Wayfarers Wanderbook with India Flint - Day Three

Day Three

Started off the morning with a walnut and blueberry dye that India and Darcy prepared for us.  We were encouraged to use both to decorate Jackson Pollack/Morris Louis style on our large piece of watercolor paper we had brought along.

Here are both sides of my paper above and below.

And a few done by fellow students.

Then India took us outside, sat us in a circle and gave us a really fun exercise to do.  She had cut out various newspaper ads and we each chose one.  Then she told us to pick out 7 words that felt good to us and circle them.  We each took turns saying our words out loud.  Then she asked us to take those words and create a poem with them and to write it on one of our dyed papers.  Again we took turns reading our poem aloud.

Next while we were still in the circle, Darcy gave us each a silk bundle that she had made weeks in advance of our arrival.  Such a beautiful, heartfelt gesture and gift.  We all opened them up at the  same time, and found each to be unique and special.  Here is mine below.  Darcy above, about to pass them out, telling us how much she has enjoyed our traveling from far and near, to her home, to take the class with India, with tears running down her face.  Such a sweet and gentle lady. 

After lunch India shows us yet another folding technique using coffee filters, really big coffee filters!  First she folds the bottom quarter up. 

Turns the piece over then folds a quarter side in.

Folds the other quarter side inward.

Turns piece over and flods the bottom quarter up.

And then slips one curved end into the other to make a pouch!!!  Totally cool!

Then outside we went to collect more windfall and rolled our pouch and some other papers we had ready to go between sushi mats.

And plopped them into the cauldrons to make their magic.

Mine below as I unwrap it.

Above the coffee filter pouch and a chocolate bag full of yummies from Australia that India brought to each of us on that first morning with our coffee, along with my poem paper that were inside the sushi mat as I lay them out to dry.

Of course our day wouldn't be complete without a bit of show and tell by India.  Above a silk piece she was currently stitching on.  This is the backside.  Below is the front side.  Before our workshop she gave another workshop in L.A., and this I believe were the pieces she made as demos for her class there. She has layed them atop the larger silk background piece and she is in the process of stitching them down.

A close up below.  I believe she did this stitching as she was taking the train from L.A. to Santa Barbara.  Remarkable woman!!

Another close up.

And lastly our workshop came to an end as we showed off our Wayfarer's Wanderbooks.  We had a bit of time at the end to stitch many of our glorious papers into this book using a pamphlet binding technique.  The book that we stitched our papers into came from our walnut/blueberry watercolor paper that we map folded into a book.  I wasn't able to get my book completely done but a couple of the gals did.  Take a look see....

Many came up with creative closures...

or found wonderful pieces of bark to incorporate into the book cover.

I believe this is my good friend Lori's above.  She has opened it up so we can get a glimpse of the inside.

These were all of them in various stages of completion.

I had a lovely time learning so many new techniques and making new friends.  Thank you India for sharing your knowledge with us from over the big pond, and thank you again Darcy for you home and hospitality.  I've been inspired and have come away with so many wonderful memories.

Now I get to pass that onto my young ones here at Whitiney.