I find lately that I’m wanting to push my limits and challenge myself more and more in my work. As I expand on the techniques that I use most often, it feels like the logical progression of things would be to branch out even further and continue learning new methods of dyeing. I’m very interested in batik, but not as much for wearables but for fabrics, quilting fabrics in particular. This may be slightly amusing since I don’t quilt nor do I have any plans to learn, I just like the idea of creating groupings of fabric dyed and embellished within a common theme. I’m justifying this with the fact that I dye yarn and I don’t knit. Makes perfect sense to me.

Another thing that I have been reading up on in the last week or so is a traditional Japanese form of dyeing called shibori. It is sometimes referred to as Japanese tie dye, mostly because there isn’t any one word in western language that encompasses all of what this method is comprised of. Shibori uses a variety of resists to create intentional and unexpected patterns in the finished product, such as tying, folding, or stitching, and in some cases all of the above. From what I have read, it sounds like it will certainly be challenging. Now to figure out where the hell I’m going to put all this fabric I’ll be dyeing. Oy.

I’m also very excited about working a few projects to be incorporated into some redecorating I’ve got in mind for our home.  As much as I love dyeing clothes and seeing people wearing my creations, I think it would be even more satisfying to have some incorporated into our daily lives. First on my list are pillowcases and some new sheets that I still need to decide on and order, and then I have some ideas for some dyed silk and muslin fabrics.

In other news, I’ll be stocking some custom dyeing spots at Hyena Cart on Tuesday, as well as previewing a new yarn colorway. There will be some other goodies as well, and I hope to have all the previews up by Monday night. You can check it out here: Big Bad Voodoo Mama In-Stock Store

It seems like every time I post here I say I’m going to try and update this a little more regularly, but sometimes life gets in the way. I really do intend to make posting here a regular thing at some point, and I guess I’ll just keep trying until that happens.

Its been a busy summer so far around here. We just got back from a week long trip for a wedding and to visit my husband’s family. We had a fantastic time, but I do not recommend driving overnight ten hours in a car with a two year old to anyone. Every summer since my daughter was born we have taken a trip of about this distance, and each time we drove at night and she for the most part slept in the car the entire way. That was not to be the case this time around, and there is nothing like trying to contort yourself into a position that allows you to both be able to reach into the back seat and not strangle yourself with the shoulder part of the seatbelt.

I’ve been keeping pretty busy these last few months with custom orders, but I have some fabulous ideas in the works for both the website and my Hyena Cart.

The first True Colours Dyer’s Charity Challenge was a smashing success in June, and there are already plans for another one in the fall. For those of you that are not familiar, a group of dyers are given a specific colorway and are left to create one unique item using only shades of those colors. The finished products are all auctioned off with the entire proceeds going to a charity of the artist’s choosing.

For the challenge that we just completed, the colorway was turquoise, brown, and sand. I dyed some superfine merino from Cestari Farms that was auctioned off to benefit Lyrics for Life. Lyrics for Life is a charity founded by the members of one of my favorite bands, Sister Hazel, to support cancer research. My MIL passed away from brain cancer nearly three years ago, so this is something especially close to my heart. You can read more about them here.

Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Canyonlands on superfine merino

Some of my recent attempts at teaching myself tie dye

And clearly my goal to start going to bed at a more reasonable hour has not yet been met, but I know I’ve been neglecting this thing and I felt moved to write, so here I am.

I’ve recently started doing custom dyeing of other people’s goods, more specifically other people’s diapers. While this is not exactly the most profitable thing that I do, I’m really starting to enjoy it, especially since I ran out of Elise’s diapers to dye.

My favorite part of all of this is taking the color combinations that my customers give me and bringing them to life. In the last couple of days, I’ve had two separate customers give me combinations that I’ve never tried, never even thought about trying. Its very inspiring, and it takes me out of my comfort zone, which is not always a bad thing, and in this case its been very good, because now I am moved to create more things.

I also have to admit that I have a sickness. You see my friends, I’m addicted to turning things pretty colors. This might seem a little obvious given the nature of what I do, but its gotten so bad lately. Any time I am out and I see something white, or natural colored, my first thought is “I wonder if I can dye that” and then I start checking fiber content and dreaming up what colors it could be.

