Earthly Delight

mid-winter

2012-02-06T12:55:00.012-05:00

Appreciating the textures and twilight colors of this warm winter.

reflections of 2011

2012-01-10T21:04:00.008-05:00

So concludes a year, back and forth, here and there... living in Florida, exploring the lushness and the freedom, visiting Maryland, remembering my roots. Basking in all the beauty. Finding quietness amidst the chaos.

Halloween: Bride vs. Indian

2011-11-01T00:22:00.021-04:00

Every Monday in October we celebrated Halloween at the resort, much to the delight of our largely European guests. Pumpkin carving, trick-or-treat (with a big box of dress-ups I put together for children who didn't have a costume) a haunted house and Halloween circus show, the complete American holiday. I dressed as a ghost and performed a hoop act in the circus show, I’m a little shy, but if you promise not to laugh you can see it here. I'm back in Maryland now, so I spent the day poking through old photos. Here are some highlights of Halloween past. An eternal question emerged... who would be the blushing bride and who would be the wild indian...

My mother lovingly sewed the whole family indian costumes, hand beading and fringing each piece. They are a staple of Halloween in the Merrick house to this day. The gown above was originally intended to be my mothers wedding dress. In the end she opted to wear a simple Gunnysack (much more her style) and the fancy dress was reassigned to the dress up box.

This time I'm wearing my fathers indian shirt as a dress.

Later my mother crafted this amazing horse to snaz up the old costume.

It makes me laugh to think that Amy and I can still be found dressing up brides and playing hunter-gatherer for wild berries and branches in the woods...

Saint Lucie River

2011-09-11T22:12:00.024-04:00

Things are slow here at the resort now that the children have returned to school and very few families are vacationing. It's a much needed lull after a long summer. Finally I have the enjoy the place that has been my home for the past six months.

in good company

2011-09-05T16:09:00.009-04:00

Why do we feel such a strong desire to be surounded by beautiful things? Experiencing beauty, even in the smallest way, elevates us. We find things beautiful because they are in accord with our inner world, a visual representation of our beliefs and dreams, our hopes and our experiences.

I just purchased these little pincushions, made with great care by Liane of Enhabiten. They sit beside my machine as I work and I feel I am in good company. I respect her vision so it's inspiring to have a piece of her creativity in my workspace.

I look down beside me as I sew and see this patchwork of vintage prints. I think about the day, long ago, when these fabrics were still uncut and some enterprising women fashioned her vision of beauty into a garment, loved then faded, and finally preserved as a quilt. Used and worn within an inch of it's life, this quilt took on the unique loved-ness of things shaped by time.

I've been spending a lot of time at the machine these days, both for work, and for my own investigations into what I find beautiful. My next project has been growing in the back of my mind for some time now, I'm ready to jump in and let it cary me away. I'll tell you more about it soon ;)

Selby Botanical Gardens

2011-08-24T17:28:00.005-04:00

I you are visiting Sarasota, I highly recommend a visit to the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. We arrived late in the day so I did not have as much time as I would have liked to explore the seven acres of epiphytes, bromeliads and orchids. What I did see of the Texaco Oil founders 1920's estate was quite exquisite.

If you can't go naked..

2011-08-20T17:07:00.007-04:00

When I was sixteen years old I sacrificed one of my mothers indian gauze dresses to make this swimsuit. I used instructions from an old 70's sewing book, titled "If You Can't Go Naked Here Are Some Clothes You Can Sew on Fast." The suit is a bit worse for wear and has many sloppy mendings but it's still one of my favorites.

After breaking camp at Myakka River we headed to Siesta Key for a dip in the gulf.

Myakka River

2011-08-17T15:41:00.011-04:00

To celebrate my birthday I gave my self two special gifts; A new camera and a long weekend excursion to the golf coast. Myakka River State Park is truly enchanting.

Far from the amusement park flash and suburban sprawl typical of Florida, I felt completely free and at home in this place.

Under the hammock of live oak and cabbage palm, every branch is lushly curtained with Spanish moss. Wild tree orchids, resurrection fern and multicolored lichens catch hold of the gnarled bark and take root.

Even the heavy heat of August does not penetrate the canopy, and for once, the moist air feels in keeping with the surroundings.

Golden silk spiders weave giant orbs through the trees and I saw no less than ten alligators patrolling the waters. Their still emotionless eyes in a constant state of meditation. I felt like I had entered another world.

The Civilian Conservation Corps built a series of beautify crafted palm log cabins in the mid 1930’s. I fully intend to book one for a few days when I reach the end of my contract. I'm not sure why but small hand constructed buildings speak to me on a basic level. Simple, humble and charming.

love in the banyan trees

2011-04-12T21:47:00.005-04:00

Key West, 1976.

Their eyes met, dancing in the sunset, bare feet in the sand.

They disapeared into the twisting limbs of the banyan tree.

Branches entertwined, roots mingled and overtime

grew together to became one.

A few weeks ago they came to visit me in florida and I caught a glimpse of those two young lovers.

After 31 years of marriage my folks are still kissing in the banyan trees.

Happy Anniversary

living on location

2011-03-06T16:23:00.002-05:00

I’m settling in nicely to my new location. My sewing studio is arranged and costume production is underway. There is a lot of work to be done, but living on a country club resort is a good incentive for proper time management. Yes indeed, I think the next three months will be just fine.

I sit on the end of the marina, my back against wooden pilings. The sun warms my skin, through a haze of clouds overhead. I am surrounded by lapping, splashing drips of water against the hull of boats in the harbor and the percussive cling clang of metal pulleys on tall masts. Although the breeze is gentle, a whirling whistle can be heard between the boats. Such is the melody of the marina. Blue paint, weathered wood, white canvas and reflected shimmers of light on the water. I’m happy to find that my wifi works here. It’s such a peaceful spot, a place to recharge my spirit.

rasberries and roses

2011-03-03T21:51:00.007-05:00

These pictures were taken on my last ramble through the woods before leaving home, two weeks ago. Woodland brambles tipped with red are one of Maryland's earliest signs of spring awakening. It makes me happy to think these buds will become raspberries and roses by the time I return.

