Burning Man Outfits -People ARE Art!

As many of you know, I have gotten great inspiration from Burning Man. I have read lots and had many conversations about 'what is burning man' and why I and others go all the way out to the desert for a week a year.
Well, I have given this so much thought and to break it down into one paragraph is probably impossible but I will try. I think burning man is such a unique experience for each person. Everyone gets something different out of it because everyone puts something different into it. Now that is not to say that some people don't have similar expectations or experiences out there. It is the most open place I have ever been with people. Since the 'rules' of this experimental society are few - it is up to you to try out and be who ever you want, without judgement! This is what it is to me. There are no ways to look or ways to act. You get to do anything you want and be anyone you want. You are not defined by your job in the outside world. Our society and culture tells us a lot about who deserves respect and who does not. Those rules don't work out there because everyone is engaged in a similar activity. Camping in harsh conditions, staying hydrated in the heat of the sun, going to events, seeing art etc... It is kind of the great equalizer.

I could go on and on but will save that for another blog. This blog is about my style and my burning man style is a large part of that. The key to burning man for me is that I discovered that art isn't just something people DO. Art is who we are! Each persons expression is ART. Whether they do that through a huge piece of forged metal shaped as a man walking in the desert or as something they design to put on. The hair, clothes, dance, walk, whatever you do that expresses how you are and has your unique view on life is YOUR ART!

My expression is about having fun in clothes, not having 'fashion rules' and being free to be wild. So I thought on that note I would include some of the pictures of my outfits from BM 2006. Most of the items I designed and made!

Sewing is the new hip thing... see it's in Time!

Time magazine featured sewing as the new hip thing for people to do!
Check it out! We are all on the cutting edge!

Time Magazine Article

New Short Coat Design

I have been working on a short coat design and I think I found a design that has the 3 things I was looking for. A warm wrap around collar, fitted body and a unique style touch! I lined it with a short pile purple tiger fur. It has side slant pockets to keep your fingers warm. I am going to add a ribbon or tie style closure just under the bust. I think it will add a little feminine touch. I took this picture in my studio on my cutting table so nothing fancy. I will put it on my dummy when I finish the closure so you can see the whole thing. I am going to start designing a men's jacket. I was thinking something with tails... is that corny? Either way, something unusual and unique and of course out of fur!

MacWorld and all that kind of stuff!

Well, I did forget to mention one of my passions - anything apple! It was the annual Macworld conference in SF last week and I have been going the last 3 or 4 years to see all the cool stuff and to be 'on the cutting edge' of what's going on. I have to say I was not disappointed. Before I married, I was interested in the new stuff but not quite on the edge as I am now. My husband is one of those 'in the know' kind of people. I found out about the new announcement of the biggest product to hit the market this year (do you hear the excitement in my voice!!) and called him to tell him. I heard it on NPR just an hour or two after the big speech by Steve Jobs. He already knew and he was off working in Dallas!! Like I said, he is in the know. So, the big announcement is that apple is going into the cell phone market. Not just a dabble mind you but with both feet! The new iPhone is going to be so cool and is certainly a must have. It is not due to come out until June - so that gives us all a chance to save up and get out of our current contracts! I called up to see when my contract is up with Sprint (who I will have no problem leaving) and good news is that both of our phones are 'free to go' - we will! wahoo and yippee!
So, back to Macworld. We got to take a look at this new awesome device - under glass in a museum type display. People were taking pictures like it was some type of unearthed miracle of the ages. If I haven't been there oggeling I would have wondered who these people were and what they must be thinking! I saw a picture that is exactly what it was like to be there in the New York Times that I posted above. Are you ready to join the revolution? What must it be like to have a company that people from all over just love and promote all on their own!
How do they do that?

Introductions...

At parties or when meeting people for the first time the standard questions are always asked - what do you do? I think a better question would be what are you passionate about! Ask that question to the next new person you meet and you will see see their face change dramatically! It will go from an interested listening trying face to a face that lights up when talking! The eyes sparkle just a bit and the mouth opens and smiles at the peaks. I often like to stop someone from telling me what they do. As a matter of habit, most people give you the 60 second elevator speech introduction. Now don't get me wrong, that has its place in life, I understand that. But to just try to find something in common for conversation with information about what someone does for money is just plain boring. Especially since on average, most people aren't inspired by their work. I do love the times I have experimented with this and found that someone is passionate about their work and getting paid for it! Wahoo! It's like hitting a gold mine and then I am very interested in hearing all about the details and how it happened to them. So, that is one side note on my introduction to you - my blog reader. I am a rock climbing seamstress that creates wild faux fur wear that IS going to be my living!
So, I invite you on my journey of discovery on how to make my passion into a thriving cottage industry that supports me financially, feeds me creatively and allows me to be independent and that master of my own destiny!
Next post will be my Manifest Destiny!