Used tea bags, coffee filters, various organza pieces and thrift store china

Everyday hundreds of tea bags and coffee filters are thrown away. Although they may not be the most harmful waste, they certainly are plentiful. Before they were used up, tried up and thrown away they were our various caffeine vices. This is the tea bag's and the coffee filter's chance to shine one more time in the form of a garment that could have once belonged to a fashion icon.

Used tea bags, coffee filters, various organza pieces and thrift store china

Everyday hundreds of tea bags and coffee filters are thrown away. Although they may not be the most harmful waste, they certainly are plentiful. Before they were used up, tried up and thrown away they were our various caffeine vices. This is the tea bag's and the coffee filter's chance to shine one more time in the form of a garment that could have once belonged to a fashion icon.

Dupioni silk, aluminum wire, polyester and shibori'd silk

This outfit was brought to my mind by thinking of stalks of flowers. I had just learned how to shibori and the more I work with it, the more I love to use it.

Fiber-strip pieced silk dupioni, embroidered cotton, burned and ripped camouflage netting, vintage ammunition belt

This piece was conceived the morning the US President declared war on Iraq. I sketched out my emotions and ideas while pondering what future this decision would bring to our world. I envisioned an 18th century depicting "Lady Liberty." She has been used as a rallying figure throughout our country's history, and visages, encouraging citizens to support ware over many generations. Unfortunately, our history has been full of war and while our lady is wrapped in America's colors, she also wears the trappings of war camouflage, ammunition belt and the eagle of "freedom." We are forced to ponder the "liberty" she is representing; is it really ours, and those we seek to protect?