Working together with Earth and the natural cycle of life, I source my materials as ethically and sustainably as possible. Instead of producing more plastics, using synthetic materials and overall creating more waste, I use what is given up after death. Bones of deceased animals, feathers that have been shed and not plucked, pelts from natural death and roadkill, stones, twigs and moss found about; all of these sources are carefully researched and attained to work best with the natural order...

​With that being said, I`d like to go into depth about the process from which death evolves to new life as adornments, and how ultimately beautiful and graceful Earth`s cycle of life truly is.

It starts with life.

Ball pythons are a common snake in the States, cherished for their mellow attitudes and relatively easy care. They aptly earned the name "Ball Python" for their tendency to curl themselves into little balls, usually while snuggling under a cover. They range in size from around 3'-5', and can live up to 30 years...however, the long lifespan isn`t always the reality for these critters. 

The Ball Pythons I source come from various breeders and pet stores in Florida. None are bred, hunted or killed for this-instead, they perish naturally, in various stages of their lives. Instead of letting their deaths end there, the carcasses are taken to the next step; Dermestid Beetles.

Rather than going the route of chemical processes or boiling until the meat falls off the bone, Dermestid Beetles are a wonderful way of cleaning the bones while keeping with the natural order of things. A large amount of adult beetles (from a colony of 500 or more) can rapidly eat away at the meat and muscle in a few days, to in as little as 24 hours depending on the size of the carcass. Not only is the quality of the cleaning superb compared to many chemical processes, but the death creates life and sustenance for the beetles. 

Below is an excellent video of and a deeper look into the process. 

Here the bones are separated and organized, where I then use them in my adornments. Keeping with my materials mentality, I use high quality metal, wood, sinew and leather along with the bones to ensure not only a beautiful product, but one from nature that can ultimately return back into the Earth, completing the cycle.*

Each piece is uniquely handcrafted and cared for, all with sustainability in mind. My hope with these pieces is to inspire the same fascination and curiosity I myself have for science, and invoke a deep love for the balance between life and death.

I hope this gave some insight into the process and clarified the MANY questions I am asked about these pieces-thank you for being curious!

Check out listings in person or on Instagram at my designated wears page, @lostadornments

More posts about the process and sourcing will come in the future as my craft and research continue to evolve. If you have any further inquiries, I would be happy to  answer.

*The only exception to natural materials is the "Tar Pit" style of adornment, as it is hand-painted in numerous layers of acrylla gouache and finished off with an acrylic varnish.

 A week ago, I was walking around and noticed some vibrant flowers growing in a park. There were various shades of pink and I knew I had to try to extract some pigment from them. The ink you can make from them is low-cost, as all you need to buy is distilled white vinegar (I already had some around the house) and an essential oil (optional).

Materials Needed:

• A handful of fresh, vibrant flowers
• Distilled white vinegar
• A mortar and pestle
• Piece of fabric, cheese cloth or natural fiber bag (I had a muslin bag)-this can also work with a strainer
• Mason jar
• Tea tree or Thyme essential oil

Wherever you go, chances are there`re flowers growing somewhere-they may even be in your yard! Scrounge around for some specimens, there is no rule to what you should pick. Different colors will produce different results and it`s fun to see the variations you can achieve. While I picked pink/ purple pink flowers, and my ink while wet looks pink, dried, it transitions to a beautiful purple-indigo. Experiment with the world around you. Ensure that you gather fresh, un-wilted specimens, and about two handfuls.

When you return home (or have your materials, this is also easy to do outside), pull the green stems and bits off your plants. I chose to pull the petals and use them, instead of the stamens, but you can play around with this. Place a good amount of petals in the bottom of your mortar and pour about a Tablespoon or two over top them. Take your pestle and work some elbow grease, working in circular motions. The more thorough you are, the better pigmented your ink will be. As you continue, add more petals into the mixture.

If you find that you need more vinegar, feel free to add it. It`s easier to start with less so you can control the color more effectively.
Upon incorporation of the petals, it`s time to strain out your new ink! Take your fabric or fabric bag, fit it over your jar (or any medium-small-mouthed container. Either hold in place with a rubber band, or the lid so it won`t fall in. If you`re using a strainer, skip this step. Pour your mixture through the strainer or fabric, getting all the bits.
With your hands or the pestle, squeeze or push the liquid through into the jar. Try to get as much of the liquid through as you can.
Remove the solid material and compost it. With the remaining liquid, to better preserve it, add two drops of tea tree or thyme oil. This will help prevent molding.

At this point, you can either gather more petals, add different colors, or change the ratio of vinegar to edit the color. Shake well. Grab some paper (I used watercolor paper) and a brush and try out your new ink! As there are countless species and shades of flowers, there really is an endless array of colors that you can achieve. 

As mentioned earlier, the wet vs. dry color pay-off can be a surprise to you. Different mixtures will have different results and this is definitely half the fun. While I wasn`t expecting the blue, I quite enjoy it. See what you discover, either way, every new flower will seem a new opportunity.

​You can store this ink for a few months in an air-tight jar or bottle for later use.

This past weekend, I took a trip out to Lake Sinclair, not only for some fresh air, but for some new art supplies. Charcoal is an easy toe-dip into the world of creating your own materials and pigments, and is virtually free.

Materials Needed:

• An Altoids tin, or equivalent (lid must stay securely closed)
• Some shrub clippers or a knife
• Access to the outdoors
• An open fire
• Tongs/a wrench 

Take a gander outside. You don`t even need a nature preserve or forest for this; some clippings from your neighborhood plants or sidewalk shrubs will also work. It`s wise to only take a few samples from any given plant, you don`t want to stress the poor little saps out too much. Gather a handful of cuttings, various thicknesses and species do in fact work-different varieties will produce different results and this is fun to experiment with. 

Cut the samples to size, to lay in your tin. I tried to keep mine about Crayon sized. You can mix it up with some more green twigs, and some more dry ones.

Take your filled tin and make sure the lid fits snugly, as you don`t want to lose all your cuttings to the fire. Have a decent-sized fire built, enough that the flames are big enough to stay lit. With your tongs, wrench, or spatula, lay the tin on top of the flame.

Wait about 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of your fire.

Carefully remove the tins and rest somewhere where they wont catch fire or melt through somthing.

Let rest about 10 minutes.

Congratulations, you now have your very own charcoal!

Things to do With Your Charcoal:

• Use it straight as a charcoal stick for drawing
• Grind it up in a mortar and pestle for pigment
• Make your own eyeliner, mascara or eye shadow
• Mix it in with your plant soil to filter it
• Turn the ground pigment into oil, watercolor or ink

I hope this was fun and that you give it a try, more tutorials like it will follow!

If you want to find my art and see more process and behind-the-scenes, follow me on Instagram, @lostinthewoodsart!