Les Petits Bonheurs - Shellie Pomeroy of Silk & Willow

It was a happy day when I stumbled across Silk & Willow via the ever talented Irish event stylists, Pearl & Godiva. To say that I am a ribbon fan would be an understatement, my life revolves around ribbons, antique and vintage. No matter how small the morsel, their threads always wind themselves into my being.

So you can image what a wonder it was to discover the world of Shellie Pomeroy, who left behind the hectic pace of a career in publishing to raise her daughters. This change in pace and circumstance, led to Shellie setting up Silk & Willow, where she creates unique, natural, sustainable and very luxurious ribbons.

Shellie describes her process as " My foundation is based on century old dyeing techniques, with a little bit of unconventional “breaking the rules.” The materials I dye are slow crafted by hand, and while my colors are sometimes subtle, each one tells a story".

I reached out to Shellie to find out more about her beautiful work and she very generously responded to share photographs of a typical day and wonderful insights into her creative world .

"Silk & Willow has grown from a passion for the tactile experience and desire to create. My inspiration comes from found materials, antiques, textiles, and nature. "

"I am a traditionalist in many ways, I am drawn to basic materials brought to life by the touch of hand."

"Aside from textiles, I have an obsession with wood in it's rawest form. I collect antique hand carved bowls and cutting boards that I will never part with. I also have a secret stash of wooden spools that are so textured & unique, that I just keep for myself."

"My dearest treasures are the wooden pieces my daughters have made: a hand carved bowl and wooden stools (see photo). You will see these items in many of my photos."

"While I generally capture a more moody side, my "drying" room is very light-bright & colorful (and smells good too!). A small room where I keep supplies, dry flowers, and many unfinished projects live."

"It's funny, but I spend a lot of time looking out my kitchen window while rinsing materials in my kitchen sink. I always have flowers and plants of some type in my window. More often than not, there is a variety of dead & dried flowers. I am fascinated watching them transform. Below is a photo of 'whats in my widow sill today': flowers, leaves, grass, drying avocado pits (that will be used for dying), silk pieces that I was using to test colors, and lavender oil (a relaxing scent I like to rub on my dry hands)".

"The alchemy of natural dyes is much like making a cake; proper measurements, technique, and time are necessary for accurate results. While dyeing with plants doesn’t always produce predictable results, every color created is a gift of nature and alive with character. The process of plant dyeing silk ribbon takes time and patience to produce consistency. I approach this with enthusiasm, as I feel much of our lives are rushed with the need for instant results.

Using plant materials to dye fabric is a tradition that dates back to antiquity. Forging for material and cooking out the color is a gratifying process. I even find joy in the varying smells that now come from my kitchen. Some like a sweet cup of brewed tea, and others, a muddy earthiness that remind me of walking on wet moss barefoot in the woods. An array of sensory responses brought straight to my kitchen!"

 

 I encourage you to follow Shellie on Instagram as she always posts beautiful, inspiring images!