Back from Ohio

I just returned from visiting my sister in Ohio today. I first flew to Indiana to visit a very dear friend and his wife who live in a super cool, very large old Indiana farm house with three rottweilers. I got a tour of several old warehouse type buildings in Indianapolis that my friend Jack was instrumental in converting into artists studios. Jack took me half way between Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio where I met up with my sister and another friend who we both knew from the Diva's online. We antique shopped and then all headed in our separate directions. I stayed several days with Jan but the weather wasn't real cooperative. Rain, wind, and cool weather prevented us from doing a lot of the outdoor activities we wanted. My parents drove up from Missouri and we had Mother's day together. It's too bad we live so far away from each other.

I have no pictures I had forgotten to take my camera.

Now I have to play catch up now from being gone. There are several projects that need immediate attention so I'll be back in a few days with more news.

May 4th Faire goodies

This is another batch of the beautiful hand dyed silk flower pins that I'll have at the May Day Faire this Sunday. I hope to see a lot of local friends show up for this! My husband, Michael Scott, and Danny Gross are going to play music for us in the afternoon, probably starting around 1:00. I'll have shibori dyed silk ribbons, and some mother's day books and ephemera. I also added a few packs of dyed silk ribbons to my Etsy shop.

I am leaving town on May 6th so if you want one of these flower pins for a Mother's day gift email me. The cost is $32.00 plus shipping.

Dyed ribbons for upcoming show

I dyed more ribbons that have been sent to Jennifer to sew into flower pins. Below are the pictures. I'm hoping to meet up with her soon and learn to sew these myself in hopes that I can do as could a job (as if?!). I'll be posting more photos of items I plan to have in the show in the next two weeks.

I just got back from Austin, Tx. to see old friends there and attended some dear friends 25th wedding anniversary party. Oh the stories we told! It seems we all remembered a few things differently but that's how memoir is. So we laughed and laughed into the night. I came home exhausted but today I have been on a cleaning frenzy. I have come to the realization that I really don't have to save all the stuff I have. Saving it for what? and for whom? Do children really want the crap their parents save? I think not so I'm trying to come to terms with this. I feel as if I am saving stuff that accounts for a memoir of my life, but really who cares?

I better go clean up the piles I've made in the living room to file before dinner time. I feel really good about this!




The ribbons in the bottom photo were all dyed with indigo.

May Day Art Faire ~ May 4th

Anyone living in or visiting the Santa Cruz, CA area is invited to an annual art faire I'm involved with. It's a great group of artist showing our wares in the beautiful abode of Nancy Howells. We always serve refreshments and it's a free event of course. This year my husband, Michael Duane Scott and guitar player Danny Gross will be providing music for us in the afternoon. Hope to see some of you there!!

Ribbon Necklaces Ready to be Made

This pendant was made by Patty Lakinsmith that I have strung onto a shibori dyed grosgrain ribbon and a dyed silk cord.

I dyed more ribbons to put together some necklaces with the Rama Raku pendant beads, another glass bead from Patty, and one vintage Czechoslovakian glass piece I believe was a shoe clip at one time. Here are some picures. I'm leaving town next week so it may be a while before I find time to finish these.

Fiber Art Kits on Etsy

I began putting these fiber kits together to sell at art retreats where altered artist of all kinds attend, quilters, painters, altered book artists, etc. I use items I've collected over the years, fabric remnants from my handwoven garments and dyed silks, end pieces of laces I've collected, old buttons, just about anything related to fiber art.

I am now listing them on Etsy to see how they sell online. Have a look and let me know what you think.

I have some items a few "Diva's" made for me so I can show just what in the world can be done with these kits. Altered Art Diva's is a Yahoo group I belong to and thus this is where I found my diva's! I had pictures of those items on a different camera that is no longer so I need to retake some photos and will do that later and then post the wonderful items they created!

I've taken the photos and included pictures of the kit before these women got their hands on them. Sorry the kits were bagged when I took photos so you see a little shine.



Connie and her vivid imagination creates a cool and eclectic eyeball purse with the kit she chose, included the pink funky fur fringe that for some reason doesn't show up in the photo of the kit.





Fran created this bag that perfectly fits a cell phone, credit card, cash, and lip gloss. What else does one need??





Cat made this fabulously intricate quilted fabric scene!




Angela made this very sweet journal cover. I really couldn't imagine how she would fit all this stuff together but just look




Joanne made this fiber doll with metal face and hands she added. It looks good against the brick of my fireplace doesn't it? Hhmm maybe she'll live there now!





Jennifer R. created a two sided piece that can be used as an altered book page or perhaps hung as a mobile so you see both equally cool sides.

Indigo

The above photo is a partial amount of items that I have indigo dyed over this last week. I have put together some small packets of laces and silk ribbons for sale at my Etsy shop.


There's something about indigo that attracts people. I'm not usually a "blue" person but the magic of the indigo dye process is changing my mind. There is a psychological term used about "Extremely bright, precocious children with an amazing memory and a strong desire to live instinctively" called the "indigo child" taken from the color of their aura. Joni Mitchell has an album named "Turbulent Indigo" and she writes often in her songs about the color blue and has another album titled "Blue". One of my favorite contemporary artists, Nina Bagley, writes often of her love of blue too!

Indigo encompasses a wide range of blue from pale robins egg blue to the deep blue of a brand new pair of Levi's. The indigo vat I use is not completely natural. I use chemicals to reduce the oxygen in the dye bath. The indigo itself I get from Michele Wipplinger's business "earthues" and I highly recommend her products!

This is an interesting site to watch how a natural indigo dye pot is used.
YouTube



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This pile of dyed ribbons are ready to get made into more flower pin adornments. I think they will be fabulous!





I will have more projects to address with all these items in my next posts! Stay tuned!