Tie Dye Spider

Hello! So sorry it's been a while. Between packing up our entire house, playing with my babies, vacationing, hubby, living out of a suitcase, moving, unpacking, and adjusting to our new life away from everything we have known, I have had little time to blog. Scratch that! I have had NO time to blog let alone see what is going on out there in the world today. Well, Im glad to tell you that Immmm baaaaaack! So let's get started shall we!

Today Im going to show you how to do a spider tie dye! Ooooooooooooo! Get excited! It's oh so easy and oh so fun! This last camping vacation we all tie dyed so I took some shots! It was fun.... in a non-tree-hugging sort of way. :)

If you missed the first tie dying post, I recommend you click HERE

Materials:

-Dharma dye (your desired colors, you need at least 1 dark color for the spider)

-Soda Ash Fixative

-Dust Mask

-2 buckets (one for soda ash and one for rinsing water)

-8 oz squeeze bottles

-Cooling rack

-Old metal pot

-Paper Towels

-White shirt (onezies, T-shirt, kid shirt, whatever you want)

-Latex gloves (to protect your hands from being dyed)

-Rubber bands or string

-Gallon plastic freezer bags

- 1 Wooden Cloths pin

Now your going to follow all the necessary instructions as you did in my first tutorial (Mix dye, soak clothing in soda ash, and prepare a work surface).

The only thing you are going to do different is: tying the clothing and squirting the dye.

1. Tying the Spider:

After your material has soaked in the soda ash, ring out excess and lay on work surface.

Fold in half.........

Take your handy dandy cloths pin, clip the center of the shirt and roll it in a circular motion until you reach the end. (I used my fingertips, but a cloths pin works best!)

Once you wrap your circle in rubber bands or string, it's spider time!

2. Dying the Spider:

Now this is the fun part! Your going to grab your darkest color and work from the center until you get to the outside. Think Cinnamon rolls and you'll do fine! ;) See picture below for details.

Fill the empty white spots with a lighter color or two. Flip over gently and repeat the same dark pattern on other side (yes the dark lines should be the same or close to it on each side) Fill in with lighter color again.

Place in zip lock and let sit for 12-24 hours. Wash and tada! Spider Man! Or baby! Or what have you. Happy tie dying!

Oh My Nelly!

Oh my Nelly! It has been a while! Don't worry though. I'll be posting soon! (My Hutch and Tie Dye! Yay!)

If you didn't know, we have been living out of suitcases for the past few weeks. Im not complaining! I love vacationing! But moving in the process of vacationing is not so fun! We are basically up in the air right now. So, I apologize for the lack of blogging! Give me a little more time to settle down from our move this week and we will be golden! Until we're settled I hope you are all well out there!

More to come soon!!!!! Loves!

Rachel

Marble Tie Dye

Marble Tie Dye

So I know I lost my marbles for starting a painting project BEFORE we make the big move before my hubby starts school, BUT it sure will be cute once I finish it up. (Im going with the country yellow french distressed technique! Mmmm.... get excited!) So while you are waiting for my happy sun shiny yellow hutch to be done, here is something fun to do this summer with the kids! I'll start out with an easy one. (MORE TO COME....)

Marble Tie

Supplies:

-Dharma dye (your desired colors, I used dark purple and light purple)

-Soda Ash Fixative

-Dust Mask

-2 buckets (one for soda ash and one for rinsing water)

-8 oz squeeze bottles

-Cooling rack

-Old metal pot

-Paper Towels

-White shirt (onezies, T-shirt, kid shirt, whatever you want)

-Latex gloves (to protect your hands from being dyed)

-Rubber bands or string

-Gallon plastic freezer bags

-Marbles

Now tye dyeing is lots of fun! My family loves to do it! I think you can call us the tye dye family because of the many shirts we have made for family reunions and such. NOOOO!!! We are not hippies but just have alot of fun with it. It's kindof addicting and exciting to see the creations you make. Anywho, we love it!

1. Mix your Dye:

Put on your lovely mask and gloves baby! Lets get started. Combine water with dye gradually in a seprate measuring cup according to dye directions. (they vary but my favorite is Dharma) Pour into squeeze bottles and your ready to go!

2. The Soak:

Grab your bucket. Dissolve 1 Cup of Soda Ash Fixer per gallon of warm water. Soak your shirts (or whatever your tye dying) for about 15 minutes. The soda ash helps your clothing to take in the dye. Reuse until gone with all items your dying. After soaking remove clothing and squeeze out excess so that your garment is damp (not dripping).

