I admit it. I was not in high production mode this summer. It was too hot down here in Florida to do anything but swim and play. So on those rare days when I ventured into the studio, I gave myself permission to do just that. Play.

I found this product called Inkodye which is light sensitive dye. I made some of the patterned fabrics below using doilies and dye in the sun. The blue piece was the result of blue dye and doilies over already printed fabric. The other pieces were white handkerchief pieces. Hint: Although the instructions say expose in bright sun for 8 minutes, Florida summer exposure times were more like 2 minutes!

I continued embellishing these fabric pieces with some stamping. I know that there is a gigantic world of stamping out there, but I am interested more in pattern making. I found these great antique batik stamps at Sarasota Architectural Salvage. They inspired me to make my own patterns too. I found success using a broken windchime and this honey-combed cardboard piece (thank you Ikea packaging).

True was a collage that I puttered around with all summer and I think the red blossom stamping over the top helped me finish it.