Busy Days

 

I have been really a busy bee lately.

There is so much to do in the garden. The weeds never seem to stop growing. Our little potager garden has been giving us a lot on our plates these days.

These garlic were a bit disappointing, I expected them to be bigger. So I have left a lot in the ground still. Maybe with some luck it can grow little bit more.

The potting shed is getting full slowly. Fresh herbs are nice to use now and these will be dry and ready to use in winter.

Remember the glass jar which was filled with marigold couple of weeks before to dye some samples in the sun. I am so pleased with the colour and think will make few more jars and leave it in the sun.

Every afternoon after dropping little Emily at her nursery, I am on my own, in silence, creating, this is something I love to do the most.

I am very happy how my work has developed in my studio. This year, I have been pushing myself a lot more to do more paintings. I am not going to show all of them now as I want them up at the exhibition first. The painting above is yet another one of my small canvases which I have completed.

Still a lot needs to be done before the exhibitions. In between I do need to distract myself with some crafty projects while sipping nice cup of tea. While I am waiting for paintings to dry before applying another layer (love working in layers) is the best time to pick up a slow stitching or knitting.

I cant think of knitting now with this temperature. Need to wait for that until Autumn now. Anyway the little piece of work which I did not long ago using my mothers sari and rust dyed fabric got another layer of rust dyed fabric too. It is interesting that like my paintings I keep on adding materials to my stitching too.

So, this is what it looks like now. This was my old (almost 4years) journal where I have lot more sari and other materials inside. I thought because I used more sari it might be best making it as a cover for that book/journal.

Solar Dyeing

Nature is so beautiful and my garden is giving me plenty for making offerings everyday.

I am collecting every single day when the sun is out...

... Filling jars with scent and goodness.

And on those rainy day, I sit in my potting shed with a nice cup of coffee and some work. I am currently working on quite a few things. Need to get a lot done as I am preparing for three upcoming exhibitions this year. For larger paintings I have to go in my studio though.

As I sipped my coffee, which I drink black, my eyes went on this feather stuck on the branch and the rain drops looked like little gems.

Nature is so beautiful and inspiring. I am always inspired by it.

Even on a grey day. And the wait is then, for the sun.

The gentle kiss of the sun on my jars is hopefully doing its magic.

Yes, I am solar dying some cotton threads and a bit of lace and felted blanket. The jar on the left was filled with marigold from the garden, Alum and water. As I was collecting these I thought, of trying some solar dyeing. This is a very nice way of eco dyeing without too many equipments. I like playing with colour, be it paint or in this case natural dye. This is a test piece and need to wait couple of weeks before I can peek inside the jar. But I really like this process and going this afternoon for a little walk in the forest. Hopefully I can find some free gifts of nature for trying some more eco dyeing.

As we are so blessed with nature, we might as well make good use of it. Are you like me and like collecting? I know I love it and that's what I have done from my childhood.