Homemaking

2011-03-03T21:21:00.004-05:00

There are few things in life that make me happier than creating a cozy nest, so these past two months have been a true luxury.

Mama and I wove this egg basket together on her birthday this past January.

Amy and I designed this two part stencel.

I drew and cut the shapes. Amy picked and mixed the tonal colors.

We tag-teamed the paint job.

All the Merrick women had a hand in designing these curtains for the living room. I was lucky to have the time to work out the pattern and sew up the final product.

Mom was so happy with her curtains that I put together a variation on the same theme for the dining room.

My funny Valentine

2011-02-14T18:47:00.001-05:00

Allow me to introduce you to the magical mystical Mr Mephistophelies, my demon kitty... Stalker of sewing supplies, slayer of pincushions, eater of houseplants, master of crazy hijinks, magician of curious mischief, a certified expert in purr therapy and burry your face in fur therapy. He and his siblings are the cutest little loves of my life.

I feel so surrounded by love here, so blessed.

It's hard to believe that in two days I'll be flying away.... away from my family, my kitties, my woods, towards the unknown. Three months of work and sunshine in Palm Beach await me. I'm really excited. I'll do my best to blog throughout but oh how I'm going to miss my darling little kitties.

sunlight in february

2011-02-02T14:55:00.003-05:00

It's a balmy fifty-five degrees outside my family's home in Maryland. The thick blanket of snow, that has covered the ground since Christmas, is lifting into the air and sinking into the soil. I woke up to mist so thick the whole world became a white haze. I decided to take a walk with the old beagle dog. Putting on rubber boots, coat and shawl, we tramped off through the woods together.

Our feet splashed through frozen slush, and from time to time, patches of earth at the base of a tree, would reveal a hint of green moss or ivy which outlasted the snow's icy shroud. When we reached the bay the sun was shining bright. The mist cleared. I took a seat on top of an old wooden pick nick table, warmed in the afternoon sun. I was so flushed from the briskness of our walk that I felt compelled to take off my coat and wool sweater. Then through some strange impulse, I took off my boots and socks too.

No one was in sight except for the good old dog. I could see for miles down the shoreline. So, with the Chesapeake bay before me and the snowy white world behind, I did a series of sun salutations, right on the pick nick table. There is nothing more delightful than to move and breathe in the open air. I kept my eyes wide open through the postures breathing in the sights of the world. The steel gray water and wispy clouds, snowy earth and gray tree trunks turned upside down as I stretched in the sunshine. And before I knew it I was turning pirouettes on the wooden table top. At last, it was time to come back down to earth. I put on my coat and shoes, whistled for the beagle and trudged my way back to realty, but with a light heart and a fully nourished spirit.

Hand Hemmed

2011-02-01T14:31:00.005-05:00

I'm getting my things packed and ready. After a nice long break I'm heading off to work again. I expect I will be away for four months. I'm in the thick of weeding through my clothes and I have built up a whole big pile of mending and alterations. I've been wearing this vintage Lee skirt around with its frayed edge flying in the breeze. I decide it's time to do justice to its cuteness and finish it properly.

Frequently, when I do alterations for myself I do it down and dirty... "It's just for me, it dosent need to be perfect. Who else is going to know that I cut corners? It will be faster this way," I tell my self. Then I spend twice as long fussing with corrections that would not have been necessary if I had just taken the time to go through the right steps. Inspired by the craftsmanship of my vintage clothes I vow to give myself the pleasure of finishing my own things right.

To hem a skirt yourself, try it on and mark the length you desire with a safety pin.

Measure up from the original hem and transfer this measurement all the way around the inside of your skirt, with pins or a light pencil mark. Add one and a quarter inch to this length for hem allowance, which will be folded inside and stitched into place.

Cut a piece of twill tape slightly longer than the circumference of the hem. The twill tape or hem tape reduces the bulk of the hem along it to lie more smoothly. Lay the twill tape over the cut edge of your skirt on the outside (or right side of the skirt) so that it overlaps the edge by one-quarter inch. Stitch the tape in place by machine close to the top edge of the tape. Press the hem allowance under one and a half inches, towards the inside (or wrong side of the skirt.)

Thread a needle and knot your thread. Start your stitch at a side seam, hiding the knot behind your twill tape. Move your needle to the right to take your first stitch (reverse these directions if you are left handed.) Your stitches should be between one quarter and one half inches in length. Although your stitch is moving from left to right your needle will prick from right to left. This serves to strengthen your stitches and "knot" each one in place.

To make a tiny even stitch, follow the edge of your twill tape and prick through just a few threads of your skirt fabric at the exact line where it meets the twill tape then prick through the twill tape at the same point. This keeps your thread in line with the edge of your tape making it less noticeable and less likely to snag as you wear it. Be sure you only catch a few threads on the back of the skirt fabric and do not bring your needle all the way through to the front. This makes your hem invisible from the right side of the skirt. It is as if your skirt magically ends with out a machine stitch line.

This technique takes longer than machine stitching the edge under, but it looks so much nicer and I always find hand-stitching to be peaceful.

Unexpected Beauty

2011-01-27T13:18:00.008-05:00

I’ve never been one for fussy beauty products. Still, I was surprised, even doubtful,People actually use baking soda and vinegar to wash their hair? I imagine dull greasy locks, smelling distinctly of salad dressing. But after some research I was intrigued. For years, I have mixed my own home cleaning products using the same ingredients. So, I figure, it can't hurt to try?

Here's the result of the experiment: A mixture of baking soda in warm water, massaged into the roots of my hair cleared away oil better than shampoo. As it turns out, baking soda's pH is mildly alkaline, so it reacts and dissolves the fatty acids that form on the scalp and skin. It was so effective in clearing oil from my hair that I'd be nervous to use it again for fear of stripping away too much.

