One day a little card arrived at my house, and my life has not been the same since. The card was made from a used tea bag by women in a remote village in South Africa. "Once filled with tea," it read, "Now filled with love." I did love that card, so much that I framed it and then began to wonder if I could make a card from a tea bag.

Three years ago I left a much-loved job preparing low-income young mothers to earn GEDs and find jobs. I quit because I wasn't getting any younger and there were lots of things I wanted to do, like garden and write and hang out with grandkids.

The cards I create don't look anything like the one that inspired me. And they continue to evolve. Lately I've been tearing up tea bags and putting them back together in funny little ways. I empty out tea bags, throw the leaves in my compost pile, and use what's left to make tiny canvasses. The tea stains each one differently. Sometimes I add a weathered leaf, but mostly I enhance the stains on the bags with a few lines, dots, flowers, or fences. I sell them at shops in Colorado, Wyoming, and Maine, and also directly from my home. I know my cards are "getting around" when I receive an order from someone who lives thousands of miles from me. It means the "oldBag circle" is expanding.

Below are a few example of my latest creations, click on a photo or visit View More Cards for a collection of cards and bookmarks you can order.

Two Large cards, One small card, and bookmark.

You can order by email: or by giving me a call at (970) 498-9732.

Because I'm a trusting soul, you can wait until the cards arrive, add the amount of post-age to your invoice, and send me a check for the total.

All products are totally handmade using recycled materials whenever possible and each one is different.