Mod Podge/Dyed Coasters

What you'll need:

• Stone tiles (glazed ceramic tiles will not work) I get mine from Home Depot...they come in a pack of 9 for around $5
• Mod Podge
• Any color Rit Dye (Kelly Green featured here)
• Buckets for dyeing
• Printer paper/access to printer
• Cookie sheet
• Glue gun
• Furniture dots
• Scissors
• Gloves/tarp (optional)

1. Print black and white images on printer paper large enough to cover your stone tiles.
2. Make sure your tiles are clean (rinse and dry) and apply a layer of mod podge on the tiles.  Allow to dry.
3. Liberally apply mod podge on the printed side of your paper.  Lay the paper (printed side/mod podge side down) on your tile and press down.
4. Bake in oven at 170 degrees for 20 minutes.
5. Allow to cool.
6. Using water and a sponge (or fingers) gently rub off paper from tiles.  The ink from the paper will be left behind on the mod podge stuck on the tile.  Rinse and continue to rub paper off until completely removed.
   
7. Once dry, prepare dye bath.  For the coasters above I used Rit's Kelly Green (1/4 cup Kelly Green with 2 cups warm-hot water).
8. Submerge tiles in dye bath (completely or partially depending on look you are going for). Leave in until desired color is reached and rinse.
   
9. After dyeing allow tiles to completely dry.
10. (Optional: Apply another layer of mod podge over tiles-not necessary but for added protection-allow to dry)
11. Cut furniture protector dots and hot glue them into the corners of the tile.
    
    
    
12. Enjoy with your favorite beverage!

Here are some more pictures of coasters I have made-they are great, inexpensive, easy gifts for friends and family!

Mod Podge Dyed Frame

What You'll Need:

• Wood frame (You can get these super cheap at Walmart and craft stores like Michaels)
• Mod Podge
• Sponge brush
• Printer paper/access to black and white printer
• Rit Dye (Lemon Yellow and Sunshine Orange used here)

1. Print a black and white pattern on printer paper large enough to completely cover frame.
   
2. Apply mod podge to front of wood frame and let dry.
   
   
   
3. Apply a liberal layer of mod podge to pattern side of paper.
4. While it's still wet, press the paper pattern side down on the top of the frame.
   
5. Allow to dry. This may take several hours.
6. Once dry, wet fingers and gently rub off paper.  The ink will be left behind on the mod podge on the frame.  Wet frame and rub off rest of paper.
   
7. Prepare dye bath. I chose to use Rit's Lemon Yellow and Sunshine Orange to create my own custom color (Approx. 1/4 cup Lemon Yellow and 1 tbs Sunshine Orange with 2 cup water).
8. Dip frame into dye bath (I dipped the bottom 1/4 of my frame). Leave in until desired color is reached.
   
9. Allow to dry.

Dyed Wood Table from Goodwill

Furniture can be expensive...especially if you're needing to furnish an entire apartment like like recently had to.  But there are options.
I went to my local Goodwill and purchased this solid oak table for just $15!

With a little sanding and a few bottles of RIT the table was completely transformed.

What you'll need:

• Wood table
• Handheld sander
• RIT dye (I used 1 bottle of Teal and 2 bottles of Black for this project)
• Paint brush or sponge brush
• Polyurethane to coat (optional)
• Gloves, plastic tarp (optional)

1. First, you'll need a smooth, untreated surface to dye-so get out your sander and get to work! (remember to always sand with the grain of the wood)
   
2. Once you have a sanded surface, prepare your dye.  I diluted my dye in buckets before applying (About 1-2 cups of water for 1 bottle RIT dye).
3. If possible disassemble your table.  Luckily, my table came apart fairly easily so I was able to work on the legs and table top separately (which, I dyed different colors).  If your table does not come apart that's OK...it might just be a little extra work.
4. Using a sponge brush apply dye to table surface.  Apply in thin layers with the grain of the wood.  Let the dye soak into the wood before applying additional coats.
   
5. How many coats you apply will depend on the color you desire and the type of wood your table is made of.  My table is made of oak...which is one of the harder, less porous woods so it took a few more coats than the average wood table. I think I ended up applying about 5 coats each on the legs and table top.
6. Allow to completely dry (overnight).
7. Using dye as a stain works great because unlike a stain which sits at the surface of the wood, dye actually penetrates the wood.  For this reason a finishing coat is not necessary.  However, since this is a dining room table that will see a lot more wear than the average furniture, I decided to coat it with polyurethane (I ended up using a can and a half of the semi-gloss spray kind).
8. Allow to completely dry (overnight) and reassemble.

There you go-an affordable, completely one-of-a-kind table!

 

Wicker Chest

I got this beautiful wicker chest from Goodwill for $20! It was perfect...well, almost...it was just missing a little COLOR!

