Growing the Garden : In Full Bloom!

Her seeds were planted and nurtured with love and being softly spoken to in order that they would arise in their fullness of bloom.

The Second Bloom

Growing the Garden. Daisy is my most favorite flower. They were the flowers at our wedding in Ireland. 

I love them because they are simple and yet so happy. Solid yet feminine. They shine in full bloom.

As I researched Daisies a bit more, I found that they are my birth month- April's conjoined birth flower with Sweet Peas. Of course they are.

And as all things find their way to the right place...I had two exquisite vintage Daisies (yes, in green) that I knew belonged with this piece. I have cherished these daisies for probably 20 years and now was their time to bring joy to another soul!

The Second Bloom symbolizes your time to ascend no matter your age or what life had previously been. It is an invitation to welcome the new, in a sense rebirth, and to share it with others. To set forth with your own devotion to come into your own true full blossom. 

MISSED THE PROCESS?

link here on this button below!

Two Daisies

These Daisy stems hold quotes:

Never underestimate the power or a seed

For many years now I have planted seeds of my life and now they are blossoming. I have a deep devotion to living my life as an artist. That is why I am here...to help others find their own beauty of  blossoming through my teachings of art and yoga. 

Use your energy to believe, create, and grow

I have found that for me the two intertwine -art and yoga. The beauty and gentleness of both while holding strong and continuing to learn so I can share my technical and heartful experiences as one.

Details: Vintage silk flower , vintage velvet leaves, quotes printed on silk, Cotton print fabric with topstitching and blue flower free form embroidered. NOTE: Seeds planted and stem end.

The Garden 庭 Niwa

It was very important to me to create a piece that spoke of being painterly. The skirt and coordinated top fabric I chose has such a beautiful water color effect, that I wanted that carried to her face, hands and feet.

Details: Sculpted clay head with silk - linen weave- overlay. Body sewn in same silk. Dyes of water color and ink. Hand Painted eyes, Hair of  hand dyed tussah silk. NOTE: Seeds at/of the heart.

Full Bloom

In this case, it is all about the skirt from where The Garden nestles.

The Garden is also about growth. As Daisy also represent new beginnings, hope, and rebirth...I wanted this skirt to carry the fullness of this symbolism. 

Details: Wall piece. 

Hat top to toes 30-inches.

It's all about the Hat...

In most - well probably- all of my one of kinds pieces, there is a hat (or a headdress) incorporated. I just have a love of hats within my art. I believe there is a magic in hats! 

As I love to include a surprise in usually my linings of soles of shoes...

Details: Hat all silk, Lining of magenta silk.

Vintage velvet leaves and hat band.

In keeping with the clothing, 

I included my signature topstitching in the hat.

Her hat called to be tall as if still reaching for the sky...for the sun.

Close ups

May your seeds be ever blooming.

Inquiries please contact me here via email

Peony Part 3: The Hat

Peony

Doll Photography: Mark Mortensen

Working photos: Leslie

When creating my Hats, I choose my theme and then research the look..the feel of what ever I am interpreting.  I study it with thoughtfulness.

For Peony, it is the variance in color, the dance of the petals surrounding the middle stamens all springing to life, the overall shape and size.

Color

I wanted the color to be floaty..almost transparent. To do this I needed to hand dye white silk.

I drew out the shapes and then used a hand mixed silk dye (Procion). I then, painted on the color onto the damp silk. I love the way it gently drinks into the fabric.

Next, I decided to sew these petals together backing them with a pinky-peach tone dupioni that is stabilized.

Here sewn, turned and pressed.

I then stepped back and observed the clustering of the petals. I decided to steam press them into this curved shape...this creates the movement...the dance!

Assemblage

I chose black as the base of the hat so the Peony was able to hold all the attention. I quilted the silk -linen fabric of the hat base. Note the silk linen with the striated weave is enhanced by the quilting. I love this fabric with its course stiff feel opposed the the softness of the silk flower.

I like to hold a surprise to the viewer within the interior of my hats...so I used the printed silk brocade that holds the Peony blossom in sisterhood.

 

Peony in place crowning the hat. Initially, I had no stamens in the middle but it so needed just a bright pop of color..the yellow did it. I had to cut the stamens and place each on in my hand to get the right fullness and flutter.

It was the placement of the Peony on top of the hat. I chose to an asymmetrical positioning. I believe this gives the flower itself a carefree look to it, like the "real" flowers that bounce upon the branches of the bush.

The final touch was the leaves from dupioni, placed in a breezy fashion off the flower blossom.

Peony

Peony is known as 牡丹 (mǔdān) in Chinese and is the king of flowers. The Peony symbolizes compassion, good fortune, feminine beauty, and peace.

For me Peony, was years in the making to be created as she was meant to be soft and feminine with a sense of lightness...delicate peace.

My hope is that series on Peony brought you an understanding of my work and a smile to your heart. 

Next week my theme

of the Charm Girl

that started this whole journey...

Lady Bug!