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Before you dye, here's what you'll need: Get soda ash and then proceed. One cup of ash, one gallon warm, will make the mix in proper form. How much sodium carbonate do you mix with water? For tie dye, mix 1 cup of powdered soda ash (sodium carbonate) with 1 gallon of water. It dissolves faster with warm or hot water. Enjoy a soda ash poem below. Before you dye, here's what you'll need: Get soda ash and then proceed. One cup of ash, one gallon warm, will make the mix in proper form. Just stir it well with gloved-up hands, till every clump dissolves as planned. Now soak your cloth right through and through, then wring or spin (what works for you). It won't get old, won't go to waste. Add water if it's lost some space.Wear gloves and mask when mixing in. Keep covered well from nose and skin. Your colors now will bond for good. The ash has worked just like it should. Corky Lorenz October 8, 2025 All Articles Soda ash

Learn how to pre-wash bamboo fleece and bamboo terry for cloth pads. Washing and drying the fabric on hot three to five times prevents shrinkage and keeps your finished pads smooth and even. How to prep bamboo fleece before sewing cloth pads Bamboo fleece and bamboo terry fabric need to be pre-shrunk before sewing to prevent the final pad from becoming warped after washing. Wash and dry the fabric on hot three to five times, measuring shrinkage between cycles to know when it’s ready to sew. When you get bamboo fleece or bamboo terry fabric, it needs to be pre-shrunk before you sew with it. Bamboo fleece continues to shrink after two or three washes, so if you skip pre-washing, your final pad can look wrinkly or uneven after the first wash. To prevent that, wash and dry the fabric on hot three to five times before sewing. I like to use bamboo terry from Nature’s Fabrics because the loops haven’t been brushed out, which makes it easier to prep with less lint. The fleece version, where the loops have been brushed out for softness, creates more lint in the washer and dryer and seems to lose a bit of weight in the process. Both versions are beautiful fabrics, but bamboo terry is less messy when prepping. If you want to see how much the fabric is shrinking each time, measure four inches, make a small snip, and remeasure after each wash. When the length stays the same, it’s ready to sew. Corky Lorenz October 18, 2025 All Articles Sewing

Hognose snakes are harmless but dramatic reptiles known for their hissy personalities and playful bluffing behavior. Learn what to expect if you’re thinking about keeping one as a pet, from temperament to feeding habits. Are hognose snakes good pets? Hognose snakes can make good pets for people who appreciate their dramatic, hissy personalities. They’re harmless, expressive, and a little theatrical, which some people find charming and others find annoying. The first time I encountered my friend's hognose, he knew I was about to be surprised. He held the snake out to me, and when I got close and touched it, it hissed and startled me. He didn’t miss a beat. It didn’t scare him at all, and he laughed and said that happens with every new person who meets them. Hognose snakes are known to be dramatic and hissy. When you approach them, they’ll start hissing and sometimes pretend they’re going to strike, but for the most part, they’re harmless. They just like to make a big show. If you’re looking for a snake that won’t startle you, the hognose might not be for you. But if you enjoy that personality and think their turned-up nose is cute, you’ll probably like their temperament. They can be a little trickier to feed than snakes like boas, which usually eat easily without persuasion. Most hognose snakes eat well, but sometimes it takes patience if they’re in a mood. Whether a hognose is good for handling depends on the individual snake’s temperament. My friend has two adults. The female is handleable but sometimes looks like she might strike or bite, and she has envenomated his hand once. The male is calmer and will even snuggle in his hoodie while he sits on the couch. Corky Lorenz October 18, 2025 Hognose Snakes All Articles

Many local dog owners enjoy taking walks along the Mishawaka River walk because of the dog friendly culture. The farmer's market also attracts venders who sell dog treats and accessories. Can you take your dog to the Mishawaka Farmer's Market? After visiting last night, for the "Under the Lights" event and seeing about 30 dogs, I would say yes. The Mishawaka Market and riverwalk seem very dog friendly. I went last night and I was surprised by the sheer number of dogs present! Everywhere I looked, there was another dog. Some were even sporting their halloween costumes. While I was there, I saw a vendor selling hand crafted dog treats that were super cute. It seems like vendors even know to expect a crowd of dog owners, and cater to them. Event details This was the first time they hosted an evening market, on Saturday night, from 7-9pm. Usually, the market is on Sunday's from 10am to 2pm. See updates on their Facebook account . Personally, I enjoy the way the Mishawaka Market is organized later in the morning, so I can still make it before it closed, if I forget about it. Corky Lorenz October 5, 2025 All Articles

