Contest Winner and Vending at Create in Orange County

Here is the list of the names entered for the name the shirt contest.  Some people were unable to leave a message via this blog so they emailed me personally and some left comments at Facebook.

Pierced Pleasures

Summine in the Piazza

Breezy tunic

Lacy romance

Buttoned Up Romantic

Lisette

Marcheline

Beau Blanc

Lacey Dreams

Theodora

Zelda

Flayaway Lace top

Dream Clud

Abigail

Romance Me

Snow White says (to Red Rose) We will not leave each other

Camille

Great Day for a White Wedding/Great Day to Start Again

Summer Breeze

Seraphina

It was hard to decide but the winner is Lexi for Beau Blanc!

1.    beau [a] (beautiful) delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration.

2.   beau [a] (lovely) appealing to the emotions as well as the eye.

Of course blanc means white.  

I also really liked Seraphina because of the meaning.   The woman who entered the name said she looked up the meaning, “Turns out that it is the name of a 13^th Century Italian saint who made clothes for the poor.”  So while I did not choose this for this particular garment I will definitely use it in the future and will also be sending her a little something in the mail.

I need to go finish hand stitching the lace collar onto this shirt to take with me to Create in Orange County.  I’ll be vending on Friday evening, it’s free to enter and there will be lots of artists selling and worth attending if you are in the area!  Check here to see a list of all the vendors.   

Flamingo Stroll

Garments and Devore Velvet Scarves

Free Lace wayward threads Message Scarves

Natural Dye Print Scarves

Reconstructed Shirt Progression & Contest Give Away!

Ricë Freeman-Zachery and I have traded garments with each other through the U.S. mail for some time now.  We both haunt thrift stores and when we see something we think the other might like we snatch it up and off it goes.  I have to admit this shirt was sent to me over a year ago and I finally chose it to work on.  I somehow lost the photo of the shirt before I cut it but I think you'll get the idea of what it  looked like from the first picture.

Here we go on the reconstruction progression:

Sleeves and collar were cut and removed.  I shortened the sleeve and then cut it open along the seam.

The sides of the shirt were slit open and the sleeve part was inserted.

This was my first design attempt for the back.  I took the cuff ends I cut from the sleeves and pinned them onto the sleeves insert part. I thought this was a good idea for using more of the actual shirt parts.  

However I didn't really like this and came up with another idea.  The shirt top really needed more of a skirt for balance and the cuteness factor so I took a tiered flounce skirt and cut the bottom tiers off to add to the shirt.  

Here is the skirt pinned onto the shirt looking at the inside.

 The collar was cut away and I decided to make it vee necked.

I originally thought I would add this crochet lace to the arm opening but decided against it.

And added this instead along with the vintage lace collar piece.

Finished front and back

For those who made it here to the end I have a question for you.  After I finish a garment I like to give them a name.  I usually send my sister Jan an email with pics and she comes up with most of the names for my garments but I'd like to know what you would name this garment?  For those who leave an answer I'll choose which name I like best and the winner will receive a surprise package with some of my hand dyed silk ribbon and other fabric pieces.  Be sure to leave your email so I know how to contact you!

Remember there are still a few openings for my reconstructed garment classes at Art Unraveled and Art Is Petaluma.  See my events page or side bar for links and info.

Shows This Weekend

SPRING - ceanothus in bloom

The month of May is full of events, especially this weekend.  There are so many events I want to attend I just can't do it all.

I was honored to be asked to be the feature artist at the Boulder Creek Antique & Art venue for the month of May.  Tonight is the opening reception from 6 - 8 and my husband, Michael, will be playing music for us.  Hope all my local friends can come tonight or at least find time to visit during the month.

The first weekend of May is the time for the Annual May Day show at Nancy Howell's.  I was with this group from the beginning, ten years ago, but this year I opted out.  I will attend and hope I don't feel regret for not joining in.  It's a lovely show and many talented artists showing and selling.

I was invited to attend the Benecia Open Studios where I have a couple of friends involved.  Carrie has a wonderful shop and studio, Hip Chicks, and Sharon creates wonderful mixed media and art books.  I had high hopes of going but it's too much to fit in.

Sunday two events are happening that I have to opt out of.  A friend's birthday party in Carmel Valley which would be wonderful to attend and wear one of my hats.  Wearing a hat was on the invitation all because it's Kentucky Derby day weekend? Maybe it's just a fun excuse to dress up and wear a hat! 

Also the Alameda Flea market happens (first Sunday of every month) but I just say no this time.  Also I don't relish the thought of driving in all that traffic I know will be out there.

I'll attend the May Day show and spend the rest of the weekend gardening and getting my studio ready for Monday when I have 5 ladies showing up for a dye workshop.  Very exciting and I want to be prepared.