How2Day: Tie-Dye Ideas

Add some color to your life with tie dye. tie dyed green image by Steve Mann from Fotolia.com
Tie-dyed T-shirts are a fun fashion trend that can turn even the most conservative person into a fun-loving hippie. However, T-shirts aren't the only thing that can benefit from this style. Tie-dyed accessories are a low-key way to add color to an outfit, and tie-dyed decorations can spice up your home decor. Kids especially love tie-dying, so you might want to plan a day where your child can invite his friends over to take part in the fun.

If you know how to tie dye T-shirts, fashion accessories shouldn't be too much of a stretch. Invest in a plain white cotton or canvas tote bag to tie dye. When summer rolls around, you'll have the perfect beach accessory. Replace the old, dingy shoelaces in your sneakers with multi-colored versions for a different take on even the most basic shoe. Turn white cotton headbands into bright accessories that stand out from the crowd. You can even tie dye the sturdy, horseshoe-shaped "Alice headbands" using a medicine dropper as long as it is covered in white cotton. Tie dye plain nylon stockings, but make sure you use either acid or disperse dyes so that the color sets properly.

You can purchase white cotton pillow covers for throw pillows at craft, fabric or department stores or from companies that make slipcovers for sofas. Once you tie dye these pillow covers, it will add a lovely burst of color in your living room. Tablecloths are also very simple to tie dye and make a great accessory for picnic tables or parties. For kids' rooms, try dying plain white sheets for a funky look. You can even make art with a tie-dyed look using India Ink and heavy card stock. Use a medicine dropper to drop the brightly colored ink onto the paper and then blow into a straw to move the ink around. Do this project with one large piece of card stock or several smaller ones. Frame them and proudly display them around the house for an abstract splash of color.

Give friends and family an extra special gift with tie-dye wrapping paper. Fold rice paper into thin accordion folds, and hold them in place with rubber bands and paper clips. Dilute food coloring in warm water, and dip different sections into the food coloring mixtures. Unfold the rice paper, and allow it to dry completely before use. If you don't have time for a gift, you can always send a letter on tie-dye stationery instead. Crumple up printer paper and color in sections using permanent markers. Fill a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover, and spray the paper until it is damp to spread the colors around. Pull the ball apart, and allow it to air dry for colorful, textured stationery.

If you're throwing a tie-dye party, what better way to celebrate than with cake and ice cream? Add 2/3 cup multicolored sprinkles to white or yellow cake mix for tie dyed cake. Frost the cake with white frosting, and then add some extra color with cake decorating spray. While the cake is baking, let 1/2 gallon of vanilla ice cream sit out at room temperature for half an hour. Dust the bottom of a medium-sized container with 3 tbsp. of powdered gelatin mix. Top this with a layer of the softened vanilla ice cream, and then repeat the process with different colors of gelatin mix. Top with a final layer of gelatin mix and place in the freezer, covered, for two to three hours. Serve the cake and ice cream together for a tie-dye treat.

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