It's done,...

...and Rochelle has walked the plank runway wearing The Lunacy Gown.  I have to say she is the best looking daughter I have - a knockout.  Fortunately, she is much less of a braggart than her mom. 

Here's a video of the runway walk . . . in case you can't hear what the MC is saying, the patter that accompanied the walk is as follows: 

'Crafted from about 200 used dryer sheets, thrift store embroidery floss, tank top and threads, this Lunacy Gown has been created by Win Dinn and is being modelled by her daughter, Rochelle Christensen. The skirt of the gown is comprised of dryer sheets that have been used to mop up leftover paint in Win’s studio.  For modesty’s sake, it has been backed by a host of unpainted dryer sheets.  The floral neck embellishments and wristband are designed from the painted sheets that have been stiffened with GAC400, an aptly named Golden Artist's medium.  A Facebook APB brought in a host of donated sheets for the project, and three months of hand-stitching, blood, sweat, tears and embroidery brought the outfit to completion. It's perfectly clear that nobody in their right mind would conceive or complete a project like this one, hence the name of Lunacy Gown.'

Of course I know some of you are macro fans and want a closer look.

Of course John and I had to get in on the act, too.

There were some amazing outfits there, and I thought you should take a peek at a couple that I managed to photograph the next day.  I just love this newspaper dress by local textile artist Anne Fetterly - the thought of ironing all those pleats just has me boggled (says the woman who washes and iron dryer sheets so she can mop up paint with them). 

This dress crocheted from plastic garbage bags is dynamite.

The evening, part of Focus on Youth, included some fascinating and vibrant Trash to Treasure projects from school children as well.

Brenda Brucker, organiser extraordinaire of the evening, created this Procrastinator's Apron

and her quilt club entrants were given oddball 'gifts' with which to create something as well.  Love the photos of their scores accompanying the items they crafted.

I was truly stunned at the variety of work in the Trashion Show and the Trash to Treasure show by adults and children alike.  The creativity in this town is overwhelming.  I only wish I had more photos, but I think you're just going to have to come and see for yourself.  The show closes tomorrow, so make sure you stop in!  

And now, of course, it's on to the next project, whatever that may be . . . life as an artist, tbc.

I'm doing double...

...time to get another mini snail mail book done.  This one has a floral theme - I think the giveaway on that may be the front of the book.

Garden Snail Mail mini book 

The book is 2 3/4" square by 1/4" deep, 

and sports a series of Canadian postage stamps in the floral theme.

The jury is still out on whether there will be any text added to the visual story.

What's your take on that?

Created from cutoffs of old file folders,

salvaged postage stamps

and dryer sheets, it's definitely Trash to Treasure.

And if you're in Creston, BC this coming week, check out the Trash to Treasure show starting Monday, and the Trashion Show on Monday evening.  Both are going to be outstanding!

How do YOU turn trash into treasure - would love to hear about it in the comments below!

I love receiving castoffs...

...and one of my recent scores was a host of coloured file folder ends that had been chopped to about 13" x 2 3/4".  They're perfect to turn into accordion style booklets (or like this one, tied with ribbons), so a new project was born.  Never mind that I have fully a score of unfinished projects waiting in the wings...

It's so much fun to play with miniature ArtFoamies geometric shapes that I found myself stamping up a storm.  By the time I'd finished with pens and cancelled postage stamps, there was hardly room for a word or two.  That's MY kind of book.  :D

And because I was looking for specific cancelled postage stamps for this little book, I now have several piles of separated stamps - flowers, animals, sports, people and the ever-present miscellaneous, so you know there will be more of these coming.  I'd count myself brilliant if I actually managed to create a technique video rather than a look-and-see one!  Maybe one of them will actually be an accordion style like my first Homage to Snail Mail.

Tell me, what do you do with the stamps that come to your mail box?  I'd love to hear about it, so comment below, and include a link if you like!  

Throwing paint...

...everywhere is a special kind of joy, and with some time now to play in the studio, I've been doing just that.

My stack of painted dryer sheets has been sadly depleted somehow, and while I normally just mop up paints as I finish a project, this time I had a paint party!

My stack is looking plumper and with regular additions should soon be strong enough to get at those dryer sheet curtains I've had in the back of my mind for the second bathroom.  While there are more blues needed, that's an oft-used shade in this studio.

I've been playing in my art journal as well, and it's pretty colourful there too.

I'm especially loving the textural bits here...very touchable, don't you think?

Another art journal page shows off a favourite print by Klimt (not the original, unfortunately, but a reasonable serviette copy)...

 More lickable texture - I can just about taste it!

And somewhere on another worktable, there's a dryer sheet painting (or maybe stitching) brewing.  I love how the white background makes that lovely web pop.

So there you have it - back in the studio and playing like a three-year-old.  What could be a better life?  And while you're here, why not catch me up on yours...I'd love to hear what you're up to!