Half a rainbow

So the new dye batch is dry and I am going to leave well enough alone. Until I get more dye colors I can go no farther. I went ahead and redyed the light red and pale orange pieces that I did last week. They were both such pale colors. I was still attempting to get a nice deep orangy red by using two heaping teaspoons of a peach mix dye that I had in combination with the magenta. The 034 magenta is not an orange red color though. It is way too pink and overpowered any orange I threw at it. I did some research and it IS a pure red but it is the same as the Dharma #12 light red procion dye. I am considering purchasing a color called firetruck red. I think this might do what I want :)
Since I have no orange dyes in particular except the peach one, I over dyed the pale orange color I had made with the peach. It came out a nice passable darker orange than before. Something I can and will use in my piecework. Again, it isnt a deep orange but that will have to come later.
I was also successful in creating a nice golden yellow color, so now I have lemon and golden yellow in my repetoire! Lastly I have the lawn green. Its a nice medium green color that goes well with the previous colors...making up the beginnings of a rainbow.


I dyed each of these colors on two pieces of cloth. one yard of woven cotton and also a cotton tshirt. So I have a woven or a knit whenever I need one. I use both in my work. I think I am done with solid colors for awhile! I do have a few ideas for crystal washes though. I find myself reaching for the ones I have now over and over. I love the variation in these pieces and I think they lend well with my handwork.


I also reworked my butterfly on the flower paisley piece. It still is something I'm not real crazy about but it isnt as jarring to my senses now. I think the colors clashed too much before. I am leaving well enough alone now. I have a few final touches to make on this and then I will make it into a purse for the shop. I think once the piece is bordered with a deep blue denim that everything will even out. It is a very busy piece but then...it's supposed to be! I am hoping to find time to finish it today.

Hope you are all having a wonderful week!

On butterflies and cardiologists

*rant on*
So I had ANOTHER doctors appointment today. Well, actually it was with the anesthesiologist to make arrangements for my procedure at the end of the month. First off when we arrived there, after checking in with the secretary (who was supposed to inform us last time about everything we would need to bring this time) We sit down in the waiting room only to find out that the people already there had waited over an hour. and three of them were ahead of us. We ended going in an hour and a half after our appointment time. I dont know about you but this is something I find EXTREMELY irritating.They should know their schedules well enough to set the time a little better than that. People who come to see them are SICK. One poor woman in their waiting room I swear looked like she was going to pass out. And she had to sit there all that time. Just terrible.
So..we sit down, D pulls out our pile of papers and we go over family medical history, blah blah blah. Then she jumps all over us for not bringing xrays, for not going to a cardiologist, etc, etc, etc. Things we were never told to do. Then she proceeds to rant FOR OVER AN HOUR about how other doctors just dont care about her job. While those poor people sat and waited in the waiting room.
So my date to go to hospital is coming closer and I STILL have to go to yet another doctor and also have two OTHER tests before I can even get this one done. Truthfully, if it wasn't for my DH I would chuck it all to the wind. I know this french health care system is supposed to be one of the best in the world, but whose to say it isnt also one of the most aggrevating?
*rant off*


I have a confession to make. Butterflies and I don't get along. I know. I know. They ARE pretty. Beautiful in fact. All those jewel colors and delicate wings. I remember visiting the butterfly house in Seattle and they were so enchanting. Flitting all over, perching on the plants, fanning their wings. So, why do I have a problem with them you might ask? Because every time I draw one I HATE it. I mean really, really hate it. I kinda knew it was a mistake to add a butterfly to this piece. I was trying to ease by. Sneak it in there and hope it didn't notice. Well, it did. Now I hate this piece! I'm not sure if there is anything I can do for it to help it. I will sit and look at it this evening and try to find a way to save it. Maybe if I outline the butterfly in a darker color?

Ron Mueck

Today is the day. Today I go to the pulminary specialist. I wonder what you call one? A pulminariologist? LOL Hard to say, since I'm here in France, they are called something unpronouncable! Anyway I am glad to finally get in and see him. Although I am already feeling better, it is always good to know whats going on inside your body when it's acting up.


So today I leave you with a link to an article on a wonderful and amazing sculptor, Ron Mueck. His work just takes my breath away!

Of fabric and things...

So I have been a busy bee again. Last night I whipped up four dye batches. I am trying to learn to combine dyes to get the colors that I want. I am finding myself sadly lacking. LOL! Of my four batches only one turned out the color I wanted. Melody over at Fibermania has been a wealth of advise in that quarter and I think I am needing a few more colors to work with to achieve the results I want. I do LIKE the colors I made though and I think when it comes to dyeing that will remain true in most cases. These three colors were supposed to be lemon yellow, golden yellow and orange red. As you can see the second is too orange and the third too pink. Still nice colors though. I am keeping a record of my experiments to help jog my memory. I think with a little trial and error I will get there.


I also did a little needle work to finish up these two pieces. I am not sure I will complete the other part of this project. If so it will take a little more planning. As it was, it just became a jumbled mess!


Finally I did some more work on the flower paisley. It is coming along nicely. My main problem now its to decide what fabric to use for my butterfly. Life is so hard! *hehe*

Mid night introspection

Last night was another of those nights where I lie in bed with my eyes wide open, not a bit sleepy. I finally gave up and came into the livingroom to give poor D some peace. I find in times like these I simply can't shut my brain down. It goes a mile a minute and its SO FULL! I have too many ideas and it's not possible to bring them all to completion. I sat down last night with pen and paper and started making lists. I have found this is a great way to calm the rabid mind..when you release the thoughts to paper, you're brain no longer has to hold them so fast. One of the lists I made was the items I have finished in the last 6 months, the WIP's and the plans for future ones. I have only finished SEVEN ITEMS in the last 6 months. That's it. Even though I feel I am in a constant state of creating, my output seems very low. I think I am a very slow stitcher *grin* Now to be fair to myself I do have 9 items that are WIP's and that includes my paisley project. That project has required many an hour of determined stitching to bring it as far as it has come. It is so close to completion also. In fact several of the WIP's are on the edge of completion so I guess I'm not so bad. Looking at these facts though. brings me to the realization that I will never be an artist that churns out loads of work. If I am to have a shop, people will have to be content with the fact that the piece they are buying is SLOW WORK. This is not something I zipped off in a day!

I also made a list of fabric colors that my dyeing fingers are itching to try and create. I guess I have some dyeing in my near future. I know little of mixing dyes to get the colors I want. I am quite familiar with the color wheel and have worked with color for years. I still hesitate when it comes to mixing dyes as they dont seem as cooperative as paints to me. I have some very definite ideas of the colors I want and I am very unsure as to how to go about it. This will be a grand experiment I guess. Look for posts in the near future of my success or failure in that field *grin*


I finished up one little project I have been working on last night. Another little fairy shoe. I have made these into key chains. I just love them so much. They seem so sweet and whimsical!


I also did quite a bit more work on my flower paisley piece. This is fun work for me. I do my work for the enjoyment though, besides trying to convince myself that I can some how be a help to this household with it. I guess if I had to stop enjoying and start making it a horrendous grind it would be just as well if I went and got a desk job. I am so thankful for my kind and supportive husband. He encourages me to create and never rolls his eyes at me when I go off on yet another tangent. I am truly blessed!