a makeover for Phine

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the latest makeover is another t-shirt dress
for the lovely Phine, in Germany..

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when I was picking the fabrics for this, I kept getting
surprised by the many varied colours I was choosing.
not usually my route.. but I’m glad I followed those instincts,
cause the palette ended up being perfect!

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this has helped fortify a little plan I’ve been making..
that is, to make t-shirt dresses predominantly
(aside from my commissions) for a month or two
and see what happens. I love jumping around and
creating freely, but could use a bit more structure
(and steady cat food). people seem to love these, and
I love to make them, so why not?

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this is my favourite angle. this dress has gotten me feeling
excited about using a lot of colours together.. but in a
way that still mimics nature.

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and.. the Before shot:

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quite a transformation!

xo S

portraits with Kiyo

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so happy to finally share these portraits
I made last month with my friend Kiyo~

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these were taken on a very magical rainy forest day,
before the spring explosion of leaves and bugs and sunlight.
everything smelled wonderful and there were
lots of mushrooms to greet.

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I’m excited to do more projects with this lovely being..
it’s like they stepped out of a Gibbous dream, haha.
quite a perfect faery muse

xo S

the Kerr coat.. & Sentimentality

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this beautiful piece of history is now available for adoption

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I began working on and wearing this about 12 years ago..

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I recently unearthed it and brought it back to life..
it was worn by Matthew in the first of my forest portraits
a few months ago.

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I nevvver thought this would come back to wearability.
it was literally in tatters, ill-fitting, broken.
a chaotic jumble of dapper elven dreams.

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it really feels like a collaboration, between
my beginnings & my present mind.
kind of a rare bird, aesthetically.

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this cursive patch below was silkscreened from
a bundle of letters I found in a Portland dumpster,
about a decade ago- correspondence from a sweet couple
named Winnifred & Earl, in the 1930’s.

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cute road & cold reports

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the pockets were frankensteined from another vintage coat.

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this piece feels worn in the best way, so soft & comforting~
like borrowing a dear friend’s treasured coat.
I love the way the old stitches & new stitches all
work together to create a feeling of roots & soil.

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there are stretch panels in the arms for a trim
but comfortable fit. it almost has a slight mutton-sleeve
knight silhouette at certain angles

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I used to have serious sentimentality issues-
for a long time I was definitely not ok with selling things
that I had worn & loved! it felt scary to me, to let them go
to other people; even if I didn’t want to wear them anymore.
like I was giving some precious part of my life away?
I’m happy to report that this has dissolved in the last
couple years, and become almost the opposite.

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I think that fear has to do with a scarcity mindset,
and an over attachment to the past, vs trusting in
abundance and looking to the future. there has been
a lot of revelation & healing happening since I moved
to the forest, and it’s become more apparent to me
that it’s not necessary to hold onto things quite so tightly.

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it feel like I’m being shown lately
that creativity is a well, and space is potential..
that sharing your creativity & treasures doesn’t
diminish them or make you vulnerable.
that if you can nurture yourself & your magic,
trust your instincts and follow them,
project what you love into the world, generously

there will always be more beauty & creation & abundance.
and it will rejoice in you

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I was feeling odd that this coat isn’t lined,
but realized it’s actually amazing, to be able to see
all the chicken scratch inner workings

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that said, I hope this goes to someone who will wear it gently
or who likes mending.. because it will probably need some
loving care over the years. or you can just send it back to
me to fix up for you, haha

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and, this was supposed to be my big day off,
so I’m going to go work on that now :)
planning to read some books, record some music
and play with the cats!

xo S

portraits with Amber Amanita

I made some portraits with my friend Amber last weekend

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It was a brilliant windy day with mercurial light
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this third photo was an accident~ the camera I work with
gets excited and the flash goes off randomly..
but it actually ended up being my favourite one :)
I love her mischievous expression.

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these portraits have been so good at getting me
back in the practice of photography.. (with cameras, not phones!)
& working with people, instead of just garments, haha

xo S

relics of the internet

came across this bit of history yesterday,
from 2007? 🕸️ the ‘bio’ from my first website
(which I typed, sewed and painted by hand on paper,
then brought to wizard friend Peter Hinson to
translate into a computer)

about
I had only sold my work at stores or on
the street at that point.. the website was
like a beautiful mythical being in my mind.
This was before instagram, facebook,,
before Etsy (!!) before any of these freeways
were built. I had a couple friends working with
me back then, but the 4 designers thing was also
a bit of a mythical being.. I really didn’t want it to
be just me. I was a semi-irresponsible recluse, was
freaked out by the internet/ having an online identity/
‘selling’ myself.. & wanted more than anything to be
in a thriving posse of artists working together for a
beautiful cause.. Still something I’m moving towards
today, but with a more evolved awareness of how complex
work, art, people, health and collaboration can be.
I’ve learned quite alot in the last 12 years.
I definitely haven’t made very much money..
but I’ve become wealthy in many other ways :)

xo S

new Ravens +

hello!
I added some new raven garments to the shop recently

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the Victoria skirt

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this was made from a vintage brocade type coat & a remnants
from some striped gentleman’s trousers.

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it went to live with a lovely lady in San Francisco..

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as did this one^
(the Leila skirt)

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made with vintage coat lining, more trouser remnants &
pieces of a  beautiful but destroyed polka dot 1940’s dress

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it’s been fun to get back into making skirts..
I’ll prolly be making them more often from now on~
it’s hard to keep up on alll the things, haha

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this beauty was  birthed from the odd latticework
I make with scraps, when I need a break from creating
intentionally.. it’s kind of a relief to just sew things together sometimes without alot of thought.

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I doctored them into this neat bonnet for some
portraits with my friend Amber,
which are coming up in one of the next posts. the
photography has been a good catalyst lately, for making
some of my lil garment visions come to life.
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this piece is available for adoption in the shop

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xo S

a new portrait

 

here’s a new portrait, taken of my friend Lance a couple weeks ago.

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I feel quite lucky lately, to be meeting some very magical
people in the area who are kindred spirits and willing
to let me cover them in leaves, haha

xo S