Spotlight on the Color Farm: Tie-Dye for the Whole Family

I am starting a new Spotlight series to feature home businesses run by WAHMs (work-at-home moms) and their families. I could think of no store better to feature first than The Color Farm, which has fast become one of my favorite places to shop online. At The Color Farm, you can find affordable tie-dyed clothing for the whole family to enjoy. Their products can be worn, played with, and used as decoration. Best of all, when you buy from them, you are supporting a family business.

Imagination and beauty are highly valued at The Color Farm, whose signature design is the mandala. The mandala is a sacred symbol in many cultures, symbolizing unity, harmony, wholeness, or even the cosmos. It is often used in meditation. It can represent one's own individual universe, the center being the most important.

The Color Farm specializes in playsilks, tie-dyed silk squares that can be used as dress up clothing, decorative backgrounds, or props. A playsilk can be a pirate bandana, superhero cape, or sling for a doll. The possibilities are as infinite as your child's imagination. Decorate a fort, or convert a bedroom into a rainforest. A playsilk can transform a little girl into a princess, fairy, or butterfly and a little boy into a king, elf, or bat. Larger heavyweight silks can be used as tapestries, playstand canopies, sarongs (wrap around skirts), and whatever else your child can imagine.

Not only are playsilks versatile and gorgeous, they are very affordable. The 30x30 playsilks are $12 each or 3 for $30, and the larger 44x44 squares cost $20 each. The larger silks, measuring 45x72, run $26 each. These aren't just for children. Both sizes can also be worn by adults and make beautiful bandanas or overskirts for swimsuits.

The silk scarves are my personal favorite. A silk scarf can be a headband, head wrap, hair tye, or colorful sash, and you can wear them in a number of ways. They can be used as streamers by children. An 8x54 silk scarf will cost you $12, and the larger 11x60 is priced at $14.

Of course, no tie-dye store is complete without cotton clothing. The Color Farm has cotton clothing for all people, big and little. Tie-dyed shirts are available from size 12 months and up, starting at $10.

Custom tie-dying is also available if you contact the owners. One of their wonderful ideas has been to refresh old clothes by tie-dying them, giving new life to stained or dingy clothing. Tie-dying white cloth diapers can turn ordinary into extraordinary. Talk about fancy pants!

The owners of The Color Farm describe themselves as "your ordinary, average latter-day hippie family." The business was founded so that the owners could realize their dream of being home with their children and still earn money. They wanted more beauty in their lives and control over their work conditions. Their children get to see what creative work looks like, and they also get a lesson in team work. The owners do the work together, with one doing the tying and folding and the other doing the prep and dying.

Each of their creations is one-of-a-kind and sure to turn heads. They are reminders that we can all still be our unique selves even in this conformist society. They encourage creativity, imagination, and individuality. As they say at The Color Farm, "Can a little more beauty in our daily lives really hurt?" Give yourself or a loved one the gift of color today.