Dress Unveiling!

The hem layers actually hang pretty evenly at a side slope...

the upper layer is hanging weird due to the way it is on the hanger...looks better on a body.

           Another quick post...I couldn't resist showing off photos of the dress which is finally about completed. I have a few straggly fibres to trim off the hems and may add some extra hand embroidery to the neckline, but otherwise I am finished! And with a week to spare! And, to my amazement I have discovered that I am down to 112 lbs. and I wasn't even trying...I haven't weighed so little in about 20 years. (I guess that shows what a bit of stress and hiking around wilderness forests will do for you.) 

            Now I have to get back to sanding and refinished the rest of my studio deck. Can't wait to get out there...sigh.

Hello From Cortes Island

Part of our group last weekend on Cortes Island in the Children's Forest

                This is just a quick check in as I haven't posted since mid July. I have been SO busy and will continue to be so for a while. And it's only nine days until I leave for the east and my son's wedding. (The dress is turning out great thank goodness!).

                   I spent three days last weekend on Cortes Island with a group of other artists and those who live on the island trying to arrange financing to buy a tract of forest there to keep in perpetuity for future generations. They are calling it the Children's Forest and have many of the island children involved in this. A logging company has plans to come in the next few months to start logging much of the island and it will be a real shame if they take everything! Those of us who were invited artists spent the time photographing, sketching and painting to come up with ideas for finished artwork that will be auctioned off on SaltSpring Island in October (they have a bigger potential for lots of buyers there). I cannot begin to tell you how well we were treated...and fed! It was an amazing experience and I want to delve into this more and provide many more photos in a later post.

                  My Mother-of-the-Groom dress is very close to completion and has been through a few transformations (i.e. ripping out and redoing). I will also post photos of me in the dress at the wedding at a future date.

                  Cheers to all of you and I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!