Embroidery on Re*cycled Denim......

This is a series of hand embroidery on re*cycled denim jackets.

First in series is a Sacred Heart with Flames, cross and large sun burst.

This design was created about 2 yrs ago.

I recently decided to embroidery the entire piece.

Embroidery in works, added turquoise to center of heart.

Stitches added to the waistline and a folk art flower being added to

the jacket side panel.

Top yoke fully embroidered with vintage buttons added.

Left side panel complete now adding stitching in center

and more flowers on right side panel.

More photos of the progress coming soon.

Kokopelli Embroidery....

I found this wonderful hand carved Mexican wooden frame at a second hand shop and it sat in my workroom for awhile now. This is what I created to fit the frame...

       Mexican wooden frame....

Beginning of Kokopelli embroidery...

 

Finished piece.....

Antique with Tea Dye Bath...

I wanted to add richness to some of my new designs and found

that by adding pieces to a tea dye bath prior to sewing gave me beautiful results. It is a simple process that makes a design richer and appears older with an aged antique look.

Front View.....

Back View....

     This is an Alternative Bohemian Tea Dyed Bridal 2-pc Outfit.

 

Front View...

Back View....

This is an antiqued tea length Wedding Dress.

 

Designs are made entirely of recycled items and vintage/antique trims. All pieces have been tea dyed prior to construction. Hand Embroidered details. Available in my shop. http://www.mexisoul.etsy.com

 

A Passion to Create......

Tea Dye Bath Instructions..

Add approximately 10-20 tea bags to a large pot of water.
Bring to a boil.
Water will have a rich tea color.
Turn water off and add the select pieces to dye.
I like to remove the tea bags.
Leave pieces in dye anywhere from 2 hours -4 hours.
Remove and rinse with water.
Lay flat to dry or place in dryer.

Tips…

If a piece has a prior stain it may take on a different color.
Different fabrics/trims dye differently depending on content.

Pot with tea bags .....

Tea bath with fabrics and trims....

Tea dyed items drying.....

 

Upcycled Apron Dresses

I have always had a love for the apron... for years I have had the pleasure of collecting some very unique and beautiful pieces. It is difficult to see them worn as an apron but more as an extention of ones style.  For many generations aprons were worn solely to protect ones clothing. There are many differnt styles ranging from the half apron, bib apron, smock apron etc.

 

With my creative spirit and my drive to recycle; my collection are now being made into sweet apron dresses. Here are a few of my designs. Please visit my on line shop http://www.mexisoul.etsy.com for more of my upcyled art.

Apron dress made form a Guatemalan embroidered apron.

 

                            Apron dress back view....

 

This dress was created by using this very cool vintage apron. Front and back view....

Upcycled...Re-Purposed....Recycled....

Alternative Wedding Dresses........

The word recycle is becoming such an everyday term in today’s society. In the art world terms like upcycle and repurpose are giving the word recycle new meaning. With a touch of creativity giving a discarded item of clothing a new purpose is allowing the world of art and design to branch into beautiful original one of kind designs. It is about creating Wearable Art …..another form of art and a cool way to recycle.

I love giving old things a new life with a new look. Here are a few of my OOAK designs. I imagine them as alternative
wedding dresses for the bride who wants something just alittle different or a one of a kind design. Available through my shop, please stop by for a visit. http://ww.mexisoul.etsy.com

This dress was created by using a vintage 1970's natural crochet skirt, vintage doilies, vintage crochet trims and vintage natural muslin.

This dress was created by using a vintage 1970's plum colored patchwork gored skirt, recycled strapless bustier, vintage doilies and vintage trims.

This dress was created by using a vintage tiered black and cotton crochet trim shirt, vintage doilies, vintage crochet trims and vintage natural muslin.

Hand Knotted Rosaries....

The word Rosary has a few meanings: “Crown of Roses”, “Rose Garden” or “Garden of Roses”, all sound beautiful. The Rosary is a Marian Devotion; it is a gift of oneself in terms of prayers to the Virgin Mary.  There is a mental tranquility that comes with praying the prayer beads of the Rosary. The Lord’s Prayer followed by 10 Hail Mary’s is called a decade. There are five decades and the praying of each comes meditation for one of the Mysteries of the Rosary. There are twenty mysteries that are divided into the Joyful Mysteries, Luminous Mysteries, Sorrowful Mysteries, and Glorious Mysteries.  It is a simple set of prayers that represent the beauty of the Rosary.


I create these one of a kind Rosaries from recycled beads and unique findings. Each Rosary is hand knotted with hemp, yarn, or cord. I use traditional crosses or crucifixes’s  but, sometimes stretch the tradition with an artful idea. I love sacred heart Milagros and Mexican folk art pieces like talavera moons and suns and use these in place of a cross. My Rosaries are traditional only in the sense that they are actual rosaries that can be used for prayer. Otherwise I see them as OOAK (original one of a kind) pieces of art. I hope you enjoy a taste of my soul. You can find my Rosaries through my Etsy shop. http://www.mexisoul.etsy.com

Mixed Media Wax Bottle....

Exploring new art techniques and making it work with your own individual genre is intoxicating! Once again I sat around a table filled with 6 women, art supplies, lively chatter, excitement and delicious brownies. Robin Dudley Howes our instructor was filled with mixed media and wax techniques. What a delight! What started out as a plain bottle just kept getting more interesting as I added paper, rub paint, coffee stained cheese cloth, wire, rusted chain, words, milagros and more.... I was thrilled to learn this wax application and am anxious to incorporate it in my art. Thanks again to Robin..it was a pleasure meeting you and new artists at the little shop in Tustin called Whimzy.