Natural Dyes

The Magnolia Seed Pod Project Continues

Working on the Magnolia Seed Pod Project.

I did a little research this afternoon into Magnolia blossoms, and the ones we have here in Iowa do not look like the ones in the southern states.

The blossoms here in Iowa are pinkish, while the ones down south are a gorgeous white color, and the blossoms are huge compared to ours.

I'm hoping to get some photos of the magnolia tree up the street from my house on Saturday, that's if the wind doesn't blow all of the blossoms away.

Where did the time go?

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I’m not sure how it happened but tomorrow is December 1st which is the beginning of two separate challenges.

Challenge Number One is two write a post every day for 31 days.

Challenge Number Two is the 31 Day Marigold Fermentation Vat.

Tomorrow I shall start the vat, I still need to go to the store and purchase a fish tank bubbler for my vat, which will also utilize a fish tank heater.

And finally, create little yarn butterflies for each day of the week to be removed from the vat.

The fermentation challenge will end sometime around January 5th. The wool yarn butterflies will be pre-mordanted with alum.

Oh the smell of the woods!

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I’ve been sorting through the supplies I inherited this fall when a fellow artist went into hospice, and I’m listening to George Winston’s album Forest on YouTube as I sort. My kitchen smells strongly of the woods right now, pine cones, pine needles, and oak moss lichen. I’m in heaven.

In other news the sink in my wet studio is finally functioning again so will be starting the 30 Day Fermentation vat with my dried marigolds on December 1st. Check back soon, or sign up for my newsletter, to see my progress as I get ready to set up the vat, and as I deep clean my wet studio that I abandoned early last spring when my I no longer had water in said studio.

I am participating in a 31 Day Blog Challenge for the month of December with a group of artists, so am hoping posts here each day.