MAGPIE'S MUMBLINGS

A blog about my interests, which include fabric landscapes and various and assorted other artsy pursuits and sometimes known to contain mumblings of a random nature.

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Look what the cauldron has produced!

Some of my so-called experiments actually do turn out 
(surprise, surprise).

A trip to the local cemetery yielded about two dozen black walnuts which, I'll have you know, was a definite skirmish with the  squirrels who think they have exclusive rights.  I thought they could share a few with me and not miss them.  The trees there are huge and there are tons of walnuts falling to the ground right now.  

I put the walnuts in the slow cooker, covered them with water, and 'brewed' them all day.  The walnuts ended up looking like this.....

I know, yewwww!!
Jack suggested I should try giving them another brewing to see what would happen and here is what I ended up with....

Five 250 ml jars of walnut ink!!

and....
now that mishmash of walnut bits has been wrapped in some fabric
and is stewing outside to see what happens.

Hopefully I'll end up with interestingly dyed fabric

UNLESS 

the local squirrels decide they LIKE cooked walnuts!!

p.s. Considering the fact that at least five years ago I paid $7.50 for a mere 20 oz. of walnut ink, I think my 'experiment' was a rousing success!!




18 comments:

  1. I think you are safe from the squirrels but the neighbor ladies may start eyeing that fabric. What a smart cookie you were to make that ink. You may have just come up with a new business for yourself. Now I want to see pictures of your hands after fooling around with those walnuts.
    Debbie

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  2. Erm.......that ash like substance came from the ...where?
    You sure it was walnuts?

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  3. Anonymous3:17 PM

    Just because of you some poor freezing squirrel will be hungry this winter!....HA...too blinkin' bad!!! Nice work
    Mrs Noofy

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  4. well that's a lot more positive than the last post i just read, on another blog, thanks for brightening my day. Well done making all that walnut ink, an excellent result...k.

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  5. It looked like BBQ charcoal to me. I hope the results turn out nice.

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  6. That's a neat idea! What a deep, rich brown shade it's giving your fabric. I wonder how it would work with rusty fabric, too.

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  7. Wow...you are very clever!!! Hope it works amazingly well. xoxo

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  8. EUWWWW is right--BUT now smash all that into fabric and hide it somewhere! The staining looks marvellous on the others.

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  9. How did you know to do this to make walnut ink? I can't wait to see you fabrics!

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  10. And who said that you weren't a clever girl -not me -I new all the time that you were clever.

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  11. Oh....they already look wonderful...keep them away from the squirrels!

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  12. I hope the fabric looks better than the walnut stew! Lol. I'll be waiting for the final results.

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  13. Anonymous8:24 AM

    Interesting you are one clever lady do you use the ink on fabric or paper.

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  14. You are so funny, I can just see you cooking these and having fun, yet you told me you don't cook. Sounds just like me :)
    I think this is an amazing experiment and yes, that walnut ink or the crystals which you used to have to buy years ago was soooooo expensive, good for you!!!!
    Can't wait to see how the ones baking outside turn out.

    What's going in your cauldron next?

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  15. well I have to say that your walnuts look pretty disgusting, don't think I will come over for supper!! but the cloth looks VERY promising!!

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  16. Oh! I have been wanting to find a black walnut tree and experiment. It is lovely to see yours!

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  17. Oh Mary Anne! How awesome! We have black walnuts around here, I just have to look for them.

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  18. THANK YOU for sending me the walnuts--i can't wait to try them!!!!!!!!!! Hope mine look half as good as yours!

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Thank you so much for leaving comments! I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy life to talk to me. It's wonderful to know that someone is actually reading my mumblings and even more fun if I can connect with you and visit your blog.