Friday 29 January 2016

wander cards for wayfaring wonderers


It's been a long hot summer, but I have put it to good use.

Some years ago I pondered a small publishing project that wasn't going to be a book, more of a periodical that would have suggestions for things to do as well as beautiful images. 
I let it brew for a while (a couple of years, actually) and this is what happened. Not quite what I was dreaming of, but (I think) much, much better.
I've called them 'Wander cards for Wonderers' and they are a limited edition, printed in vegetable ink on recycled stock, winging their way around the whirled from February 29. There are four sets of 25 in the pack...three of them labeled (in the field / in the armchair / in the mind) and the fourth blank. The idea is that you can pull a card at random as an inspiration for an afternoon's exploration. 
Or choose three (a bit like a Tarot reading except happily there aren't any grim reapers) and see what they might suggest together. 
The fourth set is for you to add notes and ideas of your own. 

I announced them on the FB 'workshops and wanderings' group early yesterday and have been totally delighted that they seem to be finding homes quite quickly. 
 For which I am very grateful.

I'm having splendid fun sorting them into packs, sticking paper bands around them and dyeing the silk to wrap them in (and the silk scarves for those making a more serious commitment). I've also been folding wee booklets to accompany them.

Initially I had wild ideas of sending them out in little wooden boxes with treasures from my studio tucked around them but I soon discovered that little wooden boxes need little wooden box certifications in order to be able to cross borders, and then the postmistress reminded me that I would be filling out countless customs forms and having to remember what was in each box so that idea went zooming out the window.

Here's the simpler solution I came up with.



The cardboard mailing boxes are beautifully sturdy and can be salvaged and embellished and made into permanent homes for the cards. The cards themselves can be dyed (or coloured using hapazome)...work on the blank ones first and give the printed ones a month or two to cure before bundling them (the ink needs a bit of time to settle). If you've signed on for the Yellow Ferry adventure you'll receive a set anyway. If you haven't...now's your chance.

and that long hot summer? Last night it finally rained...so today I was literally scooping up dye from the driveway. Bliss.




19 comments:

  1. i am glad i found your group and see what comes up and going on in your universe , this are a very good idea , But sorry to say i have had a lot of problem with the danish post about sending yarn from Iceland , so at the moment i do not know if i dare order something from overseas , i needed both from Tarla & Marion , but i will think more about what i do !!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ordered! Paypal wouldn't let me add USA but I guess you can add it to my order address - Laurie O'Neill

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't see USA on my mailing address when I was doing the PayPal payment, but "United States" show up on my address in the confirmation e-mail. So it's probably there on yours, too.

      Delete
  3. Sounds like a wonderful idea.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I hope you have some left! sending money via paypal, thank you in advance

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nearly 25th this morning. I can relax for a while, I can still wash in rain water, not the dreaded dam water that sends everything red. OK if you want it but the iron impregnated water isn't always what I want.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What I think is going to be especially fun [aside from playing with that set of cards, of course] will be seeing what everyone does with their cards. Bloggers and instagrammies and the like, all will be sharing what they get up to and THAT will be very exciting [and inspiring] to see!

    Super swell idea, India.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks Possum
      i'm going to make a group on FB where people can post pix of what they do to their blank cards...will be fun to see what new instructions they come up with and lovely for all who are working with the cards to be able to extend their collection by exploring those additional ideas, don't you think?

      Delete
    2. Most definitely, a stellar addition to the project. And .... is a positive, constructive use of the entity that is f'book - sharing across country borders with like-minded folks ;>)

      Delete
  7. I would love to purchase some India- how do I go about it? With thanks, Sue Fisken

    ReplyDelete
  8. will you be sharing a few of the images of the individual cards to see what is on offer here?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. in essence, they contain the sorts of ideas I share in a 'being (t)here' workshop...prompts for writing, drawing , walking , listening: and then further suggestions to build on the fieldwork. Guess I thought it might spoil the magic of discovery to reveal the fine print, maybe I was wrong

      Delete
    2. you've sparked something, Mo

      am beginning a list of all the things only available in sealed packs
      got a feeling there's (at least) an aleatory poem in it

      :-)

      Delete