Then, I soaked my hair in apple cider vinegar. Strange as it seems, vinegar's pH level is the same as human hair slightly acidic. My hair was left smooth and shiny and when it was dry...surprise, no vinegar smell. I may be tempted to try this one again.

But my favorite Natural beauty trick is coconut oil, I use this all the time. Mix it with a little solid perfume on your fingers, work it into the ends of your hair or onto your comb. Coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium chain fatty acids, the same substance as your skins natural oils. It's hands down my favorite moisturizer.

The little pinch pots: Susan Ridenour.
The vintage brass hair clip made from vintage jewelry findings.
The little cloisonné tins of solid perfume were found at Follow Your Heart.
Art deco table runner is an example of decorative darning embroidery.

Branscombe lace

2011-01-22T21:59:00.006-05:00

A big white moon is rising over the trees behind the house. Droplets of condensation have formed on the storm windows and the misty glass defuses moonlight through the room. I'm in a pensive mood, curled up under the covers looking at the spoils of an epic thrift hunt. I had my eye open for vintage handiwork and the universe delivered textiles with abundance.

This breathtakingly detailed needle lace blouse took the prize. I found it at a consignment store for next to nothing. Holding it in my hands, I wonder who wove this delicate web. I can't even imagine how long it must have taken and what thoughts must have drifted through the mind if it's maker in all those hours of focused attention and repetitive motion.

I was so intrigued by the whimsical scallop patterns that I felt compelled to do some research. This is an example of a needle and tape construction, introduced in the 1860's, called Branscombe lace, originating from Devonshire, England. Bold handcrafted designs became fashionable at this time as an alternative to the more readily available machine made laces. Its organic patterns could not be mass manufactured. At the turn of the century Branscombe lace became a popular craft. Ladies could by kits to make "renaissance lace" at home. I'm guessing this piece date from the twentieth century, it's in perfect condition and the shape is fairly modern.

There is something indescribably special about wearing a garment made by hand with loving attention and personal pride. I feel honored to surround myself in the creative force of this nameless remarkable woman. I respect the intelligence and time it took to learn this craft and make this one of a kind work of art. I hope she would be pleased that her creation is still loved and appreciated.

frolic architecture of the snow

2010-12-26T14:34:00.005-05:00

Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,

Arrives the snow, and, driving o'er the fields,Seems nowhere to alight: the whited airHides hill and woods, the river, and the heaven,And veils the farmhouse at the garden's end.

The sled and traveller stopped, the courier's feet

Delayed, all friends shut out, the housemates sit

Around the radiant fireplace, enclosedIn a tumultuous privacy of storm.

Come see the north wind's masonry.

Out of an unseen quarry evermoreFurnished with tile, the fierce artificerCurves his white bastions with projected roofRound every windward stake, or tree, or door.

Speeding, the myriad-handed, his wild work

So fanciful, so savage, nought cares he for number or proportion.

Mockingly, On coop or kennel he hangs Parian wreaths;

A swan-like form invests the hiddden thorn;Fills up the famer's lane from wall to wall,

Maugre the farmer's sighs; and at the gateA tapering turret overtops the work.

And when his hours are numbered, and the world

Is all his own, retiring, as he were not,

Leaves, when the sun appears, astonished ArtTo mimic in slow structures, stone by stone,

Built in an age, the mad wind's night-work,The frolic architecture of the snow.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Snowstorm

1835 [1841]

On Christmas night snow came, a ticklish, caressing kind of snow. The kind that brushes your cheek for a moment, before settling down to melt into your skin, crystalline flakes catching the light, catching the wind, swirling and sparkling like tiny shards of glass glitter through the trees. Overnight the snow built it's crystal castles and offered it's wild creation up to the day, but as quickly as the sky built this frolic architecture, with equal speed it starts to melt away.

(Amy's depiction of our Merry Merrick Christmas is so sweet, give it a read!)

Modes

2010-12-07T23:57:00.011-05:00

Just north of the famous Brussels flea market, Jeu De Balle, we found this little shop...

Modes is a costume designers wonderland, frothing over with antique textiles and museum quality vintage. Amy and I stocked up on pretty tortoise shell hair barrettes and handmade lace.

Hamleau de la Reine

2010-12-07T22:37:00.003-05:00

The Queen's Hamlet on the grouds of the Petit Trianon, at the palace of Versailles

It must be nice to have your own little weekend palace, on the grounds of your royal palace, and if your weekend palace starts to feel too stuffy, just build a farmhouse in an imaginary Swiss hamlet in your back yard, so you can feel like your faraway in your own magic kingdom fairytale.

I can't blame Marie Antoinette... I want to live here too.

Paris

2010-12-07T21:47:00.003-05:00

I imagine girls in feathery hats, high collars and button up boots eating macaroons and sipping coffee in this very same shop, one hundred years ago. Everything is perfectly maintained. Parisians do not seem to suffer from the neurotic need to update and remodel that which is already beautiful.

Costume

2010-12-03T08:02:00.006-05:00

These vintage costumes most likely graced the stage of the Lido cabaret.

Being that I was a somewhat strange child, playing alone in the woods in old ballet costumes, sequin tiaras, and vintage rhinestone necklaces, not to mention prairie dresses, hooded capes, Indian princess costumes and folkloric hippie dresses, all from my prized trove of goodwill dress-ups, was an every day sort of activity. Thanks be to my mother, who's hippie goddess sensibilities indulged my imaginative endeavors.

To be honest, I've never grow out of this phase. My closet looks more like a costume stock than a wardrobe. When I went to pack for this trip, I had to imagine what a sensible person (who didn't want to be cold while traveling through Europe) might look like. I tackled the project in full costume designer mode, hitting the thrift stores to create a simple warm wardrobe... so that I wouldn't end up hauling a colossal mishmash of flowing fairy dresses, fringed vests, flimsy footwear, and all the imposable impractical articles of dress of which my closet is mainly comprised. Think I did alright... one pair of black boots, one pair of wool pants, one pair of jeans, two dresses, three sweaters, a few tee shirts and undershirts, leggings, tights, wool socks, a coat, a scarf, gloves and a hat. Everything fit into one carry on. I selected my items based on a neutral color scheme instead of fit, so all the pieces could be mixed and matched, and then got creative with the sewing machine to bring things down to size. It was all very practical... not my normal mode of operation when it comes to my wardrobe. It's funny that my job is sort of like playing dress up with other people but I go about it in a much more organized way. It was nice to "costume" myself with the same sort of order I try to bring to my work.

