from these hands...: New Moon Rabbit Part 5: The Finished Piece

Missed a Posting??

The process of creating still astonishes me!

How my pieces come to "being" amazes me...don't get me wrong, I am saying this with all great humbleness.

As I have stated many times, I believe the "idea" is already there, it is up to me to reach up and connect with the idea and then bring it into this reality.

I believe Elizabeth Gilberts says it so magically...

"Ideas have no material body, but they do have consciousness, and they most certainly have will. Ideas are driven by a single impulse: to be made manifest. And the only way an idea can be made manifest in our world is through collaboration with a human partner."

New Moon Rabbit...

One of the gifts of creating, is to gently and quietly follow the guide. I find that when I force my own idea onto a piece, I end up fighting with it. It must be a mutual collaboration.

My biggest lesson that I have most recently learned, is to take it slowly...giving it time to breath. It will always tell me the path to follow. I believe I know exactly what I am going to do and then if I take my time that clearer design will come through.

I will now let you, dearest reader, stroll through these next four images.

Full View

And now, I will take you with me on a guided close up look.

Bodice and Sleeves

Besides my beloved vintage kimono fabrics, I love my Japanese papers and knew it was a necessity to marry the two within this piece.

Below, is a close up of the dyed paper with the blue dupioni giving it support. Peeping out is the vintage kimono lining that I felt, depicted moons in the circular pattern.

We now start to zero in on the top section of the garment.

Below is an overall view of the front section.

Close up, is the left over right cross over with the under Haneri collar of vintage kimono with metal embroidery.

Topstitching of the bodice, with hand stitches across the shoulder line in metallic copper.

Hand painted wooden bead is the closure.

Vintage metal trim follows the line of the connection of the bodice to the skirt.

Above as well as below, shows a detail of the sleeve with paper and silk.

The back of the bodice with the topstitching that follows the lining "moon" design.

The skirt was mindfully sewn on with to loops to mimic the bow of vintage kimono and giving, you, the viewer a peak at the lining.

Detail showing the metallic trim following the skirt.

New Moon Hat

I have a devotion to hats...and wanted to specifically have her in a hat that represents the New Moon.

I had just the right sized piece of vintage silk organza with the beautiful metallic stitching on it.

I stabilized it so it would hold its shape and did a very subdued hand stitch of copper metallic upon the opening representing the mere presence of the light side of the moon.

Side views where you can see the embroidery.

Back view of the ties of silk ribbons.

And my logo...

I created this logo a few years ago. I wanted something very stylized- sleek but having the components of being hand drawn- again bringing in the smooth and texture elements.

It represents LL and encircled by an O.

It encompasses LL as my Dad called me and as LOL as my initials read as Leslie O'Leary...

Final look at the base and her feet. I love the positioning of her feet. Yes, they are hidden under her kimono, purposely done. I feel that there should always be hidden surprises in my pieces!