Search this site

Black tie dye shirts dyed with fiber reactive dye, using 2 colors to compare the results. Black tie dye Black tie dye colors compared, using ice and fiber reactive procion dye, on cotton shirts. Black tie dye shirt These shirts were dyed with 2 different dye colors, using ice. The point of this graphic is not to say that one dye is better than the other. I want to show that they react at different rates, so the amount of water used matters. Jet black can be easily rinsed out if you use too much liquid. This makes it great for getting a soft look, as long as you use a controlled amount of water. It can also be quite dark if you don’t dilute it too much, and give it enough time to fully set. I love jet black for getting a subtle shadow effect next to the white lines of my geode shirts. Raven has more color components, and starts sticking as soon as it hits the fabric. In this example, raven provides really nice detail. Sometimes raven will cause speckling if sprinkled directly onto the item you’re dyeing. Apply over ice or on a paper towel if you don’t want speckles. Because it contains more colors, it’s fun for ice dye splits. This page was last updated on Jul 10, 2026

Meet BLN Reptiles, a hognose snake breeder based in Indiana. Seen at the Goshen Reptile Expo, they specialize in unique morphs and shared expert feeding tips for baby hognoses. Hognose Snakes by BLN Reptiles at the Goshen Reptile Expo BLN Reptiles is a small-scale breeder specializing in western hognose snakes with unique color morphs and healthy genetics. They were at the Goshen Reptile Expo showing a range of juvenile snakes with striking patterns and calm temperaments. About BLN Reptiles I met the owner of BLN Reptiles, Brandon Niemantsverdriet, at the Goshen Reptile Expo. Most of his hognose snakes were juveniles, and each display showed careful attention to genetics and coloration. His table had a mix of morphs including Super Arctic, Sable, and Yeti, arranged neatly in labeled containers. Feeding advice We talked for a while about feeding behavior in baby hognose snakes. Brandon shared a few methods for encouraging picky feeders to eat. One suggestion that stood out was using a small amount of salmon scent to make pinkies or chicken hearts more appealing. He explained that while it might smell terrible to humans, hognoses respond strongly to certain scents, which can make all the difference when you’re raising young snakes. How to contact Although BLN Reptiles doesn’t currently have a website or social media presence, they are active in the Midwest reptile community and can often be found at local expos. If you’re interested in learning more about their available snakes or breeding projects, you can reach Brandon directly by email at blnreptiles@mail.com This page was last updated on Feb 5, 2026

Turtles are reptiles, not amphibians. They’re cold-blooded animals with scales and shells that breathe air and lay eggs on land. Learn how turtles fit into the reptile group alongside tortoises and terrapins, with examples from the Goshen Reptile Expo. Are turtles reptiles? Yes, turtles are reptiles. They are cold-blooded, air-breathing animals with scales and four limbs, belonging to the order Testudines, the same reptile group as tortoises and terrapins. At the Goshen Reptile Expo , I stopped to photograph several turtles and tortoises at a vendor booth called Jimmy’s Tortoises. He had an incredible collection of species with high-contrast colors and shell patterns that I’ve never seen in the wild. The turtles I usually see near my home are brown and green, blending into the water and vegetation. These, by comparison, had bold yellow and red markings, especially the ones identified as red-footed tortoises and diamondback terrapins. The vendor’s display was busy and well-lit, with tanks and enclosures showing the different species. A woman tending to the animals was friendly and happy to answer questions, even letting me pick up a small turtle for a close-up photo. I noticed its nose shape was slightly pointed, unlike the flatter snouts of the map turtles I’m used to seeing in local rivers. Seeing such variety made me wonder if turtles are classified as amphibians or reptiles. After checking, I learned that turtles are reptiles because they’re cold-blooded, have scales, and lay eggs on land. Amphibians, like frogs or salamanders, have soft skin and spend part of their lives in water and part on land. So turtles fall squarely in the reptile category. Jimmy’s Tortoises doesn’t appear to have much of a social media presence beyond an occasional Instagram post, but his collection is well-known among reptile expo regulars. Many shows across the country announce when he’s attending, which says a lot about how anticipated his setups are. This page was last updated on Feb 5, 2026