All this being said, I found no lack of fuel for the creative imagination through out our travels... clothes to tickle my fancy for impossibly frivolous and painfully beautiful. The pictures above are vintage costumes from the Lido cabaret for sale at the Puces de Sant-Ouen flea market. As you can see from our Paris Top-Ten on Amy's Apple a Day, this flee market was not our top pick due to it's prohibitive priceyness, it was still worth a look for inspiration.

Thankfully, for me, this store was closed. The feathered fabulousness was only within reach of my imagination, so I was spared the temptation to add a rhinestone bra and matching head piece to my wardrobe.

2010-12-02T14:55:00.002-05:00

It's really rare for Amy and I to have time off at the same time. Usually one or the other of us is up to our noses in some kind of project and can't get away. We have barely been in the same state for more than two week's time in a any given year since 1998! That's why we jumped at the opportunity to travel together. Who could be a more perfect travel buddy... We have similar interests, and we know each other inside out, the good, the bad, (and the tired and hungry) and still get along. It's one of the main reasons this trip was so special for me. Yes, I am thrilled, inspired, and culturally enriched by my experiences, no question, but it added an extra dimension of specialness to share these memories with my sister.

Paris at last!

2010-12-02T08:33:00.002-05:00

All employees of the international resort where I worked (as a costume designer and performer for the better part of last year) are required to wear a name badge. This badge details with little flags your country of origin and the languages you speak... my tag shamfuly displayed four little American flags. You can imagine the teasing I had to endure as I would sit down to dine with well traveled Parisian guests... "And what do you think of Paris?" they would ask. "Oh you've never been? never been to Europe?? An American girl who speaks only English and had never been to Europe... How typical." No matter that I've visited thirty seven of the US states, five provinces of Canada and twice traveled to Central America, this did nothing to ease my feelings of worldly inadequacy. A trip to Europe seamed to be an important rite of passage that I somehow missed along the way. Everyone had a good laugh, including me (and I silently vowed to correct this situation as soon as possible.)

So now it's done! I've been to Europe, on the first of what I hope will be many adventures.

and I can answer when asked that "Paris is unmatched in it's graceful refinement and delicate beauty" Just what the french want to hear... and also very true.

Thank you!

2010-11-06T18:31:00.006-04:00

It's just over one week away from our departure to Paris and I am overwhelmed with excitement, not to mention the necessary preparations! I literally spent half the day going through and looking up each one of the AMAZING suggestions proposed by the darling readers of An Apple a Day.

I spent so much time on the computer that I was forced to take a break and go for a walk in the woods, to save my sanity and clear my head from all the dizzying options! As usual, I can not go for a walk without bringing half of the woods back with me, so here is a little something I picked up along the way. Some little woodland arrangements to thank you for your incredible generosity!

Día de los Muertos

2010-10-30T16:37:00.004-04:00

Today I was feeling a bit under the weather most likely because it's getting so cold. Life in the tropics, following four years of California sun, has softened me to the point where 40 degrees can feel like 40 below. But to my surprise I received a heart warming package from my dear friend, Caesareo Ruiz, in Los Angeles, wishing me a "pleasant 31st and 2nd" Halloween and The Day of the Dead.

The package consisted of a tiny book... sewn by hand with various papers repurposed from brown paper bags, tag board, legal pads, sketch books and the like... featuring his exquisite, otherworldly illustrations and eerie vintage photos printed on wax paper. The book even featured a built in envelope that contained a moody mix cd of Mexican folk music and more modern tunes. So I lit some candles, played the soundtrack and thumbed through the pages of his imagination.

The Old Mill

2010-10-29T01:29:00.005-04:00

It's been two years now since my grandfather passed away. At the time, I was in the midst of a film shoot and couldn't make it back to the east cost. I will always regret that I didn't come home. But in a way, it was like an alarm calling me closer to my family.

Earlier this fall my sister Amy and I spent a weekend at his house, an old 1840's gristmill which he and my grandmother crafted into a masterpiece of a home. We relaxed, soaked in the beauty, and got to work on some serious creative fun. It's hard not to feel inspired in a place like this. Mama always says the house represents the best of both her parents... grandma's artistry, grandpa's engineering and a unique combined vision. So, I can't think of a better way to honor him than by turning our creative energies toward some family collaborations of our own.

Fall... in love

2010-10-23T17:44:00.000-04:00

The witchy winds, flying leaves, and bare limbs make me long to dance bare foot in dry grass, wild hair, billowing fabric flowing.

"There is almost nothing that has such a keen sense of fun as a fallen leaf"

What blushing fairy girl would not fall in love with the Autumn trees, ragged wings of red and brown flying in the wind.

Amy in action...

2010-10-09T13:19:00.001-04:00

Maybe it's because she is my lill sis but I have always thought Amy is just the cutest thing...

I think there is something to be said for the radiant beauty

of a person doing what they truly love.

plans out the window

2010-10-08T22:09:00.002-04:00

Today is the day I was to return to the Bahamas. I had every thing I need to survive remote island life neatly packed. I rushed to assemble six months worth of frocks, shampoo, shoes, toothpaste, sunscreen, and all the other little necessities of life. San Salvidor Island has no stores, no not a one, so everything must be carefully prepared.

Imagine my surprise when two days before my return flight I discover that I am not cleared to return to work, due to a mixup between my doctors, and workman's comp. I was in shock, there was no doubt in my mind that I was going back today... but here I am, now with two more months to go.

