Tied Up in Color & Sunshine

A Weekend of Tie Dye, Sunshine, and Sweet Chaos

This past weekend was one for the memory books. With the sun out and the weather finally cooperating, I decided to dive into a colorful little project with my son and cousin from out of state: tie dye! We pulled out a few plain tees, a handful of tote bags, and a cozy crewneck sweatshirt —ready to splash them with all the bright, happy colors we could find.

We set up our dye station in the backyard with rubber bands, bottles of dye, and plastic cover galore. We jumped right in (literally — our hands were blue and purple within minutes), excited to experiment with different color combos and patterns. It wasn’t about perfection — it was about play. About letting creativity lead the way and not worrying too much about the mess. The tote bags ended up with a variety of beautiful spiral swirls and striped patterns, the crewneck turned into a watercolor dream, and the shirts were banded tighter than we thought, so it added splashes of cool white throughout. It felt good to slow down and do something hands-on together, especially on her last full weekend in MA. 

All the while, our family doxidor (my fur sister and unofficial supervisor) ran circles around us, barking at leaves, birds, chasing bunnies and occasionally trying to “help” by sniffing the dye bottles. We kept plenty of sticks nearby so throw to keep her entertained. She’s got a sixth sense for fun and was clearly in her element — tail wagging, tongue out, full zoomies on deck.

It was messy. It was chaotic. It was perfect.

And honestly, that’s what these little moments are all about.

If you’ve been thinking about tie dyeing with your kids (or fur kids), take this as your sign to do it. All you need is a little dye, some old clothes or canvas, and a willingness to go with the flow. The memories made will outshine any splashes or stains.

Here’s to color, connection, and catching joy in the everyday.

– TGQ