On Creating a Wedding Dress for a Forest Queen

It was an enormous honour for me this summer, to create my lovely friend’s wedding gown – really.  She was so kind as to just give me a gown she had picked out, (years prior!) and add to it however I saw fit.   There was a shared idea to bring green hues into the vintage white gown, which was beaded in some areas, and in need of some repair.

first glance at dress

lacing detail

Shown here are some of the fibres I wanted to use.  Dyed hemp satin, and various silk bits mixed with curly wool shards. (the blue didn’t make the cut) I really wanted to try to create a mossy substance to use for the dress, and had the idea of trying out nuno felting which I had never done before.  Thankfully my amazing friend Brandy was around to give me a lesson via phone from her shop in Nelson.  Which by the way,  if you are ever in that neck of the woods make sure to go have a look with your kiddies – real fun!     So  here’s what I came up with…

Then I got to work chopping away at the skirt portion of the vintage gown.  At which time I realized that it would be a bit much, even for me,  to add felting right onto the actual gown.   So I set those aside for the time being….  And began to add layers and layers of raw silk to the gown underlay, while tucking and gathering the finer top fabric of the dress in a random pattern I like to call ‘star pleating’.  It makes me think of the randomness  of the starry sky .. twinkle ** twinkle **   There was a bit of a constellation theme going on with the beading and crystals over all, as I carried on.

I replaced the white lacing with an amazing ribbon of hemp satin that I dyed a lovely green.  The raw silks were from India, and a white piece was reclaimed from an old skirt.

Actually, I was surprised that it went so smoothly – taking a large pair of scissors to someone’s gown, and cutting out the entire underlay, as well as some of the top layers of fancy fabric, pretty much on a hope and a prayer was a bit daunting I found out .

And I still had the felted ribbons at heart, which were asking for a place in this ensemble.  So with the next task of sorting out a cover up for the bride, post ceremony,  they became the star pieces in a long sleeve wrap shrug.  

I wanted to hint at the Celtic Hand – Fasting tradition where the bride and groom have a cord wrapped around their wrists, as a symbol of their union.    So here’s a shot done by me, late at night as I put the finishing ribbons on the sleeve.   I mixed in some stretchy cotton strips in white for contrast.  The felting was done on the bias of the nuno silk, so it had a nice amount of stretch to it as well.

One of Audrya’s moments addressing the guests for a toast

Audrya and her hubby Sunny are some of the most shining people I know.

I have always known her as a talented artist – we met while she attended the Alberta College of Art and Design, shaking things up there, doing live mandala performance art with her didgeridoo, all decked out in stuff I would make her to wear.  Recently I found out that not only is Sunny a designer, he too is an artist.   Some of his works are currently on display at the Endeavor Arts Gallery, in the first visionary art exhibition Calgary has seen to date.  Go check it out before it ends on November 5th.

I was amazed by their ceremony.  It was unbelievably magical, and so inspiring.  It felt so amazing to be in the wedding party, and we had so much fun getting ready while we wished and wished for the rain to cease – and it did!  just before the ceremony at 3:33.

Here they are mid ceremony, with the lovely Dhyana Bartkow.  The whole audience was completely compelled throughout.  There was a true air of enduring love, and unending joyfulness

photo by Audrya's talented uncle

Bride with her maidens

Logo Love

It’s true.  I love the Conscious Alterations logo.  Even more so now that I have some hand made tags to use!  The big difference between my hand made tag, and my factory made one, is simple –  it’s AlloT more work to make them by hand –  but SO worth it!  These are the most awesome tags I have used on my goods yet~

Hand screening these lil’ cuties was probably not the easiest job..  But I’m pretty sure it was worth it.  My good friend Shaun Friesen, visual artist, painter and all around creative individual – check it o u t    took on the task, and I’m sure glad he did .

After he screened a few of them for me, I set to work using them on my vegan accessories

Super happy to have done some in neon orange!  I have a thing for neon.   Fading into the background at the top of that photo was my old tag…  the last sad one, in fact.  My old ones, although looking sweet in silver and gold,  just did not withstand wear and tear.  So they had to go.  I’m making sure that every part of my designs are built to last -

Had to get a shot of them all stacked up in my wee box,  ready for sewing!   It’s pretty exciting in my studio right now – New designs, new fabrics, new everything~   Speaking of which, you may want to check out the new wrap cap colours as they won’t be around too long, and are all limited edition – meaning only a few of each colour were made. (just makes them that much more special, of course)

Life Within the Frost

Majesty of stillness

i

winter accessorizing

Wintertime, endless.  Winter  wonder.  Reinventions

My stems shall nay be cold

I got to do a photo shoot recently with Courtney Townsend.  I really enjoyed the collaboration, and seeing how she would interpret my style into picture form.

It was so interesting to see how the models, my wears, their clothing style, and inner selves combined through Courtney’s lense.

heres the spot to go to   http://courtneytownsend.carbonmade.com/

Big thanks to the lovely models Kristen and Ranjene.

We recently did a second take on the frozen foothillside.     More gems to come soon.

Unisex Style

I  like to think of allot of my creations as unisex.  Meaning either man or woman can wear them.  But also that they do not take away from masculinity or femininity of the wearer.  Why would we look at something and find it either manly or womanly exactly anyways?  Especially if we were born in the last few decades.

It makes me wonder who thought up the idea that all ladies should be made to wear skirts, and no pants.  How ridiculous, and what exactly was behind this concept?

Well at least now we get to wear what we want.  But if a man wears a dress all of a sudden, its simply too weird for most of society to handle.  I think it would be awesome,  if thats what he wants to do.  Of course we call that cross-dressing, for some reason.   I am sure that many ladies got done up as dudes, just to be able to do what they wanted for a night, back a couple centuries ago.

