Way back in early March I put an erosion bundle into the garden. What is an erosion bundle? Very simply, it’s a pile of papers and fabrics assembled in layers with lots if interesting things in between the layers that will leave marks or stains. You can use natural or man made things to create the stains or marks – the key is to experiment! The bundle is then tied with string and placed outside and left at the mercy of the elements till it’s suitably decayed, about 2 -3 months, but times can vary considerably.
So without any more waffle, here’s my results:
I worked on a blue and rust theme with this bundle. Sometimes the papers break up when trying to separate them but I keep all the fragments – everything will get used…
Above we have several layers of paper, paint, fabric and foil all completely fused together – there’s no way of separating them! But we have some lovely colours and textures…
I like putting paper doilies in my bundles but they are very delicate and rarely stay in one piece. On the one above you can see marks left from rusty washers…
Above we have several layers of paper, fabric and paint fused together by the elements. I think there’s a teabag in the layers somewhere – I can feel it but there’s no way of getting it out, it will have to stay there! Notice the lovely pastel colours and gentle rust and tea stains….
In the piece above there are rusty washers stuck to the paper – I can’t get them off! The background paper was a piece of “test paper” I used for testing colours on before they go on my art work…
Beautiful shades of blue and hints of rust…
A question I’m frequently asked about my erosion bundles is “what are you going to do with these papers and fabrics?”. The answer: they will get used in mixed media art work and collage. But more specifically, my sister Carolyn and I are going to begin a new art project early next year and my erosion bundle papers and fabrics are going to be enormously useful for that. I will give more information about this new project later in the year – it’s exciting… !
I hope you enjoyed looking at my distressed papers. There will be a second post about my spring erosion bundle which will focus on the fabrics that came out of my spring erosion bundle – they are just lovely and inspiring….
Deliciously grungy! These will look great in collages! I should check how mine are doing soon!
Thank you Zsuzsa! I was wondering about your erosion bundles – I would love to see how they turned out…
Oooh Evelyn, these are simply gorgeous! They make my mouth water! Can’t wait to see what you and Carolyn do with them, but in the meantime they are fabulous works of art in their own right. I’ve never done an erosion bundle (too cowardly about creepy crawlies lol!) but seeing these, I must say I’m tempted..
Shoshi
Thank you Shoshi! Go on have a go…… !! I’ve never found creepy crawley’s in my bundles….. yet !!
Well, that’s encouraging, Evelyn! Where do you put your bundles? Thank you for your sweet comment about our poor kitties. It’s exactly a week since we lost Beatrice and 4 weeks since Phoebe and we are feeling their loss acutely. Still no joy finding 2 new babies but we live in hope – my hubby has posted adverts to the local vets’ surgeries and I’m continuing to look online but so far nothing at all in our area. We love grey tabbies and would like them best of all.
Shoshi
I put my erosion bundles out in my back garden. Quite often I hang them from the garden fence, sometimes I just sit them on the soil between the shrubs. If I didn’t have such heavy clay soil (it’s a nightmare to dig) I would have a go a burying a bundle… ! I’m sure you’ll find some new kittens – hang in there Shoshi!
how wonderful! do you mind if I try your idea? I would love to make one
Of course I don’t mind if you try it, it wasn’t my original idea to start with !! Erosion bundles are so simple to do but with a bit of imagination the results can be amazing. Go on give it a go… ! I’d love to see your results if you do….
thank you!
LOVE your erosion bundles – so perfect for mixed media art! Can’t wait to her about you and your sister’s upcoming project!!!
Thank you Jodi – all will be revealed later this year… !
Evelyn, what a patient soul you are. I am so intrigued by the results of your erosion bundles and my mind races ahead to a project using them. I just picked up lots of rusty things to try one myself. Thanks for the usual inspiration in your posts.
Thank you Carol – it’s always a surprise to see what you get when you open them. I’m so pleased you’re going to do one… !
I’ve never heard of erosion bundles. What a neat idea! I bet the season they are left out makes a difference, too.
Thank you Karen! The season does make a difference – in winter erosion bundles decay a lot quicker, or if there’s a lot of really rough weather they will decay quicker in which case the time you leave them outside is shorter…. but it’s never an exact science….
Yours turned out so nicely. Mine were so bad, I threw them out!
Thank you Sandy. What a shame you threw them out – sometimes if you just leave them for a while and look at them again with fresh eyes you can find fresh potential in them. Or you could just reuse them for another erosion bundle…
You do have some great stuff in this one! If I had access to a spot of ground I might try it – what a good way to make use of spent tea bags. I’m sure there are similar things I could do with them, without having to bury them. So many ideas and opportunities….
Thank you Lynn! You don’t need much ground to do an erosion bundle – you can hang one from a window or balcony, or just a tiny bit of fence….
Love the colours, that blue and rust combination is great. Look forward to seeing the fabrics! X
Thank you Tanya!
I love the idea and the results are stunning. So complex and yet delicate.
Thank you Claudia – I love doing erosion bundles, you never know what you’re going to end up with and they’re so easy to put together!
Did you describe the putting together part on your blog? because I can maybe imagine what to do, I see how you have included so many different papers and objects, but if you’ve got a post about it, I will read it right away. I would love to do this and I’m getting all kinds of ideas about it.!
I don’t think I’ve done a blog post specifically about how to put an erosion bundle together but you can see an image of a bundle before it went outside here: https://evelynflint.blog/2016/11/29/art-beauty-in-decay/ It gives you an idea of how they go together. But perhaps I will do a blog post specifically on how I put an erosion bundle together with step by step pictures….
Well, I for one would love seeing step by step! I’ll take a look at your post. Thank you!
What beautiful colours and textures looking forward to seeing the fabric peices. Its two years since I last made a bundle and your post has inspired me to make another, a Solstice bundle . Thank you for all the inspiration your work gives to us.
Thank you Jackie for your lovely comment. I’m trying to do one every quarter – spring, summer, autumn and winter…
Evelyn this is an intriguing process. I look forward to your outcome but also might make one just for fun. Thank you!
Thank you Beverly – do have a go, it’s great fun and a good way to let your imagination run riot… !
Another bunch of deliciousness!
Thank you Anna!
beautifully presented, lovely colors, textures and layers. What a Fabulous approach!! love these!! 🙂
Thank you Debi! I love doing erosion bundles –
they’re completely random – you never know what you’re going to get.
that is the fun part, the excitement….
of wondering !!
I am trying to pick a favorite here, Evelyn, and it is nearly impossible. 🙂
I think the first and the fifth are my favorites.
All of these turned out wonderful, and I find it so exciting that you never know how they will turn out, and that each one is so unique.
Beautifully done by you and Mother Nature!
Have a fantastic weekend!
Thank you Lisa! Yes they’re all totally unique, you will never get two the same – I like that very much…
These turned out really well! Now the anticipation of finding out what you’re going to do with them x
Love – I never thought of this. I may try it for my own collage projects.
Thank you Christine. Erosion bundle papers and fabrics are perfect for collage/mixed media art, and they’re all completely unique and individual…
I love the WONDER of these and how they are changed into little treasures. I also love how well they photograph…Say Cheese :-). Blessings!
Thank you Lynn!
Thank you for the mention Claudia!