Learn how the flowy, polyester fleece tie dye method was invented. By layering thin fabric over polyester fleece, the dye flows across the surface instead of soaking through, creating smooth, watercolor-style lines instead of jagged ones. What is the flowy poly fleece method in tie dye? This is a technique meant to produce a smooth watercolor look on thin fabrics. It’s done by placing polyester fleece behind the thin fabric before bunching. This is a technique I call the poly fleece method, for ice dye. It's a trick I developed while chasing the watercolor look on thinner fabrics. I first noticed that thick sweatshirts hold their folds with structure, creating smoother dye flow, while light shirts crinkled and broke the color lines. I tried foil supports, but the sharp points disrupted the flow. Then I stacked multiple cotton shirts, hoping they’d mimic sweatshirt weight, but each layer absorbed instead of channeling the dye. Eventually I used a layer of polyester fleece beneath the thin shirt. It repelled just enough moisture to keep the dye traveling across the surface instead of through it, while still allowing gentle drainage. The result is what I now call flowy ice dye . Long, smooth gradients that behave more like watercolor art than traditional tie-dye. Corky Lorenz October 6, 2025 All Articles Dye

Documentary photos showing attendee and vendor interactions at the Tinley Park Reptile Expo, part of the North American Reptile Breeders Conference. People at Tinley Park Reptile Expo Attendees and vendors interact at the North American Reptile Breeders Conference. These photos document attendee activity at the Tinley Park Reptile Expo. Visitors examined reptiles, insects, and supplies while vendors provided demonstrations and information. The images show the exchange between hands, enclosures, and displays that define the event’s commercial and educational atmosphere. These photos document attendee activity at the Tinley Park Reptile Expo. Visitors examined reptiles, insects, and supplies while vendors provided demonstrations and information. The images show the exchange between hands, enclosures, and displays that define the event’s commercial and educational atmosphere. Corky Lorenz October 14, 2025 Tinley NARBC

The Tinley Park Reptile Expo offers more than reptiles. Vendors sell rare houseplants, terrarium vining plants, and carnivorous plants. A great stop for collectors and plant lovers. Rare plants at the Tinley Park Reptile Expo? Several vendors sell rare houseplants alongside reptiles, including terrarium starters, carnivorous species, and collector-grade foliage plants like Thai Constellations and variegated philodendrons. At the Tinley Park Reptile Expo, I always end up spending as much time looking at plants as I do reptiles. Across the three times I’ve been, I’ve found a surprising number of vendors who specialize in rare or enclosure friendly plants. This is a plant from the vender Thomas Greenhouse & Gardens Some bring small starter plants meant to thrive in amphibian or reptile tanks, while others focus on rare tropicals for collectors. The booth shown in the photo had several variegated philodendrons and monstera types, and I picked up a Thai Constellation for $25, which used to be almost impossible to find. There are also carnivorous plants, terrarium vines, and occasional orchid vendors selling from private collections. Last year, I met a woman offering rare shingling plants she’d imported and grown herself, the kind that creep up the sides of glass when the humidity is right. Even if you don’t keep reptiles, it’s worth going just for the plants. The crossover between reptile hobbyists and plant collectors makes it an unexpectedly great place to find something rare and affordable. Corky Lorenz October 21, 2025 Tinley NARBC All Articles

Crosstown Exotics drew crowds at the Tinley Park Reptile Expo with their massive frogs, hissing roaches, and interactive displays. A favorite stop for kids and reptile fans alike at NARBC 2025. Crosstown Exotics at NARBC with Stunning Display This is the third time I have seen this vendor, and I was happy to see their collection again! Bugs and large frogs were a crowd favorite. Crosstown Exotics can be found on Instagram, here. They are a regular vender at the Tinley Park Reptile Expo . When we saw their booth, it was the middle of the second day. The person handling the snake said the reptiles were a little tired. I appreciate that kind of care for the animals. They seem to value creating beautiful enclosures for their animals, which doubles as a great show for the guests. Even the massive cockroaches look happy as can be. We love that. Corky Lorenz October 14, 2025 Tinley NARBC All Articles

