Carly is hosting another sold out flower dying workshop October 19th in the shop so we wanted to get to know her a little better.....
What are your big three signs? Sun, Moon, Rising?
Virgo Sun, Aries Moon, Cancer Rising - A meticulous, fierce, and sensitive being I am!
Where did you grow up?
Winnipeg, Manitoba - Prairie gal through and through
What were you like as a kid?
I was a super shy little weirdo! I’ve always kind of been like a little old lady; I was into drawing up cookbooks and really just crafts of all varieties, loveddd watching Martha Stewart and Golden Girls, and preferred listening in on all of my Aunties chatter over running wild with my cousins at family gatherings. Things haven’t changed much except now I won’t shut up!
What did you do before creating flower pressed/dyed textiles?
I worked as a server and bartender for years but I’ve always had a lot of creative side practices. I’ve had a jewelry line and a woven art business, dabbled in co-operating a food blog/catering company, once spent an entire year making a tacky b-movie sci-fi with my pals (just for fun), was into vintage and reselling as a teenager/young adult before it was so dang cool (haha I’m older than I look!), and was once upon a time a hula hoop and fire dance performer!
Why flower dyes?
It all kind of happened organically over time, one interest weaving itself into another! I was quite literally a weaver and got into natural dyes to colour my yarn. Natural dyes eventually took over and I ended up attending a textiles program with a big focus on natural dyes and weaving. Eco printing became my focus on a quest for more texture and depth in my natural dye practice. I became kind of bored with immersing cloth into mostly predictable dye baths and started experimenting with flower and foliage prints. My most recent focus specifically with flowers is related to a tragic familial loss a few years ago. My healing process lead me to be immersed in flowers full time. Flower dyeing and growing a dye garden saved me from a deep state of grief. I can confirm that flowers are a balm for a broken heart and they enrich my life each day. I am so incredibly grateful to have this practice and to share it with others!
What's your favourite flower to work with?
Marigolds for certain, they’re so abundant and versatile and potent! Also smokebush gets an honorary mention as my favourite leaf to dye with!
What has been the biggest hurdle in running your own business?
Two things! Developing boundaries like learning to say no, especially to projects that aren’t in my best interest or that I don’t have capacity for at the time. Learning to turn off the people pleaser mind set and do whatever is best for myself can be hard but I’m working on it. The financial unknowns are also scary sometimes but I haven’t had to step foot behind a bar again and I hope it stays that way for good.
When you aren't creating beautiful flower printed items where can we find you?
Probably thrifting, listening to audiobooks and puttering, or in bed with my old fat cat watching history documentaries!
What is on your nightstand?
Well this is embarrassing - Watermelon candies and an empty hagen daaz ice cream container. I’m a late night sweet treat gal!
Who/what are your favourite bands/songs?
Oh my goodness so many to choose! Lately I have had on repeat: Dana Sipos - Skinny Legs, Nick Shoulders - Turn on the Dark, and Odie Leigh - Bigger Fish