Avocado Ink – melissa mary jenkins art

Are you looking for unique, creative AND sustainably-minded Valentine’s cards for your child’s class? Here is an easy, eco-friendly DIY Valentine kit designed to create with your little one. You can purchase this kit (with free shipping) here.

You will create your own sustainable stamps (only revealed once purchased) and using the avocado ink supplied, you and your little one will decorate mini organic cotton bags and a larger linen bag, designed to carry all the valentines to school in.

You will then paint two avocados and stamp a heart onto the natural paper provided using the avocado and buckthorn berry ink. After the ink is dry, you will use the Uni Ball pen to add in arms and legs.

Next, you will choose from a collection of fun avocado themed sayings and you or your child will write these sayings onto the cards. Finally, your child will write his/her name on the cards and tuck the cards into the mini bag.

Place all the mini bags in the larger bag and cinch shut. Your child will now be ready to take all the adorably handmade, yet sustainable Valentines to school.

When an artist friend showed me her avocado ink painting a year ago, my artistic life was absolutely transformed! Avocados play a major role in our home. I have avocados in my morning smoothie, my lunchtime sandwich and we have guacamole once a week for Taco Tuesday! I have an abundance of empty shells and stones (pits) so I am constantly creating new ink for my paintings. Creating avocado ink is very simple and I often create a batch as I am preparing meals or cleaning the kitchen.

Supplies:

large cooking pot
large spoon
water
avocado stones and empty shells (the more stones and shells, the stronger the colour)
fine mesh strainer
small paper samples
whole cloves
mason jar with lid

Preparation:

Scrub all the green avocado remains off the stones and shells (I find that using my finger nails works the best).

Fill your pot with all of your cleaned stones and shells and then cover with water.

Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. After about 20-40 minutes, the water will begin to change colour from clear to pink to a reddish brown. I like to stir the contents occasionally. The skins will begin to come off the stones.

Use a tiny piece of paper to test the colour and when you are satisfied, strain your ink with a fine mesh strainer. Inevitably bits of shell will make its way into your ink, but I love the texture and authenticity that it provides in my paintings.

I store my ink in mason jars in the fridge and you can also help preserve the ink by adding a clove to the sealed jar.

Each batch that you make will produce a slightly different shade of pink depending on how many stones and shells that you use. Have fun experimenting and be sure to label each batch with a colour sample and date. Try a batch with just one stone and shell, or just stones, or adding less water or simmering for different lengths of time. You can also freeze the stones and shells if you aren’t able to make the ink right away.

Have fun creating your own ink!

Tag: Avocado Ink

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