The weekend begins with larkspur. Drying and dyeing. And smudging old and new pathways. Even in a city garden, you can find new pathways. The smudge stick is from a pow-wow a few years ago and I found it recently in the very back of the candle drawer. It is the best smudge stick I've ever used. Just had to re-wrap with twine in place of what seemed to be acrylic yarn. It is more fragrant than the ones I make with sage and lavender and it smolders splendidly. I bury the end in the ground for a few minutes when I'm done, it's that good.
The dye bundle is silk and blue flowers and a sturdy stick. I'm not sure whether to steam it or vinegar it up like with onion skins. Or try something new?
To new pathways. Thanks for visiting and happy weekending to you. xo
What a beautiful photo! I love the blue plate. I have a smudge stick from ages ago and enjoy the ritual of lighting it (sage gathered in the hills of Oregon by a Native American artist and friend). My delphiniums are opening and it will be hard to use them for dye. They and larkspur do not do well here because of the heat and wind. This spring has been so cool, I splurged and bought a few plants. I am so glad that I did! Wishing you a beautiful weekend with a clear path colored beautifully by petals.
ReplyDeleteLarkspur is luscious. The best blue. I wish I had more in the garden I tend. Perhaps I will get some if the church will loose some extra funds for it. Meanwhile I'll look for Larkspur at the farmers market tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteall that beautiful color makes me happy. i think i would steam that bundle and then leave it in the heat outside for as long as you can hold out. those flowers are so delicate that i think if you put it in the dye bath it would wash out all that color. just going by my instinct here. i don't really know what i'm saying to be fact.
ReplyDeletebeautiful colors
ReplyDeleteyou're such a busy bee!
Joan @ CopperCreeker
http://coppercreeker.blogspot.com
Larkspur! beautiful. Too hot here I think, although I did grow foxgloves last spring/summer on a whim, and had a few lovely flowers, so it might be worth trying. My instinct is similar to Deanna's, go gently with the blue. Enjoy your weekend of new paths. I hopeyou received my email with the leafy links?
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of a smudge stick...can you tell me more?
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful colour that larkspur is. I am eagerly awaiting the outcome of this dye session.
Jacky xox
OK...that does it...I'm moving in next door to you so I can see each one of these glorious images for reals!!! I am always touched by the honor and ritual I find when I come here. Please show us how those scrumptious blues turn out. My guy taught me about smudging years ago. I absolutely love the smell of the sage! Maybe I'll do that tonight come to think of it! :)
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful photos, really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI want to dry some elderflowers... but it won't stop raining here! Rain, rain and more rain, which is good really as we were in a drought.
Much, much, much love to you.
I'm now going to find my smudge stick.xxx
The flowers are just lovely and make me smile too!
ReplyDeleteI love lighting sage, especially outside.
I store my smudge sticks with my candles too : )
Have a beautiful weekend <3
Thanks, Jeannie -- that plate says "swirl" on the back! Perfect name. Good luck with your delphiniums -- I don't do very well with them but aren't they absolutely magnificent? I love larkspur which does great here, thank goodness, and sometimes we take it for granted, I think. A great weekend to you, too!
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle, larkspur is a beautiful blue indeed. Hope you found some. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHi Deanna, thanks for your thoughts on this. I did do the vinegar trick on it and it looks like it's transferring. But I plan on doing another identical bundle with the steam method. An experiment of sorts!
ReplyDeleteNanette, I'm going to give the gentle steam method a whirl and compare it with the vinegar outcome. Will post about it if anything worthwhile comes of it! ;-) If you grew foxglove, you might be alright with the larkspur, too. But I'm just guessing. Foxglove is sort of hard to grow here but I absolutely adore it, a true fairy plant, right?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jacky! I hope I have a good outcome to show for it. ;-)
ReplyDeleteA smudge stick is a tightly bound bundle of dried herbs, usually white sage, cedar, lavender, sweetgrass -- fragrant herbs -- that's lit and since it's bundled so tightly, it doesn't really burn, it smolders. The smoke is thought to clear the energy of a space or a person. Some see their prayers and wishes rising up with the smoke. It's wonderful.
Hi Nancy, well I wish you would move in next door! :-)
ReplyDeleteTime will tell with the blues, hope it comes out okay. And good smudging to you and the guy!
Trish, I'm glad you wrote that -- I want to dry some elderflowers, too, this year and I think there are still some left! Rain sounds just so wonderful right now, it's hot here, in the 90's F. Smudging is good medicine! Love back, happy weekend.
ReplyDeleteMarie, thank you. You've been quiet lately, but I remember you said you were very busy. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI like to smudge outside in my garden better than any place else I can think of. Just feels right somehow.
Happy weekend!
smudging! that's what i need to do! & look at these beautiful blues some more. thank you!
ReplyDelete& i know your bee in the bonnet story wasn't fun for you, but i did so enjoy reading about your escapade. hope you weren't shook up for long.
Hi Cindy, I hope you get to do a little smudging, I nearly always feel a little bit of a shift when I do. To tell the truth, I'm a bit more cautious with the bees now and I wish I wasn't. But my dumb-luck days might be over? ;-) We'll see.
ReplyDelete