Lime/Euca/Dogwood Photos!

Lime, Dogwood & Eucalyptus, Recipe for nice prints!

A FB friend, Kim Cowley posted some prints made using Lime and Dogwood leaves along with some Eucalyptus.  I liked them so much I decided to give them a try myself.  Am I glad I did!  I used the same copper rich dye bath and 140# watercolor paper, and also added leaves of Loropetalum (Chinese Fringe Tree), Hibiscus acetifolia (Roselle), and Red Passionflower vine.  The copper brought some wonderful greens and the Hibiscus acetifolia brought some wonderful blues.  I can't wait for the prints to dry enough for me to handle them.  I now place my prints between sheets of blotter paper to absorb most of the water more quickly, but it still takes at least 4 hours for the paper to become strong enough to handle.  This batch was 5 sheets of 9 x 12 inch watercolor paper, and all but one sheet are printed on both sides.  A quick peek at them told me I have some nice prints, but like all good things, they are worth waiting for.  I will post photos of the prints as soon as I can in the A.M.

Let's get ready to bundle!

Sorry for the delay in getting the photo essay on the blog, but Life happens.  Here in a brief space is the method I use to bundle my paper prints to prepare them for cooking.  Here I am using ceramic tiles, 140# watercolor paper, natural rubber bands and plant materials. Soak your papers in warm water for about 30 minutes, or overnight in cold water.  Place a ceramic tile on a flat surface, lay a sheet of paper on it and place a layer of plant materials on top.  Continue to build the stack of paper and plant materials to the height you wish, then place another ceramic tile on top of the stack.  Using natural rubber bands, or heavy cotton twine,  wrap the bundle securely.  Now your bundle is ready to place in a pot for cooking.  I like to place the last rubber bands at diagonals on the corners to help even the pressure on the tiles.  I hope this helps.