Kellsie's Wedding Dress

 I met Kellsie a few years ago at a party at my last house in San Francisco. Her sister was my roomie, Kristine Adams, and we had a big birthday/housewarming bash. So later on down the road, Kellsie came to me to work on the gown that she wanted for her wedding.  She brought me a dress that she had purchased earlier but it wasn't working for her any longer.  She loved it, but wanted a more Steampunk feel for her wedding attire now.  Silk was the main fabric used in the purchased gown. So she brought me some beautiful jacquard fabric, the dress, some ivory silk, and a Truly Victorian pattern  - style # 1879, the Cuirass Bodice with Evening Options. You can purchase this pattern from Lost Coast Historical Patterns or Lacis.    

 This was the dress before I cut into it. We decided that we would take the bodice off and make it into a skirt. This was a very full skirt and more of a hobbled bustle effect was wanted. The skirt was a wee too small, so when I started cutting down the skirt, I added more fabric to the back, repositioning the zipper, and that took care of that.  I constructed a sturdy, wide waistband to carry the weight of the skirt and to produce a nice line under the jacket.

This is the skirt unbustled. I ended up using most of the extra silk fabric given to me to make the inner structure of the bustle skirt. I chopped off quite a bit in front to shorten the skirt and to create a slimmer front. There were a lot of flowers on the train, but I repositioned them and placed them in strategic points where there would be hooks for bustling up the train when she wanted to do so. It was nice to have the option.

I followed the pattern for the jacket pretty closely. I always make a mockup first and it fit pretty well the first time with a few adjustments. Im dont even think I had to read the instructions more than once. It was pretty straightforward. I think I shortened the sleeves and lowered the front, then further squared off the front of the bodice. I used hooks and eyes to fasten the front. When I was done with the dress, Kellsie took some of the extra fabric flowers and made a veiled headpiece. She also did the beautiful embroidery on the upper bodice. Kellsie picked out her trims and I placed them where I thought they would look best. I think we did a lovely job. She had a strict budget and we used as many existing materials as we could. We reused a beautiful dress with lots of yardage in it, and we made something it  much more interesting. And now she has a Victorian two pieced gown that she can reuse if she likes.I'm sure she will since she too, is a costumer and loves to dress up now and then!

This is Kellsie and Kristine - two hot babes! Congratulations, Kellsie!
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Lightning In A Bottle

I wont be there because Ive got so much work to do here in the Studio, but I and most of Salome's Suitcase have sent our merchandise down to LIB with Medina Maitreya who will be sharing a booth with Foxy McSugah the tooth bling Queen ( and designer extraordinaire as well!)

Wish I could be there, but I'm also getting ready for another festival coming up in San Jose on June 6th and I'm just going to have to be in Southern California in Spirit!

So go to the Marketplace and check us out! I hear the booth is beautiful and I know you'll find something that you just cant live without!

So much fun to be had!
XXXX

The Stuff Of Dreams

I don't think we actually set out to create a fairy tale wedding, but it turned into one anyway! And why wouldn't it with these two. They have always had an air of drama and an otherworldly flair  about them. Im so glad they finally tied the knot!  It was the sweetest wedding, ever!

 I was lucky and honored to make the  wedding attire for my friends Lynne Rutter and Erling Wold.

For Lynne, I made a black taffeta "poufy dress"  with a scooped neckline. It was somewhat based on a fifties look with a twist. The fabric was fun as it never really wrinkles and it can be poufed out and stay that way - or be calmed down and stay that way. Thank you microfiber (or whatever the hell this fabric is!?!) I took apart the train from the wedding dress of her first marriage. It was a beautiful lightweight ivory silk and I made a jacket with this silk to go over the black  dress. The old wedding dress had English Cotton Netting used as a lining for the lace sleeves. So I took off the sleeves of the old dress and used the ECN as a lining for the bodice of the black dress. It worked out really well. We revamped the old dress a bit and now she can  put it up for auction on ebay. It will make a cuter than cute modern wedding dress now for some lucky lady! These new and remade garments will be worn many times again, which is great,  and the jacket was a bit "green", which made us both happy. I like being able to reuse materials when I can.  And for the marriage ceremony itself, I took loose weave scrim and made a blinged out fairy tale dress to go over her black gown. I didn't plan on focusing on any particular theme, but when I saw the set that Lynne was painting, I knew I was on the right track. She wore a tiara stuffed with her veil from the previous wedding - and voila! Classy lady turned into Fairy Empress!

