upcycling & reinvention

lemonade

emily loved the hannah andersson lemon king duvet set to pieces and it had taken on a wonderfully soft hand from years of laundering. i created a classic semi-circle skirt with just enough swish and a swingy trapeze tank blouse so it could be worn either together or as separates. (alas, the skirt photo of the skirt is a close-up, showing the dotty bias tape chevrons.)

vintage tablecloth = bohemian maxi-dress/caftan

one of my instagram followers, who coincidentally lives in fountain hills as well, messaged me with an offer to adopt three vintage hand-embroidered tablecloths that she had rescued from a local estate sale.

yes, please!

below is the happy outcome from what i thought was the prettiest table covering within the bunch. oh, i love it so much! the bodice and sleeve trims were in my stash just waiting for the right project and this became it. i love that this dress can be worn with different shoes to get a different vibe and that the heavier weight of the fabric means it isn’t relegated to exclusively warm weather.

fearless kitty rescue “wet your whiskers” fundraiser

my silent auction donation, “havasu” handmade pin from wool felt and hand embroidery.

mr. havasu, now an officially adopted fkr alumnai, was kittyville's free roaming mascot with a big personality for nearly two years.

reincarnation duster coat

it’s first life was as a king size duvet and shams from target. it’s best life is now a one-of-a-kind duster coat!

a 1960’s vintage coat pattern was used as a launching point. the duvet was a soft pink ikat on the front and had a soft muslin back, which ended up working out perfectly for being repurposed as the coats facings, garment labels and the hand-painted and distressed appliques. a vintage button at the top of the front, side pockets, locally made tassels and sequin embellishment makes this a real show stopper whether coming or going. looks great dressed up or down and the ikat fabric is super soft against the skin.