You have to start somewhere

Little cat, big dreams, originally uploaded by scrollwork.

You walk on all fours most of the time, scrounging for scraps and hearing "Scram!"

You're not the alpha cat, nowhere near an acrobat, but every day you talk to a pic of your hero, The Cat in the Hat.

If you stretch every muscle, you can just see over the wall. Someday you'll be out there. Everybody will know about you.

Today you'll practice. You'll fall. You'll fail. The alley cats will jeer. Give it up, they'll snicker. Settle in. Get fat. We're cats.

But Lady Gaga's words speak to your heart. "You will never forget me." And when those words came true for her, she added, during an interview, "So, haha." You're not above gloating. When the time comes.

What really scares you is mediocrity. What pisses you off is complacency.

Take this one, for instance. Nature bestowed gorgeousness in gobs. But does he use his gifts with gratitude?

You think not. He will never amount to anything more than a decorative pet. You turn up your nose, and practice some more.

Time for a little textile therapy

If enough of us misfits band together, we could get those uppity spa people to offer us textile therapy—when aromatherapy simply isn't enough. 


Oh, what Eve was missing, wearing her fig leaf uniform. I'm not sure it would've been Eden to me if I couldn't have my soft-to-the-touch, springy when crushed, wild, mysterious, shape-shifting fabric collection to stroke and stash in secret places.


OK, it's really just a pile of old clothes.


That's what the eye can see. My heart sees this: endless possibilities. Clay in my hands. Canvas to recolor in a hot bath of dye. Suncatchers to photograph as the warp and weft undress in the light. Rivulets and waterfalls of texture, barnacles, underwater stalactites, shark's teeth and sea urchins. Sources of inspiration that pierce my brain with startling suddenness.


Don't even get me started on embroidery, appliqués, pleats, pintucks and crocheted lace. An orgy of manipulation by the most skillful of hands. I am a wanton worshipper.


When you meet a garment for the first time, this is how you would look at it:

And you would be perfectly rational.


I don't see things that way. I see this piece the way that picture up top looks. Same shirt. Shot from below, close to the sleeve.


Here's this lovely lavender blouse, outdated in its shrinkydink style. It looks like a fierce warrior's armor to me. Or like the peaks that egg whites form when beaten into a frenzy.

It could find a new life as a scarf or the collar of a new (remade from old) top:

Look at the marvelous coral pink ruffle on this old T-shirt.  Such insouciance. Someday it will play a starring role on...I'll have to wait for it to coyly whisper the answer to me.

I found this forest green velvet skirt during my latest forage at the local thrift store. It could be an off-shoulder blouse...

Or a drapey bodice...

Pair it with this wide flounce of shimmery copper, and we have a gown.

A gown from a bedskirt and a people skirt. Scarlett would be proud.
One last picture:

This one really is from a curtain panel. Frankly my dear, it's the best damned use for it. Why waste it on a window that few get to see?


I don't even need music when I'm playing with my fabrics. They sing to me. I don't want to miss a single note. I am restored to wholeness.

Green is Universal Contest—How to vote

It never fails to light a fire under me—the opportunity to reimagine and re-create something as more beautiful, glamorous, useful and surprising than its current self. We take too much for granted. We settle for what is rather than stretch toward what could be. But all around us, secret spectacularity is waiting to be discovered. I am building a business around this passion—Swoosh by Scrollwork on etsy.com.

Now there's a giant opportunity to light a fire under more people! Etsy and the ReUser's Guide to Green Living have partnered to sponsor the Green is Universal contest. It's a challenge to everyone with an imagination. How could I pass this up? Entries are in; voting has begun. If you live in Canada or the United States, you can vote. Voting goes from April 9-15 only! You must register to vote so you can be entered for a chance to win a $500 etsy shopping spree. For my readers outside of North America—I would still appreciate your comments! Please click the link in Step #2 to leave a comment.

The website doesn't make it easy to figure out the steps toward voting, however. Lots of readers were under the impression that simply clicking the Facebook Like button counts as a vote. If only they had made it that simple!

I've put together a step-by-step below to help you out. Thanks so much for your support and patience!

1) Go to http://www.greenisuniversal-reuse.com/contest-rules and click on the Log in button in the upper right corner. In the screenshot below, I superimposed "Log in" in red because I'm already registered so that button now says "Manage account."

 2) After entering your email address and password, it's time to find me. I'm entered under the Fashion category of the projects, on page 8 of 10. Shortcut via this link:
http://www.greenisuniversal-reuse.com/fashion/phoenix-rising-ballgown

3) Scroll to the bottom of the ballgown picture and click on the box that says "Cast vote in this category."

 4) You'll know for sure your vote is in when you see the button replaced with "You voted to this project."

And if you'd like to see this ballgown in action, here's the YouTube of the waltz performance: