Washed Ashore

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I believe most artists are inspired by their surroundings.

Living in a vintage cottage a few steps from the seashore

where we are no longer allowed to remove or take the seashells

is what encouraged me to create my own collection of ceramic shells

using various clays and glazes.

I have amassed a pretty amazing collection

over the years that I embellish with.

I also use them in mosaics, gift them to friends, barter with them

and as you see here create jewelry with them.

For this piece I used a scrap of fabric in ocean colors that I cut 10 inches long by 4 inches wide and folded it in half lengthwise with right sides together.

Then sewed a half inch seam along the length of it then turning it right side out I tuck the unfinished ends back into each side.

Next I cut a piece of 1 inch wide elastic to fit my wrist and slid it in with a safety pin and sewed one side down before stretching through to the other side and attaching the elastic down before I slid one side into the other and sewed it closed completely.

This is when the fun begins...

pull out your collections of buttons, beads, and baubles

and beginning with the largest pieces either use fabric glue

to attach them into place or sew them down,

and then continue by filling in around them

with buttons, pearls and beads.

I am the kind of artist that will use anything handy

so I've used dental floss to attach the pearls,

colored embroidery thread

for beads and even clear fishing line.

There are bits of plastic, ceramic pieces, glass

and pearls from a broken necklace and combined altogether

they create a wrist embellishment a mermaid may have lost

that was discovered when it washed ashore.

It's all in the details

I spied the tunic length Zone Bleue design

in a charming little clothing boutique

on Forest Avenue in Laguna Beach named Duet

that specializes in unique and often hand made pieces

from all over the world.

I was drawn to the feminine ruched collar

and asymmetrical design.

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It fit beautifully,

but the color of the top was not flattering for my skin tone,

it being a grey/beige hue

There was enough cotton in the fabric contents

that I believed it could be dyed to a warm beige color.

Upon returning home with the new acquisition

I filled the kitchen sink with warm water

to wet the entire garment

then drained most of the water and added in the contents

of a pot of coffee that had been sitting for half of the day.

I let it soak for about 15 minutes before gently rinsing

and hanging the garment to dry,

fortunately the color came out exactly as envisioned.

As I was pressing the piece I wondered why

the designer had chosen to leave so much of

the over lock stitching exposed on the edges

of the ruffles.

Was it a conscious decision to meet a certain price point?

Maybe I've been watching too much of the show "All on the line"

on the Sundance channel with Joe Zee.

Either way, in my world I couldn't seem to let this charming

design just be as it was created,

something inside me causes me to tweak it and make it my own.

Possibly it is the possessing of a cachet of delicate delights

needing to be seen and not tucked away any longer.

I felt it needed a little more and began foraging through my

cluttered studio to find the perfect vintage laces and trims to add

to the top covering the exposed seam edges.

I chose to also dye the lace pieces selected

for embellishing in coffee

before attaching them to the garment

and pieced several laces

together for additional detail

on the diagonal seam of the back of the tunic.

The lace you see at the collar of this sweet piece

was originally going to be an underskirt on the garment

but after pinning it in place

I realized it was adding too much bulk along the bottom

and found instead the lace was the perfect embellishment

to add along the bottom of the ruched collar

and included it on the sweet tie at the collar

and then recreating the tie into a rosette.

supplies needed...

miscellaneous laces and trims
needles, scissors, thread, sewing machine optional
pot of coffee
a creative imagination...

70's inspired vintage top

I stopped by the Nordy's in Fashion Island to peruse & shop.

It's there I discovered this 70's inspired vintage looking blouse,

and as a seamstress was most impressed with all the details,

especially with the price being under $40.00 !

I loved all the tiny french tucks in the front and the beautifully

embellished lace on the 3/4 sleeves and hem.

I wondered why there was no detail at the collar.

Did the designer chose to leave it plain on purpose

or was it a conscious decision to meet a certain price point ?

Maybe I've been watching too much of the show

"All on the Line " on the Sundance channel.

Either way, in my world I felt it needed a little something more.

Upon arriving home with my treasured new purchase

I began foraging through my cluttered studio for that special something.

As it turned out an old tablecloth being discarded by a friend

who no longer found it beautiful or useful was the perfect piece.

Though the delicate linen fabric center had worn thin

and was torn, fortunately most of the wide lace edging was still intact.

I carefully removed it and then reattached it

along the collar line of my

new acquisition to give it that extra detail I had envisioned !

Someone many years ago

spent to a lot of time creating this beautiful lace edging.

I am thrilled to give it a whole new life!

photo credits Stampington & co.

featured in Belle Armoire summer 2011

Read more about the other top here