12 Days to go

Amanda and Paul's wedding is more my focus this Christmas and with my new birthday present iPad, I am attempting to document the run up to Christmas through my obsession with creating the best Naturally Dyed wedding in the world!

So, with correct apps downloaded and armed with photos on this beautiful new tool, here I go!

Featured are the calico backings from the little Lily and Arwen's dresses.
The technique is hapa-zome, taught to me by India Flint. This is the first time I have used it in my own work since the workshop and the results are scintillating.

The dresses are off to meet the girls and gain approval or/and await the tweaks which is every woman's perogative.

...and so it begins

As the date is 6th December, is seems appropriate that I am starting to post about Paul and Amanda's wedding which will be on 6th January!
Preparations, measurings, fittings, discussions, brain-stormings, not to mention coffees have been have been taking place for many months but now is 'the business end' of the project. A time to pull it all together, consolidate and relish the fruits of our labours. Amanda's 'team' assembled last Thursday for a walk through and I must SEW! Sew, like I've never sewn before!

I visited ZiguZagu and bought some delicious vintage kimono silk. A really big roll, tied up with string allowing beautiful purplish leaf prints to caress it's surface, thanks to a big bar of iron.

The Wedding Dress Angel

Not Just Nat

My friends, Nat Palaskas and Jacky Williams did a workshop earlier in the year. When I advertised again, I included them but never expected that they would be coming back for more....but they did! And this time they invited some of her friends, Dot and Ro to come to my studio for another Naturally Dyed Workshop.

To say we had fun is not enough!

I have been trying to 'blog' about our day all week but a broken computer and work for the Naturally Dyed Wedding have conspired against me.
However, tonight as I sit with a glass of wine (well-earned), reflecting on a wondrous day at Grassroots Market in Upwey and leafing through the blogs of the week...I see a solution.

The ladies have documented their day better than I ever could.

So I direct you here...to Nat's blog....thank you Nat!

or here...to Jacky's blog....thank you Jacky

or here...Ro's blog....thank you Ro

and gorgeous Dot, didn't get your personal blog, if you have one and made a record of the day, I would LOVE to see it!

Til next time xx

Fun in the Sun

Well, Sunday was a glorious day and I was thankful. The studio space can be a little cold, due to the fact that I have two missing window panes from over exuberant young men with footy balls! But I was blessed, the sun warmed us up; in the morning, the smell of eucalyptus tickled our noses and in the afternoon we tolerated the red cabbage for the sake of our 'art'! Another great day at Bye-Ways and we all went away a little the wiser and a little more gripped by the world of natural dyeing.

This rusted chain is still working it's magic on the hand-felted scarf.

Some very experimental use of stamens from the Arum Lilies mixed with wild mint and red onion skins.

Who could ever tire of onion skins? The Navajo Indians admired the humble Allium Cepa as did the marauding masses in Europe for it's easily extractable colour...and we love it too!

My little Helper

Apart from sharing ideas, spending time with like minded people and creating some magical marks on cloth, another bonus in running workshops is the impetus to organise, cull and generally clean up the creative space.

I did alot of dyeing yesterday. Each piece; I considered the destiny of each piece...pot, sewing project, butterfly, already good and don't know then happily filed them in the appropriate basket.

Lobey helped....

........and then fell asleep!

END OF THE LINE FESTIVAL

I have many balls in the air, many plates spinning and (my favourite) my hands in many pots at the minute.
End of the Line Festival in Belgrave is just one of them and it's a totally exhilarating project to be part of. It's the inaugural year and hats off to CJ and Brent from Limerence, ably aided with their band of trusty organisers for instigating this.

Go to the website HERE of like on facebook HERE

But most importantly put it in your diary for

Saturday 24th November

This is the space I will be inhabiting for the day. It's the tranquil space, a place to take one's ease, a place to plan your next move, a place to chew the fat. Other artists will be there too, performing, playing and exhibiting, workshopping, teaching....just confirming who this week....super exciting.



Workshop Update

Only 1 space left for the 28th October...11th November and 18th November are still available.

Beavering away with Paul and Amanda's wedding, scarves to sell at an up-coming exhibition and a festival in Belgrave....spring really has sprung!

And who's decided to renovate the studio at space at this moment in time?
That would be me!