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Earth's Treasures

Please visit my Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/hippielu for up-cycled crafts
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recreate.

Friday, August 6, 2010

tie dye your old tees for a new look

As a Mom, wife, and official laundry do-er I have a hard time keeping those white t-shirts looking white. No one wants to wear an old stained shirt. But, instead of tossing them out when they start to look dingy I have a solution to give them a second life. You can tie dye your old tees for a new look! It is fun and easy. Let me show you how.
You will need these materials before you start: All purpose dye, rubber bands, plastic bottles to hold the dye (4 to 8 ounces) and rubber gloves. If you purchase a tie-dying kit all of these materials should be included.

Mix your dye beforehand. The dye you choose should come with instructions for mixing. If you use Rit® brand dye you can make four bottles of dye per packet. They also sell pre-mixed dyes.
Gather up the clothes you want to dye. Fabrics that are 100% cellulose fiber are best for dyeing. Cellulose fibers include cotton, rayon, linen, tencel, or hemp. They should be at least 80% of one of these materials for the dye to take well.



Wash your fabrics or run them under water to get them wet. Wring them out so they are not too soggy. You only want them to be damp.
Use rubber bands to tie off your fabric. There are many techniques which include folding and twisting to create different patterns.
Now you are ready to apply the dye. Squirt the dye on the sections you choose. Be sure to wear gloves! The dye will stain your fingers.
Next is the hardest part; let the dye set for eight to twenty-four hours! The amount of time depends on the temperature, which should be at least 70°F (21°C). The longer you wait the better the color. The longer you wait the better the color. Make sure that the fabric stays wet for this period of time. You can do this by wrapping it in plastic wrap or plastic bags.

Now you are ready to reveal your masterpiece! Unwrap your shirts and wash the dye out. I prefer to rinse by hand in cool water before machine-washing. You may need to wash the clothes separately the first few times, but pretty soon they are safe to wash with anything.


The finished product! Visit my shop, Earth’s Treasures for some groovy tie dye just like this one. All hand made by me!

You can dye other fabrics, too! Update any material with some funky tie-dye. Here is a pillow case I dyed. I don't think there are any white fabrics left in my house!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Crafting with Kids - Rock Painting

 Mother's Day painted rock

Are you looking for a fun and inexpensive eco-craft to do with your kids? Try rock painting! The main ingredient comes from nature. Just gather up some rocks from around the yard and a little non-toxic paint and let their imagination take over! Have them pick smooth rocks with flat surfaces. Clean the rocks with some water and a scrub brush. Let them dry.


Paint a neutral canvas so their design will stand out and let that dry. Give them some paint brushes and let them loose! Show off their rocks in your garden when they are complete. These cute rocks make great gifts for Mom, Dad, or Grandparents!


Here is a tip: Use a recycled lid for your paint pallet. It will rinse off easy when they are done!


My boys are always interested in what I am doing and when I craft it is no different. My oldest son Ty thought it was great to be able to paint like Mommy!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Eco-friendly art and craft supplies

Earth friendly craft paint and finishes from earthsafefinishes.com


I love making crafty little projects, especially when it includes up-cycling someting I would otherwise throw away. I like to recycle old jewelry pieces, like unmatched earings into new pieces. Sometimes when I craft I must use unfriendly materials like paint and glue. But never fear, an alternative is here! Check out this list of eco-friendly art and craft supplies from Crafting a Green World which includes paint, textiles and my favorite: eco-glue, which adheres almost anything! Remember, whenever you reuse material in your crafts you are using green practices and keeping trash out of our landfills. This is the greenest way to go. Keep on crafting!

organic cotton sateen fabric from Betz White
hand made paper from custompaper.com


Please share your green crafting ideas with me!

Saturday, May 15, 2010

teaching people to "Love Our Mother"

My first memories begin outdoors. My Grandfather says I didn't learn to walk; I learned to hike! It is thanks to him and my parents that I have found this great love of the natural world around me. Now that I am grown up and have children of my own I feel that it is important to teach them to love Mother Nature, too. As I strive to teach them, I find myself discovering new paths to a green lifestyle. We are learning together how to live a life in harmony with the world around us! I am excited to try new ideas and grow in my journey to responsible living.
My goal for this blog is to offer insight and connect people who are interested in living a green lifestyle. Here you will find entries documenting my journey, new creative ideas, thrifty solutions, outdoor adventures and upcoming events. You will also be linked to other articles and sites that relate to living a green lifestyle! Please check back often or subscribe to Natural Earth Collective for new posts every day.
Please leave me some feedback and your ideas on eco-living. I would love to hear about your ventures into a self-sustaining lifestyle. We can all learn and grow together to "Love Our Mother!"