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Our studio and storefront is officially one year old! This past weekend was full of love, laughs, and treats as we connected with our friends to celebrate. If you couldn’t make it or would like to reminisce, I’ll tell you all about it now!
]]>The past few weeks were full of preparation and anticipation for our anniversary weekend and private tea party. All things were considered to provide the best experience for myself and everyone else. What kind of decorations should I get? How should I arrange the studio? What should be on the dinner and dessert menu? What should I wear? And as we answered questions, new questions arose. Ultimately everything came together nicely and we were able to show off Modest Transitions in the best way possible.
The festivities started Friday and I was able to relax because we prepared so well. The studio was pristine with fresh flowers and balloons, fully stocked shelves, and the scent of a new eucalyptus candle flowing through the space. We were visited by friends who gave us compliments, purchased goodies, and left with complimentary pound cake slices by Lizzie’s Love Cakes. And those friends who purchased over $50 worth of products received a free MT tote bag!
Next to our cake slices, we had a display of our MT tote bag full of dyeing goodies to remind friends to enter our raffle in collaboration with Unorthodox Therapy Inc., which is a women-owned nonprofit organization that provides accessible and affordable alternative forms of therapy. Holistic therapy is important to me as it started my healing journey and the concept of Modest Transitions. I aimed to raise money to assist other women who are going through mental health challenges to get them back on track. Over the weekend we received donations that were added to the bag, which reached a value of over $450! We randomly picked our winner live on Instagram with much excitement knowing that the winner received an amazing prize and the proceeds were going to an upstanding cause.
Later on Friday, our besties came through to celebrate at our private tea party! Each of our guests was greeted and given a flower for a game called “giving flowers”. Once you had a flower, you were not allowed to say the word “natural” all night. If you did, another guest could take your flower.
The person with the most flowers by the end of the party wins the bouquet! I was so touched when I realized that no one said “natural” because everyone was eager to keep their flower.
Later, we were served a fresh and healthy dinner; there was a choice of chicken salad sandwiches on multigrain bread, tossed salad with vinaigrette, and pesto pasta salad. After the demonstration and cleanup, we opened the guilty pleasure dessert bar. Can you imagine a table full of cookies, cakes, pies, brownies, tea biscuits, and more? I was glad to hear that everyone enjoyed dinner and dessert because who doesn’t look forward to the food at a party? This was all paired with our signature tea for the night, hibiscus tea.
Our guests were able to experiment with our signature tea of the evening and create illustrations using hibiscus flowers. The tea itself was quite bitter, so I added allspice, cinnamon sticks, and sugar to balance out the flavor. When pouring the tea into the pitcher, it spilled and splattered everywhere! The hibiscus was trying to dye the floor, and my shoes, and would’ve dyed my clothes if I didn’t have an apron on. But we are a dye studio right ;-)
Our party demonstration with the brewed hibiscus flowers was magical. Our guests were given natural dye kits with a paintbrush, palette, and paper to experiment with the color of the hibiscus. Everyone was able to create deep magenta-colored paintings depending on how diluted their hibiscus color was.
Moments later, everyone spent time mixing their own teas to drink or to naturally dye. There were a variety of flowers and herbs like lavender, calendula, spearmint, lemongrass, and more! Throughout the party, I was glad to see everyone’s reactions to the games and activities, food selections, gift bags, and goodies. It was important that I was able to give back to those who gave their love to Modest Transitions.
We partied hard on Friday, but the celebration continued through Sunday. More friends visited us to give gifts, shop, and take pictures. And they left with a slice of poundcake of course! By the end of the weekend, my heart was full of gratitude and joy. Thank you again for supporting Modest Transitions. This year will be full of growth and we are excited for you to experience it with us!
]]>After giving birth to my first child, I experienced postpartum depression and found that warmth again in design and textile art. Creating designs released my negativity while the scent of natural dye baths rejuvenated my soul. The floral and herbal aromas always remind me of my youth in my mother’s garden. Replicating that comforting feeling is essential because it represents the safety and peace of mind everyone needs.
Because we all deserve to see beauty and feel warmth, Modest Transitions is fundraising to support Unorthodox Therapy Inc. and bring awareness to women’s mental health. Unorthodox Therapy Inc. is a women-owned nonprofit organization that provides accessible and affordable alternative forms of therapy.
Holistic therapy is important to me as it started my healing journey and the concept of Modest Transitions. I aim to raise money to assist other women who are going through mental health struggles to get them back on track. To support, enter our raffle for a chance to win a tote bag full of natural dyeing goodies!
The raffle closes on 2.26 at 2pm est. To enter the raffle and view details please search “raffle”. Thanks for your support!
To celebrate the one year anniversary of our storefront, we are offering our new MT t-shirts! There are two new designs both designed by Leann the illustrator and are available in long sleeve and short sleeve options. They are white and 100% cotton, but if you want some color, spice them up by dyeing them with natural material!
The process of creating earth-friendly designs is healing not only to me but also to those who join me in the making process. I look forward to seeing what you create!
