on them, like cutouts from magazines, bits of fabric or lace, stickers to places you wish you'd been....

Sooz

-- Sooz (deerfarm@rcn.com), April 28, 2002.