Tie Dye Masterpieces:
Coffee Filter Art

I've seen lots of ideas using coffee filters but most of them seem to commit the first sin of kid art-- they make it too complicated. They add google eyes, pipe cleaner antennae and fashion them into butterflies, for instance. Butterflies are pretty, but why make it harder than it has to be? Let the kids direct the projects themselves with these fun materials.

Really, all you need to create gorgeous, fun masterpieces are:

• Plain coffee filters
• magic markers
• water-- either in a spray bottle or a small cup and eye droppers

Make sure to put down a craft tablecloth because markers can stain! Put the kids in craft clothes as well.

Now just let the kids color on the coffee filters and then drop water a drop at a time (my favorite method) or spray them to watch the colors bleed and blend. The color combinations are gorgeous!

If you give kids spray bottles, be prepared for them to spray each other and the house. I ususually save spray fun for outside since they forget all about the art. :) Still, it makes gorgeous results too. Another option is to make the filters first and then take them all outside and spray them.

Let the wet filters dry. If you like, you can put them on white paper to dry and watch the fun patterns they'll create on the paper.

Once dry, you can...

• punch a hole in them and hang them in the windows as suncatchers,
• use them to wrap small gifts (just gather at the top and tie around the gift like a pouch),
• make them into the aforementioned butterflies,
• twist and fold them into flower shapes,
• tape them up to decorate rooms,
• decoupage over old boxes or trays,
• you name it.

Make sure you try a few yourself. It's fun!



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All works on this site Alicia Bayer unless otherwise noted.
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