A Giant Makeover

Once upon a time, there lived a twelve-foot skeleton who welcomed people to his San Diego neighborhood. His name was Festive Franklin, and he stood outside his home. He stood as a beacon of cheer to all who saw him, including an artist named Sarah, who regularly drove by his castle.

Sarah noticed that he had his own Instagram (of course he did—he was the unofficial mayor of his neighborhood) and she began to follow his account. For more than a year, Franklin had been posting pictures of himself, dressed in cool clothes for each holiday. Being a festive dresser herself, Sarah was glad that Franklin enjoyed celebrating life. But for the last few months, it seemed Franklin was so busy greeting neighbors and visitors that he had forgotten to wear festive frocks.

One day, Sarah dropped a note in the mailbox at Franklin’s place. She offered to make Franklin a “2026” shirt to help him ring in the new year. Franklin’s mom/manager/momager texted immediately and gave Sarah the go-ahead.  Which brings us to today….

Franklin in his birthday suit.

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Blog readers, this is my first post of 2026. It is not an easy time in the world right now, and I hope this post brings a touch of levity to your day.  We can’t ignore the challenges in our world, but we do need breaks from stress. People need to smile and laugh, so consider this your creative coffee break.

Have you ever made clothes for a twelve-foot skeleton? Now, I can check that off my list. And you can, too!

If you want to dress a giant skeleton, you do not need to know how to sew. All you need is an idea. (Of course, you also will need stretchy fabric, and hot glue or fabric glue. But my point is, anyone can do this if they want to.)

Franklin’s mom and I texted ideas back and forth. She explained that you can’t put clothes onto Franklin the way you dress yourself, because there are cables behind him holding him upright. Any clothing would need to be tied in the back, like a hospital gown.

My initial sketch.

Over the course of two weeks, I chipped away at the project, after work or when I needed a break from my usual chores. First, I focused on a shirt for Franklin. I researched online how big the shirt would need to be, then cut pieces for it from a stretchy sheet I thrifted a year or two ago for another project. I sewed up the sides of the shirt, but you could hot glue them if you prefer. Next, I added decorations to the shirt, using felt, paint, gems and fabric scraps I already had. 

This shirt looked big. Would it be big enough?

Gems gave it some extra sparkle...

I wondered if Frankie might feel extra naked if he had only a shirt, so I decided to make him pants from the same stretchy sheet. (Online, skeleton pants measured approximately 93 inches long, which seemed really long—that’s almost eight feet of pants! But this was my first skeleton makeover, so I trusted the dimensions given.) If the pants were too big, I could cut them on site. They looked like they would be too large even for Shaquille O’Neal. I love Shaq. He is a giant at 7’1”, and he also has a big heart. Shaq often does kind things for kids and people who need help. 

Progress shot.

View from a six-foot ladder. 

How cute is he?

It turned out, the pants were not too big—they could have been longer! But we will get to that soon. I dyed half of the pants with green fabric dye that was left over from a past project. Tie dye is fun, and it felt like a fitting look for a guy whose name is “Festive.”

Once I finished painting and decorating, I cut the back of the shirt and pants, and attached ties made from left-over fabric. Frankie’s pants easily could have been another foot longer, but since this is San Diego, he won’t get too cold. This project did not cost anything to make, as I had all the supplies at home already, and it felt extra satisfying to create a lot of impact for free. 

Today was Dress Up Day, and I got to meet Franklin’s parents. They were friendly and fun and delighted that I wanted to do a giant makeover on Franklin. I was delighted that they wanted me to. Ares helped me dress Frankie, and held the ladder. If you dress a twelve-foot skeleton, bring a trusty person to hold the ladder. Also bring safety pins and clamps, just in case.

Franklin's green belt was supposed to be a headband, but I could not get high enough to fasten it, so we made it into a belt. Voila!

This was an enjoyable project for me. A bit of a challenge, but manageable. Sometimes you just need to do something that is a happiness-booster. Potentially, I can boost a lot of people’s happiness—not just mine. Anyone driving by will notice that Franklin is starting 2026 off with a festive look. If I can add a little joy to someone’s day, I’m glad to do it!

Making people smile or laugh has been one of my favorite things to do—for decades. As a teenager I did this through theater, and as an adult, I’ve tried to bring cheer to people through my art. I have been a teacher for more than eight years, and it’s been a pleasure to cheer on my students, and to give encouragement—a kind word, a smile, a high five.

So, from Festive Franklin and Sassy Sarah, Happy New Year. I will keep bringing some sparkle to my corner of the world, and so will Frankie…

Is there a project you undertook, simply because it sounded fun? Share in the comments below. Also, please send this to a friend or two. It would be fun to see how many people Franklin can cheer up. In my next post, I will let you know how many people we reached.

Til then, keep shining!

Baby Boy’s Blanket

This is the story of old meets new: a new baby boy, a wonderful old fabric store, a new blanket (well, quilt) and my vintage sewing machine.

   The newest addition to our family was born earlier this month. My younger sister gave birth to her third son, my darling new nephew. Babies are born every minute, of course, but I always see it as a bit of a miracle. I’m so happy for my sister and her family.

