Diva-rrefic Wine Glasses

Check out these Diva-rrefic wine glasses I have been making! These are just for my own use, I needed a way to tie my collection of yard-sale and thrift shop wine glasses togeather. So I have painted up a dozen or so. Here is the latest batch. I used delta perm enamel paints. They are designed for use on Glass and ceramic, you paint them on just like acrylics the brushes rinse clean with water. once the paint dries you cure the glasses in the oven to make the paint adhere permanently. Then it's ok to wash the glasses. I put mine on the top rack in the dish washer. As you can see you don't have to have any real talent to paint these, I chose random wild brush strokes. I do recommend allowing the glass to dry between colors though. Paint the orange, let dry, the pink let cry ext. This keeps you from smearing the paint colors togeather. Wine goblets can be found at the local dollar store they have nice big ones at mine! These make great holiday gifts too. I might decide to teach these as a workshop. Fun stuff!

Upcoming Excitement

Do you see the Loveliness?
These two fabulous dresses were snapped up by my friend Diane in California.
She loves the browns. And the one on top I call my pond dress, I was thinking of pond colors when I dyed it. I have been busy getting ready for the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores Alabama the Second weekend in October. It's going to be HUGE. People come from all over to attend this event. Lots of arts and crafts people. See
www.nationalshrimpfestival.com
Hubbie Dave is getting into the act, Creating old school 70's style Tie Dyes. Its been a learning process for him but we have some nice David Dyes to show for it. He will be accompanying me to Gulf Shores and the kids are staying with Grandma. Yea Grandma!
I have been enjoying my work with Brookdale Senior Living, and on my days off It's all about the DYE.
I pretty much am doing some sort of dye activity every day now, either folding, soaking, mixing or dying or rinsing. I'll try to get some pictures of the David Dyes up soon.
Till then back to the porch.

Progress

Well I am proud to say I have made some progress for the first time in a long time dye wise. The kids started back to school today and I was blessed with half a day off. Thanks to Hurricane Fay I had to go to work for an emergency hurricane preparedness meeting. Productive? yes but not the type of productive I hoped for.
This morning I did manage to get a bunch of tie dyes folded soaked and dehydrating for dyeing later.
And I got the tie dye porch somewhat cleaned off. We have been having to shower out there due to plumbing fiascos inside that have lead my husband to jackhammer up the floor of the only working bathroom in our home.
Good Times....
I did decide this week to go get my tonails done at Wal mart. You all know it don't deny it, the regal nail salon at wal mart. A working class girl's guilty pleasure. I even had the pretty little flower painted on my big toe.
Boy those girls know what they're doing.
I really do feel like a princess when I have a pedicure.
A perhaps underated side of me that many people don't know about............the girlie girl in me.
Well I cant wait to see what treasures the tie dye porch yields this fall after I get all motivated and organized out there.
Hopefully more new pictures for the web site soon.
Oh Yeah, Hubbie Dave will be accompanying me to Gulf Shores this year. Just the two of us all weekend long.
YUM!
TDK

I've gone to the Dark Side

It's sad but true. I have gone over to the dark side. That terrible place where artists fear to tread....the working world.
alas, the price of food and gas has risen so high that I have had to take a (gasp) full time job! Yes I get the perks, like insureance and retirement savings, but the down side is the sheer amount of time between full time, overtime, and commuting. I wondered would I be able to return to work as a NURSE, and still make time for my art? I see my stack of unfolded white t-shirts staring at me..."when are you going to Dye us?" and my bag of beadwork and quilts that need finishing "when are you going to finish me?" I tell myself little white lies, I will find time I will strike a balance, Just as soon as I get used to doing more with less time and energy. Just as soon as my body gets used to less sleep and more time on my feet. I am hoping that it all falls into place soon.

Why Tie Dye makes good CENTS!

I have been reading my Friend Angela's Blog...Penny Pinscher see the link to your left. It is packed full of great money saving ideas and just general humor about the times we are in. It got me thinking about What a value Tie Dye is. I do our local Earth Day Festival every year. One of the things i bring up to people is that tie dye done with modern fiber reactive dyes is a long lasting product. This makes sense from an economic standpoint as well. Start with a quality garment and then apply quality dyes, and you have a piece of clothing that your child will wear till he outgrows it, and can then pass down to younger brother or sister. As an adult wouldn't you rather get 100 wearings out of a t-shirt than 50? Secondly Tie Dye can be used to refurbish clothing that you may be tempted to throw out or donate. That favorite Blouse with a spaghetti stain? can be dyed orange or brown for a snappy new look. Don't throw out those faded khaki's Even colored items will dye nicely if turned into a darker color than they were origionally. The only stipulation is that items have to be a natural fiber to use fiber reactive dyes. If you have an item you'd like refurbished contact me I will be happy to dye for you. Or locate a tie dye artist in your area. Go to www.dharmatrading.com for do it yourself info and supplies.

BOLEGS BOUND

Ok it's been awhile since I blogged here. I know. It has been a busy spring. Things hoppin' out at Gulf Place, we had the Sea Breeze Jazz Festival, Which was great. I tossed a tie dye to young jazz sensation Brian Culbertson. He has taken the Jazz world by storm and is bringing back the FUNK! With members of Grand Funk Railroad backing him up. I picked out a smokin' orange black and yellow T for this Smokin' hot young performer. Then Early May was Arts Quest at Sandestin. The Cultural Arts Association Got a couple of my tie dye sheets to decorate their booth at Arts Quest with. They are the organization that produces Arts Quest every year. I was flattered. The Artist's at Gulf Place also hosted the Champaign Tour for Arts Quest. All this has lead me with little time to Dye but I have managed to get a few things done. Coming right UP is the Billy BoLegs Festival in Downtown FWB. I will be set up at the landing on Friday June 6th through Sat June 7th. Gail Waller is Coordinating the Crafts vendors and Has personally Placed an 'order' for a Rayon SunDress. So I will Oblige. Placing an Order Tommorow Am with Dharma for more goodies to DYE. And Lastly, I am feeling the Calling to Return to my Nursing Career. Yes, My absence these last few years has been nagging at me, and I refuse to let go of my hard won Nursing. I am confident, more so now than ever before in my life, that I will be able to Balance it all out. My ART will not suffer but be better for my return to nursing. Wish me luck as I Negotiate my RE-entry! Love TIEDYEKRIS

Invasion!

Well, I am afraid my tie dye porch has been invaded! First by the mama sparrow who now has 3 live chicks, and then the carpenter bees. They are boring holes in the trusses. They support a plastic roof, I know I should 'invite' them to leave, but, I have a hard time being cruel to living things. Even the pesty ones. I went outside this morning to get some new stock soaking in the soada ash, and noticed the chikies have left the nest? It seems so soon for them to be flying they are only a few weeks old, I hope mama bird diddn't freak out on the giant tie dye person who occasiounally invades her nice little sheltered spot. I try to be mellow and not make sudden movements but Ihave to tell you , between the birds and the bees, (no pun intended) It has really discouraged me from wanting to be in my studio. Any Advice for me???
I have always felt that the energy of the little nature spirits that surround my porch adds something special to my work..... HMMMM