Thursday, May 5, 2011




I'm just going to come right out and say it....I am self-promotion deficient. I believe that many creative people have a difficult time using the business side of their brains...which holds many of us back from making a living as independent artists who don't also need to have a ' normal job' in order to pay the bills. All of the administrative activities make me crabby. But by not accomplishing them, I hold myself to blame for my own lack of financial success. I love what I do...I love it so much that taking time away from it is painful. I never have creative dry spells when it would be easier to dedicate myself more easily to the business side of my art business. I always have good intentions, and know the benefits of working on my blog or my Etsy site, or attending Meet the Artist events at the stores that carry my work. But the pieces of art that are in my head all have individual voices which are screaming out at the same time, creating such a din that I have a difficult time concentrating on anything but setting to the task of producing them so that they can shut the heck up! And then, of course, it is a never ending battle because there is always a new screaming voice to take it's place....a battle and a gift I suppose.

I am trying very hard though. And as proof, I am pleased to report that I have been honored to grace four pages in the summer issue of Altered Couture, which is a beautifully rendered magazine promoting Green Art fashion....the heart of what I do. Thank you to the people at Stampington for allowing me to hear the unfamiliar sounds of hands clapping for a moment....it's giving me a break from the screaming long enough to compose a new post!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Alice in Wonderland Vest









I enjoy combining my love of clothing design and my compulsion for collage as often as possible. Wearable art has become a passion for me. I usually prefer to apply my collage work by hand, but with this vest I experimented with using a free motion quilting attachment to my sewing machine. I still prefer the quiet rhythm of hand sewing, but the edgy effect of this vest is really beautiful, and allowed me to use random little snippets of fabric that I probably wouldn't have before. Experimentation is always exciting. The vest is tea dyed and sized women size 2.

Dinner Invitation Jacket







A beautiful jacket, dressed up with embellishments of vintage embroidered linens applique's, crochet work, vintage trims and tapestry. Size women's 4

Darcy Jacket






A sweet little jacket, embellished with vintage tapestry applique' and loads of top stitching. Size women's 4

Marie Jacket






A beautiful, custom tailored jacket, embellished with vintage Irish Linen table cloth applique', tapestry, and crochet work. Women's size 2

Isak Jacket





This is a beautiful linen jacket, embellished with applique' from a vintage Irish Linen table cloth procured from a yard sale. Size women's 10

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor.
-H.Jackson Brown Jr.


It seems as though I've been comparing life to a dance a lot lately in my conversations with people. A dance marathon to be exact. I've spent much of my adult life in the medic tent at the marathon, putting band aides on heels. And then moved to the coat check area, taking on heaps of cumbersome things that others didn't want to be bothered with so that they could move freely about the dance floor, elegantly winning the praise of important people around them. I've felt comfortable and useful peering out from behind the warmth of the coats at the dance going on around me for a long time now. But I've come to realize that while being useful, I've also been neglecting the fact that I have my dancing shoes on as well, in hopes that the dance will find me, I guess. I've missed opportunities while hiding behind the vast needs of the people in my life who have come to rely on me to keep their lives in order. But, there is only one dance, one marathon, and I've finally come out from behind the coats to break in my shoes. I only hope that the rest of the dancers aren't expecting me to follow any choreographed moves...I prefer to make up my own.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure. You've got to find the treasure, so that everything you have learned along the way can make sense.
The Alchemist


Today, someone suggested to me, that I should think about adding a sort of on-line journal to my blog....that for many reasons, people might find all of the jumble that runs through my head while I'm in the process of creating things, interesting, amusing and somehow inspiring. So, at the risk of being carried off in a straight jacket, I have agreed to attempt to share some of my journey.

Bear with me.....