I suppose there are worse sicknesses to have.

Yeah, I’m sure I did, and I have had every intention of doing so, but the last few weeks have not been kind to my family. We’ve been battling sick kid and sick parents and sick family members and some days it seems like we’ll never all be well again.
In between bouts of the sickies, I’ve been working on a few new things here and there. I’ve learned that I LOVE dyeing yarn, but that I do not love untangling it. So I think my yarn dyeing endeavors are going on hold until I can acquire a decent swift to reskein the dyed hanks.

It is my sincerest hope that I can get a few things I’ve been working on up on Hyena Cart in time for Easter. So far 2008 has been the year of the sickness in our house, but I hope that as winter sheds and spring arrives that we’ll beat these off for a while.

Thanks,

Aimee

Two, for the second birthday that my daughter Elise just had, and the flu for the fun sickness that she gave me this week. Ahh, the joys of motherhood!

I’ve been a little slow moving in the new year, at least in getting new stuff up on the site and in our Hyena cart store, but I hope that will change as the yuckies leave us.

Keep your eyes peeled for the new gallery, which should be up soon, and a newsletter is also in the works. Just as soon as I can manage to get myself off the couch.

Welcome to 2008 folks, I think its going to be a fabulous year.

One of my resolutions for this year is to update this blog more, so hopefully that is one I’ll manage to keep.

I’ll be working on some new additions to the site this month, as well as trying to sneak in some new items at the Big Bad Voodoo Mama In-Stock Store

In other news: Soon you will be able to find BBVM products at Mothersville, in Memphis, TN. I’m hoping to have some items going in by the first of February.

Stay tuned for more updates on new products and stockings.

Hello again friends!

I hope that all of my US readers had a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday yesterday. I for one still have a slight turkey hangover, and opted to stay home from the madness that is Black Friday this year.

We’ve been hard at work developing a fantastic new product just in time for the upcoming holidays- soft, stackable blocks that are safe and fun for even the youngest of babies, yet still interesting to the toddler crowd as well. A name hasn’t been settled on yet, and I am thinking of hosting a contest to help with that, so check back here soon for that.

In other news, I’ll be opening my own store on Hyena Cart in addition to the congo stores that I currently stock at.

Keep your eyes open for great new things happening here, at Chaotic Luxury and Big Bad Voodoo Mama on HC

We have decided it’s time to allow you, our valued readers, the opportunity to shamelessly promote Big Bad Voodoo Mama wherever on the internet you see fit.

So here’s the deal. Go to our Promotion page where we have provided a few banners and the code to add them to your site. Copy the code for the banner af your choosing and paste it somewhere else, like your blog or another website. Then other people can see the banner and click back to our site! It’s that simple!

Once again I’m slacking when it comes to updating this blog, but rest assured that doesn’t mean I’ve not been hard at work. I’ve been plugging away at custom orders and working on items for some other locations as well.

I am a part of two congo stores over on Hyena Cart with a group of FABULOUS wahms, once of which just had its Grand Opening last week. Most of our stockings are themed, and its so much fun coming up with ideas to fit within them. Each of these shops stocks twice a month, so you have lots of chances to check us out.

http://hyenacart.com/ChaoticLuxury/

http://hyenacart.com/OutofthisWorld/

I am also participating in a neat little thing called the Spotted Box, also on Hyena Cart. Each month a group of wahms send in a collection of sample sized items and the organizer compiles them all into about 50 boxes and those are then listed and sold. I have gotten one the past two months and they are crammed full of awesome goodies like soaps and lip balms and greeting cards and hair barettes and miniature toys and more.

http://hyenacart.com/TheSpottedBox/
Right now I am in the process of setting up a publicly viewable list for updates on custom orders. Check back here sometime in the near future for more details.

and on that note,  little hands are requesting my assistance.

Until next time!

It seems like I don’t recover as easily from minor illness as I did a few years back. What started out as a little touch of cold is now well on its way to becoming bronchitis, which as you can imagine is not the most fun ever.

I had planned to have some new items stocked up this week, but instead it looks like I’ll be working on custom orders and trying to get better. If you have something in the works with me right now and would like an update, please shoot me an email and I’ll be happy to let you know where I am at. Otherwise, I am going to try and have an updated list here in the next day or so.