My Masterpiece, the newsapaper dress....

Yep, I did it, I made a real wearable dress out of newspaper and I am pretty darn pleased! I had the concept, but I wasn't sure I could back it up but I accomplished it....It is sized to fit my sister Julie. She thinks it is just the cutest and coolest thing and has promised to model it when she has her hair and make up done and "a spray tan so my whiteness doesn't show." In other words, it may be a while and I couldn't wait to show it off! It is pretty cute on too...In fact she wants me to make her one out of an Air Force parachute and do some kind of graffiti on it...Might be cool....Here is the front. (my brother in law is in the Air force....)


I made a stencil for the pattern around the bottom of a random type flower and did it in a vanilla paint...I think it pulls out the color of the ribbon I used around the neckline and for the halter tie....






This shows a close up of the paper flower..I did the same flower on the back with little green stems poking out artistically...At least they feel that way to me and it is my vision! The flowers are coffee filters dyed with vanilla and coffee and then painted with the same paint from the border...
Here is the back....








The skirt is a full circle skirt and to really show it off, I would probably put a petticoat or two under it...a starched one with ruffles for sure....It is hanging kind of with a pleat, but with a petticoat, it would just bell right out...
The back closes with a paper ribbon threaded thru grommets...it looks kind of corsetty'...I pinned it to fit the mannequin, but it all lays really nice on a real person.....
The only parts that were really hard, was figuring out how to do the back and turning it inside out after sewing it...The paper is tough but will still tear and I am not the most patient. I had a few tears so I mended and re dyed after it was turned...
Lisa (daughter) came over and wanted to see it. I think Julie told her she needs to be more supportive of the stuff I make. She said it is really cute..then she looked at me and said, "but I really have to ask what the point of making something like this is?" Olivia (grand daughter who is eight, the one I raised for two years...) said, " we are artists and we make art, it is what we do!" then she gave her mom a classic 'well, duh. look....I love this kid, I really do...She gets it, we get it...and that is all that matters!