It was just as much of a shock when I had to leave the Bahamas unexpectedly last May. Since January of last year, I have worked as a designer and dancer for the entertainment department of Club Med. During a dance performance gone very wrong, I broke my wrist and I had to come back to the states for surgery. At first I was heartbroken. I couldn't believe the injustice of it all. I didn't want to leave.

The surgery was tough, but the time that has followed will go down in memory as one of my most magical summers... so many beautiful experiences, I otherwise would have missed. I devoured the bliss of summer in all it's glory.... honey suckle, wild berries, emerald leaves, fireflies, Elmwood, wild flowers, and the love of baby kittens. I found myself surrounded by the love of my family... curling up with my mom like two peas in a pod, dancing in the rain, driving with my dad to New Hampshire swapping stories the whole way, and travels with Amy dreaming, scheming, laughing, creating and growing closer than ever.

So things are not going as I planed... makes me wonder what other unexpected magic fall has in store.

Change and change and change

2010-10-07T17:34:00.001-04:00

Things happen for a reason, so they say and I find myself saying the same. More likely things just happen without rime, reason or divine intention...

Maybe it's a mechanism of cause and effect bringing, as if my magic, the circumstances we need to overcome. Or maybe it's just that every unexpected change shakes us awake from a drowsy auto pilot sleep. No one likes to be rudely awakened from a dream...

But perhaps it is the belief in a "reason" which sparks our awareness, enabling us to discover other paths, open to our embrace. If we are awake to the multitude of possibilities, we find our own good reasons.

theatrical

2009-10-16T16:37:00.005-04:00

Finally some pics of the gypsy world costumes I designed for Lucent Dossier Vaudeville Cirque...

The tailcoat vest worn by our man to the right was created from an old Turkish rug, hooray for odd materials and unusual garments. Pulling inspiration for the ballet russes, I made several garment for Lucent's new visual direction. Leave it to the gypsy circus to take the pieces and wear them in there own way.

fall rain

2009-10-13T16:47:00.003-04:00

At long last... Rain comes to Topanga. Sweet and soft. Within minutes the old oak trees, covered in lichen have soaked up the goodness and become a brilliant chartreuse green.

Lichen is such a fascinating life form, composed of a symbiotic relationship between Fungi and
Algae. Nether can survive without the other.

The fungi stores water, and the algae processes carbon dioxide to feed both.

Hidden Valley

2009-10-05T18:18:00.002-04:00

So... It's been a while since I've put any love into this old blog. Seriously, It's been a beautiful summer in Southern California. I've been basking in the sunshine and ignoring my computer.
That said, here is a peek into the summers revelry...

This Past weekend My best Galls and I set up camp at Joshua Tree National Park. With it's void of desert sky, egg-like boulders and sparse linear trees, Hidden Valley on the north west corner of the park, looks like a Surrealist painting come to life. We picked a spot high up in an outcropping of rocks (hidden valley) and built ourselves a comfy eagles nest of pillows and an old futon mattress and camped under the full moon.

We spent the day scrambling over bolder piles and basking in the sun. On the way out of town we hit Pappy and Harriet's. This ghost town is a former western film set turned barbecue restaurant and honky-tonk music hall, were over 50 classic western were filmed through out the 40's and 50's.

daisy, daisy

2009-04-17T22:52:00.002-04:00

I never really thought of my self as a daisy girl, but the little patch in my front yard is so happy, stretching their bright faces eagerly to the sun, I've fallen in love. They match the simple fokesy feel of old Topanga Canyon.

Transplants

2009-04-11T20:42:00.004-04:00

Carefully removed from the hillside behind my house and potted, wild california maidenhair fern and bracken.

crystal clear

2009-04-04T14:26:00.001-04:00

While unpacking, I discovered a box, forgotten,unopened since my last move. It contained quarts crystals, dug from the earth with my own bare hands, near Mount Ida, Arkansas. (the most fruitful afternoon of climbing bulldozed mounds of earth I've ever spent)

Admittedly, hippy-dippy crystal lore, espoused by tye-dye clad gurus makes me cringe. But all the crystal energy healing mumbo-jumbo misses the point.... Crystals don't need to be mythologised to be magical. Through the varied, inexplicable dynamics of the universe, far beyond man's sphere of influence, erupted something of clarity and order. That's mind blowing enough.

Crystals are a natural manifestation of near-perfect geometry. A prism is created when the molecular structure of a liquid solidifies into ordered patterns that repeat in three spatial dimensions, under a precise balance of heat, pressure, and elemental chemistry. (You can still see the red Arkansas dirt on these little glimpses of essential truth.)

When formed under imperfect conditions, (i.e. changing conditions) the most interesting variations occur in the rock's shape, and color. It's the same with us, with all life... there is an underlying order, a repetition, but conditions rarely stay consistent long enough for something "perfect" to form. Luckily it's the variations, the constant adaption to change, which gives people and crystals unique character.

As the analogy stands... I would still rather be a clear, luminous, yet slightly quirky crystal, than a dull jumbled hunk of rock. We need some consistency if we expect to be clear, but accept what evolves in the changing conditions of the moment, it makes us who we are.

Wild Sage

2009-03-29T19:56:00.002-04:00

Being a hunter-gatherer by nature (well ok, maybe just a gatherer, if I can find me a good hunter than I'd be in business) I stumbled upon a stand of wild white sage. I picked a few stems and brought them home to dry. Wild Sage is edible, and makes a nice incense. The plant can be identified by it's distinctive smell and silvery white leaves. Just don't pick more than you will use. I recommend picking just one stem per plant, as the wild population has been depleted by greedy smudge stick makers, no joke.

Ants on a Log

2009-03-29T13:26:00.000-04:00

On my way out the door, visiting friends,

I am informed that our shindig destination is a potluck.

I stare blankly into the frig...

what can I possibly make in a mater of minutes

that will appeal to the persnickety diets of Echo Park hipsters?

From the dark depths of memory, and the meager contents of the fridge,

I have an epiphany...Ants on a Log!

It's fast, vegetarian friendly and sure to get a laugh.