Learn how a hot soak speeds up tie-dye batching. Use hot water to set color in about an hour instead of overnight, with tips for safe fabrics and color control. What is a hot soak in tie dye, and how does it speed batching? A hot soak is a shortcut for ice dyers who want to see their results faster. Instead of waiting 24 hours at room temp, you soak the item in hot water to set the dye faster. I started doing it while testing geode style shirts because I wanted a faster feedback loop: tie it, dye it, rinse it, study it, repeat. A hot soak reduces batch time down from a full day to about an hour. How to do it: Place the shirt in a bin of very hot water (not boiling). Leave it for about an hour. Then rinse normally. If you’re worried about color loss, you can put the item in a plastic bag before soaking so dye doesn’t bleed off, but skip the bag when your piece has light or pastel areas next to dark ones. The pooled dye can touch lighter sections and cause blotches. When the piece is mostly dark or a single color, bagging works fine. And sometimes I leave it loose on purpose. The tiny bit of dye that washes away can create soft, radiant streaks that look like light rays. Use this trick only on 100% cotton or other sturdy naturals. The hot water can distort bamboo velour or polyester blends, especially if the fabric is tied tight in a geode fold because the heat and tension can warp the fibers. Also, if you are using a turquoise based blues, you might lose some vibrancy when speeding up batch time with heat. Usually, I'm not bothered by that, especially if my goal is to quickly test tying and dyeing techniques. Corky Lorenz October 10, 2025 All Articles Geode Dye

Sources for powder dye that you can order from online for ice liquid die or other alternative methods of dying shirts. Where do you get your dye? Most of my dye is from Dharma Trading Co, but I also like Jacquard Products. There are several more small shops to get powered dye from. When I first started out with ice dye, I got my powdered dye from Dharma trading Company . I still get their dye often and they are a very reliable source. I also get dye from Jacquard products either through their website or on Amazon. I really love their color jet black for when I am ice dyeing geode style shirts that are tied with artificial sinew. Most powdered MX procion is going to work the same and be great quality. They all come from the same source, but the difference from each place you buy it is usually what ratios they mix the colors in for their custom colors. Corky Lorenz October 4, 2025 All Articles Dye

Bamboo fleece is soft, floppy, and absorbent for cloth pads, but some prefer structured fabrics like cotton flannel or Zorb for easier sewing. Best core fabric for sewing cloth pads? The best absorbent fabric for sewing cloth pads depends on what your goal is. My favorite, for being thin and soft, is 400 gsm bamboo fleece. When I was regularly sewing and selling cloth pads, the most popular option people would choose was bamboo fleece. I would get it from Nature’s fabrics. They have variety of weights and fiber blends. You can get it in bulk, in a roll from them, as a lower price. People who prefer bamboo fleece, like how floppy the fabric is. The pad ends up feeling really soft and moldable. It can shape to your body and feels cozy. It’s also considered a very absorbent fabric, which many people love for cloth pads and cloth diapers. There are some people who don’t like using pads with bamboo fleece, and there are people who don’t like sewing with bamboo fleece. Some people like their pad to be more structured and less floppy. They will usually opt for something like multiple layers of cotton flannel or Zorb. When sewing pads, I do find it a little annoying that I have to wash and dry bamboo fleece on hot 3-5 times to make sure that it’s fully prepped before sewing. Corky Lorenz October 19, 2025 All Articles Sewing

Sundown Reptiles presented a standout display at the Tinley Park Reptile Expo, featuring blooming orchids and elegant reptile enclosures. Learn more about this experienced and active vendor. Sundown Reptiles at Tinley Park Reptile Expo Sundown Reptiles stood out at the Tinley Park Reptile Expo with their orchids and beautifully designed reptile enclosures. Their professional display and active online presence show a clear dedication to both reptiles and presentation. When I was at the Tinley Park Reptile Expo, my eye was drawn to the Sundown Reptiles table right away because of the orchids. I’d never seen that variety in bloom before, and it stood out among the typical displays. The reptiles were housed in beautifully designed enclosures, clearly prepared with care. This vendor came across as professional and seasoned, with a setup that was both visually engaging and educational. They’re active on Facebook and Instagram , and you can also visit their website to see the variety of reptiles they breed and raise. Corky Lorenz October 18, 2025 Tinley NARBC All Articles