T Stands for Tuesday & Eco Printing Update (lots of photos)

Hi Everyone,
   T Stands for Tuesday is a weekly event where we share a drink related post. Post about anything on your blog-just show a photo of the beverage you are drinking and join us at T. 
   Our Hostess Bleubeard and Elizabeth's link is in my right hand column

  Yesterday I did a batch of eco prints and was really really pleased with the papers. I am really liking the 140 pound weight watercolor papers-they hold up well in the dye bath submerged and give really nice prints.  Here is the link of the papers I posted yesterday-just taken out of the dye water and laid out on towels to dry. Of course like any hand dye the colors are the brightest and prettiest when wet.

   I am still very happy with my papers today-once dry-and my stack of bonus papers-the papers I place on top of the leaves and then the next watercolor paper-I really love this technique-it does make the print on one side more clear-and not muted from prints on the back side-and you get bonus papers to craft with.

This post is full of lots of photos-click to enlarge photos to full size for better viewing

   We still have pretty yellows

Below: The first full view of paper on left-I love that bottom image-this was a tall weed with flowers-it printed beautifully

Here are photos of my set up-I have two sets of tiles stacked on top of each other. Rocks on bottom and heavy rocks on top-the lid still fits tight-I keep the water at a simmer for 2 hours-just enough water so that it can bubble into that top stack.   
    First photo-- the set up and now-second photo---
    I am waiting for it to cool down enough so I can get the two tile sandwiches out and see what I have.
   Note:  I am typing this up as I wait for the newest reveal-so exciting!!

Oh My the reveal does not disappoint!!  

I think I got this technique figured out now--
      1) soak your leaves in watered down iron water-I had a gallon going of iron water that was very very brown-I poured that into a 5 gallon bucket (designated now for dyeing) filled it up with cool water and added all the leaves. and I collected that one weed flower-that prints so nice. Let soak over night or even 24 to 48 hours.  when ready to print-discard the iron water.
    2) I used a tablespoon of alum acetate mixed in with hot tap water to dissolve-I added that to a longish plastic container about 2 inches deep-poured that in and added warm water, stirred and added in my water color papers. No need to soak overnite. I soaked 5 watercolor papers at a time-layered with the leaves the butcher type wax paper (but not waxed) and another water color paper-added in the next 5 watercolor papers. I did 10 per tile sandwich.
    3) I sandwich these between tiles and tie as best I can set on rocks as flat as you can find, I double stacked two sets of tiles-just fits into this set up I have and place two heavy rocks on top-these help to press the leaves into the papers for better prints.
    4) I then added in very hot tap water to just cover the papers on top of stack-added in some blue Rit dye stirred that in and kept at a low simmer for 2 hours-no need to let papers set over night-now fabric I would let sit in the bath over nite and take out-and leave alone for a week or so before looking-hard I know lol

     When I first saw the video with the craft person using Rit dye-my first thought was this technique was cheating using a commercial dye like that. But when I saw the results-so amazing! 
      I have used chemical dyes from Dharma Trading when I was dyeing cloth for quilt fabrics-so I now look at Rit dye a different way. I think a green would be pretty to use as well.
   I think allot of the natural dye stuffs would not work with this eco print project if it is one that would lose it's color with the 2 hour simmer time. I think onion skins would work out nice in this method though

     Ok on to the reveal---Wow so beautiful---if you have an urge to try this technique please do-it is so exciting when you open up your sandwich

and a few of the in between papers-this time I cut them close to the size of the tiles

Tomorrow I would like to eco print with eucalyptus-I have dried leaves that I purchased a couple years ago and am soaking them in water today. Not sure if these are the right variety or not to get the pretty reds-but I am going to give it a go-along with the eucalyptus leaves in the water as well.

    We had a taste for ice cream one evening over the weekend-here's a photo of mine-vanilla frozen yogurt, fresh blueberries, and caramel yum.  Hubs loves chocolate mint the best.

The beverage I am sharing:  Kathy's made up Yellowstone-ginger beer beverage ha ha

    Fill a tall glass with frozen yogurt, a shot of huckleberry vodka (I found this bottle in West Yellowstone last year) fill up slowly with ginger beer-I use diet now. (note ginger beer has no alcohol in it)  Delicious! and thanks to Jo for mentioning ginger beer-I really enjoy it now.

Happy T everyone