Easy DIY Orange Print T-Shirt!

I get girl crushes very easily! They're not frivolous or trivial, I just feel really connected to and inspired by other women determined to rise, help, create, whatever it is! I'm lucky to call many of those crushes my friends and today with IZZE I'd love to share an easy way to celebrate your own girlies on National Friends Day!

My own personal girl gang is chockfull of powerful ladies who are super passionate about what they do, whether they're a kick-ass fashion editor, changing how we access local foods, educating the next generation, raising amazing babies or literally bringing babies into this world! I am humbled by them. I am amazed by them. I am their biggest fan. 

One big thing we have in common is our commitment to empowering other women. We've all been called #girlboss before. We've also all been called pushy. Bossy. Bitchy. You name it! As a result, I think we all feel responsible for lifting up the ladies around us and protecting them for the haters, even in small ways.

This may sound totally silly but after attending the Women's March in Washington, D.C. I started to see what I was calling "boob" shirts everywhere. Some of the designs were actual hand-sketched boobs, others were seashells, daisies, pineapples...you could really have your pick. Have you noticed the same thing!?

When I see those shirts in person or on Instagram I think, "you frickin' go girl!!!" The trolls would say, "ummm...well...you're just trying to bring attention to your boobs. That's not powerful that's slutty. That's the opposite of feminism." And to them I say, thank you for your opinion. I don't agree but that's totally fine.

When I see these shirts, I see a woman who isn't hiding or afraid to put herself out there. I see a person who owns who she is. I see someone who isn't going to let other people's judgments make her feel uncomfortable or indecent. I see the same kinds of things my dearest friends.

When IZZE asked me to celebrate National Friends Day with their Sparkling Clementine Juice, I knew exactly what I wanted to do and who I wanted to share it with. These orange shirts couldn't be easier to make, I'll leave the instructions below. I made matching ones for me and my friend Jenna who is everything I mentioned above and a thousand times more! And just like IZZE Sparkling Clementine, she's sharp, sweet and sparkly ;) 

If you're interested, here are a few other pictures from our Friend's Day date in my neighborhood in Brooklyn. Isn't Jenna the most photogenic person ever!?!

She insisted I try twirling, which obvs! 

By the way, Jenna is an amazing boss-lady in the food industry. She works for a cool startup that's basically online groceries for famers' market lovers. It's called Our Harvest, check it out if you're interested in yummy local foods.

What I love about this project is that you don't have to spend much to make your crew feel super special on Friends Day! I bought these white t-shirts for about $9 each but you could totally use shirts you already have. I used Soft Fabric Ink from Fabric Creations because it's dreamy! If you've painted t-shirts before, you know it usually dries crusty and hard. Not this! It feels like it was printed on the fabric. Anyway, take a look at the instructions for this DIY project below...

DIY ORANGE PRINT T-SHIRT

MAKES: 1+ shirts

Plain white t-shirt (new or old)

Old cardboard or magazine

Fabric paint

Potato 

Knife

1. If your shirt is new, wash it as you normally would before starting this project.

2. Put the shirt on and mark where the "boobs" should go using a pencil. Remove the shirt. Put a piece of cardboard or a magazine inside to act as a flat surface to hold everything in place and soak up any excess paint.

3. Squeeze fabric paint onto a plate or in a bowl. Cut a potato in half to create a circle stamp. 

3. Dip the cut-end of the potato into the paint and stamp onto your pencil mark. Continue to create the shape you'd like. Let dry for a few minutes. 

4. Meanwhile, cut the unused half of the potato in half again, creating a semi-circle shape. This is your leaf stamp. 

5. Press the leaf stamp into green paint and stamp onto the shirt. Let dry as the paint label directs. 

Disclosure: IZZE sent me these products to try, which was so nice! As usual, all content and opinions are that of my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support Hey, EEP!