Learn how to create an easy tie dye Christmas ornament using food coloring, coffee filters and a spray bottle! This is an easy craft to make with your children, plus you can use things you have around the house. Recommended age: Preschool and up.
Materials:
- Food coloring
- Coffee filters (any size)
- Tin foil
- Puffy paint (white glue will work as well)
- Water spray bottle
- Wax paper and a sink near by
- Paper towels
Process:
1. Prep: Tear off a few sheets of wax paper that will fit the size of your coffee filter ( tear as many ornaments you will want to make.)
2. Flatten out a coffee filter and place it onto a sheet of wax paper.
3. If you decide that you want to make this a dye “resist” project, you may want to “draw” with white puffy paint or white glue first and then allow it to dry thoroughly before you tie dye with food coloring. See below:
Adding white glue/puffy paint first
Then tie die with food coloring
Or you can choose to tie dye first, and then add some details:
Adding detail after tie dyeing created by a 3 year old
4. To tie dye with food coloring: Either way you chose, the process is still the same. Place your flat coffee filter onto a piece of wax paper and spray it wet- not soaked.
5. Add a few drops of food coloring here and there. Spray.
Use small water bottles for small hands
6. Remove the murky puddle by pouring off the excess in a nearby sink. Blot with a paper towel. Allow to dry.
Wet and rinsed tie dyed coffee filter
7. Add a hanger to your coffee filter Christmas ornament by folding a piece or two of tin foil and gluing it on to the top of your ornament. ** If you use two or more pieces of tin foil to create the hook, feel free to glue together parts if needed. I personally used a staple.
Hang your tie die Christmas ornament in the window and enjoy!
Aimee Bloom was born and raised in Western New York. She has 3 children; ages 5, 3 and 1 and has been married 7 years to her husband. Aimee has a B.S. Ed. in Art Education (birth-12th grade) and an M.S. Ed. in Educational Computing. She has also been a presenter in various teacher workshops, collaboratively organized and planned an educational technology conference, and has been published in an educational journal. Having two degrees in two different areas has opened the door to some exciting teaching opportunities for Aimee. Starting her career teaching computer education to preschoolers (yes… that’s 3 and 4 year olds), Aimee knew that instilling good habits about Internet Safety at an early age is very important. After 3 years of teaching computers to preschoolers, Aimee found a home teaching computer education to children in grades k-8 in a Private School until she became a SAHM after her 3rd child was born. Currently, Aimee works as a technology consultant and she is still very much involved with educating teachers, parents, and kids about the latest technologies, including Internet Safety. Visit Aimee’s blog, Classified Mom. Check out Aimee’s Facebook Page. Follow Aimee on Twitter: @classifiedmom