Conjuring up visions of summer vacation and scout camp, what's not to love?

Its so easy to make...

Cut celery evenly
cover in peanut butter
sprinkle with raisins,
and my own addition(which makes it extra yummy and desertish)
melt some creamed honey and drizzle on top!

The pour little logs were munched up in a mater of minuets,over giggle and memories.

Clean Start

2009-03-22T15:49:00.000-04:00

It's truly the little things in life that fill me with joy and a seance of place. My new home is coming together and I'm finding that grandiose visions and good intentions are less of a driving force for me than necessity. But careful selection of the thing I require for survival, can delight me just as much as indulgence in oddities and curiosities.

Case in point ...this beautiful hand twisted clothesline, unearthed from the depths of a bin in a hispanic dollar store in echo park. Ninety nine cents of crafty, thrifty, homey, cutesy, sunshiny, usefulness and so much more pleasing, and less expensive than a standard nylon cord. The soiling of my favorite sweater was the final straw that brought this clothesline dream out of the box and into reality, there is nothing like necessity to inspire action.

Hand washing my favorite clothes remind me to take care and pay close attention to the things, (and people) that I love.

2009-03-12T21:21:00.002-04:00

I love folk drawings, the homier the better, but when it comes to myself, I feel like I need to be some sort of da Vinci, before I set ink to paper. It's my ego getting in the way, just let it go and let the silly, awkward, quirky view spill out.

thanks dad for your help, it feels good to pay you back. and here it is my new home!

Little House

2009-03-12T03:23:00.005-04:00

My mother nick-named the farm house where I was born, in rural Maryland tobacco country "Little House on the Patuxent" and I'm sure Laura Ingles would have approved. A tiny tenant farmer shack with three rooms and a wood stove for heat, rented by my parents for fifty dollars a month, (including use of the the barn and fenced fields!!!) Sigh, I long for the days when bohemian visionaries could score a spot for a song, spacious in land, character, and creative potential, if not in rooms.

My Mother lovingly recorded it all for me, through the filter of her own vision and simple folk artistry, recording the substance of childhood memory with more accuracy than any photograph. This hand drawn fabric book, made to teach me the names of household furnishings, is now a touchstone with my past, and my folks so radiant and full of life. So excited to create there own beautiful utopia, chalk full of home-made style, and bohemian flair.

Man, was I a lucky kid!

This is what I've learned...

Any home worth it salt must have:

hardwood flors
claw foot tubs
houseplants

thrifty antique furniture
big trees

A good home is better with:

big porches

fire places, or wood stoves

streams, ferns and mosses

lady slippers in the woods,

hikeing trails

wood shingles

wooden beams
big barns
big fields
a chicken coop

ponies and chickens,
gingerbread on the porch beams
an old weathered boat and a dogwood tree in the front yard,
a tepee sweat lodge and rainbow school buss,
a hand painted swing set

love

and family

sead of change

2009-02-14T01:53:00.003-05:00

Kristen and I have done our best to keep our new years resolution, taking time on the weekends to hop down to orange county to volunteer for The Ecology Center, brain child of Kristen's sweetheart Evan Marks. In there own words..."The Ecology Center mission is to inspire and involve people in the stewardship of Southern California's environment, providing education in sustainable agriculture, ecological design and the heritage of San Juan Capistrano"

The education center is situated in a historical farm house with surrounding gardens and shares the space with South Coast Farms a working organic farm featuring community supported agriculture (CSA) and a mind blowingly beautiful (and cheep) farm stand.

Krissy and Evan

We planted ground cover to protect and fertilize the soil. We also planted over 3000 seeds to be sold at the upcoming earth-day celebration, and plans are laid to use our sewing skills to whip up some organic cotton aprons to keep those farmers clean. Come check out the Earth-day festivities on april 25th.

Nijinsky's Ghost

2008-12-14T13:06:00.001-05:00

ca velvet jacket, cropped and fringed, covered in pearls, just what any madman would want! one of my new costumes to grace the Edison stage (wish I had clear pictures.)

This one is sexy in a quirky vintage way...

Like a Romanian Gypsy, showing off her legs on the tightrope,

shocking for 1905!

Vegetation

2008-12-12T14:24:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to eak by on what odds and ends I have left in the fridge before flying back home on Tuesday. Last night's prospects looked pretty meager with only a bunch of uncooked potatoes, carrots, and an onion left over from thanksgiving. But necessity is truly the mother of invention for a starving bohemian. I pooled resources with my roommates, to make a roast veggie feast fit for kings. We all agreed it looked more like a design project than food, and tasted like a vegan hippie festival in our mouths.
Who needs protein when you have pretty colors.

Kristin's bohemian roast veggie recipe:

left over veggies, in your favorite pallet of colors and shapes

this incarnation includes new potatoes, carrots, purple onion, beats and radishes, but just about any thing will do.

cover in olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and whatever herbs are on hand.

roast in the oven for approx 30 min, but keep an eye on it.

It's ready when the veggies are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, like fancyfrenchfries.

We then served it with left over brown rice and tahini dressing.

Fantastical Theatriacal

2008-12-03T18:34:00.001-05:00

When the days grow darker, imagination kicks into full effect, while the outer world sleeps, the inner world unleashes it's dreams. Crazed with introspection and pent up energy, I indulge my fantastical theatrical side and throw myself into making the most outlandish exotic pseudo-ethnic circus costumes I can. Flights of fancy harking back to the Ballets Russes.

I am blessed to have the perfect outlet for such creation, Lucent Dossier Vaudeville Cirque, directed by visionary artist Dream Rockwell. Such inspiring creative force surrounds this woman, I'm grateful to be able to put my little imaginings into the mix. My new collection of costume will debut at the Edison this coming month.

taking inspiration from...

