This Creative Life: How I Spent This Perfect Weekend.

You won't find any drama, or game-changing clips. Just sharing a bit of the results from my personal creative sessoin this weekend. I don't include a tutorial on the flower dyeing because this was my first time trying it. I will share future eco-dyeing projects. Hope you're all getting enough creative-me-time too!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I invite you to check out all the my SparkBird kits and goodies on Etsy: sparkbirdstudi...
Or join SparkBird Nest - a fun monthly membership program for fellow junk journal junkies where for a small subscription you can receive all sorts of exclusive benefits. Check it out: ko-fi.com/spar...
Discover downloadable Freebies for everyone and access SparkBird Special Edition Printables: ko-fi.com/spar...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[@carolbeeding4270]

😍❤️

[@inaboucher144]

Christine the yellow is just great, who knew queen Anns lace would become that color. My favorite are the pink ones. Thanks so much for sharing with all of us. Hugs and stay well.

[@sparkbirdstudios]

Thank you! The pinks definitely command attention. I love and have plans for them! 🙂

[@dianneyoung8602]

Wow! Love how this turned out.

[@sparkbirdstudios]

Me too! Sometimes playing without a plan really pays off!

[@blackcoffeeandwildflowers]

Look at all that gorgeous avocado dyed goodies! 🤩 Wow did you do a wonderful job with all of those. And that French dictionary will likely get used down to every last page, including cover and spine 😂. That was a great bargain. And good job only walking out with one book!😂. Hugs 🤗❤️

[@sparkbirdstudios]

Right!!?? All art-creation aside, getting out of there with one book WAS my greatest accomplishment of the weekend!

[@diana.findingstory]

I love the color of the Queen Ann's lace. I'm always looking for books where the lines are tightly spaced. It gives it the nuance of more texture. It's my excuse for buying a book; you can use it too. This weekend, I worked on a simple journal I've been making for someone who works around my mom. Not too junky.

[@sparkbirdstudios]

I totally agree Diane! The tighter the leading, the better! (Sorry I didn't see this comment sooner)

[@brandiperelli4090]

Did you just do queen Anne's lace in water like a regular dye pot? We have so much here I wished I would have known it produces such a lovely color!!! Thanks for bringing this to my attention! I have some in my yard I think I will bring that in as well as forage for some more along with collecting St. Johns Wort today!!!

[@sparkbirdstudios]

Yes! I used 1/4 lb of Queen Anne's Lace Flowers only for 1/4 lb of fabric. I simmered the flowers in about 4 quarts of water for 55 minutes. Then, because I read that a mordant was recommended, I added 1/2 cup of alum I had mixed during the week for eco-paper printing - added it right to the dye pot after the simmer. Put the fabric in and simmered that for 45 min, let cool in the pot. Removed and hung the fabric on the line then dyed a stack of paper with the dye bath. I was great experimental fun, especially as a first time! The yellow papers I hot are really lovely and a bonus! I want to do St. Johns Wort!! We have one small shrub that I might have a go with later in the season.... Can't wait to here what you produce!

[@brandiperelli4090]

@@sparkbirdstudios 😊

[@brandiperelli4090]

@@sparkbirdstudios thank you!

[@sparkbirdstudios]

@@brandiperelli4090 Gladly! And Of course I left out that fact that I strained the plant material after the first simmer and before adding the alum...

[@brandiperelli4090]

@@sparkbirdstudios thanks for the additional info. I went out and got so much Queen Anne Lace and ST. John Wort just a block away!!! I decided today after our convo that I was going to start right here and now to gear up for winter dyeing since I’m a bit caught up with my house and biz. So, I’m going to do your recipe for the QAL and make a bunch and do hot water bath canning to seal and preserve it. That’s what I did last year, had jars and jars of different kinds and it was wonderful to have it for the winter/early spring. I dyed over 500 pieces of fabric lace ribbon etc. It was so much fun!!!!
You know what? I have a bag of avocados too so why not make them up as well lol 😂
Nope I’m not an overachiever at all 🤣😂
I do believe doing all three is going to be an awesome start tho! Thanks for helping me get my motor running! 😁