Winter projects

Where did Autumn go? It seems like it always goes so fast. I know the beginning of December isn't really considered Winter yet, but it always seems like it is. Where I live we don't really have a cold winter like other places, so we don't get such a drastic change. I'd love to have snow once. Thankfully at least our house faces beautiful mountains that get covered in snow, so we get to enjoy the view.

December always brings Christmas and winter projects around our house. I like to make a lot of Christmas presents for family and friends, because they are so much more personal and fun. But because of having arthritis and having Fibromyalgia, which is causing bad pain lately, I cut back on the amount of things I make. And started early this year. I had packages mailed off before December 1st, leaving me with only one major Christmas present left to make for my parents. I started it in the middle of November and work on it every day, hoping it will be finished in time for Christmas.

Meanwhile I'm also working on another project that has become really relaxing and fun. Something just for me, which is something I hardly ever do anymore. I'm always so busy working on paintings or dolls for my shop that I often don't have time to do much else. So when I heard about this wonderful idea I knew I had to be part of it.

Melanie Testa a wonderful artist who has spent the last year battling cancer and kicking it's butt, decided to do a project in December to help get back into being creative and blogging. This really spoke to my heart as I struggle with blogging during the times when I don't feel well. Which lately has been more often then not. A sweet friend told me to blog about it, because others who are dealing with chronic pain and illness would understand. But I still feel often like I'm just being a whiner, so I hide out in my cave. One day I'll find a better balance for blogging and sharing about that stuff. I was hoping that Melanie's idea would give me a push to blog a little more since I'd have a fun reason to share.

She is doing what she has called, Rockstar Boro. Who doesn't love anything to do with being a rockstar? Traditional boro is a Japanese term that is about mending old clothes and reusing them. It's something that really speaks to my recycling loving heart. So Rockstar Boro is in the spirit of traditional boro, but adding your own unique flavor to it. Creating a garment out of an older one in your own style. Melanie is working on a velvet wrap. Others have chosen old coats, kimonos, and shirts. You can check out and join the Flickr group if you are interested in participating. There are no rules, no cost, just fun! Everyone works at their own pace and does what feels right for them. The perfect sew along project for everyone.

I started out with an old shirt that I purchased years ago on a trip to Seattle. It cost me 25 cents from the Goodwill Bin store where you buy things by the pound. It is the softest fabric and I hated to get rid of it, even though it had become very thin and had tiny holes in it. I took another shirt that also had gotten a bit old and cut it up to make the sleeves a bit longer.



So far I have managed to add a wing onto the back. I sketched out a wing quickly on some white cotton fabric, then filled it in using ink pencils and lots of water. It gave it a nice light watercolor effect. Then I used DMC floss to attach the wing to the back of the shirt. Next up is to do the other wing.