What you'll need:

• Wicker chest
• Color Perfect by Rit Dye (I used Amethyst Purple)
• Tarp or plastic garbage bags
• Gloves (optional)
• Polyurethane or other sealing agent (optional but not necessary) 

1. Place chest on tarp or garbage bag to protect flooring
2. Using Rit's Color Perfect and the spray nozzle (note: Color Perfect comes already diluted) spray the outside of the chest

 
3. Allow some time to dry (this gives the wicker some time to absorb the dye...it does not need to be completely dry to continue)
4. Now spray the inside of the chest and allow it to dry
5. Apply additional coats until desired color is reached (I applied 2 coats)
6. Optional: Coat with Polyurethane or other sealing agent

Chests make great coffee tables or decorative storage.  Be on the look out for one and get creative!

Dip Dyed Lampshade

When I found out that I was going to be moving into my first apartment I began fantasizing about color schemes and decor. I decided that I wanted to decorate my bedroom in grey, teal, and yellow...and in order to attain the custom (but affordable) look I wanted I knew that I needed to get out some Rit Dye.
As as college student, I'm always looking for a good deal so I went to Goodwill and picked up a lamp/shade for cheap!  I LOVE the way my shade turned out-take a look!

What You'll Need:

• Lamp and shade
• Any 2 colors Rit Dye (I used Pearl Grey & Sunshine Orange/Lemon Yellow)
• Bucket large enough to fit lamp shade
• Gloves (optional)

1. Remove shade from lamp and run shade under water until damp.
2. Prepare dye bath (lighter color first).  I created my own shade of yellow by mixing 1 1/2 tbs of Lemon Yellow and 1/2 tsp of Sunshine Orange with enough hot water to submerge the shade.
3. Submerge shade until desired color is reached (about 4 minutes).
4. Remove from dye and rinse under cold water until water runs clear.  Set shade aside.
5. Prepare second dye bath.  I used 4 tbs of Pearl Grey with about 4 cups hot water.
6. Dip top of shade into dye bath (I went about 2/3 in) and leave in until desired color is reached (about 4 minutes). 
7. Remove and rinse under cold water until water runs clear.
8. Flip over shade and dip the other end into second dye bath (I went up about an inch).
9. Remove and rinse under cold water until water runs clear.  Set aside until dried.

I loved the blurred lines that the dye left.  My new shade is going to look great in my bedroom!

Work Out Tops 2 Ways

 Shibori T-Shirt

What you'll need:

• Any one color Rit dye (Royal Blue shown here)
• Rubber bands
• Bucket
• Gloves (optional)

1) Wet your t-shirt.

2) Starting at one sleeve envelope fold your t-shirt.

3)Starting at one end of t-shirt, envelope fold the opposite way.

4) Wrap rubber bands tightly around t-shirt (I used 2 bands-the more you use the less dye will bleed through).

 

5) Prepare dye bath using 3 tbs any color Rit dye and 4 cups hot water (I used Royal Blue as a contrast to my already light blue t-shirt)

 

6) Submerge t-shirt into dye bath. Leave in until desired color is reached (I left mine in for about 5 minutes).

7) Remove from dye bath and rinse under cold water.

8) Cut rubber bands and continue rinsing until water runs clear.

9) Wash, dry, and enjoy!

Twisted Tank

What you'll need:

• Any color Rit dye (Aquamarine and Kelly Green used here)
• Bucket
• Gloves (optional-but highly recommended for this one!) 

1) Prepare dye bath using any color Rit dye (I created Blue-Green #573-"Gumby Green" using ColoRit Color Formula Guide) and 3 cups hot water.

2) Wet your tank.

3)Twist the tank as if ringing it out.

4) Holding the twisted tank, dunk into the dye bath.  Keep submerged for 5 seconds.

5) Remove from dye bath and rinse under cold water until it runs clear.

6) Wash, dry, and enjoy!

DIY Dyed Tights

What you'll need:

• Pair of colored tights
• Any contrasting color RIT dye
• Rubber bands
• Bucket
• Gloves (optional)

1) Starting with the first leg, accordion fold your tights (length wise) as seen in the picture below.

2) Making sure not to lose the accordion fold, rubber band the bottom of the tights.  Continue wrapping rubber bands up the leg.  Keep in mind that the more you rubber band, the less contrasting color will bleed into your tights.

3) Repeat steps 1 and 2 on the other leg.

3) Prepare dye bath.  I used 3 cups of hot water to 1/4 cup black RIT dye.

4) Keeping hold of the top, dip the tights into the dye bath.  Submerge the tights as far as you want.

5) The tights will not take long to absorb the dye (I kept mine in for only a few minutes).  When satisfied with the color take the tights out of the dye bath.

6) Hold the tights (still rubber-banded) under cold running water.  Make sure you continue to hold from the top of the tights so that dye will bleed down out of the tights.

7) Once the water running off the tights appears to be clear, remove from the running water.

8) Using scissors carefully remove the rubber bands from the tights.

9) Run them under water again.

10) Let the tights sit for a few hours before washing.

Enjoy your unique tights!