Ballet Russes, Nijinsky and Anna Pavlova, Paul Poiret, Rimsky-Korsakov 1001 Arabian Nights, Gustav Klimt, ilustrater Kay Neilson, and Renoir's vintage circus girls

So here is the beginnings of what's brewing on the sewing machine...

funny little party hats,

high waistd circus bottoms

whimsical croped vests

and lots more magic to come

Temescal Canyon Panorama

2008-12-02T17:00:00.002-05:00

Hiking the Temescal Canyon ridge trail my friend and photographer Mat McCarthy took this magical picture.

To find this woodland wonderland just drive up Temescal Canyon rd, of the PCH, go to the very end and explore to your hearts content.

Thankfull

2008-12-02T13:45:00.000-05:00

Living far from home, my rag tag band of California pilgrims came together to celebrate our second annual thanksgiving in Venice. It hard to believe it has been almost two years since I landed on the plimoth rock known as Venice Beach where so many east cost strays have come in search of freedom.

Bright and early Heidi and headed for the hills, collecting autumnal flowers, marveling at the strange grace of nature to create such an infinity of fascinating life forms, growing wild, so often overlooked as weeds. We hiked along old Topanga road working up an appetite for the feast to come and created little bouquets as we took in all the beauty.

Then came the cooking. Heidi made a delicious butternut squash soup, real mac and cheese, and an amassing pumpkin and ginger pie. I took responsibility for the stuffing (with all my favorite ingredients fresh sage, mushrooms, carrots, celery, apple and onion,) brussel sprouts, and the mashed potatoes (my secret recipe, garlic, herb and mashed apple for a hint of sweetness.) Nick's turkey took the prize for the best I’ve ever eaten, not surprising since he grew up on a turkey farm. Dinner was attended by eight of our beloved friend family, and for their amusement and to prove our eternal dorkieness, we dressed up as pilgrim and indian .

The following morning we piled the car to the brim with leftovers, worm clothes and the tools of our respective trades and drove to Lake Arrowhead for three days of quiet focus in front of the fire place. The cabin was a quaint bohemian place, the perfect local for Heidi to write her script and I to sew to my little hearts content.
My sewing sprawled out in front of a glowing fire, how am I so lucky!

I want my own uneven cabin floor to paint. These folks must have lost there straight edge
eclectic touches, and house plants, I felt right at home.

I'm so grateful for my creative friends. There is so much to be learned from the struggles and triumphs of a soul on a mirrored path to your own, different disciplines but similar processes.

Photographic Romance

2008-11-24T12:13:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure to work with the most amazing photographer. Her style is so sweet and natural, congruent with my own. Jacqueline Veissid is accomplished in her vision.

I could not have asked for a happier shoot, climbing trees, swinging on swings, playing with chickens. hoping on fences, wheelbarrow rides, and a good role in the hay!
check out her beautiful website...

http://www.jacquelineveissid.com/

Look under portfolio, then lifestyle to see a sneak peek of yesterdays shoot, only further confirming my farm girl nature.

On Location

2008-11-23T11:06:00.001-05:00

Autumn in Napa Vally is breathtaking. So beautiful, it's worth selling your soul to a film crew for this to be your office...

Wine Country October. For one month I lived, breathed and worked wardrobe on a remake of the film Sideways for the Japanese market. My first feature film shot on location. The experience was priceless, trial by fire so to speak, long hours and high stress. But the leaves were turning the air was crisp and the view from the trailer, positively picturesque.

willow banded oak casks (Frogs Leap Winery)

round red barns

rural oddities

extravagant winery landscaping (Newton Vineyard)

my little office on wheels...

and the most delisous grapes right off the vine

and the wine, of course. What more could one wish for a work day.

Classic

2008-10-01T12:21:00.000-04:00

I'm so inspired to make some deliciously simple cotton and silk dresses. Nothing more than what needs to be. I've started in on my first modern classical inspirations and I'm looking to style a Maxfield Parrish "girls on rocks" shoot. My broken camera was still under warranty, thankfully!! So soon I can fill you in with visual details.

Sew Darling

2008-09-26T13:00:00.002-04:00

Look at this little super model baby! I couldn't resist sewing her this little dress.
I patterned it from one I baught for my self, from her mothers store, and scavenged fabric from an ill-fitting vintage garment of my own. The results, too cute for words...
Perfect outfit for Amelia's morning at the farmers market!

Thanks to Sandy for the pictures and thanks to Amelia for being such a good little model.

falls'a comin...

2008-09-24T22:57:00.002-04:00

Too bad it was 95 degrees in LA today. I'm yearning for crisp mornings and bright leaves, sigh.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon

2008-09-23T14:32:00.000-04:00

My beauty inspiration for fall...

Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Jodi Bowker, 1972

Romio and Juliet, Olivia Hussey, 1968

Take note from the Zeffirelli beauties, so simple and sweet, rosie cheeked, and natural.

enid and edger

2008-09-22T11:01:00.000-04:00

check out the listings: http://stores.ebay.com/enid-and-edgar-vintage

and I get the urge for going...

2008-09-21T12:56:00.000-04:00

...when the meadow grass is turning brown.

My camera has lost it's ability to focus. The effect is (kind of) interesting on this bouquet of dried grasses, I picked up on a hike in the Santa Monica mountains. I am beginning to appreciate the dusty dry beauty of the desert in late summer. Like little flower skeletons, preserved in the sun, these desert grasses have there own timeless beauty.

In my dreams..

2008-09-15T03:36:00.001-04:00

I live here...

or here

or this one would do..

This is definitely my future stare case

and let's work in some whimsical organic shapes

Ok, universe work with me here, I'm so glad the amazing crafts people, who are going to help me build this house, are out there honing there skills right now, just as I'm doing with mine, so we can makes dreams come true.

I wish I didn't know...

