Hello. It is beautiful weather here and we are enjoying being outside and going for walks around the village. The verges and hedgerows are full of wild flowers, it is so lovely to see so many wild flowers thriving in this changeable weather we have experienced over the last few months. It is hot and we are not used to it! Then it can turn so cool and oh dear, can it rain here in the English Lake district! So as it is now officially Summer, it is lovely to have some sunshine.
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| eco printing with flowers from my garden by Eileen Postlethwaite |
I have been capturing colours with different flowers from my garden. I did this last year and experimented with different coloured flowers. It was trial and error, as I sat and rubbed different flower heads and squeezed the colours to create an image.
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| Lace capped primula on paper by Eileen Postlethwaite |
I tried whatever flowers were in my garden, some worked beautifully and others not so well. I used a pebble to roll across the flowers, and I become more aware of what techniques worked. How much pressure to apply and more aware of the different types of paper to use to create a better image. First I used a watercolour paper then tried other various papers, the best way is to just experiment and play to discover what you can use.
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| Now its time to try the process on fabric by Eileen Postlethwaite |
After a lot of different coloured flowers and many skills learnt I felt like I was capable of moving on to fabric and chose a cotton handkerchief which was new and unused. I placed the cotton between two sheets of paper and decided to use a metal soup spoon to rub these delicate flower heads.
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| peeling back the top layer of paper was really exciting, by Eileen Postlethwaite |
It was a slow careful process as I rubbed a single flower at a time, sitting at the table. I had to be careful not to move or brush across the flower heads. It actually took about four hours to complete but the moment I peeled back the paper was really exciting. These were all done last summer so I had to try again this year. I decided to go bigger and not just small flowers but try the whole plant, so here we go. A hammer was used to carefully bash the stalks and leaves and flowers, a small headed hammer and the same techniques. It all takes time and patience to achieve a good result. It is exciting to try diffrerent plants and discover what works well. Have a go and see.
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| eco printing by Eileen Postlethwaite |
I really love using nature for creative work. I have also been making natural dyes and my own nature inks to draw with. I am drawing with my home made inks and again it so exciting to discover colours using my own garden plants, hedgerow berries and seeds.
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| elderberry dyed fabric by Eileen Postlethwaite |
The dyed fabrics will be made into something. Do you remember my little miniature quilt from Elderberries? sadly it faded to a paler version, as many natural dyes do. I still enjoy dyeing and discovering colours and sewing them. My lovely hare drawing on the pincushion, watching me as I sew.
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| using my own homemade inks to draw with by Eileen Postlethwaite |
I am using my own homemade inks and have been working on some new drawings using only my new colours of ink. It feels so me, using my local colours, from picking berries, making inks and using them recording natural objects I have found on my walks. In this fast world it is good to slow down and use a dip pen and quietly work at my drawings, slowly and carefully, no rush just take my time recording my found objects.
Can you imagine the feeling of using your own inks to draw with? Here I used my Elderberry, and Walnut made in 2016, the sycamore is from an elderberry made back in 2015. I am always full of ideas and inspired by where I live. When a peacock butterfly appears on your curtain one morning.
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| a visitor delighted us with her beauty on the living room curtain. Eileen Postlethwaite |
Last Friday evening we walked on the shore and my daughter took this photograph just before the sun went down. I think it speaks for itself. We have had such beautiful sunsets. It is nice to share.
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| photograph by my daughter Jane Postlethwaite 30 June 2019 |
I hope you enjoy seeing what I have been doing. Let me know what your project is and if you have been creative, I would love to hear.
Bye for now Milly.x
Eileen Postlethwaite