 Here are I and my friend Erica (also wearing a silk velvet coat that I made for her wedding several years ago!) We were Lynne's attendants on stage and I am wearing a dress that I found in a thrift store - I threw it in a dye pot the day before! I'm also wearing my little Fluffie Bloomers. It was cuter in real life - really - bad photos.....and the camera adds pounds......right?

And those are vintage Fortuny drapes btw. Nice touch for the old Slovenian dance hall.

For Erling, I put ruffles on one of his red shirts, constructed a vest with epaulets that he could wear over   his tux and with his shirt later on. We thought something versatile, fun, and a little silly yet manly would give this party some extra drama! And I gave him a fancy cummerbund. We did buy some new trims, but I went into my stash and used a lot of what I had - and I was glad to as I have way too much stuff!

Lynne is such an amazingly talented woman. Well, they both are extraordinarily creative, but Lynne just whipped out this set in a few days. It was magical. Here is the black and white outfit. I swear I'm going to get some good photos. She was simply stunning, but I'm in the mood to blog and I couldn't wait! However, not too bad for an iphone. I maybe should have waited to take pictures before I started sipping the whiskey though.

Here is Lynne in the background with her black and white outfit. I'm praying for some better photos down the line. In the foreground is Erica in a Poiret inspired coat that I made for her wedding several years ago. This was a beautiful taupe silk velvet from Thai Silks in Los Altos. Why am I giving you my source? Because its where you should go for your silk. Period. Except that I just found out that if you need heavy stretch silk in colors, Silk Road in Oakland is the place to go. Good to know, because I thought they were gone. Lynne etched this pattern on the back of the coat. Awesome as always.

I just finished a wedding dress yesterday for my nephew's fiance'. So these projects and Tribal Fest royally kicked my ass. I feel as though Ive been running a marathon for two months! I'm again behind in getting orders out the door, but most everything will be done next week and I'm not going to feel guilty about it. Its all cut and bundled or partially put together. I was able to breathe this last week and actually have a little fun again. All work and no play make Kathleen really hard to deal with. I'll take Memorial Day off as well. Shock. Nuff said.

So next week is going to be filled with getting caught up again, answering all those messages and emails, dealing with all those stacks of paperwork piling up around me and just getting enough sleep.

Sleep, blessed sleep!

P.S. You should contact me as early as a year in advance for your wedding attire as Spring is when I am busiest! And it can take me a while to get back to you - although I'm working on that!

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Im In Love

I'm In Love with my new home. Its Valentine's Day and so it is fitting that I talk about the things that I love. Not only do I love all my friends, I love my customers and clients. I especially Love My Son. I love my new home, I love my neighborhood and all that goes with it. Ive traded gangs for your typical San Francisco "charactors" - and that's just fine by me!

I love what I do. I love what I make. I love that I can wake up and have coffee and go to work without walking out the door. I love that I can walk to the fabric store and hop on a bus that takes me where I need to go. I love my Roomie and her pets. I love my cat. (If you come by, you cant be severely allergic or afraid of animals - sorry - I cant live without animals in my life!)

~Don't worry - I keep all animals away from the clothes and fabric!~

And I love that after just a short time, my home actually feels like a home instead of a sea of boxes! (thank you Kristine!)

I just seem to have a lot to be thankful for these days and I love that!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!!!!
XXXX

Nesting

I should be working because I am overwhelmed with so much to do right now, but I just cant help myself - I found a home! I can rest. I can nest. I can work when I need to and the commute will be very, very short. The neighborhood is great. The bus stops a stones throw away. Im surrounded by cheap eats, good produce, and the hippest shops. Im sure that I'll be in heaven once Im all moved in. And ........tada! Im a short walk to a good fabric store! And best of all, hell aint freezin over yet - so thats a good sign, right? (unless you are over on the other side of the country)

Ive been needing to nest for a long, long time now, and every time I try, Im just up against a wall, so now I can. Its been a long adventure - and lets just leave it at that. Not only will I be happier, but a happy Kathleen gets her work done quicker and can actually go have fun now and then!

I found this photo of a nest. And it led me here - a great green reuse crafty blog! So read it because its full of fun little crafty ideas! And you can learn to make this nest! Every home needs one. And a house isnt a home unless you can nest.



Here is one of my new room mates!
Isn't he just adorable?

