A Corgi Co-Pilot

Just in case you were wondering . . . an artist's life never runs like clockwork.  Unless the clock in mention is the one from the Tea Party which was full of butter and crumbs.  And yesterday, after the Auction Dress, I hit the wall.  Throwing caution to the wind and four dogs in my little car, we all went on a fabric buying trip down south, stopping at every beach and park along the way.  A Grand Explore for sure.  And we were rewarded for our journey with a storm which hung right off the coast, never quite hitting full on.  The beaches were blessedly empty of people and rival dogs and my four reveled in gale force winds, huge crashing surf, gulls who never needed to flap their wings sailing overhead, and umm . . .lots of wet sand.  Here is Fox, my co-pilot, begging for an after beach Pringle and guarding my new purple fabric destined for a dress traveling to Afghanistan.  Can you see it in my bag? The glorious Auction Dress which was in my life for much too short a time. And yes. I do feel better.  Thanks.

Family of Trees

STAND BACK!! This new skirt makes me happy for so many reasons.  The easiest to explain is that I used a technique from the PARTY DRESS queen, Mary Adams.  Her book explains how to use bias strips which I cut to make the leaves of the tree.  A little more challenging to explain is why I used "Family of Trees" . . . ah--challenging but sweet for sure.  It is a song that I really like, and it ties in so beautifully to a cafe story my manager without equal daughter told me about the powerful love of connected family. Hand painted birds of course. A circle skirt which encompasses everything.

Love Day Dresses

I know, I know, what is with all of the PARTY DRESSES?  Well, a lot of it has to do with Mary Adams and practicing ideas from her PARTY DRESS book, and even more of it has to do with the feeling I get when I think about small children and their ability to make every moment a party, and even, even more has to do with the KINDNESS OF PEOPLE . . . women who have taken the time to go through their fabric and send me some precious scraps.  These are not only 3 Party style Audreydresses, they are also SCRAP DRESSES!! Made completely from donated fabric-THANKS to Del, Linda, and Shelia.  SEW IT FORWARD  in a big way.  Love makes all things possible!

Expect a Great Experience

Here is a minor . . . well, OK--MAJOR miracle in my sewing life: a BRAND NEW electronic machine!  I researched like crazy for a new machine that could make buttonholes, and launch me into the world of more machine sewing and less handwork, but I was old school in regards to machines.  Buying local was dear to my heart so a trip to ART AND JENNY'S SEWING MACHINE CENTER in Ventura seemed like the place to try a new machine.  Little did I know that I would have a GREAT EXPERIENCE with their top salesman and knowledgeable son, Brian, a whiz kid who looks like a rock and roller and knows literally everything about a sewing machine you would ever want to know.  Their wonderful store is like a sewing machine museum with every make and year of machine imaginable sitting on counters and lining the walls--an entire history of our beloved art!  So here is my DREAM MACHINE, made possible by my GRANT and the kind and generous people at Art and Jenny's Sewing Machine Center! JANOME RULES!  Thanks so much Brian!

Tangled Up In Tulle

Such happiness! A friend of a friend creates fabulous PARTY DRESSES in New York.  She is as talented and successful as we all wish we could be, and I have her book-"The Party Dress Book"-and it inspired me beyond words and this TINY PINK EXPLOSION is the result! Thanks to Mary Adams and her color filled pages and generous creative secrets which she shares so eloquently!! I am not sure when or where I will send this dress.  Looking at it makes me so happy.  See the Mary Adams inspired ruffle? Hand finished throughout.  Tulle overlay and bodice of satin roses.  Size 3! And yes! I can start posting pictures again because the world's finest photographer--Toby--sent my little camera back home to me!! Yaay!!

The Purple Rose of Oregon

Somewhere in Oregon, or so I am told, lives a brilliantly blond little girl who adores purple.  She has purple shoes which she insists upon wearing pretty much all the time.  I heard she even tries to wear them to bed. The story of that girl makes me very happy.  A little girl with such a passion for color, a color!--purple!--and  when her mother contacted me, I knew a fancy purple dress had to come into being.  So little purple rose of Oregon, I hope this dress lives up to your expectations!  (Made just for Katelyn)

Little Emerald Bird and the Peacock Dress

People wonder how I come up with ideas for my designs.  That is an interesting wondering.  Sometimes a particular film or character in a novel begs to be dressed.  Sometimes I copy a design from someone very, very famous and dead.  A beautiful piece of lace presents itself as worthy of an entire dress.  An irresistable piece of silk, a fabulous shade of satin . . . a picture in a magazine, or an image or splashing of color from nature--a sunset or the way the light reflects off clouds or the sea.  Most of the time my best, very best ideas come from thinking about my granddaughter.  Not thinking in the usual way.  More like daydreaming.  I dream think about her and there it is . . .the peacock dress.  An unbelievable shade of peacock blue taffeta underneath a heaven-like gold with scrolled embroidery and a bodice of gilded roses.  Nothing is too much for my beloved granddaughter, and I believe she should wear silk everyday.  The rest of my very, very best ideas usually come from my uber talented daughter who not only inspires me every single moment with her heart stopping paintings, but also with book tips--great book tips like the Patti Smith book that inspired the Little Emerald Bird dress.  Read it and you will know why I had to immortalize part of Patti Smith's sweet poem.