The keys

The jacket dried overnight and I was not totally happy with the look.  It was not dark enough to contrast the key images nicely.  So I went back over it again with the denim blue rit dye.  This time blotting it with a handiwipe all around on the center panel.  I then used the toothbrush dipped in water to help blend it.  I then put it in the dryer to speed things up.

I assembled my skeleton keys, chlorox bleach pen and Dritz disappearing ink marking pen.
The bleach pen comes in so handy for projects!  It does not splatter or bleed out the way liquid bleach does.  It is thick.  There are two different tips, one on each end.  A small hole on one end and a little brush on the other end.  The tip is perfect for filling in small areas.

I layed the keys out in my design and holding it down with my finger I traced around it with the disappearing ink pen.  I then proceeded to fill in the key design with the bleach pen.  I then put it outside to dry ( sunny Florida).

Once the bleach has dried, it was powdery and I brushed it off with the toothbrush.  Of, course I thought the keys should be lighter!  So I went over it a second time with the bleach pen.  Let it dry and brushed it off.  The dried bleach has a very unique, crackled look that I really liked, but knew it would eventually brush off.

Tomorrow I will start working on the front!





Pictures? Pictures!

To say I am totally new at this, is an understatement.  I am not technologically savvy.  I have to figure out how to get the pictures on here!

On to my jacket!  The sleeves previously sewn on were removed.  Which made me a little sad, but I will get another jacket at some point and put them back on.

I LOVE polka dots!  They are so whimsical and happy.  I feel myself smile whenever I see them.  So I am wanting to incorporate them somehow.  Thinking that painting them on is the answer.

I also found in the scrapbooking section at Hobby Lobby, "Say it in crystals -Swirl".  I won't be able to use that on fabric, but I am going to somehow duplicate this for the front of the jacket.

Today I used 1/2 tsp of denim blue Rit dye and a 1/2 C of hot water and a discarded toothbrush.  I put the jacket over a bucket. ( I tend to get lazy and improvise a lot instead of doing things more precisely
Laying this out flat with plastic in between would have been better, but this worked.)  I dipped the toothbrush into the dye and brushed around and then redipped and brushed around and so on until the center back panel was all dyed the darker blue. I dipped the toothbrush in water and brushed it around too.  I wanted more of a watercolor look. This seemed to blend and soften. I then did the same thing on the 2 center front panels.

The purpose of dyeing this darker is. . .I have several old skeleton keys that my dad had given me.  I want to bleach out the image of the key.  I didn't think the image would show up well on the lighter denim color.  Just waiting for the jacket to dry.  (I am an impatient person!)

P.S.  I am thinking the jacket is kind of cute short sleeved. :-).  So, I will  just have to make another jacket with the long sleeves with french cuffs and accent in pink!

Hurrah!!  With the help of my husband I added the pictures!

Day one on my creative journey blog

My family has encouraged me to write a blog.  About me, my creative processes and my creations.
I loved to write from my youth, but I feel too "pressed in" by life to find the time- but I am going to give it a try!

Today, I am off from work.  Have been doing doctor's appointments and a lot of miscellanous, which never seems to add up to accomplishing anything at all.  I had an inspiration while in Michigan at my Mom's house.  I want to make myself a shabby chic denim jacket.  Denim jackets never go out of style, but I want mine more "girly", as my husband calls it. He says I am a "girly girl" and the things I create are for other " girly girls."

Last eve I spent 10 mins trying to find the 2 denim jackets I know I had purchased to upcycle.
I am FOREVER trying to find things I know that I have. ( My craft room is small and most definitely
could be better organized.  I clean it up and within a short while it is a mess again! ) I also knew that I had already started work on these jackets.  So, I will be cutting off the sleeves that I spent a long time putting together, so i may use that jacket.  Why spend money on another jacket?  I really like the lines of this one.

The process begins... I want to cover the buttons.  They are the one thing I really dislike about denim jackets.  I LOVE buttons!  This love is passed onto me by my mother, who has tons!  I am looking through my box of laces trying to decide which piece will hide those buttons!  I have decided to accent in whites, but this could change!

And what about the sleeves? leave them short? I DO live in Florida, but some french cuffs would look so sweet!  This means using pant legs from a pair of jeans, I think.

I am going to try and NOT purchase anything to make this jacket.  Lord knows, I have enough stuff around!  But, it never seems to be just the right thing.  I find  a lot of cool things in the scrapbooking department to use in clothing creations.

I usually play around with an idea for a project in my head for a few days with the different "what if's". And somewhere in the middle of the project a new idea pops up.  Which is the fun of it, really!

I need to create things- it is not something I can explain- it just has always been there!!

So this is day one on my creative journey. . .