DIY Jean Jacket Upcycle Using Jacquard iDye.

 Last summer I bought this jean jacket.  As you can see, it was white. I mean really white. 

We're talking Ku Klux Klan seal of approval white.  It just was too stark and blinding  and I hardly ever wore it. 

So, having seen a demo of dying fabric with the popular Annie Sloan Chalk Paint which looked easy and  totes do-able, I decided to give it a shot using the colour Florence, a sort of bright  turquoise-bluey green. 

The results weren't great. The colour was washed out and uneven. I wasn't thrilled with the outcome, especially when you consider the cost of 1 litre  of ASCP is  about 50 bucks.  I already had the paint and wasn't doing anything with it so that was no biggie....You might be happy if your goal is a soft pastel but that's not me.  Back to the drawing, I mean dyeing board.

  This morning I thought, Hey Jude... what have you got to lose and I grabbed  a pack of Jacquard iDye in Deep Orange ( actually 2 packs cuz I love bright juicy colour)

 I followed the instructions- even wore gloves! 

I usually hate wearing rubber gloves,  (or as I've been known to call them, 'hand condoms' )  but didn't want my hands to look like two weird and deformed pumpkins.

Here's the 1st packet going into the warm water on the stove.

 No, this isn't  the Thai butternut  squash soup I make, it's the water after adding a second packet.

In goes the jacket-no turning back now.

 Added one cup of salt as per the instructions and let it simmer away for 30 minutes, stirring every five or so. So far, so good.

 Carefully removed from the big pot and rinsed it in cool water. Helps to have a double sink in the garage cuz this stuff really stains!   

Then one washer and dryer cycle and voila!

Fresh out of the dryer, so toasty warm.
Felt great putting it on.
A whole new look.

  Even Sammy can't resist.

Success!  Love the new look. Now I'm hooked on iDye.

 What can I dye next......???
 Here's a fun video using the same product. 
I love this guy!

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Studio Jude

Gypsy Purple: Gypsy Find: Too bohemian for you?.......

  Just love this- so whimsical and fun!

    Gypsy Purple: Gypsy Find: Too bohemian for you?.......See More Here...!

Out of Chaos, a new Piece of Art Emerges.......

Decided to tackle my vast collection of scarves  last night.

Scarves.The middle aged woman's best friend. 

Started grouping  them  on three wall hooks according to colour families, earth tones, greens and blues, and reds and  oranges  and because I ran out of room, a  deep purple one got into the oranges.
It looked so luscious and juicy I had to take a photo.
I love  the way the colours flow  together.

Life  is full of  creative and  serendipitous moments like this.
 One only has to be open to recognizing when they're happening to you!
Enjoy today. And pay attention. You never know what will happen next.

New Color Field Painting

Here's a look at my latest piece. I am exploring color field paintings. This one is 16"x16" x 4'' deep. It doesn't have a title yet, just completed it on Saturday. Love the juicy color combo!

Rainbow Roses

I just love these gorgeous rainbow colored roses! Yesterday was Valentine's Day and as I was out shopping I saw so many guys standing in line to buy red or pink roses for their sweethearts and I thought how boring! No imagination!
These are real roses and were dyed by splitting the stems into sections, then dipping each section into a different color of dye. Very cool!

Playing with Paper

This is something I created on the spot using several pieces of dyed paper. I'm not sure what I'll do with it. I love experimenting with different types of materials and surfaces. It's always an adventure seeing what happens. One of my favorite things to say to myself is " What if...". What if I mix this with that- what if I put this paint on that surface. Never be afraid to make a "mistake". Sometimes the most wonderful things happen by accident!