Mellow Yellow Inspiration

I am a part of this great little stitch and swap group hosted by my friend, Deb Taylor.

Our next stitch theme is the color scheme of turquoise, coral red and yellow.

(image by Sarah Hearts)

Yum !

I don’t have a lot of yellow fabric

so I decided to try out an eco-dyeing technique that I have been wanting to try for awhile.

I researched dyeing cloth with turmeric, knowing that I would achieve some bright and cheery yellows.

It was a fun and easy way to spend an afternoon.

First I gathered some bits of different fabrics, including wool, silk, cotton, and even a few crocheted circles in bamboo.

I chose mostly white or natural fabrics but also included a couple of rust and eucalyptus dyed pieces that I had around.

In preparation, I did some stitching here and there on some of the pieces and also did some tie dye knots, or shibori techniques, if you want to use the fancy term !

Then I got a pot of water with turmeric and salt simmering on my handy dandy hot plate out on the lanai.

The turmeric has a pleasant smell but it gets over powering when its simmering,

plus having the heat outside helped save my ac a little indoors.

I just guessed at amounts of water and turmeric, using the info. I read on-line. I think there was about 10 cups of water and 3 tbsp of ground turmeric. I added a 1/4 cup of salt to set the color.

Once the pot had simmered for about an hour, I added in the fabrics.

I was not worried about perfectly even dyeing as some might be, so I packed the pieces in there, just making sure it was all covered with liquid.

I stirred them around occasionally as well.

The yellow color appeared pretty immediately ! Especially on the silks in the pot.

Chica and I waited as I  left the fabric simmering on low for about 20 minutes.

Then I rinsed out all the pieces in cool water until the water ran clear.

I used some mild dish soap as well, to get any of the powdery residue off and to take away the turmeric smell.

Then I used my make shift clothes line to dry all the pieces in the sun.

I am pretty thrilled with the results !

The cotton stayed a nice mellow yellow, and took the tie dye marks beautifully.

The silk definitely became the most saturated with the bright yellow, almost golden color.

The previously dyed wool, silk and cotton bits turned this lovely warm brown color, and I love how the eucalyptus details still remain visible.

 

And I now have a great stash of mellow yellow fabrics to play with!

Quite rightly !

I hope you have a creative and sunshiny weekend, Beautiful Ones.

Summertime Lunch

Lunch.

Florida Tomatoes.

Ready to be chopped up with basil, garlic, green olives and mozzarella,

drizzled with olive oil and fresh ground black pepper.

Left to macerate for a few hours.

Then scooped on top of steaming hot linguine.

Cheese gets melty, garlic and basil emit their fragrant scent,

olives add their salt goodness,

and the tomatoes share their sweetness.

Pasta Primavera a la Suzanne.

Summer on a plate.

 

Happy Friday, beautiful Ones !

Savor it !

 

August Break hosted by Susannah Conway

Local Flora

Getting to know the local flora and fauna.

Big learning curve after a whole life spent living in the North East.

Loved finding that the indoor plant I used to love up there, the Crown of Thorns, or Maddy as I called her (thorny plant with little red round flowers in the bottom of the shot), grows joyfully outside here in FL, as well as in Madagascar.

Never been to Madagascar. That’s what the plant care label said on the plant I had up North.

Maddy also grows really well in my Mom’s front window.

I know this because my mom still has the plant I bought about twenty years ago and gave to her when I moved to NH 14 years ago.

It’s huge and very healthy.

That’s how I knew she would take good care of my cat Boo, when he needed a new home too.

Hee !

Happy to report that my beautiful Mom and the sweet black Boo are living happily ever after in Montreal.

Boo says he loves his new Momma very much

and only misses the white dog a little bit.

Happy Thursday, Beautiful Ones !

 

August Break – Hosted by Susannah Conway

Pumpkin Kisses

This cat gives the best loving. 

Love you, Pumpkin Head! 

Ibis on your lawn

(Happy and Free Circle card by Deb Taylor)

Beginning with Bibitte

Bibitte Inspiration – Monday July 28, 2014

-blue jay feather, lavender sprig, duck bill lake drift wood and the vino du jour.

 

I have been away from regular blogging for such a long while now

that I feel like I don’t know where to jump back in.

I have decided to participate in Susannah Conway’s

August Break

“This is a community project that has no real rules –  the idea is to simply take a photograph every day for the whole of August. That’s it. Pause, look around you and shoot what you see. Live inside each moment. Pay attention to what’s there. If it’s the summer where you are it’s a lovely way to be present to the moments that will be gone before you know it. If it’s the winter, what better way to liven up your day than with a creative project to play with? :)”

 

I am not so great with sticking to things, but I really want to try and commit to this project.

I may or may not stick to the prompts that Susannah has provided.

I just want to see where inspiration guides me.

I have also decided to start early.

Monday.

A perfect day to begin.

Happy new beginnings, Beautiful Ones.

Haiku My Heart–Home Making…

 

 

Flotsam and jetsam

Of life gathered in altars

Saying I am here.

 

(Mini-zombie doll by artist Linda Willis)

 

(Painted rocks by the Rock Fairy)

(Star by me, Scarred heart by Alisa Burke)

 

(Mermaid from a Playa del Carmen souvenir shop, Henrietta bobbin doll by Sam Johnson, felted Rock Being by me)

 

(Stitched squares by me, yoyos by my grandmother)

 

Yesterday, while continuing the unpacking process, I finally reached the point where my real stuff, the stuff I love, that I have chosen, that I have gathered along the way,

was emerging from the piles of paper

and

finding new homes in my new home.

I recognized the feeling of placing my stuff just so,

creating little altars everywhere,

of marking the spot

with my very own hand, eye, and heart.

Made me feel like I am here now.

Made me feel at home.

Interesting to acknowledge, appreciate and in fact love,

the fact that

the creation of a home that reflects bits of who I am,

where I have come from,

what I love,

is

Art

from my Heart.

 

Happy Friday, Beautiful Ones!

 

for more beautiful hearts gathering in word and image, visit recuerda mi corazon .