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.

Art in a Box.....

Today I thought I would treat myself to an art class...I am so thrilled that I did. It was a mixed media shadow box and soldering class taught by Cheryl Waters and Rita Reade at the charming little store in Tustin called Whimzy. A group of six women sat around a beautifully decorated table filled with gifts and chocolate cupcakes. The process of creating the mixed media shadow box was filled with exciting chatter. Cheryl was a dream instructor filled with lots ideas and techniques....Rita another dream instructor taught the soldering with much patience and knowlegde. It was refreshing to see all the different art pieces that were created, meeting other artist and simply spending my day creating art. Stop in to see Whimzy...it is a little gem. VintageWhimzy.com

Unique Boxes.....

I have a love for unique boxes…..something about them intrigue me. Maybe it is the disbelief that someone else tossed it out! I do admit that part of it is anticipation of what might be inside. I have yet to open one and find a hidden treasure…….. I have them displayed throughout my home, in my work room holding art supplies, or in my bedroom being used as a jewelry box.
I just recently bought this one at a second hand store. It is made in Spain and it has that rustic look that I love! Here I have it in a mini installation in the center of my dining table. Other second hand store buys in this photo are the Christ statue, the pearl like rosary and even the cactus vase that holds my fresh flowers.
Although I am always amazed at what one discards as junk….I am so elated to discover them and make them part of my home.
You can find some treasures for sale through my Etsy shop. Stop by for a visit @ http://www.mexisoul.etsy.com

Discarded Treasures......

I have been shopping second hand stores for nearly 30 years. My eye is now trained at seeking out what was junk to one and is an absolute treasure to me. Hence the saying, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure”. I have furnished my home with beautiful and unique pieces, have discovered a vast array of ethnic clothing, a stunning collection of vintage handbags, a proudly displayed ethnic cloth doll collection of nearly 100, a beautiful collection of handmade crochet table cloths and linens, and more……
I also love gathering little discarded gems that breathe new life into my art. Recycled jewelry made into hand knotted rosaries, painted picture frames for my amate ink and stitch art, vintage buttons made into unique stacked button jewelry, handbags created with men’s neckties, cards made from unused stationary, etc…..
It is all part of what feeds my passion….it is a thrill and excitement that is ever present in discovering the next discarded treasure….and searching and gathering for the next gem to recycle, up cycle, reconstruct etc……
Here is one of the latest discarded treasures I found …..A collection of vintage Mariachi buttons. Wow! I could not contain my excitement….I anxiously came home and began to give them new life. These very cool buttons made their way onto two of my leather vest.. Others made their way into earrings. Both ideas are featured here.
The Mariachi earrings are available through my Etsy shop Mexisoul. Please stop by for a visit.
I hope you enjoy a taste of my soul!
http://www.mexisoul.etsy.com