2008-09-08T21:46:00.002-04:00

Edvard Munch: The Day After (1894)

Ok, ok, maybe I'm being a bit melodramatic, but every once in a while it's ok to let yourself indulge in the full range of human emotion. I don't fall in love easily. It's hard for me to find a match to my esthetics, creativity, love of nature, beauty, philosophy, and a general excitement for life, not to mention physical attraction, call me picky. It's been a while since I've opened myself up to love, not willing to lay bare my sensitivity. I slipped a took a sip from that cup, like the seduction of wine which slowly tempts you to drink more and more, each sip rendering you a little less capable of comprehending the consequence of your action, I became drunk. I surrendered my fears to what felt natural and right, intoxicated with passion, delirious with the comfort and pleasure of a soul with witch I could connect, even respect. But the demon spirits which lift you up, to a state of unnatural happiness for one night, leave you reeling and hungover in the morning. So it was with my intoxication. Sunday, like our lady pictured above, I moped around, my mind processing the cocktail of tenderness and torture, hope, rejection, confusion, and passion I had consumed, in the same painful way the liver processes poison from ones system. Now I'm back on my feet, a bit of my ego died in the process and I'm better for it. I've dropped my feelings of rejection and my childish attachments (at least that's what I'm telling myself) Maybe this is all a bit too revealing for a public forum, but life is more than pretty pictures and pleasantries. It is our choice to delight in the experience of our own humanity, to grow, renew and release. I do not regret a single experience that has led me to deeply feel. I do not discount a single moment of love in this life time. Love, like energy can never be destroyed.

El Matador

2008-09-06T15:22:00.002-04:00

The saving grace of life in Los Angeles comes with the discovery of hidden natural treasures, remarkably close to home.

Just a short skip up the Pacific Coast Highway, into Malibu and you find yourself in a pirates cove!

You almost expect to see Caption Hook coming around the bend, and mermaids in the lagoon.

Sea cliffs, caves, craggy rocks, tidal pools, kelp forests, and colorful vegetation abound

The beach is relatively disserted, those who you do encounter are friendly, many are European, there is a discreet element of nudist activity but that only lends to the feeling that you are in some far away land

Good Neighbors

2008-08-31T16:01:00.000-04:00

Forthcoming looks I styled and modeled for Enid and Edgar's new e-bay store...
(I love living next to these folks)

Everything in the store is reasonably priced, and It's operated by the sweetest family...

Prepare to be greeted by four year old Amelia, a darling pixy who will play hide-and-seek in the clothing racks and offer you "lady pops" (lolly pops) that is if you come in before her bedtime, the store is open late into the night so all the Echoplex bound hipsters can shop while waiting in line to see there favorite bands.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/enid-and-edgar---vintage-garb-for-all-echo-park

Sylvan Inspiration

2008-08-24T13:15:00.001-04:00

Quickie Burning Man costume made for a friend

fairy folks, free as the wind, proud as kings...

ballet coverups, bunched with findings of fairy loot,

become a sweater fit for a fairy prince...

battling the cold desert night

very few men ask to look like butterfly warriors,

but hay, this is burning man

****

Sylvan gold inspirations for a 20's theme wedding

once upon a time...

I loathed the fly aways that persist in floating up from my hair,

but I surrendered to nature
and was rewarded with a crown of gold

one girls frizz is another girls glory

when nests are warm and mystery broods...

2008-08-24T01:20:00.000-04:00

Jessie Marion King

1875-1949

I feel so drawn to the natural mystery of these nouveau illustrations...

draft dodgers paradise

2008-08-23T11:27:00.001-04:00

Style notes from some valuable folks...

Joan Baez and her two darling sisters, Pauline and Mimi,1968.

(Say no to war, that is. remember this is pre nancy reagan, just say no)

So unbelievably cute! I'll say yes to hats, striped shirts, vest-dress, mary janes, bare feet, amassing sofas, natural rugs, fiddles and mandolins, and sister love!

Bob and Joan

sweet and simple, unaffected

Clothes-line Curtains

2008-08-22T23:08:00.002-04:00

Tired of the haphazard random rectangle tacked to my window, I decided it was time for some more intentional window coverings in my bedroom. On a recient trip home, I sewed darling cottage curtains for my mother's kitchen, so I figured I could do better for my self. My room is so small, I hate to close off the window and it's lovely view of the Birch tree outside, but it faces south and exposes my un-air-condoned bedroom to a sweltering amount of sun. The window needed something, but what?

I hung a brass bar from hooks inside the window frame and played around with some yardage, trying to imagine what could possibly tie together the contemporary window with the bohemian esthetic of my belongings. Nothing was inspiring me, any color I tried closed in the room and brought too much attention to it's self. The curtains would be white, to blend with the wall, that much I could settle on.

Frustrated, I cursed my room for all it's perceived faults. Then I took a beep breath, and decided to come at the problem from a different angle. What makes me happy? I asked my self... Unique, simple, resourceful, creative solutions. Few sights give me a sense of simple joy like my hand bleached whites sun drying on the clothesline. That was it! I already had all these sweet little vintage undergarments just collecting dust, so I freed them from the suitcase and hung them up in there frilly white glory!

Orchid Love

2008-08-20T01:57:00.001-04:00

I received a stem of eight tiny orchid blooms, for my eighth birthday. I still remember the feeling of reverence....

delighted to receive such a unique and "grown up" gift, brought all the way from the reforests of South America by my grandmothers boyfriend, curator of the Smithsonian institutes's orchid collection.

Rising above heap of forgotten plastic toys and clothes, the by-products of childhood birthday parties, those intricate little flowers were unforgetable.

Imagine my surprise... By some magic or coincidence, Twenty years later I receive for my 28th Birthday an Orchid plant with exactly twenty eight blooms!

a million thankyous to Heidi for (knowing this story somewhere in the back of her mind and) subconsciously pulling out the perfect gift!

in the beginning...

2008-08-18T02:18:00.000-04:00

Beginning is always hard. The imagined endeavor has endless possibilities, unbound by the constraints of time and space. It's vision tends to grow, shape shift, becomes anything and everything you wish, effortlessly, without commitment. To actualize is a different matter. I find, the moment before taking a plunge into, the possibly cold and rough, waters of actuality can be the most challenging part of a whole project, but if inspiration strikes with enough energy, it's time to make that leap. Ephemeral dream substance evaporates like mist in the sun so I'm learning to jump in head first. So with no further ado, my blog...