The colors and process used to dye this cotton sweatshirt in an ombre design. Black sweatshirt dye recipe The colors and process used to dye this cotton sweatshirt in an ombre design. Dye Colors 12 cups of water + 1 tablespoon of Brushed Steel dye 3 cups of water + 1 tablespoon of Raven dye Dye Process This sweatshirt was dyed in a bin, using fiber reactive procion dye from Dharma Trading Co . The sweatshirt was presoaked in soda ash using a ratio of 1 cup of soda ash per gallon of water. It was only hand wrung, so it was dripping wet with soda ash when it was dyed. Mixing the dye About 12 cups of water were used to dissolve 1 tablespoon of brushed steel procion dye. It was poured into a plastic bin. The sweatshirt was placed into the dye bin and swished around until it was thoroughly saturated. Next, about 3 cups of water was used to dissolve 1 tablespoon of the color raven. It was poured into the dye bin, at one end only. The end where the neck of the sweatshirt was. I used my gloved hands to swish the neck around a little, to make sure the black color was well mixed in, at the top. I didn't try to mix it as much lower in the body of the sweatshirt. Batch time To fully set the color, the bin sat at room temperature for about 24 hours before rinsing. Sweatshirt blank This white sweatshirt was purchased from Jiffy. It's 100% cotton on the outside but overall, it's 90% cotton and 10% polyester. They are super fast with their shipping. Custom tie dye Order a sweatshirt , made by Corky. This page was last updated on Oct 14, 2026

Synthetic backing fabric for flowy folds. Poly fleece tool A thick, synthetic fabric made from polyester. Used behind fabric in the flowy ice dye method to mimic the structure of thicker folds. Tie dye links See all glossary items See tutorials for flowy ice dye and geode tie dye .

The farmer’s market held its first ever evening event which featured live music and a variety of vendors present for shopping under the string lights. Mishawaka Market Under The Lights For the first time, The Mishawaka Farmers Market was held at night. Vendors and guests enjoyed the overhead string lights along the riverwalk. The Mishawaka farmers market is a very popular event on Sundays throughout the summer season. When they posted on Facebook that they were holding an evening market under the lights, I was intrigued. I just happen to be available that evening so I headed over and hoped to get some pretty pictures with the sun setting and the string lights overhead. Parking was kind of chaotic because there were so many people trying to park at one time. I told my friend that it felt like there was a swarm of cars trying to find parking spots. If you’re going to the farmer’s market, you need to make sure that you don’t park in one of the residential lots that is marked only for those residents. I ended up parking on the street a few blocks away and didn’t mind the walk back to the Riverwalk. It seemed like the two hour event was very popular and people were really enjoying themselves. There were a ton of dogs, which is always fun to see, and there was a live music performance that people enjoyed listening to while watching the sunset. This page was last updated on Feb 5, 2026

Things to know about how to wash your reusable cloth menstrual pads. Washing Cloth Pads How to wash reusable cloth menstrual pads. Storage Store in a dry bag. You can pre-rinse by hand, squeeze excess water, and place into your storage location. You can wait until the end of a period to wash all pads together. Pre-soaking If you want to soak your cloth before the main wash, it's best to keep the soak time to a couple of hours at most. More than that can breed bacteria. You can also do a light wash before the main wash, in place of a soak. Water temperature Some people recommend using cold water to avoid stains. There are also people who wash on warm/hot without getting stains. Pads can be hand washed. Drying To lengthen the life of your pads, you can air/hang dry. PUL should be dried on LOW heat only, or air dried. Many people dry their pads normally in a machine dryer without any issues. Rarely, pads can get caught or snagged in machine dryers. If your pads go through a hot dry, they will be ok. :) Stains If you are concerned about stains, you can try to pre-treat with oxy clean, shout, stain stick, or hydrogen peroxide. Check pads for stains before putting them into the dryer because it's easier to get the stains out before they go through heat. You can also try laying them in the sun to fade stains. Detergent Use whatever you use for your clothing. Use a normal amount for soiled clothing. Avoid fabric softener but don't stress if it gets used by accident. This page was last updated on Feb 6, 2026

Dye setup with shirt elevated to let ice melt cleanly through. Rack tool Fabric is elevated using a rack to allow ice to melt through the shirt instead of pooling underneath. Tie dye links See all glossary items See tutorials for flowy ice dye and geode tie dye .

Here is a collection of links to people and groups that can provide more information about sewing and donating menstrual care items. Sewing Cloth Pads to Donate Here is a collection of links to people and groups that can provide more information about sewing and donating menstrual care items. Days for Girls https://www.daysforgirls.org/ Cloth Connection Outreach Charity https://www.facebook.com/clothconnectionoutreach Menstrual Justice Initiative https://www.facebook.com/menstrual.justice.initiative If you know of an organization that should be mentioned, please let me know . This is just an initial list I started for my own reference. This page was last updated on Feb 6, 2026

This is a powder meant to be mixed with water and dye, to thicken the dye. Alginate supply This is a powder meant to be mixed with water and dye, to thicken the dye. Some people like to use this with black so they can add some contrast without the color bleeding too far into the shirt. Tie dye links See all glossary items See tutorials for flowy ice dye and geode tie dye .