So I probably wont be working for the first week of February and although Im overwhelmed with the amount that I have to do before then, hey, I am never bored.

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A Smell Like No Other

I love everything about Lynne's garden - even this:



A smell like no other when in bloom. Rotting Carrion. About as bad as when my last neighbors left a box of rotting meat under my bathroom window and I had no idea where the stench was coming from. Almost as bad as the morgue at the hospital I once worked at. Almost as bad as the back alley of the mortuary on Green Street that I had to pass through daily for 6 years..........but this is nature. And now that I know where the smell is coming from, I think its pretty funny! The little one in the yard next door doesnt smell. So it must be a maturity thing. It must ripen each year like a fine wine. Or like an old man who wont bathe.
And it doesnt really last that long.......just long enough to attract flies and bees and long enough to confuse us!

The Last Good Days In Lynne's Garden

I think Yesterday was probably the last nice Indian Summer day we'll have til next year. Oh, we might have another good day before the weather gets really chilly, but it wont be the same temperature, the same light, the same vibe. And Im feeling a little sad because I more than likely wont be here everyday like Ive been for the last two years. Time to move on and find a live/work where I can cook and enjoy my cat before she kicks the bucket and work til 5 in the morning if I have to without bothering anyone.

Thats just how I like it. I dont know when I started being the reclusive creative person that I am today....but it doesnt matter. It is what it is and Im happy. I would make stuff 24/7 if I didnt need to sleep. I feel there will never be enough time in my life to make all the things that I want to. This really bothers me sometimes when I think about it. It bothers me that I wont know all the secrets of mankind's past buried under the earth either. So the race is on to make stuff and know stuff before I die.

I also want to learn the secrets of photo shop and the french language before I die also, but that may be asking a bit too much.

So I'll enjoy Lynne's little oasis in The City with her amazing view of downtown and the Bay Bridge and be grateful that Ive been able to have a little respite before I head out into the world again. She's been a good friend.

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Chris March Day In San Francisco

Last Saturday, I got to hang out at the 5th Annual SF Fashion on the Square. I had a great time sitting up front by the stage with my long time buds, catching up with friends I dont see very often, watching the models walk by, catching rays, trying to look nonchalantly glamourous while not getting sunburned, and wondering why, oh why can San Francisico not pull off something that seems so easily done in NYC?
And I was a bit put off by the announcer's insinuations that she would like to jump every male model.

Paleeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzz can we have a little class here!

But all in all, it was fun and had something for everyone. And of course, I was happy to see Chris again. Mayor Gavin Newsom declared July 19th as officially Chris March Day by proxy. Tammy from
Beach Blanket Babylon came out in her red finale dress and sang "San Francisco". We cried. We laughed. We rolled our eyes. We hoped the model jumping comments were over.

Chris March's mini-line was very pretty and interesting. He used organic/sustainable silks. His clothing draped and moved well on the models. I enjoyed seeing his work up close and personal. I wish you could see the details in the photo. His designs had a lightness about them that was refreshing and perfect in the outdoor light. I cant remember the gentleman's name, but Chris used a San Francisco designers' handbags on his models. I'll post that later if I can remember to get it. They are all made of pop tops - very clever and I wanted one so bad! OOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooo I loooooooove the digital printing on the sheer gowns that Chris does!!! Ethereal Spleandor!

In general, there was a mix of clever and dullsville throughout the whole show and Chris was saved for last because he was the guest designer.(save the best for last!) I love being Down Town, a good crowd was entranced, the day was very entertaining, then I got to take a day off and go shoe shopping with Susie afterwards.

I didnt get to visit with Chris til the next night when we all just hung out at Matt James and dished the light fantastic like old times. Happy Days. Sometimes you can go back for a moment or two until you have to go back to the real life. Everything changes and everything stays the same.

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Glorious, Glorious Spring!

So what does gardening have anything to do with clothing or costuming or my biznis?

Well, last year I had the opportunity to grow a a little garden in the abandoned yard next to my studio. I hadn't grown anything in a long time due to circumstances. Living in the city with no backyard was problematic for any kind of garden. I had a little terrace above my last workshop, but the neighbors were skitzo and I didn't want to be around them. So when I got to grow some flowers, herbs and veggies last year, I did a little creative visualization - as it grew, I imagined my business growing.

