Kale anyone?

So what all can you dye with? Can you use kale?

There's still kale in the garden, my mom says.

Well, I don't really know, I answer.

Let's find out.

Prickly pear cactus

Arriving at my parents' house on Tuesday, this prickly pear cactus caught my eye.

It began in the neighbor's yard and decided to befriend the couple next door.

Aptly named, for there are the tiniest, most slender needles everywhere it seems.

The reddish purple pear or fig of this particular cactus had me hovering - wondering

and sorting through the what ifs flitting through my mind.

I decided to start with the easiest what if. Prickly pear cactus on khadi paper.

As I'll be here for a few weeks, various art supplies were brought along...including my crock pot and several pristine white t-shirts from Dharma which are just waiting to be added to a dye pot. Can you guess what I plan to do later today?

The mysterious whites

I've been teasing you a bit lately,

 posting black and white abstracts

 along side stitching and strings

and rusty circles.

Several of you guessed at what was making the abstracts.

Lisa of Arzigogolare was the closest...

only the exact brand of paper was elusive.

Still...has anyone truly guessed what was afoot in the studio?

 Tis this season, afterall.

Ah...you've got it now!

Finally found a use for those papers I eco dyed and rusted earlier in the year.

The cards are finally on their way to family and friends, as they should have been a week or so ago.

I must admit that it was difficult to send them out...those shadows from the afternoon sun were just so much fun to watch and photograph. And I took tons of photos! There's an idea for a series floating around my mind...it whispers...it teases...it flits out of view. Perhaps it's waiting for the new year...