3. Marble:

Lay shirt flat on table. Tie marbles onto shirt in whatever pattern you desire.

Then scrunch up the excess material around the marbles keeping it flat. Tie with string or rubber bands. I found the string to be more forgiving. It would stay in place when the rubber bands would slip off. Once tightly tied, place on clean cooling rack.

4. Work Surface:

Place a couple paper towels in the bottom of your old pot to abrorb extra dye and prevent splashing. Place cooling rack on top of pot (or old bowl, tupperware, etc.)

Place prepared shirt on top of rack and grab your squirt bottle of dye.

5. Squirting the Dye:

On this marbled onezie, put dark dye on the marbles. Then light dye on the rest. If you want more white in the shirt, DONT soak it with dye.

6. Zip it:

Place into Zip lock bag. Let sit for 12-24 hours to ensure it takes.

7. Undo it:

Undo ties and take out marbles. Wash and Viola! You have the cutest tie dye baby walking around!

Happy tie dyeing! 

The Hutch

Coming soon! The hutch project!

So we are getting ready to move and it's probably the worst time to even think about doing a project right now...... but every time I sit down at my kitchen table I can hear my hutch calling my name. Yup... I think it want's to be painted. Soooo, since it's a plain light wood color (blah!) with NO character whatsoever, I've decided to spruce it up a bit. (YAY!!!) Im thinking yellow. Ya, yellow is my favorite color so I think we have a winner there!

I have to take everything out of it anyway to pack right? It won't be a big deal..... first step. Packing up the dishes inside. Ooooooooooo...........

If I only had today...

Just a thought.

I was thinking about what it is like to be a Mommy. My sweet husband is working and I was just having a "Mommy Moment" while my boys play together.

Being a Mom is amazing. I never thought I could love so much in my life, but I do. I am a happy mother of 2 crazy boys! They bring an added zing to my life. I love them so much!

Yet, sometimes I let "things" get in the way of truly being a mom. I often strive to be the best I can each day, but you know.... some times you just have those days. The ones where you wish everything could be clean, orderly, tantrum-less, less chaotic..... Ha!

Well, I heard this song by Hilary Weeks and thought, "Ya! I want to be like that!"

If there were no more tomorrows

and I knew that I could not stay

I'd know how I'd spend every minute

If I only had today

I'd hold you and listen

I'd let the dishes sit in the sink

I'd tell you I love you over and over

and for once I'd just let the phone ring

and I'd remind you of Forever

and how our love would never change

If I only had today

Id wake up before the sun did

and Id watch as you quietly sleep

Id pray for time to move slowly

knowing the moment wont keep

all the gifts that heaven has given

every blessing thats come my way

wouldn't mean anything without you

So if I only had today

I'd hold you and listen

Id memorize every detail of your face

Id tell you I love you over and over

I wouldn't let excuses get in the way

Then I'd remind you of Forever

and how our love would never change

If I only had today........

Not like we all don't try to do it every day! Many of us have families, jobs, kids, crafts & hobbies and life that we are often catching up with..... BUT imagine..... if we truly took time out of our day to be moms! Not to just get through Motherhood, but to really ENJOY it! To be a Mom for our kids. To find joy in the hard moments and simply laugh instead! Taking every moment to teach, to prepare, to smile, to nurture, to bake, to sing, to love, to laugh, to kiss, to lift, to find joy, to snuggle, to play, and do more with our loved ones. I hope to. And if there are any of you out there that have mastered this, please tell me how you do it! Im all ears! Loves!

Rachel

Wicked!

Ok ladies! Sorry it's been a while but I'll post some new crafty business soon! In the mean time I figured Id update you! We recently had a girls night. You know, those nights where you go out with the girls only and have a break from the cute little kiddo's! Well, my girls and I headed to San Fran to see Wicked! WICKED!!! Whoooo Whooooo! And let me tell you, if you haven't seen the show.... GO! Go right now! Cause it is awesome! We had a blast! After getting lost, walking the Pier, eating clam chowder bowls and doughnuts, taking pictures, laughing and goofing off, and watching the show... we were wiped! It was so much fun though!

Organization

So I have been in organizational mode for a few days. I don't know if it's because were getting ready to move, but goodness gracious! Well my amazing Vanessa (who I love!) from Operation Housewife put together these cute binders to help organize her life! If your anything like me, I need some organization to help keep me sane. Cute idea for just the case! She has many cute ideas by the way! Enjoy! And thanks so much for sharing girly! Loves!!!

Here are some of her binder links! Enjoy!