Spreading my wings...

I am so behind on my journal pages. I should have about 20 pages started and I just completed page 3...yikes! I do have a very good excuse, though. I took a left turn, a delightful left turn, and embarked on a jewelry soldering workshop from the super talented Cat Kerr. But that's a future post.

I recently discovered Plaster Craft mesh and wanted to make a couple of hearts with it and I did. While doing so, these wings just kind of evolved.

Free form wings with some old lace!

Love this bird nest stamp!

Tissue Tape from Tim Holtz and one cute Mr. Rabbit!

 So, this page kind of represents me spreading my wings this year. Makes sense when my word for the year is "Fearless!" Fearless and flying...I like it!

Let Your Heart SOAR!

I may have failed miserably at my 30 day challenge of things I love, but I DID finally complete this collage! And...I must say I LOVE it! My life has been quite stressful this past month, so this was my escape. I got lost in a sea of *delightfulness* and tuned out all that "other" ugly stuff. You should have seen the mess I made! In my world, one cannot be creative without making a huge mess. It also forced me to organize my studio, which is spread out between my office and guest bedroom. I dug through plastic storage containers and boxes and the stuff I found that I forgot I had make me scream with joy! BEAUTIFUL fabrics and books and patterns to inspire and cure whatever might ail you! Now, if I can just calm myself from the circuit overload I'm feeling and move on to the next project, I'll have it made!

The idea for this collage came from my previous post about the layered heart. It just reminded me of a kite and I envisioned a smaller version being flown by a paper doll! This paper doll is an original, not a copy, from the 50's or 60's I'm guessing. She even has an old piece of cellophane tape around her wrist, which looks like an ace bandage! I pretty much covered it up with her kite string, though.

Isn't she the sweetest thing?

She's flying her *heart* kite and letting it *soar*

The sun is vintage flocked wallpaper and half a doily I spray painted.

I found these letters in my stash and wired them together with rusty wire. 

There are so many fun elements to this; paper, fabric, ribbon, lace and all sorts of little doodads!

I had so much fun with these little houses. Just snipped paper in various sizes. The windows are plaid ribbon!

Even added a little *doodle* here and there!

Oh, that tiny ric rac!

The finished project!

I hope you let your heart SOAR!

30 Day Challenge of Things I LOVE...Day 1

It's been many months since I've written a blog and I've debated as to whether I ever wanted to write another one or not. It seems so time consuming, and I just can't ever seem to get myself to do it. When I first started, It thought it would be a creative outlet, but there are SO many amazingly talented bloggers out there, I just felt like a guppy in a sea of dolphins. So, I'm challenging myself to write every day for 30 days, about something I love. Something I own or have created that I love. I can do this, right? It doesn't have to be anything GRAND. I just have to let it flow and not over think it. I AM my own worst enemy! Ok, here I go...

DAY 1....MY DAUGHTER'S WEDDING DRESS

 I created and made this beauty this past summer for her September wedding. She had a vision and couldn't find anything she liked anywhere. One day, she said, "mom...you can make my dress!" Without a 2nd thought, I replied, "sure I can!" WHAT??? Did I REALLY just say that?

She lives in Utah and I live in Oklahoma, so this was going to be a challenge. She came to town in April, for her brother's wedding, (yeah, both my kids married within 6 months of each other) and the hunt was on for the perfect fabric and lace. She thought she wanted an English lace until we found....drum roll, please.....FRENCH lace! Straight from Paris! We almost passed out! If you've ever handled French lace, really held it and touched it, you'll NEVER go back to domestic lace again! The difference is night and day! We found it at shop here in OKC that specializes in wedding fabrics and lace. We bought all that she had left of this beauty and decided on silk chiffon for the fabric. DREAMY!

I started on the dress in May and actually sent the bodice to Kira, in UT, for a fitting. She had it pinned and shipped it back. The lace panel, front and back, had to be sewn on by hand. I had my husband hang a quilt on a wall in our bedroom and I pinned the dress up on it and hand sewed it from there. It was INSANE! I had a bum shoulder at the time (needed surgery, but that had to wait until after the wedding), but kept my eye on the prize and worked through the pain. I pretty much had the dress done when I left for UT in late July. We wanted to have that "WOW" moment when she tried it on...

"WOW" wasn't exactly what we got. It was more like slumped shoulders and tears. Something just wasn't right. It needed something more. After I calmed the bride out of her anxiety attack, we put our thinking caps back on and decided the skirt needed to be raised and it needed a big ruffly flounce on the bottom. Luckily, we found this tiny little shop in SLC that carried the silk chiffon in the right shade of ivory (close enough) and we bought YARDS of it. I sewed and hand gathered and pinned and it wasn't enough. We went back, time and time again, and Teresa, the wonderful, helpful, delightful shop owner, was thrilled every time we walked in because that stuff ain't cheap! I swear I gathered miles and miles of that silk chiffon. I was staying in a bedroom in the basement and layed it out on my bed. I had to keep it away from the groom, after all. Not only was there a 10" flounce on the dress, but there was a 5" flounce on the lining! Was I insane or WHAT???

Hand gathered INSANITY!

We finally had our "WOW" moment with GOOD tears this time and I had to BEG Kira to take the dress off. She was so in love with it and I was so in love with her for being so in love with it. It was so good to have it done with 2 weeks to spare!

This was her actual wedding day. What a GORGEOUS bride!

She couldn't figure out her something "blue", so I stitched their initials and wedding date under the lining of the dress. That was fun!

This is by far my greatest creative accomplishment and I doubt I'll ever out do it. It was an out of body experience of sorts. I look at it and I know I created it. I cut and stitched and sewed for HOURS, DAYS, MONTHS, and yet, it seems surreal. She was a beautiful bride and I miss that dress. It became a part of me, like a spare appendage and I really want it back, but she's not giving it up. I'll just have to go visit it. Sit and sip tea and have a chat with it. Feel that French lace and silk chiffon. Smile and sigh at my greatest creative accomplishment...EVER!

And...they will live happily ever after....Kira and McKay Montague!