painted pant legs

Call me crazy but I love paint. I love it on the wall, I love it on canvas, I love it on paper and I even love it on my clothes! And while I end up with paint on my clothes after a creative session, I love messing around with simple ways to use paint to turn basic clothing into something funky! Lately I've been playing around with my pant legs...I know kind weird but I love that with a little paint you can transform a pair of pants into something totally unique.

I've found that the key to painting your clothing is use fabric paint and I prefer the Tulip Soft Matte Paints. They are washable, non toxic and once dry the paint is soft and moveable. 

I used a pair of black pants from Target. 

And then I added lots of layer of colorful brushtrokes just at the bottom the pant legs.

The result is super funky (and not for everyone) but I LOVE that a simple outfit can be transformed with lots of color and a little creativity!

Looking for some inspiration for altering that clothing?

Here are some of my favorites-

bleach painted shoes  ice dyed dress  embellished sleeves   embellished socks   embellished tank   glue resist tunic  leather fold over clutch   simple lace tunic    thread wrapped sandals

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my winter uniform

When you work for yourself and many of your days are spent alone in the studio, getting dressed (in something other than jammy pants and t-shirt) is a VERY good thing! Even though I spend a lot of time creating alone, I've made it a priority to get dressed and once in while I like to share some of the clothing that makes me very happy! This winter I've got a simple little uniform for myself:

over sized sweater   black leggings   statement scarf  faux leather jacket   hunter boots   newsboy cap

While leggings and a sweater are super comfy and casual-I've found that adding a statement scarf and a fitted jacket helps me look a little more put together. And I can transition from making art to running errands without feeling like a slob!

studio style

When you work for yourself and by yourself, it is really tempting to spend all day every day in pajamas. I love fashion but many mornings I have to talk myself into getting dressed. I do it anyway and always end up feeling so much better and like a regular working girl. 

While everyday is different for me- somedays I am painting in the studio, other days I am sewing, then I'm out and about taking photos, then back home for DIY projects, then back to the studio to paint- I try to at least pull some kind of outfit together. They are not always the most stylish but I figure when you are self employed and an artist you don't have to follow any rules- pattern mixing, paint covered pants, bare feet and hats are all welcome in my work place. As long as I am not wearing pajamas in public I am a happy gal!

happy weekend!

happy weekend!

happy weekend!

happy weekend!

the evolution of an idea- floral sketch tunic

I love the process of inspiration- seeing something that gives me an idea and then transforming that idea into art never gets old to me, in fact it is my favorite part of the creative process! After buying myself of big bouquet of peonies, I just couldn't resists using all that inspiration to make myself a pretty black and white floral "sketch" tunic.

I found a plain white tunic and treated the surface like a page in my sketchbook! (and yes, I used a Sharpie pen because in my experience, it does not wash out of clothing.)

I love that with a few simple supplies and A LOT of creativity, you can totally create wearable art!

fashion friday- fall at the beach

Fall has arrived here at the beach, it is crisp, cool and foggy in the mornings and I am soaking up every last minute of it!

My fall essentials- a big bold blanket scarf   wide brim wool fedora   my trusty hunter rubber boots

summer layers

It's finally warm enough to wear summer clothing and one of my favorite ways to dress is in light layers. They are airy and cool for warm days but still enable me to mix my favorite patterns...because I love pattern mixing!!

kimono  tank  shorts  hat  bracelets  booties 

studio style

When you work for yourself and by yourself, (and on the occasions when you do work with others- it's your mom and husband) it is really tempting to spend all day every day in pajamas. I love fashion but many mornings I have to talk myself into getting dressed. I do it anyway and always end up feeling so much better and like a regular working girl.

While I have a very non traditional job and schedule, I do work every day- some days I am filming classes, other days I am painting, creating DIY projects, taking photos and often my to do list involves making a mess. This can make picking out clothing really tricky because I still want to look put some what put together while not worrying about ruining my clothing! 

Here is what works for me:

I have two types of clothing in my closet- things with paint and things without paint. A lot of my painting clothes are normal, as in they are nice or cute things that just happen to have paint on them. I wear these things when I am making art or creating projects. All my other clothing (without paint) is reserved for filming, running around town, taking photos and anything else that doesn't involve paint! 

I like hats- A LOT! Living on the Oregon Coast makes styling your hair kinda tricky (hello rain and wind) and if I am being honest, there is really no need for me to spend lots of time on my hair. I almost always throw on a hat when I am heading to work because it cuts my time getting ready in half. I still can look put together while venturing out into the ever changing weather. 

I have a big collection of aprons and I love each and every one of them. My aprons help keep me clean (kind of). They have actually become one of my favorite accessories!

I always keep a fresh change of clothes in my studio. I can make a mess, like a really big one and if I need to run errands during the day, I like to change my messy clothes.

What about you guys? What do you wear when you are creating?

fashion friday- marbleized bangles

There are so many ways to turn a plain wooden bangle into something really unique- one of my favorite ways it marbleizing with spray paint. 

I like to start by painting the bracelets a solid color- this color will be the background for the marble effect.

I shared THIS marbleizing with spray paint technique a couple years ago and it works great on a variety of surfaces:

Start with a bucket of water.

Lightly spray the top of the water with spray paint- I've found that a light mist works best.

Let colors blend and swirl together.

Next, lightly skim the surface with the bracelet. The surface of the bracelet will pick up spray paint.

Repeat until the entire surface is filled.

TIPS:

Spray paint dries fast, even in water so you have to work quickly.

I have found that different brands and colors work a little different so you might need to do a few tests before diving in. I like working with Rust-Oleum spray paint and metallic colors are the most forgiving.