Well, the garden had problems. It was overrun with weeds, snails, slugs, and poor soil, and acacias that popped up everywhere. We had to put roundup on the acacia to keep it down, so I didn't really want to eat much that grew out there. Most of it went uneaten and went to seed or got pulled up in the fall. But I tended it as best as I could and my business grew - with problems - but it grew.

A season of weeding and pruning and mulching did a great deal to prep the yard this spring for growing. But instead of planting everything in the ground, I put it all in pots and containers. I weeded and raked and hoed and made the garden look so much better than it did last year. I found flagstones and rocks under the soil and made walkways.

Growing in containers will be different for me, but I prepared myself for it. And we can deal with the acacias now without worrying about the integrity of the plants. It is an experiment and I know it can be done.

Today was probably the most gorgeous day we've had this year by far. Spring is indeed here. My little plants are in their pots, the gardener came by today and pulled the overgrown grasses - I just couldn't get to it all. There was too much. And she weed whacked and watered and the yard looks pretty decent now. So as this garden grows better this year, so will my business.

Its just like that.

HGTV

I am OBSESSED with HGTV!!! I go to sleep with it and wake up with it. I just got cable again and I guess I'm making up for lost time. It isn't that I often LIKE what they are doing - its that there are so many endless possibilities to improve your living space. I like to see what people do or dont do with thier living spaces.

I especially like the new home virgins and staging for resale. I try to watch the new young college designers redo people's homes, but that's too hard to watch. They usually do a nice job, but the process is torture. I know they have to enlist as much free help as they can, but when it comes to actually sewing something and they show someone do it - I simply cringe. I would rather watch a slasher film.

Seriously.

I thought about entering for the free green home and hybrid car being offered at Tradition Hilton Head, SC. But once investigating where that actually is, I realized that I would hate it there and would get run out by a craZy mob with the modern version of a pitchfork. But it will make someone somewhere very happy. If I could win the house - its soooooooooooooo cute - and take it somewhere else, I would enter that contest every single day! And with the economy as it is, selling it could be a nightmare.

I'm all about power tools now. When the time comes to move to a bigger workshop, I would love to have a table saw and a nail gun.

Yes Dear Santa, I want a nail gun. And as a former and hopefully future home owner, I vow that I will use it too.

Sunset Idea House part two:

Of course, none of the materials I used were green by any means, but I used Sunbrella's indoor/outdoor fabric, which is always fun. I like the use-ability of it. It is heavy enough to endure some elements and they have many fun patterns, colors, and textures to choose from.

I made some outdoor cushions for the upstairs deck. They turned out very cute. The fabric is not really my style, but I liked it because it is very cheery and goes well with the layout and greenery they chose. I'm so oldie fashiondie, but sometimes modern is better.

I also made other cushions for the inside of the house, but I had to run off to England for a much needed vacation and couldn't get the photos that I wanted. I am posting some of the pics that I took while working on the project just as an example of the fabric choices and how they look well together.

I post this photo of my intern, Molly whenever I can - She makes working with me look like so much fun...........



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Sunset Magazines' SF Mission Idea House

Last fall, I did a little project for Sunset Magazines' Idea House down in the Mission area of San Francisco. I liked this project because they did try to use recycled and sustainable materials as much as possible to create a "green" living situation. It was a gorgeous house on the inside. I'm a little too old fashioned for the modern exterior, but it was very well done. Ok.....buy me the house and I'll live there (sigh).


I really loved the window treatment fabric they picked for the master bedroom. Very sheer and soft, yet modern at the same time. I added a little chain to the hem to keep it in place and not be too billowie - to keep it all in place.


And here is what I did with the scraps left over.
Well.......I like it anyway!


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San Francisco Idea House 2007

I am currently working on some soft furnishings and drapes for this new Sunset Idea House in San Francisco. The project has had a few delays as projects of this magnitude can, and I wont be there for the grand opening because I will be away in England for a couple weeks. I believe scheduled opening is now November 2nd , but call ahead to confirm that. Don't miss it - I was just inside the house the other day and got to see it nearly done. While I am an oldie-fashiondie kinda gal, I flip for good modern. And I flipped. It has so many Green features in it that I am proud to be part of this venture. So go see!

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Sunset Magazine's Idea House 2006

This house was built in Sunset's parking lot, which was a lot of fun and highly unusual!

Here are a couple photos of my work. There were other examples not published, but you get the idea. Very modern, airy, and comfy!

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