Summertime Crafts with Kids: Tie-Dying T-Shirts

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Welcome back to Art Thursdays of my B.R.E.A.T.H.S. blog where I invite you into Brainerd’s Brushstrokes and Photography studio. This is a space where I share my art. For the four weeks this July, I will be doing art and craft projects with my family then sharing our creations! 

 

Brainerd Family Fun

For the first week, we made citronella candles. The second week, we explored rock painting and hiding. Last week, the twins decided to have rock painting party #2. This fourth and final week, our family had fun tie-dying t-shirts!

 

6 Steps to Tie-Dying Tees

For our last summertime crafting with the kids this month, we had a tie-dye party with the cousins and grandparents. We had one of these parties seven years ago when the twins were six months old or so. Here are the steps we took to tie-dye our tees:

1-Got tie-dye materials at Walmart

• • White T-shirts
    • Make sure the tees are at least 80%-100% organic blend (cotton, hemp, bamboo)
    • Most of ours were around 60% organic and one was 100% recycled materials (zero organic)
  • Tie-dye kit in craft section
    • 10x bottles of dye powder
    • 12x plastic gloves
    • 90x rubber bands
    • 1x plastic sheet

2-Set up three backyard tables with plastic sheet

3-Pitcher of water to pour into dye bottles (10 different color bottles):

1. • We also dipped our tees in the water because it helps the dye spread
     • Too much water and it can bleed and disform the dye shapes
     • Not enough water it won’t spread well
     • We recommend spraying to get it just right

4-Choose tie-dye design – majority of us did the spiral, others just spotted their tees

5-Pick colors and add dye to tee

1. • Recommend wearing plastic gloves (we had some but nobody used them)
   • Recommend wearing clothes that can get art on them (we wore regular clothes, oops)
   • Large amounts of color may bleed or mix into other colors (some of ours have droopy spots)

6-The directions say to keep in a plastic bag for color to set, but my family was too eager to see their creations!

Conclusion on Tie-Dying T-Shirts

The instructions suggest the tie dye be done with ages 14+, but we did it with 7 to 72 year olds. Everyone was pleasantly surprised at how well their creations turned out. Grandma hung them up to dry but that was not a good idea, we will be sure to follow directions the next time 😀 Next week, we are going to do another art or craft project wearing our tie-dye tees and get a picture with everyone again. Please check out our YouTube video below!

Thursday, July 27, 2023 Daily Motivation Draw 

I set up a small outdoor altar by the backyard swing on a small rectangular metal table with some fresh-picked raspberries and blueberries. I lit the candle, lit the Palo Santo stick, and started reading the invocation of Spirit from The Sacred Medicine Oracle Guidebook. I centered myself, took three deep breaths, shuffled the deck three times, cut it in half, and drew the card asking:

• Daily Draw Question: “What medicine is being invited into my life so that I may thrive?”

• The card I drew: 29 – Birch Tree – Humility (Frost, 2023)

• Message integration: The Birch Tree appears when you are being called to reach for the stars with your tall crown and roots still firm in the ground (Frost, 2023). We are asked to see where we are playing small, because it is time to reach tall, walk with grace, and be bold (Frost, 2023). The medicine of the Birch Tree is embracing you, breathing life force into your lungs, and awakening your heart with humility that will allow you to shine bright. 

• Healing affirmation: “I am a significant part of creation upon this planet. I choose to take up my rightful space here.”

• Personal insight: This is the second time in one week I have received this Birch Tree card calling me to stand tall and quit playing small.  I will take a deep breath and step into my greater self. Now is my time, and I am ready to shine my light.

Thank you for reading and learning with me,

Dr. Jaime Brainerd, Ed.D.

Reference:

Frost, A. (2023). The sacred medicine oracle card deck & guidebook. Hay House, Inc.