These are certainly not Swarovzki crystals, however, these acrylic gems sparkle nonetheless when the rays of the sun reflect upon them throughout the day. Being the most auspicious direction of the BA-gua, I decided to glue a generous amount of these trinkets to the curtains in honor of the bounty of summer that is associated with the south and where they would cheerfully gild while screening out the sunlight. An homage to Bollywood, these shimmering beauties along with the sprightly hue I selected for the curtains create for an alluring and hopeful area of the nursery, irresistible to the eye and uplifting to the heart. Initially I was going for this color  inspired by the delicate petals of the impressive flowers we received from my dear cousin—look at this hue even after weeks in our nest! However, due to a slight diversion with another dye project performed days before, I decided to attempt a lemon color dye with a touch of turmeric while keeping with the original ombré look inspired by nature.
Directions for curtain call under a budget:
(Please Note: I highly recommend wearing gloves for this project.)
1. Plug the sink so the dye doesn’t go down the drain. (I used my utility sink for the first time while trying to dye sheepskins black. I didn’t accomplish my intent since I discovered the plug didn’t fit properly, however, I did like the outcome. Since the dye quickly went down the drain and the skins turned purple instead of seeping them for a while to absorb the noir look I was going for, I simply changed my cerise curtain idea into a cheerful marigold to compliment my transformed skins.)
2. Prepare dye according to directions and place the bottom six to eight inches of the curtain in the sink, ensuring all the white is covered.
3. Lift the bottom portion of the curtain out of the dye and pour four cups of water into the sink. While the bottom portion is out, dye the next four inches of fabric in the diluted dye without leaving any white space between the sections.
4. Lift the entire dyed portion out of the sink, add another four cups of water and dip the next four inches of fabric in the twice-diluted dye.
5. Rinse the last portion of the fabric to help blend the dye creating an ombré look.
6. Hang the curtain to dry making sure the curtain isn’t dripping onto anything. If you don’t have a hanging option above the sink place the curtain inside a plastic bag keeping the fabric straight so the dyed portions don’t touch each other. Let curtain sit to dry then rinse thoroughly with water and allow to fully dry.
7. Iron curtain and add any embellishments your heart desires with some fabric glue.
8. Enjoy a drink for you just designed your very own curtains! In my case I couldn’t so I did a jig instead…go ahead get down with your unencumbered-self!