Finally, Avocado Skins

I've been wanting to try dyeing with avocado skins ever since I saw the beautiful results which Carolyn Saxby posted to her Flickr page.

I used two pieces of very soft cotton, from an old sheet, and the result was a nice, delicate pink. Then I did some playing around in an attempt to eco-print the two pink pieces, a la India Flint. 

Beet slices, hydrangea petals, carrot tops.
Geranium petals, buds, leaves; salt; vinegar; and some pounding.

Bundled up and resting on sticks above a steam bath for about an hour or two.

Now I have to do that patiently waiting thing ... I wonder how long I'll last. I just hope they don't get moldy while I'm conscientiously practicing patience.  If you'd care to delve a bit into thinking about why patience is a virtue, try these links:


 "To know how to wait is the great secret of success."  ~ Joseph Marie de Maistre

Still Sticking

I've started listing the stickpins in my IndieMade shop. There are a few in my Etsy jewelry shop but I am concentrating on getting them all into the IndieMade shop first, especially since I have customers who find Etsy to be difficult. Once I have them all listed at the IndieMade shop, I will continue to upload the listings to the Etsy shop.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy.  ~Dalai Lama

It's Arrived and It's Lovely

Linen scarf from Hank and Spool.
Yesterday, the final day of my birthday month, I received this gorgeous gift from Christine Mauersberger. You can read the back story and see her beautiful photographs of the scarf and creative things she's done with it at her blog.

I love the ombre dye photo and  want to try it myself, but I love the scarf just the way it is also ... a beautiful, calm color and so soft. I think I may just have to buy at least one more at Christine's online shop, Hook and Spool. Meanwhile, I'll thank my lucky stars that I won this beautiful piece of linen.

Bonus: it came from someone whose work I have admired for a long time ... visit her website and you'll see why.

It Just Keeps Getting Better

Stickpin with photographic greeting card.

I am thoroughly chuffed with how these stickpins are progressing. I love all their whimsical shapes and colors. They have a playful look, which perfectly reflects how it feels to make them.

I think I've come up with a very nice way to package them. It's a nice presentation and it aids in my Big Goal of trying to declutter my studio/home/life.

The stickpin appears to be resting on a plate white background, attached by a small piece of very easily removed tape. But that plain white piece is actually an envelope. Turn the whole thing over and you find a blank greeting card, too!

Photo card of 1860s Steinway Square Grand Piano (detail) with stickpin.
I'm quite happy with this solution to the problem of how to best display the stickpins. Also, most of the greeting cards are made with photographs by me. The one above is a detail shot of our Steinway square grand piano, which we sold on Ebay. I don't know about you, but I tend to hoard greeting cards. I like them, but I rarely get around to using them anymore. So it feels good to clear out the drawer with all the cards in it. Maybe I'll use some to package earrings, too. Maybe I'll even get inspired to revive the art of note writing, complete with "real" ink.


I think I'll get some washi tape to use in the future. It's so much more fun and I'm pretty sure it peels off easily, so as not to damage the envelope. 

We're finally having some nice weather ... I hope you are too. 

Bye Bye, Birthday Month!