I am looking into how a bustle is made, doing a bit of research for a dance costume,  and came upon this rather bizarre fact;

Cage Crinoline or Artificial Crinoline of 1856

As the decade progressed, more and more petticoats were added until the skirts were very full. For decency as well as fashion a minimum of six petticoats was considered essential. They became very heavy and unbearable in summer heat.

At last in 1856 the cage crinoline petticoat or artificial crinoline was introduced. With this support, ladies had to wear just one petticoat to soften the cage ridges. Of course as gusts of wind often blew the crinolines sideways, long drawers became essential underwear.           http://www.fashion-era.com

What a method of madness !

Thank goodness the cage crinoline came around.

I like the idea of having utilitarian style mix with soft and sweet.

And ya, men, try that somewhere in your outfit too.  Keep on flowing with what you wear.  Being yourself is the most flattering to you, always.

Welcome to the new decade,  leave the gentrification dress code behind.

Got lots of new mens wear to be unveiled springtime…. Outdoor work, play, dance, hike, life,  gear and accessories.

 

Here’s something to ponder

A new long sleeved shrug design to cross your heart and hope to survive the winter wind.

 

Photo by Courtney Nicole Townsend

see more here  : http://www.flickr.com/photos/courtneynicoletownsend/5276827106/in/photostream/

Black is polar fleece and hand knit acrylic.  Brown is cotton fleece knit and ribbed cotton knit.

Prairie Life Summer 2 0 1 0 .1

Its been a good, hard, and whirling time so far this summer.  Kids, creations, hail storms and then some, new plants, and young cats killing birds daily.  Not liking that last part too much.

Learning allot and letting go of old things that are in way of newness, waiting to push in.

Physically getting rid of old projects and clutter is really all absorbing, but when the light at the end of the funnel is seen, and I have emerged, well wow.  Here comes that newness~

This here,  is a recent take on my new hand dyed canvas belts.  Pretty fun and chemist like to mix a bunch of colours together and see what comes out.   Its always interesting, for sure.  Here’s the first batch of colours I came out with.

Hey hey… These new belts will be on sale with me at the Sun and Salsa Festival in Kensignton on Sunday, July 25th.  11am- 6pm.  Should be a good time, and lots of cool things to check out as they shut down the district to cars, and set up music stages, and dance demos.

A highlight as of late has been my drive to Water Valley, and specifically the alpaca farm we drive by.  I think they are the greatest animals that graze, period.  So cool looking, and amazing wool!!  (Here is a pic of some random Alpacas, not the ones in Water Valley,  but they are pretty awesome looking!)

I actually love wool allot.   I am speaking about it, because I have been wondering wether it can be considered animal friendly.  This is a topic up for debate.   I personally can see both sides of this debate.  From where I am standing, those alpacas I stopped to check out really look like they are enjoying life, and are pretty able to let go their fur every once in awhile.  Huge wool farm its not.  So when it comes in that kind of form,  wool seems to be ok.  Like riding on a horse.  An animal human agreement that can be made truly genuine, and mutual with the right approach.     This is coming from a person who actually finds it hard to yank on the reins, because I don’t want to be too controlling…  not like I ride allot,  but my ten year old is obsessed, and I feel more horses will be in the foreseeable future.

Anyways,  wool.  It’s something I love,  adore, and have to respect.  Its magical and natural and I can’t give it up!  So I do vow to make sure that as I start my knitting of the fall – winter super necessary leg warmers soon enough,  that I’ll be using local wool spun and dyed in Carstairs, Alberta.  Or coming across new nearby folks who are kind to their sheep , alpacas, and llamas, and supporting their efforts.          More things to research!!

Hey If you’re reading this and u have thoughts on allowing wool into the vegetarian / vegan lifestyle ,  let me know !  I would love your input.

Street Festivals in the snow and RAIN… Happy Spring in Calgary

I got to go to Lilac Festival in Calgary recently and set up my really excellent multi table display, which of course was designed by Dug (thank you darling).   So there is Aurin all bundled up in a new body blankie, and the dearest friend Jodi, who came out bright and early to come and help me in the frost!

I was pleased that any one at all came out, as it was a chilly 3 degrees at the start of the day, and didn’t improve much from there on.
However, I was able to get my most favourite food on all of 4th street, Aida’s Mouhammara dip with pita. YUM!  (u need to try this if u haven’t yet).
Aurin (my daughter ) and I also picked up some amazing “bath truffles” which look and smell like real bavarian chocolates – but don’t eat ‘em…  Made by a lady in Golden B.C. She calls her company Splish (but no online world to point u to for those yet)  and, I tried one the other day … it was wonderful!  Think mini bath bomb, but infused with coaco butter.
So those were some highlights from the festival for me, but the big, HUGE, and most awesome transpiration of the day was most certainly the wrap cap flash mob created by

La Caravan Dance Theatre Company at 11:30 am. In silence, they embarked onto the street, and filled the space in front of the Conscious Alterations booth while connecting themselves in a group configuration that they held without moving at all.

People were really interested in what was going on, and there came to be a hush over the crowd of on lookers. I noticed a police man watching and smiling, and many many cameras going off

So, every once in a 5 minute or so time span, there was a short whistle blast and they would change the configuration. I think this was my fave pose;

Wow! What amazing people the lovelies at La Caravan know!
This was all their doing, and my huge thanks to them for their inspiring ideas!!

I would also like to report that Aurin raised $70 selling her cat toys and hand woven bracelets!
She promptly decided to donate all the money to a group helping the wildlife clean up operations in the Gulf of Mexico.
We decided upon Tri State Bird Rescue and Research

who is heading all the wildlife rescue efforts, but who mainly deal with the birds. If you want to help her continue to donate, go to her shop on etsy; www.handmade2save.etsy.com Way to GO Aurin!!