Sporty and the quiet creation weekend 動與靜的一天

 Other than Friday hiking I just joined a Saturday biking team. We're well equipped. Today our team cycling along the river bank, the pond and the plantation of eucalyptus.  While passing through the eucalyptus I found a blown out branch on the ground.  Such a good find ! Of course picked it for my experiments. Way back downtown to collect from the shop a big roll of silk fabric. Just a good time for my testing the evening.

不是 "牛下", 我們是 "牛徑村單車隊" - 一個專業人仕組成每周六從新界牛徑村出發的單車隊, 今日途經山貝河南生圍, 大片植林尤加利樹, 地上剛有掉下來的椏支, 當然拾回家做我的植物印染實驗哩! 橫水渡回程返深水埗到布行預留給我的大匹絲料, 回家馬上做了撿來的葉子做實驗, 掂 !

 Many species of eucalyptus on the way passing through

 

Beautiful skies and water

 

 This pond, once a huge fishing pond but now getting smaller since properties developed

 Our team and my good find of the blown out eucalyptus

 No matter hiking or cycling I can easily get some plants for experiments

  

Way back by the small boat

 

 

Heading to the downtown fabric shop for my silk collection 

 

Eager for the prints testing with fabric and the euc found...... it works.... my concern is the fabric works since I wanted to make sure it's silk.

The bottom part of the strap is alum mordant while the top has not thus different shades

 

Mogi, "mum, it works, both the plants and the fabric.  It's a big roll how would you do with all?"

Botanical imprints fun share 植物移印染分享

 

 My 24-hour weekend was filled with color and friendship.  Sunday today with the two scarfs fresh from the dye pot, I enjoyed so much the homemade bread from my ex-colleague Florence.

Yesterday was annual dinner gathering with some good ex-colleagues.  Before dinner I invited Florence to share my "secret" botanical imprints.   I showed her the basic method before but I like to treat her the making with some shades.

 

 The piece of silk scarf she unwrapped after 2 hours boiling

 Imprints with rose petals, rose leaves, assorted euc, casaurina and loropetalum

 Florence's finished scarf.

She gave me another silk fabric to make the prints.  Can't wait to do early this morning.  They're finished and photos speak themselves........ 

  

                     

 

 

 One with rich layout of all euc. A mix of most red and a few green.

 I like this sort of small euc, so delicate.

 Another piece with layout of a few groups

 Euc, casaurina and a few oak leaves

 The Before & After comparison

 The two scarfs of same tone of pink and euc

 They're ready to send off to the owner. Sounds that my work without Mogi is not approved. A cat around is more than a home.  Thanks for Danelle's souvenir.

Tuscany theme landscape botanical prints 植物印染掛畫

 On Christmas eve, the oven is cooking a turkey while the other cooker is boiling a bundle of wool flannel.  That's the Tuscany cypress landscape I printed for the Christmas table setting.

平安夜, 火雞待在焗爐, 那邊的煱子烚著我的植物絨布包扎, 兩個多小時加熱, 待乾便車缝完成一副以桉樹葉印染托斯卡尼主題的桌墊或掛畫.

 I used assorted euc and kinds of unknown leaves collected behind my area.  Just love the edge of a pine look.  

 The upper part all of silver dollar eucalyptus and a few needle pines.

 Bottom is of Tuscany cypress theme.  I laid the small branches and barks of eucalyptus.

 Before and after

 So, you can see the shades of leaves but one or two others are not quite strong prints.

 Silver dollar euc are always the most impressive

 A wall hanging   ......            

or a table runner is the Tuscany landscape I wanted.

  

 When I use the brush I can make a bright and colorful  painting.   Why should I bother to take a longer time to boil and wait for the unexpected botanical prints?  That's the bounty of nature !  Whatever it is we appreciate the process.