Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Incredible Eco Dyeing Results

Wow! I'm getting some excellent colour transfer on wool flannel!
This is not the usual "shades of brown" eco dyeing results is it?


Two sides of the same piece of wool

This sampler includes a plethora of things from inside to create these permanent stains. No dye or harsh chemicals are used! 
Our Eco Dyeing Class started today in The WandaWay Studio  
Join us if you are eager to get the same great results.
3 Great lessons including videos 
 Inside - Outside- Overdye

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Miss Online Manners? I do



A lot of rug hooking connectivity takes place online theses days. I thrilled about this because I love my ability to meet and enjoy the heck out of so many like minded people! Thank you so much!

I'm sensitive to negativity and its terrible influence on creating and our hearts and our souls. It wears o our bodies too. I think most people have a little well of non edifying waters they take a dip in every once and awhile. But most of us shake off the dew, dry ourselves in the sunshine and carry on.
I don't like to be negative and I do like to act professionally at all times online and elsewhere
I did not always appreciate the importance of this even though Anne told me! 
Every once in awhile my professional life is blurred by my private one but rarely.
What I'm saying is, there are inside voices and outside ones.
I want to caution you about the permanence of your responses online.
Even if removed ,when read they create a lasting impression of you and create a ripple effect.
If you are a rug hooking professional, teacher, business person or even a blogger with nothing to sell, you need to conduct yourself with positivity and ethics.
A lot of what happens is simply reactionary. So and so writes a blog post with emotion ( not positive) and that in turn sparks a hussah of comments that both embroider and stumpwork 
( build up ) the original words and emotions.
Be careful.
Try not to partake. Write a note if you need catharsis but don't post it.
Rarely do you ever see a dissenting opinion to these missives. And frankly they aren't that welcome.
Try to be the voice of reason if you are brave enough.
I have a list of good netiquette which I find even the top bloggers in rug hooking don't adhere very much.
Please copy and spread this list around liberally. Everyone needs to see it and turn away from those who are not using good online manners.
1. Never denigrate a business or service no matter what happens if you have one yourself. NEVER.
2. Don't troll other services or blogs for good fodder without giving credit to the source, ALWAYS with links. You would be shocked at the levels at which this is happening. We are have some very popular bloggers setting a very poor examples. In the greater blogosphere rug hooking bloggers are the only people who do not do this that I've found in my areas of interest. It is very bad manners, akin to eating your snot at the dinner table with Her Majesty. Act more honorably, if the info or photos they found, wrote or researched are good enough to add to your blog or other service then don't they deserve a reference?
3. Always check with yourself before posting by asking would I want this said of me? Could I apply more understanding? Is this the seed I want to plant? What fruit will it bear? Would I want credit for my work? In my case today I asked, does this need attending to?
4. If you have a quick emotional response to something you read ..... don't react by typing. React by thinking or creating. If a day later you still think you have something important to add then have at it. I think you'll find in 10 hours much of the emotion will have dissipated. Don't feed that negativity a thing if you can help it.
5. Do not  ever and I mean NEVER take up the case of defense for someone else. Every horrible firestorm I've ever observed or weathered online came about because someone got indignant on another's behalf.
I'll tell you as an added bonus, this is something to look out for.... some people get stuff going through behind the scenes manipulation and then sit back and actually enjoy the chaos, their hands nicely clean while everybody else is browned up to their ears in crap. Ohhh that stinks!
6. Don't act like spoiled babies when things aren't going the way you think they should. Change is inevitable and it is good. 
Let's turn a new leaf.
Spread the word please.... with credit of course. 

Saturday, August 9, 2014

The WandaWay Studio - Eco Dyeing Class

Exciting News
I've just thrown open the front doors of my online classroom
Anyone can go anytime to the WandaWay to look around.
To start any class look in Classrooms in the top menu and join the one you like.


Eco Dyed Wool

                     
This coming year the WandaWay is having 4 terms of classes.

On August 20th Term 1 starts with a great class on eco dyeing.
You might have seen my recent March/April/May 2014 Rug Hooking Magazine article about this?

My Eco Dyeing article and one featuring my online classes by Paulette Hackman is in this issue

You don't need any previous dyeing experience to play with us or you can be an expert dyer, everyone is welcome. This is not traditional natural dyeing. We use the natural materials ( including rust and dirt of you please) in their whole, fresh, complete form and manipulate them to imprint permanent stains on our wool.
What transpires is wonderful. Although there is plenty of info on eco dyeing out in the universe, the wool flannel we use creates some problems and adjustments I'll steer you through.

Finding new ways to colour our wool means bringing new and unique glory to our stashes. This in turn brings even more individuality and beauty to our hooking or other wool craft.


Rust printed and overdyed wool adds splendid markings on my wonderful poppy seed head.
I admit I'm in love with this seed pod and eco dyeing started this romance.
Join us and fall in love with dye and hooking all over again

As an introductory boon and man I love giving you a boon, I'm offering a three lesson class for the cost of a two lessons one. only $50. Save $25!
The lessons are: Inside, Outside, Over Dye and will be available for 3 months from your join up date.
You only need a few household items, wool and a little harvest of the natural materials around you and dyes for Overdye.

My classes are interactive, you can have direct contact with me, ask any question about the lessons, I provide inspiration, guidance and help you with ways to improve if desired. My goal is to help you develop as an artist, not to make you a mini me! I meet you where you are and take you where you want to be.

Here is your invitation to the WandaWay Studio.

To join this wonderful Eco Dyeing Class, just go to the classroom and follow the prompts.

It would be a great idea to join the studio to keep in the know about future classes if you aren't interested in this one at no cost. All classes will be available to everyone at any time.
I'll be building up a delicious curriculum over time. I'll see you there!


Note:

If you are a current paid up member of The Welcome Mat this Eco Dyeing class costs $10. Please choose that option when signing up. If you are not a member of the Mat, you are more than welcome to join it and then join the WWS to save yourself $10 off the complete cost of class and also reap a year in the only university of rug hooking, The Welcome Mat.