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.

.

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...

A little R & R in Punta Mita

relaxing at the St. Regis Resort on Punta de Mita peninsula

laying on a lounge chair and enjoying the gentle sea breezes,

and easy summer temperatures under a huge umbrella

or at the oceans edge under a swaying palm tree

day dreaming and drawing...

soaking up the local color

.

reading and water coloring...

Punta Mita is a 1,500-acre amazingly lush beachfront village

located on the north end of Banderas Bay in Mexico,

about 10 miles north of Puerto Vallarta

and it's surrounded on three sides by the Pacific ocean


.

map photo courtesy of St.Regis

I can highly recommend it !

( a most generous gift from an appreciative client )

.

Free Range Chicken

my latest dish design

just back from firing

( notice the chicken is in front of the wire, not trapped behind it! )

thus the title

the perfect plate for serving this chicken appetizer on

Spicy hot and so good !

Jalapenos are washed sliced and the seeds removed

then filled with slices of grilled chicken breast

and wrapped in thin sliced bacon

popped in the broiler

for approximately 5 minutes on each side

until crispy !

Enjoy !

Mingle magazine give away

Stampington & Company has generously sent me a copy of their new magazine

to give away here on my blog.

........ .........photos courtesy of Stampington & Company

The much-anticipated premiere issue of Mingle is finally here! Readers will delight in all the fun and unique ideas for gathering and celebrating we've put together. From a Thankful for Friends party thrown in the woods to extraordinary tips for hosting exceptional gatherings with a creative flair, we’re hoping to inspire you to find more reasons and ways to celebrate. This issue also explores two intimate artistic retreats – Pen & Paper: A Be Present Retreat and Do What You Love. There’s so much eye candy in this issue, you won’t want to miss it.

Since Stampington has gifted me with 2 issues

1 for me and 1 for you

I'm going to peruse my issue and give a short review

then give away both issues, including mine, slightly thumbed through.

2 winners will be announced

on Saturday October 22

So, if you would like to win this issue for yourself

leave a comment below

and maybe an entertaining idea too!

Congratulations to the winners,

to live inspired & rita

please email your mailing addresses !

Plaid Fabric Paints

Besides aprons, I have been known to use my lovers discarded dress shirts

to protect my clothing while painting or life drawing with charcoals.

The only challenge is the sleeves getting in the way

and dragging the charcoal across your masterpiece.

.

Another shirt was donated to the cause last week

at the same time a box full of Plaid Fabric Paints arrived in the post.

The white shirt just happened to be next to the paints ...

becoming the perfect canvas

for testing out all the new colors!

This gives a whole new take on the saying,

"wearing my heart on my sleeve".

I have a beautiful new color chart down the arm !

Later I may cut it off at the shoulder and create a sack to store the paints in

and that way I'll have the color chart with the paints.

I've been working with a new medium (for me)

a product that doesn't need to be kiln fired

that resembles ceramic clay for a class I've been asked to teach.

It has been most challenging finding a paint that works on the surface

of this product that will give me the look of a ceramic piece.

Frustrated with the results of acrylic paints

I chose to try a fabric paint.

I'm thrilled with the results of the Plaid Fabric Paints I used here

and all the fun color combinations I can create mixing with them!

I used Liquitex gloss medium and varnish as a top coat to get the shine I was going for.

And now I discovered Plaid makes a dimensional paint

that will give a raised surface,

too fun !

I'll try experimenting with this product also

as added embellishments on the seashell charms and bottle stoppers

that the students will be making in class.

Thank you Plaid !

"Time Tested Beauty Tips"

I received the purse as a gift,

for no apparent reason or occasion

( actually I believe it was one of those gifts that just keep on giving,

passed from one to another until it is finally appreciated by its owner )

It had been tucked away into the corner of a crammed shelf

in my cluttered studio far too long.

It was basic and black & I loved the shape and size

there was an elegant and classic quality about it's styling.

See through could be considered sexy

yet it needed a little embellishment to dress it up

so it could finally go out in public and be appreciated.

( okay, it may just be for a costume )

Either way there was something about it that reads Holly Golightly to me...

Remember the 1961 film adaption of the novella by Truman Capote starring Audrey Hepburn ?

( photos courtesy of Stampington & Co. )

I can visualize her beautiful, long slim black dress

fabulous huge black hat with a wide brim,

oversized sunglasses, pearls & long black evening gloves...

dressed to the nines for her weekly visit to Sally Tomato

who is locked away in Sing Sing for tax evasion.

Tucking in a slip of paper with the "weather report" from Sally Tomato

the mafia leader, she was given to take back to his lawyer Mr. O'Shaughnessy.

The handbag is embellished with a feminine touch of

black velvet rosettes with pearl centers

just enough to give it a touch of allure and elegance

perfect for going any where

even Breakfast at Tiffany's !

I love this poem and just wanted to share.

It was written by Sam Levenson for his granddaughter

and is one of Audrey Hepburn's favorites.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!