Moonbeams & Fireflies: What Do Burlap, An Antique Wedding Dress and Scrabble Have in Common?

Friday, January 11, 2013

What Do Burlap, An Antique Wedding Dress and Scrabble Have in Common?

They're all part of a cover-up.

It's now been about three years since our youngest son played baseball for the University of Arkansas. (Hope you don't mind, but I just have to brag for a second: As a Razorback, he pitched in the College World Series in front of a hometown crowd in 2009). He's now graduated, earned a master's degree and earning a living wage (whoo-hoo) in Texas. But, when he was with the Razorbacks, Hubby and I could rarely resist the temptation to add another wild hog to our wardrobes. Isn't he just the cutest?

One of my favorite coats is this lightweight winter jacket I picked up on the clearance rack one weekend in Fayetteville. Nice embroidered hog. Visible, but not too in your face.

And, even though I love this darling mascot, there comes a time to move on. Our son certainly has.

My coat is the perfect weight to take the chill off a winter's day when running errands. Heavy enough not to be chilled to the bone, light enough to shop indoors comfortably without removing it. I wasn't about to ditch the coat. So, what to do with the hog . . .

I hatched a plan for a cover-up.

I could have made this sweet burlap flower myself, but on a recent trip to the craft store, I found it in the clearance bin for 99 cents. At that price, I couldn't justify the time and materials to create it myself. Off to a good start, eh?

To add some pizzazz, I pulled out a couple of scraps I had left from another project. Both pieces are from a 1940s wedding dress--netting from the crinoline and organza from the underskirt of the dress. The burlap and the wedding dress scraps create an interesting contrast in texture and weight.

I have thousands of vintage buttons and a sizable stash of vintage costume jewelry that I could have selected a flower center from. But, that felt too predictable. A scrabble tile seemed to be the perfect finishing touch. I picked my own initial, of course.

Sewed on a pin back and the cover-up was complete.