Briny deep.

This scarf reminds me of the underwater world and the kelp beds in California.
From a deep and briny green, to brighter yellow/green and teal as you get closer to the "surface". Come up for air and throw on your sarong. Can you say, "Margarita, please?"
Indigo and osage orange.

And then there's "Mauve"!

This scarf has taken on almost all shades of pink and lavender and a few specs of purple here and there all melting together... and then there's "mauve"! I think Bea Arthur (who became the feminist TV icon in the "70's)would have rocked this then and now. I timeless accessory- The over sized scarf!

Faded Glories.

More silk scarves. This time I used madder and quebracho with alum and cream of tarter. The results were stunning!

Share.

Even squirrels know how important it is to share. My original drawing has been screen printed onto cotton flour sack dish towel for you to share with someone you love. Go to etsy and get one for your valentine... limited edition! Etsy

It madders....Purple Logwood and Madder.

The natural dyes I played with yesterday were Purple Logwood and Madder

. The purples and lavenders came from the Logwood. The red, coral and any dark purple/ grays (almost black)came from the madder after we added iron and baking soda... there was no real method to the madness with that recipe... alchemy got the best of me! It's really mystery after mystery with these dyes. You don't know what color the fabric will be after you pull it out of the vat, how dark they will be after they are rinsed, and again after they are washed. I'm hooked on the uncertain outcomes and having to give up control. "Alchemists Anonymous"?

Earthly accents.

Pillows made with indigo, turmeric, marigold and all natural pigments that I ordered from Earth Hues.
The pigments were stenciled on with my friend Roxanne's stencil from- gulp- I think JoAnne's.
The marigold was extracted much like you would make a tea. The clips from staples create that grid effect.

Indigo ombre.

One of the most satisfying dye techniques is accomplished when dunking one end of wet fabric into the dye bath and allowing it to creep and seep into the fabric, creating an effect called "ombre". Typically one end is richer and deeper and then fades out. That said, my experiences with dying prove nothing is ever really typical, and surely very difficult, if not impossible, to repeat! This randomness is also what makes each piece so special.
The Queen Anne's Lace printed over the dye adds another dimension.

Windows in the wild.

I am not a huge fan of drapes or curtains, but out of respect for my neighbors have come up with a light and airy solution. I made a series of curtains that would provide a veil of privacy yet still allow the light and feeling of the outdoors to come in. I used a logwood dye for the grays fro the fabulous Earth Hues, turmeric (from Penzeys Spice!) for the yellow, and Indigo for the blue.
The silk screen on the yellow drapes is made from the sage, mint, clover and bamboo in my garden.
The spiky flowers printed on the blue and white linen drapes and the gray and white ombre were Queen Anne's Lace from my now empty horse paddocks.