Camouflage

At home last Monday morning - when I was really missing the wild surroundings we had enjoyed on our trip - I discovered this lovely creature on our stone patio. I like it that this moth found it suitable to rest there. Our chair is not a tree - but he was shaded enough to rest there all day - and the grays of his surroundings suited him perfectly. My sons and I checked on him often throughout the day and even played near him and he stayed. He was gone the next morning.

I had wanted to see what the lower wings would look like if opened - but I hadn't had the heart to disturb him.

Return to Real Life

We were gone and now we are back. These are just a few photos - for a sense of the place. It is strange to be back to cars driving by outside our house and the heat and humidity. We are slowly adjusting.

The story cloth went with me and I worked on it here and there quite a bit - although the things I added seem as if they have always been there.

Offline

I will be offline for a week or so - but I expect to have much to post about when I am back! Happy Summer!

Avocado Impatience

Although I made the previous post about the avocado dyeing today I actually took that first piece of fabric out yesterday. So technically I waited one more day after I first saw what the fabrics were beginning to look like. This afternoon it (finally) rained and the hot sun went away for awhile so I just decided the fabrics had been in the jar long enough and took them all out. Total time in the jar - about 5 days. I used the skins from 4 avocados and one pit.

I had placed colored fabrics in the mix as well as some creamy colored cotton. None of them were white to begin with because I don't use pinks very often and that is often what is achieved from using avocado. I had hoped using some colors would give me something different and I am happy with how they turned out. The lightest cream dyed a beautiful shade - the photo does not represent the lighter colors very well - but it is not what I would call pink - it is much warmer than that - I really like it. I like the dark shapes that happened - maybe where the color migrated to the high spots that were sticking out of the liquid? The blue print in the center was very bright and the print on the right was bright yellow - so it toned them down quite a bit - in a nice way I think.

I am encouraged. It was lots of fun. Its' a good thing my six year old likes avocados so much.

Avocado Skins and Pits

This is my first result - dyeing fabric with dried avocado skins and pits. The darker colored areas have just begun to show up so I am trying to be patient and leave the rest of the fabrics in the jar.

I started with everything - pits cut into pieces, skins and fabrics in a big pot - simmered everything for at least an hour. I tossed in blue, yellow and gold fabric to see what the results might be - we will see.


I put everything into a big glass jar and sat it on the counter for a few days. Then yesterday I put it out in the sun all day and that is when the darker spots (which I like) started appearing. I peak a lot - probably too often - but excited to see things are happening. I have left everything outside in the jar - still in the sun. If I can be patient until then I will take everything out on Saturday - which will have been one week.

Threads

What if I just discovered I love variegated thread? I used it here - it is a subtle change from color to color, all browns - but a different more living/natural? look than a solid color. I like it.

Gaining Ground

I have made some progress on this the last few days. The elements have grown connected and I have added a few things here and there. The stitches are growing and changing the fabrics.

I had started to stitch on the top portion but am thinking the growth and stitch upward might be the best. I have the thought that it should just keep growing - how far could it go - upwards and outwards?