Textile Books

Working on something new- creating little books from scraps of textiles, trim and ephemera. I'm really enjoying the process of finding and combining. Some have themes, others are less literal. Unfortunately I have been unable to upload videos which are much more interesting than looking at photographs. Perhaps Blogger will remedy this situation soon.

My beautiful mess

Cutting up

Hunting and gathering red

Seeing Red

The moment when you see the potential in an ugly tee shirt

A Desert Landscape

Mr. Arnold

Inside Mr. Arnold

Holiday Trunk Show 2015

I've designed a new collection of mala-inspired jewelry from semi-precious stones and I can't wait to show them to you.  I've also been working on a small collection of tops, dresses and jackets- natural fabrics mixed with lots of color and vintage graphics. Very fun and wearable!

Holiday Trunk Show

Wednesday, December 2

2pm to 6pm

 1603 West Olive Avenue

Redlands, CA 

Here are a few photos of some of the finished work...and I'll be adding more over the next few weeks.

Designing again

...and feeling great about it.

I was in a slump for a while, not sure which direction to turn, and then something good happened.

I watched Iris- the documentary about Iris Apfel, the octogenarian New York fashionista. I fell in love with not only her fabulous personal style but her sharp wit and dry humor. Here is a woman who follows the beat of her own drummer and continues to enjoy the idea of fashion and dressing up on a daily basis. I was also quite taken with her husband, Carl, who just seemed to enjoy the ride. He lived to be over 100 years old, and I believe their relationship is what helped to sustain them both.

Her comments about contemporary designers who don't even know how to sew or drape made me laugh. How can a designer not know how to sew? I guess it's not uncommon. I was inspired to take the cover off of my 1955 Bernina and sort through my collection of textiles. And then I just started sewing.

The first two pieces were designed from vintage tablecloths. I'd been saving them for something but I wasn't sure what. I guess their time had come. Those led to several more tops and tunics that I designed from a mix of vintage textiles.  A friend commented on my Instagram post that they looked like "vintage Lorimarsha." She was right! I feel like I've come full circle and have returned to the style of clothing that I started with eight years ago.

We all go through different phases with our work and I love trying new ideas and working with different kinds of fabrics. But my heart belongs with vibrant vintage graphics and designing these new pieces brought a lot of joy.

I've also been working on new jewelry designs- still loving the natural gems but in larger size stones. I abandoned the sterling clasps for a stretchy slide-on style that is so easy to put on and take off.  The bracelets are of lapis lazuli, malachite, onyx, moonstones, African trade beads, jasper, carnelian and one of a kind Tibetan findings. They have a nice feel on the wrist.

I haven't decided yet whether to plan a trunk show or sell the pieces online. That's down the road. In the meantime, I am so happy to be back in the studio!

Undecorating and Redecorating

Yesterday I took down Christmas. This is probably the longest I've kept it up in years.  I think part of the reason I delayed was because for the last couple of years we've really downsized the festive decor.  A small yarn wrapped tree vs. a large artificial tree.  Fewer ornaments, garlands and such.  Just the right amount of festivity for us and less intrusive to our usual style.  Maybe intrusive isn't the right word to describe a holiday but sometimes a lot of Christmas stuff irritates me.

What I love about taking down Christmas is the opportunity to redecorate. I always remove all of the accessories from the entry way, living room and dining room and start from scratch. I haven't bought anything new for the house in years. I like to scramble things up and move things around....look at the rooms in a new light for the new year.

Textiles on the hall tree

Moth themed entry way table (Metal sculpture by Kari Von Wening. Plate by John Derian)

The mantle is tough to design because of the oversized flat screen television mounted above. I found the painting at the Long Beach flea market. The onion vase was a lucky thrift store find. The decorated bronze box was designed by a good friend.

This vintage tool box is just the right size to squeeze under the television and fill with small objects. Placing items within boxes is one of my favorite ways to display my collections.

I created kind of a nature vignette on the mantle this time and decided to keep the lights.

I really pumped up the color in our dining room niche with vintage and contemporary textiles. I won the two pillows in an internet contest guessing the number of pillows in a Volkswagen.  Carl designed, made and installed the windows.

Dining room table with two Mata Ortiz vases and an antique Moroccan box. I've had the box since my time at Paige's Place in Riverside.  I love its primitive style and chipped paint. Apparently it's a box for carrying tea glasses.

There's a bit of a travel aesthetic as I decorate.  We found the vintage seltzer bottle in Buenos Aires.  I designed the tablerunner from vintage textiles. Carl and I are pictured at the High Line in New York City.

