Indigo Buttons

I had some buttons left over 

from making up the buttons sets

so on a whim 

I popped 4 into the indigo

I have a mini vat

sitting next to the fire

I left them in for 

48 hours

So pleased with the results

That I have put a few more in

I may even be tempted to 

remove a set or two from there cards

and give them the treatment as well

x te

A Tiny Indigo Vat

I have been playing with a teeny tiny indigo vat

It is in a Djon Mustard jar

a little indigo powder dissolved in meths

a little lime and 

some agave syrup

I have dyed some little 

woven squares

all silk except the one second row

on the left 

which is 

nettle fibre

this one was left in the pot overnight

and is very vibrant

I have also dyed a skein of 

linen paper tape

which I am now weaving into

another square

each side is some where between

7 and 8 cm

So no matter how small your container 

you can still dye with indigo

the advantage here is that

the little jar soon

heats up in the sun

x te

A Glimpse and a Piece of Sky

Silk wrap just out of the pot

Like sky lying on my

artificial grass

Another silk wrap

cold dyeing with

what I believe to be Sea Almonds

Terminalia Catappa

They are now ripening and 

the trees are full of Red Tailed Black Cockatoos

eating them

Fortunately they drop a few

ripe ones for me to collect

and some new little paintings 

experimenting 

with shellac based inks

here in plain water

here in black tea

this is found rusty shapes

in black tea

all have been sealed with wax

and are 

10 x 10cm

This is a detail

of my entry to

the Cardwell Art Prize

and on an entirely different subject

this is my thumb

it is now on the mend

This is what happens when you are allergic to band aids

and are forced to use one

For days it was really swollen

and so painful

But now it just looks ugly.

x te