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Modest Transitions FABSCRAP featured designer (2023)
Rabbit Recycling provides recycling and up-cycling solutions for both households and businesses. The Resource Exchange provides inspiration and reclaimed materials for sustainable making and lifestyle choices. Thanks to these resources we are able to transform preloved fabrics and give them another life.
With beautiful designs comes leftover fabric that was tossed aside during the creation process. Instead of discarding these scraps, I collect them all for future use. While collecting the scraps, there is no specific use for them in mind, but eventually, I become inspired to make something great. You’d be surprised what can come from leftovers that are considered to be trash by many. One of my first zero-waste projects was a patchwork design, which I put in a frame and now have displayed in the studio. The design consists of various colors and patterns from previous projects. After two years the colors are still beautiful and add value to the space.
These days, I look forward to hosting a zero-waste workshop where attendees will create their own patchwork tote bags. The one-day workshop will cover project planning and drafting, cutting and piecing patchwork fabric, handle installation, and more. Though we have donated fabric for use, we encourage everyone to bring their own fabric to cut and transform!
After taking a workshop, you can use that skill again in your everyday life! Patchwork designing is useful because you will have the ability to give an old item a new life. For example, instead of throwing away worn jeans, upcycle them by adding a funky patterned patch. This patch could be from an old shirt or blanket. Or you could cut up your jeans and make your own denim tote bag. Add value to your personal items while being creative and environmentally sustainable! What do you have in your home that needs to be revived?
]]>Let’s not forget about those flowers because you know I didn’t. Of course, I took time to smell the roses, but a week later they were used to create beautiful pieces for Modest Transitions. Before a photo shoot in our studio, I set up various stations that would display the many appeals of the space.
Husbae was in attendance and decided that he assist in displaying the process of bundle dyeing. Bundle dyeing, for this experience, is using dried flowers to create imprints and patterns on fabrics. It’s a great way to create and express yourself, without using chemicals harmful to the planet.
I was shocked watching Husbae bundle dye. Not only did he take initiative in what he wanted to create, but he exhibited a soft and creative side that I never saw in him before. I felt weird yet flattered. I was in awe of the softness of his hands in every gesture he made. Mr. Modest Transitions was so gentle as he brought all of his attention to bringing his bandanas to life. Every placement of the flowers was so intentional. I was getting butterflies from watching him create and to be honest, I felt myself falling in love all over again. Even one who isn’t an artist in the slightest was able to channel the creativity within them that everyone possesses. This experience had value in our relationship because we felt growth in our connection after we spent time bonding through natural dyeing.
I’m constantly reminded of the power of making when my mood is low. Creating can transform that pent-up energy into something beautiful and useful. When you create with others, your connections can transform as well. It’s fascinating what new experiences will reveal to you about your relationships with your loved ones. You can even reveal more about yourself. What do you think you could discover?
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In doing this, I was free to experiment with different growing and dyeing techniques. Friends in the Philadelphia area were able to learn alongside me and get first-hand experience in natural dyeing.
When we acquired our Fishtown location, I was glad to have another small garden located in our backyard area. Though these gardens are still available, I knew Modest Transitions needed a bigger garden to produce more plants for dyeing and more!
I am so pleased to announce that Modest Transitions now has a farm! Yes, our very own farm, which is located in North Kensington! We share the land with Terra Luna Herbals: while they tend to their beautiful flower farm, we will prepare our natural dye farm. We are starting germination, the process of plants growing and developing, in the near future. Soon we will be growing indigo, marigolds, cotton, flax, coreopsis, and much more. To start, we plan to use the direct sow method, which means we are planting our seeds directly in our garden instead of sprouting our plants indoors. Once our plants fully develop, we look forward to using them for natural dying purposes. I’m grateful for the land and I’m so glad to use what nature has provided us all. Look forward to even more beautiful colors and pressed patterns!
Recently, Modest Transitions was gifted a flax wheel! A flax wheel, or spinning wheel, is an instrument that is used to make linen thread by spinning the fibers of the flax plant. This is wonderful because we are growing flax on our farm this year and can make our own thread! According to the Museum of Natural History, the spinning wheel was believed to be first used between 500 and 1000 AD. In early United States history, they were commonly found in homes after being used commonly in Europe prior. Being a dedicated and curious maker, I’m always excited to learn new methods and share them with others.
Picture this: on a bright, sunny day you’re chatting with friends as plants dance in the breeze and butterflies kiss the flowers. You smile for pictures as you kneel beside our growing garden. I’m somewhere sipping lemonade while my toddler boys are waddling in the dirt. That sounds like an ideal community event doesn’t it? Our farm is not only a place for our plants to grow but it is also a place for us to gather. In the warmer months, we look forward to inviting you to our natural dye garden! Rumor has it that these days Modest Transitions is planning its community events to be held at the farm, but you didn’t hear that from me….Stay tuned!
