my woad weekend

Kathy Hattori, Sophie Boss, Denise Lambert, me 

I don't have much time to "chat" here but I couldn't wait to post these photos from the amazing woad workshop I attended on Saturday with Kathy Hattori of Seattle-based Botanical Colors along with master dyer Denise Lambert of Bleu de Lectoure of France and her charming assistant Sophie.

For those of you who missed it, I previously blogged about my obsession with woad here: "mad about woad". I find this "black blue" to be exquisite and cannot wait to use my freshly dyed fabrics (and woad oil paints I purchased from Bleu online) for some upcoming art projects.

According to Denise, woad is a very rare blue that is finicky and demands a lot of patience. It is earth-friendly (requires no mordant) and uses oxygen to complete the color transformation. To achieve a uniform dye color, one must slowly lower the item into the dye vat so as to avoid trapping any air (oxygen) bubbles underneath the surface. Each dip takes anywhere from 3-4 minutes and each item should get at least 2 dips. My biggest challenge will be making my own vat at home -- wish me luck!

Watching the color transformation of the garments as they were being pulled from the various vats in the amphitheater was purely magical. I will try to post the video I captured of one woman's sarong as it changed from yellow-green to vibrant woad.

Perhaps the most important takeaway from the day was something Denise said about working with woad: "You must accept what you receive". What an amazing way to approach life, don't you think?

Woad treasures from the morning session.

Dyed items were hung on makeshift clothes lines at the top of the garden amphitheater which made for a beautiful sight.

Sophie + Denise restocking the vats at lunch time

I experimented with dying my spool of 100% organic cotton thread. I knew the under layers wouldn't dye, but all the better. 

Yarn skeins and canvas shoes of woad blue.

In closing, the workshop was a dream! The weather couldn't have been better, I got to "play" alongside other artists, and I walked away with a hefty bundle of woad-dyed textiles, some for wearing and some for future art projects. One thing's for sure, it was the perfect way to kick start my Mother's Day weekend. Cheers!

sneak preview no. 2

June is shaping up to be an exciting month for me. Here are just a few more images of what's to come later this month from my art studio. Have I mentioned my obsession with natural colorants and dyes? Cheers!

canson cold-press 140 lb watercolor french paper I stained with my morning coffee for my "art is my compass" original art prints

birch wood plank I stained with the same mug of coffee for my equine art contest entry

some of my colorado prairie landscape oil paintings on salvaged mexican hardwoods

double dating with chakra pennywhistle

I just have to share this with you. I received the sweetest gift a mother could ever receive over the holidays: a Chakra Pennywhistle original "Circle the Date" pillow. It's made entirely from organic and upcycled materials, and has become the centerpiece of conversation amongst house guests.



This darling pillow showcases not one, but two vintage tea towel calendar patches. Each patch has been embellished with a circle of red thread to mark each daughter's birthday. Incredibly sweet, right? And I just love the striking red color against the creamy white of the pillow.

My oldest daughter's birthday.

My youngest daughter's birthday

We will treasure this gift for generations to come. Thank you Rikkianne!

new in my etsy shop

Hello! It's been a few days since I last blogged about the time-intensive, yet highly rewarding process of making my eco wreath ornaments. Now I'd like to share with you a few eco pincushions and eco sachets that I've recently added to my collection....all handcrafted and hand sewn by me, with care.

My eco pincushions are unique in that they are larger than your average-sized pincushion, made from earth-friendly materials, and emit a soothing aromatic scent when pierced with needles and pins -- thanks to the surprise ingredient of lavender! Some even incorporate textiles I've dyed using natural colorants such as wine and coffee.







My eco sachets are highly fragrant -- just what they should be -- to fill your home with the special scent of balsam this holiday season. Hang one in from your mantel, a doorknob, or archway (in lieu of mistletoe). Each is filled with a generous amount of balsam fir needles and eco-friendly buckwheat hulls and includes a 7" 100% cotton twill tape loop for hanging. Some sachets are adorned with seasonal sayings while others showcase hand "drawn" designs (top stitched using my sewing machine).





I invite you to visit my Etsy shop -- perhaps you'll find a gem or two for the holidays.

Cheers, Mandy

several irons in the fire

staining hemp/organic cotton with coffee -- a staple in g-grandma Relda's kitchen no doubt

Mom recently asked if I'd been working on my first-in-a-very-long-time series of oil paintings. My reply was "yes" and that I'm "thrilled" with the final presentation that I have planned in the coming months. However, since oil paints take time to cure properly, I'm also working on a number of projects fitting for the holidays, brides and crafters alike. You could say that I have several irons in the fire...and I wouldn't have it any other way.

coffee and wine-stained hemp/organic cotton (ivory, unstained center)

coffee-stained hemp/silk charmeuse (ivory, unstained on right)

wine-stained hemp/silk charmeuse (ivory, unstained on left)

This week I've been experimenting with natural dyes, intentional fraying, and top stitching my stash of eco textiles (hemp/organic cotton, hemp/soy and hemp/silk charmeuse). I've absolutely fallen in love with the resulting colors that coffee and wine stains create and the patterns I'm coming up with...some tidy, others random and abstract. Oh I do hope you like! I've also been working with kapok, buckwheat hulls and 100% organic cotton twill tape. Stay tuned for my Etsy shop's grand opening announcement. In the meantime, I'm headed back to the studio and starting my search for an Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp Buddy. Cheers!

getting my creative on

a fresh batch of my block-printed eco textiles

It was a rare day here in Seattle. The sun was shining and I had the entire house to myself. No, I didn't catch up on housework or laundry. Instead, I selfishly got my "creative" on by stamping a batch of eco textiles for the holidays and mordanting fabrics for an upcoming woad project that I'm absolutely giddy over. Lots of discoveries; plenty of production. I'd say it was a really great day.