‘Crafts’ Category

Shibori Indigo Fabric Dyeing

Posted on April 21st, 2014 by Tonia 9 Comments

I had to dust off the ol’ blog this week to share this fun project…The most popular post I ever wrote, by far, was this one about dyeing fabric with natural, homemade dye. I honestly haven’t done much fabric dyeing since then, but last week my interest was piqued all over again when my mom gifted me an indigo dyeing kit.

We got to work immediately, looking all over the house for random white things to dye. The kit came with instructions and supplies (rubber-bands, wood blocks, etc.) for a few simple shibori techniques.


I dyed a couple curtain panels, a tank top, a t-shirt, a bandana, and a vintage dress. It was SO easy, the perfect way to make old, dingy-white things look new and beautiful again, and just a really fun activity for a dreary spring day.

The dye looks green until it oxidizes, and becomes a beautiful deep blue color in the end. It also stains your skin blue for DAYS, as I found out when I accidentally dipped my hand in too far, filling my rubber glove with dye…

I highly recommend this kit if you’re interested in learning some simple shibori techniques. The dye bath was very easy to set up, and the whole process of dyeing only took us a couple hours. I will definitely be doing this again…thanks, Mom!

On another note, can you believe how much snow we still have???

Reuse Tues: Butterflies, Tin Cans & a Really Cute Bag

Posted on July 10th, 2012 by Tonia 2 Comments

I have been pinning all sorts of fun craft projects lately, but alas have not had time to try any of them. Is it terrible that I’m already looking forward to fall/winter because life slows down and I’m able to sit at my kitchen table and whittle away at little projects while This American Life crackles on the radio?

I wish I had time for these three projects in particular: The butterflies made out of colorful magazine pages would make a beautiful garland for our screened porch. I would love to have a dinner party with those strung all around, and the paint-dipped tin cans on the table filled with napkins and silverware.

And that skirt turned into a purse is incredibly cute and looks like it’d have plenty of room in it for my flip flops, sunscreen, book and towel…

Okaaaay so I actually don’t want summer to be over at all. I just want more time to do all the things I want to do. Have you been crafting this summer? What have you re-purposed around the house lately?

How to Make a Terrarium

Posted on March 16th, 2012 by Tonia 3 Comments

A few of you asked about the terrarium sitting on our bookshelf. It was a Christmas gift from a friend, and has added a much-welcome burst of greenery to our living-room this winter.

Our neighbors Sarah and Bob also gifted us a homemade terrarium for Christmas, made out of a recycled olive oil bottle and filled with rocks and moss from our property.

My parents visited recently and, after noticing our two beauties, began chuckling about how popular terrariums were back in the ’70s. What a wonderful reminder that spring will return- a miniature garden in a bottle! We just need about five more of them, and then no area of our house will be without one!

If you’d like a terrarium- or five- of your very own, check out this tutorial.

And Speaking of Eggs…

Posted on February 19th, 2012 by Tonia 9 Comments

I found this beautiful project floating around on Pinterest and just had to share it. The source is a website in another language, so I took some time to search for directions in English and found them here!

This is definitely on my spring to-do list now…I’m imagining a kitchen full of my lady friends, huddled over our steaming pots of natural dye and gossiping. And we will definitely follow up all our hard work with carrot cake and vanilla hazelnut tea. Who’s coming over??