The Great Graduation Cap Idea

It is that time of the year again: graduation. The time when you go wild and nuts about "yes I did it" moment. The time when you think about traveling the world over, learn about other cultures, perhaps move to a new city and make new friends. It is graduation, the right of passage of I am on my own now, welcome to adulthood. It is graduation, the time you line up in formation with all your classmates, walk across the podium to get that coveted piece of paper, your diploma and hear the roar in the audience. It is graduation, the time to say goodbye to roommates and friends, be excited about your new stage of your life, begin anew and say, let the party begin.

And then there is the cap. I never understood the fascination with cap decoration. Perhaps, it is to explore and share your inner creativity, a competition of sorts between the graduates to see who comes up with the best cap idea; whatever it is, it is fun, entertaining. Mine was plain and boring.

A friend of mine forwarded me a picture of her niece's graduation cap and I thought I would share. She did a pretty good job, a meticulous one I may add. It conveys a story. It doesn't take a genius to know what her major was, teaching is a work of heart. Yes indeed. I love it!

Flea Market Findings

I don't always hit the flea market but when I do, I try to find items that speak to me. I rarely find a think but check out what I was able to grab on Saturday and all for just seven bucks.

A vintage jacket that may or may not have a different journey once I totally lay my hands on it. I just like to change things and give me signature. I grabbed it just for its design and color, it is blue after all. Who would think a fabric used to adorn a home, could also be used for a jacket, how cool is that?

Not that I really needed a make-up bag. I am a minimalist in that regard but bought it to serve as a storage for my world of bracelets once they are completed and also as a added decor on many future projects. Art direction in motion.  

I am a scarf person. I live for scarf. I have an assortment of them and just found a little corner on the drawer for it. I am pretty sure I will wear it sometimes but bought it mostly for what you will see below, 

Voila, Eiffel Tower, Paris. 

Call me crazy!

My Art, My Creation, My Work

I am a woman show. I live in a schizophrenic world, no pun intended but my hands are like tentacles extending everywhere.  They move around faster then birds migrating south. I am just creative so they say.

Once upon a time, I wanted to be a fashion designer so I began sewing, to the point I had my own clients, high school friends, a skill I learned from my mother at tender age of 16. I was riding high, I loved it but it all stopped when I moved to the States where you live and breathe ready to wear, and college took over. 

I was creating and it felt great to see my work on others. Undone, I moved on, dreaming on becoming a fabric designer. So, I began sketching while innocently searching for factories with no way of knowing it would come to fulfillment.

As fait would have it, I ended up in the same city the factories were to be located but as it has happened with many factories, they moved to China. However, the world today is our oyster. We live in the digital age where anything and everything is possible as long as you try.

I thought about combining my two loves, well one of many, designing and sewing and create beautiful pieces for a long, long time but kept putting it in the back burner. I had ideas, may ideas and they were that, ideas until now.

It is without further ado that I present you my first installment of my two loves. The fabric you see, it is mine and the bags, I made them from head to toe.  They are ©Ampablue Creations. Hope you love them as much as I loved making them. 

The Making Of Crazy About Face

It begins with a sketch somewhere. I am known to not discriminate. I sketch wherever I can lay my hands on; there may be on a piece of paper, a napkin, a leave, whatever...

The sketch is then blown up at Kinkos and traced into fabric. I use cotton but have also used silk, one of the most strenuous fabric to work on.

Now, this is what I consider to be one of the most complex of the steps, the selection of the colors. I seldom use the basic color. I must confess, I never select them in advance, never sit to arrange them beforehand. It is just not me. The color combination comes in tandem as I move along. Sometimes, they are painted on so to harmonize, others are situated "as asked". You will see what I am referring to later. They are always mixed to create my own color. So, the motto, no one piece is the same because the colors can never be recreated. They could but a hue will be a tad altered somewhere.

I was drawn first to the leave, why I don't know. I just did since it is in the middle. The color was later replaced with a more suitable green. 

I did not put much thought into these three colors. They harmonized so perfectly that everything else took off from there. They served as a base and the remainder of the colors were worked around them. 

The face begins to take shape. Other colors are introduced. 

Much of the face has been done but clearly, there is just something wrong with this picture. It is too heavy, dusky and not gracious at all.

Yes, his nose is no longer brown but placid. What a difference a nose makes?

Add the lining.

Tack and sew all the layers, there are at least three, together.

And voila. You got yourself a 64"x37" tapestry!

And The Way It Was…

My art work was in display last weekend among many other artists.

 Decorative pillows on white fabric and adorned with silk.

 The newest creation. I am yet to name it. 

I love it when my work peeks anyone’s interest. It is a mix of paint, embroidery, fabric.. it is not quilt but tapestries.

They wanted to know if it was hand painted or I used something else because of the precise lines. 

It takes practice. Practice, practice, practice…

Other Artists

He uses recycled engineering fuses to make the trees and now, he began making wall decor with zippers. Cool idea right? 

An Innovative Idea

I saw this at our local restaurant the other day and I thought I would share. Do you have beer bottles laying around the house somewhere? I hope not but one never know.  Don't throw away the bottle, recycle it in your own home. Make a beautiful chandelier or a candelabra. If you soon plan to renovate your home and are searching for something unique and different, run over to your attic. You will not only be saving the planet but have a exquisite peace in your media, game or billiard room. What a beautiful idea on how to best use a bottle.

Sneak Peek at New Ndebele Collection!!!

It is almost complete but I do not seem to end it. When I think I am done with one pillow, I seem to find another one to add to the pack. I got to stop, finish it and move on to the next one. Otherwise, I will never be done.

 

 

Pillows On Wheel

It Is A Hat, It Is Country

It is a pillow. It is a hat in an eclectic beige/brown/gold that will add elegant comfort to a sofa, chair, or bed.

Outta Space

They are outta space, they are walking, they are flying; they are feet in balls of fire. A pillow ready to add color and design to your favorite sofa or chair or bed. It measures 20½" x 15".

Caribbean

 

I call it Caribbean because of its shacadelic and color combination. It is cozy and warm and it makes your brain go round, and any sofa or chair sweetly beautiful.

All Stacked Up

The first sets of pillows are ready to be photographed but filing them up was the hardest thing imaginable!

Just Precious

It is a bird, it is a flower; no it is a beige pillow simply assorted that will make any sofa smile.

A Hat On a Bag

It was always intended to be a pillowcase. Now, it depends on where it will land; on a head or on a bed.

Beautiful Seat Covers

Experimenting. I needed to protect my chairs and instead of buying the covers, I made them. What a beautiful concept. They are 3 groups of 2.

First Decorative Pillow

I just completed my first decorative pillow. The case was done on June 6, 2008; it only took me a year but I am ecstatic.