Clothespin Soup!

There is lots of fiber in this soup!

We are crafting up some clothespin dolls for the Ethiopian children to make. I didn't want these dolls to be lily white and thought a little color would be nice.

I experimented with coffee, (which was in bags) and tea (which is loose and was the good PJ tips brand). So the opposite of what the pictures would have you believe. Two minutes in the bath achieved a nice color. The tea was darker and the better color. It did take three days for the pins to completely dry. If I lived somewhere warm and could have put them in the fresh air and sunshine it would have been a much quicker drying process.

I'm now busy cutting out a thousand frocks for these little guys. Takes me back to the old days of Kinder Art here at our library where my neighbor Pam and I would craft it up for the community once a summer with our kids. How I wish you were next door right now Pam!

So faces or no faces on these little men? Thoughts?

     This is the coffee bath.

     This is the tea bath.  Mmmmmm, the kitchen smelled like the coffee shop!

Coffee dye on the bottom pin.  Tea on the top pin.

   Fabric is cut in 2" by 6" strips.  Fold strip in half and cut a small vertical slit for head.  One pipe cleaner makes the arms and the belt.  I didn't like the twist tie belt on the left.  We often use embroidery floss for the belt but that involves tying....and  the sheer number of kids who would be needing help made the pipe cleaner a better option.