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Our bundle dye kit includes:
(1) 100% silk bandana scarf
(1) dyestuff bundle of red onion skins, hollyhock, hibiscus, and dyers chamomile
Alum + soda ash for fabric preparation
How-to note card
Additional materials:
Gloves
Mask
Apron (optional)
Dedicated dye pot and steaming system (never mix your dye pots with pots used for food consumption)
Scale
Tongs
Heating source
Measuring tools
String, twine, or rubber bands
Once you have all your materials it’s time to bundle dye friends!
Fabric preparation
Determine your WOF (weight of fiber) of dry goods and clean your bandana with 2% WOF of soda ash with 1 teaspoon of pH neutral laundry detergent. This process can be achieved using your household washing machine on the hottest setting or to save water I encourage you to use a dedicated dye pot and cleanse on the stove with a gentle simmer for 1 hour.
Washing machine method: Once cycle is completed, prepare for mordanting.
Stove top method: Complete cleansing process until water runs clear. Remove bandana with tongs, USE CAUTION your bandana will be HOT. Rinse clear.
Mordanting
Next, using your WOF measure 10% WOF of alum into a low simmer dedicated dye pot with water. Ensure your bandana can loosely move in the dye pot. Gently simmer for 1 hour. Allow too cool or remove immediately and rinse.
Roll, Bundle, Steam
Lay your bandana right sides up on a clean surface. Using the dyestuff bundle located in the kit. Arrange, sprinkle, and design your bandana. Next, roll your bandana to the top (like making a sushi or cinnamon roll, yummy) and starting from the end of the roll, continue to roll into a snail shape or equal folds. The goal is to have a firm bundle at the end. Once you have a small bundle use twine, string, or rubber bands to secure in place.
Create a steaming system or use a dedicated pot/steamer and allow a pot of water to simmer with the lid on to create steam. You can create your own steamer by using cheesecloth, old cotton muslin with rubber bands to secure in place, pasta colanders, old bamboo steamers, etc. The goal is to create steam bath for 45mins to 1 hour.
Once your steam bath is going along, add your bundle to your steaming system and allow your bundle to steam for 45mins to 1 hour. You may also choose to submerge your bundle for other effects.
Reveal
Afterwards, remove your bundle and allow to cool. Once cooled reveal your bundle by slowly unrolling your magical bundle and removing dyestuff contents. Once you take in your beautiful creation, rinse clear and use a pH neutral detergent for final cleansing and hang dry.
PRO TIP: Give your bandana a soda ash after bath and admire the change in color :)
If you have any questions or wish to attend a workshop I am always available to help!
With peace + flowers,
Melanie
]]>Can you believe that we used to be an e-commerce shop that held workshops in my backyard? We came a long way and with growth comes growing pains. Though there were times I felt overjoyed and celebratory, many times I found myself discouraged and upset from running into obstacles that seemed to be never-ending. For a period of time, I felt like there was a storm cloud hovering above me. (Maybe that’s why it’s been so rainy.) I found myself to be stuck in a funk due to things not going according to plan. After taking time to reflect, I’m reminded of the reason I started Modest Transitions: to cope by creating earth-friendly designs. 2023 offers us time to refresh and I’m excited to create with the original vision in mind.
Guess what got me out of my funk last year….Yes, various making experiences. On a recent day trip to NYC, I visited the Louis Vuitton store where an art exhibit was held to showcase imaginative trucks by 200 visionaries.
Visitors were able to customize their own trunk bags and display them for everyone to see. There was a display trunk decorated with all-natural materials that were braided to resemble hair.
After creating my Modest Transitions-themed trunk, which I placed at the very top of the pyramid made of various trunks placed previously by other visitors.
As we were walking through Soho, we passed a display window with various textile designs. The soft colors and punch needle designs really resonated with me. That day was filled with smiles, creativity, and adventure. Using every opportunity to be playful and expressive is my way to release sadness and cater to my inner child.
What really excites my inner child is watching my family create. My toddler weaving on the loom makes me feel the warmth and reminds me of the joy of making. Weaving provides him comfort as it simulates his senses. It’s nice to see my kids keeping themselves busy; plus, that’s just more time for me to get things done in peace!
My first dye bath of the year also really got me back into the spirit. I achieved a vibrant rust color after experimenting with coreopsis. I’m still amazed at what we are able to create using what the earth provides us. My recent personal experiences, both good and bad, inspired me to offer a fresh set of spring workshops that are unique to Modest Transitions. Staying true to natural dyeing, designing, and giving back to the community is what makes me who I am.
Ultimately, the past year taught me many lessons. Setting firm boundaries, knowing my limits, and prioritizing rest will keep storm clouds from above my head. I’m reminded of the importance of having a strong foundation for Modest Transitions to sit upon. The foundation not only includes the best version of me but also includes my family, colleagues, and lovers of all things natural. Lastly, of course, taking time to immerse in creating will release all of my pent-up energy. Modest Transitions was conceived from that exact idea. With a fresh perspective and optimistic outlook, I look forward to providing the best experience for everyone, including myself, in 2023!
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