Teri Dyes - a spectrum of colour
Introducing colour into your work is super exciting, but starting to dye can be a little intimidating for the uninitiated.   
The first dye I ever used to colour flowers and weaving whenu was Teri Dyes Phormalan range. I was drawn in by its vibrancy mixing ability and huge range of colours. I also loved that it was formulated for use on NZ Flax and so the instructions were clear and suitable for flax fibre.
I have since discovered that they work beautifully on raffia and some foliage too. While I have never met proprietor Ioulia Crowley in person - during ordering or answering questions she has been so lovely and supportive of my weaving journey and has extended the same to my students.
In my flax flower dyeing course I use Teri Dyes to demonstrate transitional colour flower dyeing. The colours blend beautifully and I'm yet to find anything that produces brighter colours.

Using Teri Dyes as a base, I am free to add interesting effects with...

Hello Lovelies,
I have begun to plant out my garden with flowers that dry well to add to my floral creations.
Today I would like to introduce you to Lion's Tail - Leonotis leonurus.

I was recently shown this bright orange flowering plant by my cousin Adrienne. She too is an avid gardener and loves to work with flax flowers and dried flowers. She bought me some seed heads to use in my work and some seedlings to plant for this season. As well as being a delightful colourful shrub in my garden - once dried and trimmed, the seed heads make an amazing addition to flax flower bouquets.

They also dye well and can be coloured with florist sprays for different effects.

Personally I love to use them in their natural colour. 

Here's how I used them recently in an arrangement.

They grow easily and prolifically and don't require a lot of water. On top of that, they are self-seeding so you will always have another crop year after year. I enjoy using Lion’s Tail, and am happy to have a...