Vintage Lace from a Texas Friend

Several months ago I was messaging with an old friend I hung out with when I lived in Austin, Tx.  She said she had a box of old lace that she got from her grandmother and she finally decided she was never going to do anything with it and she was going to send it on to me.  A few weeks later a mutual friend of ours wrote to tell me that Debbie had passed away.  WHAT??!!  Yes she had health complication that caused her to fall in the shower and hit her head.  No one was there with her to take her to the hospital or call for help so she didn't make it though the night. Our mutual friend, Michele found the box of lace and a couple weeks ago it came in the mail to me.  It was like a wonderful present!

There are some beautiful pieces, unfortunately some of them are old and fragile to the point of shredding when I pick them up.  Mostly these black pieces that looked like were a part of a dress at one time.  Would have loved to seen it in it's heyday!

Lots of the other lace pieces look in good, usable shape so I'll be putting these on my upcycled clothing pieces sometime in the future.

My biggest regret is Debbie is gone and my intention for these pieces was to make her something from them, a stole perhaps like the one shown below, but now she'll never know.

Upcycled and Repurposed Shirt Workshop

On April 22 my friend Sharon Kilfoyle hosted me to give a workshop in her studio.  There were 7 students who showed up with used shirts to cut and repurpose as a new one, scissors and sewing machines.  I showed them a design I created taking two shirts and joining them together to form a new one and then ideas for embellishments.  This style I call Gypsy Boho Swing Shirt and the instructions are included in The Gilded Journey book found in the author/editors Etsy shop here.  Or you can contact me if you're interested in hosting this workshop.

Sample Garments

Students garments from workshop

Some garments were finished and others are the basic redesigned shirts that were taken home to further embellish.  That's the thing with this style, you can add as much as you want!  Ruffles, lace, cool buttons, etc.

Bonnie Ahrens

Laurie Harper

Stefanie London

Cathy Wyss

Cindy Kilfoyle

Gunilla Murphy

Leandra Spangler

I enjoy designing shirts that can be made with used clothing instead of throwing garments away that are filling landfills and becoming a real problem in our ecosystem on this planet we call Earth.  

Reuse, Repurpose, Redesign!

Goat Hill Fair and "Charmed" Trunk Show

First I want to announce I am going to be participating in the Goat Hill Fair on May 20th and 21st!  Marcia Harmon of Cottage Jewel Antiques asked me to share her booth and I'm am truly so happy!  We will have a bohemian theme going on and should compliment each other perfectly!  We rein booth #18.

See images below from the May Day Faire to see what sort of items I'll be selling.  Of course there will be new items and other bits of vintage goodness!

The May Day Faire started out a bit slow as the weather swooped in with wind and chilliness on Saturday.  But Sunday turned out gorgeous and I can't think of a better spot to host an art event than Nancy and Steve's beautiful grounds!  Here are photos of one of my shooter vests hung on a rose bush that is not only beautiful but smells divine too (the roses that is)!

Gather Roses

Video of my booth space at May Day Faire 

Announcing "Charmed" a cottage trunk show 

June 9th and 10th

This is a first but we have plans to make it a

great event and one of many to come. Join us for happy

hour, wine and light snacks on Friday or come by

Saturday too!

Please join the following artists:

Alena Byrnes ~ talisman jewelry

Lynette Cederquist ~ jewelry: from fun to fantastic!

Sharon Kilfoyle ~ couture shibori-dyed and nuns-felted garments, accessories and scarf specialties

Lorri Scott ~ upcycled & vintage garments, hand dyed scarves, fabrics and other accessories

See my gallery page 

for more info 831-479-9455

Local Shows May and June

I'm am super busy getting ready to go set up for the May Day Faire happening this weekend.  Hope to see a lot of people stopping by!

I haven't done local shows much in the past several years.  I used to do a lot of them but after the boys were grown I had the opportunity to travel and teach at art retreats where I vended too.  Now I've slowed down on the travel but I haven't slowed down on creating so I'm back.

After the May day show this weekend I'll be joining Marcia Harmon of Cottage Jewel Antiques at the Goat Hill Fair in Watsonville on May 20th and 21st.  We'll have a lot of Bohemian wares to sell!

And then in June I am doing a show with 3 other friends at a sweet cottage in Soquel.  I will write more about these events in the next day or three (or five) but have to pack the car now and get out the door.