Dyeing with Intention: The Heart Behind Koa’s Birthday Shirts 🌈

For Koa’s 11th birthday, I wanted to create something that felt personal, something that wasn’t just a party favor, but a keepsake of this moment in her life. She’s turning 11 this year, and for the first time, she asked to have a birthday party with her friends. That alone felt like such a milestone — one that filled my heart with gratitude and emotion.

As many of you know, Koa has additional needs, and her journey - like every child’s - is unique and beautifully her own. These friendships she’s formed mean the world to her. This group of kids has been her first real community outside our home, the ones who’ve accepted her, celebrated her, and helped her thrive in ways words can’t quite capture.

So, I decided to make something from the heart: hand-dyed shirts for each of her friends.

Each shirt carries a touch of red, Koa’s favorite color, representing her vibrant spirit. The other colors were chosen to symbolize the love, kindness, and support her friends have brought into her world. Together, they form something bright, messy, and beautiful — much like childhood itself.

But this time, I didn’t create alone.

Our Instagram community played such a big role in making this day possible. The donations, the messages, the love - all of it helped bring Koa’s celebration to life. Truly, it wouldn’t have happened without you. We are so grateful and beyond thankful. I wish you could’ve seen her face - the joy, the laughter, and the love that filled the air. It was one of those moments you hold close forever.

As I was creating these shirts, I found myself reflecting on why I started RaeMoonRose in the first place.

Color has always been my language a way to express emotion, energy, and intention when words fall short. I’ve always believed that what we wear carries meaning, and that creation, whether it’s a shirt, a pattern, or a swirl of dye can hold emotion and spirit.

Watching the dyes blend together felt like watching life itself messy, vibrant, connected.

And honestly, it made me emotional. As a mother, there’s always that part of me that wishes I could do more, give more, make more. But this time, standing over tubs of color with my hands stained with dye, I realized: this was enough. This was love made visible.

RaeMoonRose has always been about this: about creating from emotion, about energy meeting artistry, clothing and color that carry meaning and most importantly - community.

These shirts weren’t made for sale, but they reminded me why I create at all - to make something that feels alive, intentional, and full of heart.

So as we pack them up for her party, I was filled with gratitude for Koa, for her beautiful friends, and for this incredible community that helped us make it happen.

Thank you for sharing in this joy with us, for being part of her story, and for believing in the energy behind creation.

💫 Here’s to wearing our hearts - and our gratitude - out loud.