Patterns in nature

Mangosteen star

Our Singaporean friends introduced my hubby and me to mangosteens and their cooling nature. According to Denny and Esther, foods are either heaty (yang) or cooling (yin). Durian is so very heaty that it should never be consumed with alcohol, which is also heaty, but instead be paired with mangosteens which will balance it out. Since hubby thinks that durian is disgusting, we haven't had it since we lived in Singapore. I like it, but couldn't eat an entire one all by myself. We both love mangosteens, so when they are available in Canada, we buy a few. Since reading India Flint's Eco Colour, I've collected mangosteen shells for future natural dye experiments. I'm curious to see what colour they will yield, how to process the shells, and how light-fast the dye is. If you already know the answer to this, feel free to leave a comment.

Adobe Illustrator

The Green Wave © Karen Thiessen 2012

I gave myself a break from Adobe Illustrator this week, but here's S-curvy reimagined using the brushes tool. Happy weekend to you all!

Home & Garden

Bromeliad flower; Photo credit Karen Thiessen, 2012

A month ago I was ready to donate this plant to my local thrift store but I'm glad I didn't. Every two years the plant sends out a bloom that lasts several months. Then the plant produces a baby plant that I call a pup. When the pup reaches a certain size, the host parent dies, and the cycle begins anew. This is the third or fourth generation of the original plant that the previous home owners left with the house.

Bromeliad flower; Photo credit Karen Thiessen, 2012

With the help of a generous scoop of compost per plant each month and a new sunny raised bed, our 2012 zucchini crop is our best ever. Even with eight plants, we still don't have the problem of so many zucchini that we need to share them with friends, family, neighbours, and unsuspecting passersby. There's always next year...

Yellow zucchini; Photo credit Karen Thiessen, 2012

Studio Series: A-line skirt collage

A-line skirt collage © Karen Thiessen, 2012

While purging files, I came across some photocopies with lovely shadows that were too beautiful not to use. This collage is simple, yet elegant – just like an A-line skirt.

TOAE 2012: Tracey Martin

Tracey Martin textile sculpture; Photo credit Karen Thiessen, 2012

Tracey Martin's gigantic knit red ball garnered a lot of attention at the TOAE. With the sweltering temperatures, just looking at knitting in progress, let alone a red knit ball larger than Santa, made me hotter than I already was. I included two images, one with an average height woman next to it to give you a sense of the scale. According to Tracey, a five foot diameter metal armature is at the heart of the ball, and the ball is approximately five feet five inches with the knitting. I'm curious to see how large this ball gets. Tracey Martin won the Best Sculpture Award for the 2012 TOAE!

Tracey Martin textile sculpture; Photo credit Karen Thiessen, 2012

For more information, check out her blog.

Quotes: Life

"Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." – Voltaire, French author, historian, and philosopher


"We are disturbed not by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens." – Epictetus, Greek philosopher


"The winds of grace are always blowing, but you have to raise the sail." – Sri Ramakrishna, 19th century Indian saint

Week 30: Adobe Illustrator

Hexbridge © Karen Thiessen, 2012

When you were a child, did you play with Tinkertoys? My brother and I had a set and I played with them for hours at a time. I think the Hexbridge pattern has a Tinkertoy-meets-hexagon feel, my hubby would likely describe it as a molecular model. This is probably a variation of a Moorish pattern. What do you see?