aDRESSing the Situation!

Hi...it's been awhile, but I haven't been sitting around and eating chocolates (although that doesn't sound bad)! I've been winding up projects and shipping out boxes at the Post Office and I do have to say that I need to quit visiting there for awhile because the nice lady is greeting me by my name now...which is really nice but not necessarily a good sign! ;-)

When Monica asked for help with aDRESSING the Situation, I jumped in. I had heard about the situation before, but I did not realize it was still going on today! These dresses were made to call attention to the horrifying murders of the women in Juarez, Mexico. In researching the situation, reading lots of articles and revisiting the movie Bordertown and understanding the atrocities, I felt the need to contribute. It makes me sick and so sad to know this is going on in our world today. I hope you will visit Monica's blog and see the beautiful dresses that have been created in hopes that Stampington and Company will consider writing an article to bring more attention to the situation.

This was a stretch for me but, if nothing else, it did my heart good to create some dresses and express my feelings. The dresses could be made from anything as long as they resembled a dress. Unfortunately, my pictures did not turn out very well...especially the shattered mirror dress...that was a bit beyond my photography capabilities even trying to hold up a piece of poster board. I found out that it's not easy taking a photo of a mirror and not have it reflect anything. I had some great shots that included my petunias in the dress, but not one shot turned out perfect. I did my best to lighten all my photos in Photosmart (which I don't normally do) and they are just the best I could do this time. Why some pictures turn out great and others are just a flop...I don't know. I'm still living and learning!

My first dress is "Shattered Lives"...My first thoughts were about all the shattered lives! Not only the women that have been murdered, but their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandparents and friends lives also. The picture is horrible and much prettier in person. It is totally black and silver. I had fun taking an old mirror and shattering it and grouting between the pieces on a wooden dress shape.

My second dress is "It's All About Money"...There has been no justice for the families of the victims. No one will listen...not the Police, not the Corporations that take their profits and not the governments of the U.S. or Mexico who benefit from the free trade agreement (NAFTA). I'll stop there because I'm sure this piece may be a bit controversial. I made this dress from foam core board and red serviettes. I used a real torn piece of a dollar bill that I've had for years and always thought I would do something with and realized it was the time. I used two $100 pesos and five real one dollar bills. It was important to me to show both American and Mexican currency. It is easily taken apart as I stitched the bills for the skirt through the middle of the foam core and used a water soluble glue to keep the folds of the skirt together. I tied a satin ribbon around the waste.

This is a close up of the Mexican pesos as they were a bit worn.

My third dress is "Silent in the Sand"...Many of the atrocities happened in the desert sand. Their remains continue to be found scattered in the sand and others have never been found. We may never know the truth...if only the sand could talk! I again cut out a dress from foam core board and glued tan and black sand on the front and back of the dress.

Thank you again, Monica, for spearheading this project. I hope it will bring more awareness and help in some way!

I've been wanting to share a special gift I received from Grace, Gracebeading, for her 2nd Blogiversary. Again, not the best photo...good grief...what is my problem!?! She shared this beautiful clam shell covered in gorgeous purple beads with a lovely dragonfly on the top. She told me it reminded her of my garden! Grace bought a kit years ago that included everything to bead the shell. However, it is not stitched. It was beaded with glue! I'm telling you...she glues beads as *beautifully* as she stitches them!!! Thank you again, Grace, I just absolutely adore it!!!

Thought I would share a photo that I snapped recently...a good one...hmmmmmm! :) We've had a lot of butterflies and different dragonflies in our yard this year and they are so beautiful!!! I'll share more photos with you later...

I hope you have a nice weekend and a safe and happy 4th of July!!! I'll finally be swinging by to catch up with you! ~Lisa