The perfect Monday

I was determined to make today as studio heavy as possible. Today was just Tom and me, which is always chill and a good way to start the week (and he was able to do big work because I was the extra set of hands). I got wet early so I had to change into new socks and boots. But I had good success with Melissa's leftover dyes on sized kozo (the blue pot), not great success on old, compacted, refrigerated sized gampi (the purple pot), and dreamy wonderfulness with the dahlias (orange pot). The first two I rinsed outside during the sunny afternoon (no sunscreen, Velma! You'd be proud) and the last I am leaving overnight to sit in the dye/alum bath before rinsing tomorrow. I could easily experiment like this for the rest of my life and be completely content.

[At home, after pulling sized kozo, beating and pulling Velma's late July milkweed harvest, and then adding non-fixed dyed kozo to the milkweed dregs, I moved my work table to face the trees and get better lighting.] I selected EPS inventory for an order for woodblock printing papers, cleaned lots of containers, put kozo out to dry (I went overboard and soaked 10 pounds for the weekend hanji class, but only cooked eight—five to six would have been fine), pressed / parted / dried all of the second day's small hanji for my students, collected hibiscus and dahlia flowers, removed dry Morgan kozo from the fence, fetched lunch, and ate a bunch.

I was too busy this past weekend teaching the hanji class to take pictures, but my students were fabulous! What a wonderful class: keeping the size small made my life sooooo much easier, and focusing only on papermaking was a nice treat (though the physical exhaustion was intense). I was able to run the naginata for the class, and was fortunate to have Sonora as a fabulously helpful and cheerful assistant.

Kirstin cleaned the beater on its second run, and Sonora did it for its third. We'll definitely be running it again soon, especially now that I want to make a fresh batch of kozo/gampi paper for moku hanga folks.

My student Angela's pulled the topmost three sheets on the first day and brush dyed them on the second with dahlias and marigolds. LOVE THESE. I put them on top my display of various Asian papers this morning because I love how they match the faux gold leafing.

Marigold left, dahlia right. I was lazy and left dye bowls out for DAYS, so they were super concentrated for class. I made it home in time to do laundry, vacuum, work on sample books and mail art and paper thread prep, cook for the next few days, and even watch two shows. I have NOT really dealt with admin, but like Velma reminded me: when you only have so much energy, you have to do the important things. I really needed this day—it has been months since I pulled paper just for me!