Screen test

I wrote a little while back about experimenting with vinyl screen material. I made a little cosmetic bag for myself and carried it around to see how it would function. Well...I really like it. So I've made several more in various sizes. Each is embellished with a vintage textile remnant and a colorful spool zipper pull.

I will continue to look through Carl's trash to see what I can repurpose/recycle. Oh and

P.S. I've reopened my Etsy store and have added the Wanderlust handbag collection.

Wanderlust handbag series 2012

Photo shoot with Rebekah Schott Photography

It was a beautiful day yesterday. The sky was clear and blue...the sun bright and warm- perfect for a photo shoot.  My most recent designs include tops, tunics and dresses designed from vintage Vera silk scarves...lots of geometrics and mixed prints.  And, of course, color.  I had the privilege of having my Spring/Summer 2012 collection photographed by Rebekah Schott who had just returned from NYC's Fashion Week.  Rebekah and I met at the Red Dirt Festival in Redlands last fall when she suggested we collaborate on a lookbook project.  She arranged for a professional model and hair and makeup.  I loved seeing Rebekah's interpretation of not only my designs but our home and outdoor space.  The alley has never received so much attention! Great perspective.  And our friendly neighbor, Barry, invited us to use his wonderful rose covered arbor, as well.  It's not every day you can have a gorgeous six foot model posing in your backyard. (Well played, Mr. Michaels. )  While I anxiously await Rebekah's photographs, here are a few snaps of the three of them at work. (You'll recognize Rebekah...she's the one with the camera.)

Angie Rogers, hair and makeup.  Judith Lovingfoss, model.

Angie Rogers, hair and makeup.  Judith Lovingfoss, model.

Angie Rogers, hair and makeup.  Judith Lovingfoss, model.

Angie Rogers, hair and makeup.  Judith Lovingfoss, model.

Angie Rogers, hair and makeup.  Judith Lovingfoss, model.

Angie Rogers, hair and makeup.  Judith Lovingfoss, model.

Angie Rogers, hair and makeup.  Judith Lovingfoss, model.

Angie Rogers, hair and makeup.  Judith Lovingfoss, model.Add caption

You've been served!

I've been collecting vintage game boxes for years. Most of them housed incomplete games that I've salvaged parts and pieces from for various projects. I love box graphics and couldn't part with them. So I recently decided to do something with them.  We had a large serving tray that served as a sort of coffee table on top of our double ottoman. It was your basic brown with a rattan base. The rattan base was a refuge for crumbs and that always bugged me. So I decided to cover it with the cardboard box graphics.

I started with my collection of cardboard and trimmed off any cracked or damaged areas.

Because the bottom of my tray wasn't flat, I asked my husband to cut a piece of plywood to fit into the tray. (If you have a flat bottomed tray or surface, this step won't be necessary.)

Then I created a border around the edges by trimming the cardboard pieces in varying lengths but the same width.  I glued them down with white glue then used a brayer to flatten them down.

The next step was like creating a puzzle in the interior with varying sizes of box pieces.  I used a heavy duty paper cutter to trim the cardboard but you can also use an Xacto blade to make your cuts.

After gluing down all of the pieces, I applied three coats of Mod Podge to seal the paper. I let each coat dry at least an hour.

I then applied three coats of gloss sealer.  Again, I let each coat dry at least an hour.

I painted and sealed the wooden tray and inserted the wood panel. Since the tray was cut at an angle and the sides of the plywood were straight up and down, there was a slight gap between the two.  To close the gap, I inserted a fringed paper trim.  (I had purchased a roll of this fun paper ribbon at the New Stone Age Gallery last year without a clue as to what I'd use it for.)

The completed project- a fun, colorful transformation!

Time flies

...when you're working AND having fun!  Where has this month gone? I'm in the midst of gathering up a supply of vintage scarves for spring tunics and tops. Right now, I'm loving geometric prints, especially vintage Vera scarves. I've designed six or seven pieces but now am in wait mode until all my orders come in. Yesterday was a red letter day as I was thrilled with what came in the mail. Here's a sneak peek!

For the home...

I've been spending the last few weeks designing table runners from my collection of vintage textiles and trims. I'm designing them in a similar way to my fashion- wild mixes of prints, color and textures- collaged in a kind of crazy quilt style. They provide a wonderful pop of interest and color to your tabletops, pianos, mantles or ??  And a really fun addition to your dinner or cocktail party!  Click on the photos for more information.

Hawaiiana in Warm Tropical Tones

Strolling the Champ Elysee

Frida-inspired

40 World Famous Restaurants

Roma-inspired

Eclectic, Bohemian and Romantic