Last weekend I got to meet my new nephew. He’s such a gift. I love babies. I love their feel, their soft hair, their tiny toes, the miniature hands, and that newborn baby smell. I marveled at the doll-sized socks and diapers the size of a postage stamp. How can such a tiny person be simultaneously so fragile and so strong? Our middle kiddo and I kept arguing about whose turn it was to hold him. Welcome to our family, little guy. We love you so much!

The baby’s arrival meant it was time to break out my vintage sewing machine again. It had been a while since I’d sewn but my nephew’s birth was just the occasion to get out my fabric and thread. I decided to sew him a twin-sized quilt rather than a crib-sized one so that he can use it for years, if he wants to. I love practical gifts, and this one is pretty to look at and will keep his body cozy. It’s like a fabric hug. There will be lots of real hugs, too, of course. They will have to pry him out of my arms.

The story of how I found my sewing machine is serendipitous. I found it in an alley, seventeen years ago, while I was riding my bike and exploring the neighborhood. Alleys fascinate me more than regular streets. They are the residential equivalent to the backstage—more interesting to me than the stage itself. Anyway, in the alley I spotted something that looked like a sewing machine cover. It was a beige plastic rectangle that looked a lot like my mom’s sewing machine case from long ago. I stopped the bike, opened the cover and saw a sewing machine! We were on a very tight budget at the time, and while I was interested in sewing, I couldn’t justify the expense of a machine. I had no idea why the machine was there, but I was thrilled. The neighborhood I was cycling through was one with a lot of older residents and I wondered if the machine had belonged to someone’s mom who had passed away. It was a Kenmore in immaculate shape. I raced home on my bike and drove back to the alley within thirty minutes. It was still there, so I brought it home and promptly put it in the closet. For years. I was excited to learn to sew but I was intimidated. I wish I’d pushed myself to experiment with it but I waited years before dipping my toe into the world of sewing. I’m happy to say that in the last ten years or so I’ve sewed many things, so I’ve made up for lost time. Eventually I Googled the model number and learned that it was made in the late 70s. Built to last!

The quilt I sewed for my nephew is the fifth quilt I’ve made. I’m far from an expert but I am proud of how it turned out. I chose to freestyle my own pattern, but there can be drawbacks to this approach. It has some mistakes, but unlike the old me, the new Sarah is okay with that. I’m okay with confessing that I accidentally sewed something upside down and this led to my changing the design. The result is that the zigzags make diamonds instead of being a quilt of chevrons. And I like the effect even better than the original design.

Most of the fabric in this quilt is from the Yardage Town fabric store near our house. I’m sad to say that it’s closing in a few weeks after being in its location for decades. But it makes me happy to know that my nephew’s quilt has pieces of fabric from that wonderful store, a place that reminds me of the fabric stores I visited with my mom when I was a kid.  

It’s bittersweet to say goodbye to Yardage Town, but I accept that change happens. Besides, I’ve got a sweet new nephew to love. I’ll focus on that, and on all the magic that is to come. Times change, and that can be hard to digest. But the flip side is that change can bring a lot of joy, too, like the arrival of a baby. My other nephews adore their new brother, so it’s a happy new chapter in their family’s life. Welcome, little guy. May you and all the babies experience the wonder of this world…. 

Wacky Wednesday #93—Got Film?

 

Let’s talk about film—that plastic stuff (celluloid) rolled into a tiny tube that we used to load into cameras, hoping we were loading it right—how many times was I supposed to turn it around that crank? Is it advancing? Did I just mess up the whole roll? (Or was that just me…)

 

 

Anyway, film. I’ve taken a lot of fun photos using film, but in the last ten years I’ve been all about digital photos. So much easier, and don’t forget the instant gratification of digital pictures. (I feel no shame in my addiction to instant gratification, in case you were wondering.)
 

Now, how did this post come about? The way all good posts come about: quite randomly. I happened upon a roll of film in a box, and thought it would be fun to use the film in a costume. I realized I had other plastic film negatives, just waiting for a second use. The curving strips of film had potential as an awesome sculptural element. And so the project began.
 

I know that you film purists will be horrified that I am cutting and splicing film negatives, and while I don’t want to upset you, you must understand that for me, using these negatives helps with my clutter issue—decreasing it only a teeny, tiny bit—but it does cut down on the clutter I have saved in boxes. So really, I must do this.
 

On a related note, did you ever watch movies on film projectors? I remember this from when I was a kid and the local libraries played movies during the summer—with actual reel to reel film projectors like this:

 

There’s something so charming about light shining through a long roll of film. These days, some films are made using digital video, but many feature films still are shot with actual film.

In case you’re wondering about my dress, it’s a refashion. Several years ago I made an Eiffel Tower Halloween costume and I made a gray dress to go under it to tie in with the gray/silver tower and all its geometry. I added more geometric shapes onto the dress, as a nod to the rectangular pattern on rolls of film. The dark strips of film pop against a lighter background.

Necklace, earrings, hat and sunglasses—all created with film and hot glue. Cost: approximately one dollar for hot glue sticks.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for my closeup…

Wacky Wednesday #92—Watermelon

Watermelon means summer is almost here. Last week I wore a sandcastle hat—which also had a summery vibe. Are you seeing a theme, here? Summer: I’m literally counting the days ‘til you begin.

The idea of a watermelon outfit has been simmering in the back of my mind for ages, but I wanted to become a watermelon in the season I associate with it: summer.

To make my dress, I cut some white fabric I already had into an A-line dress so that the shape would be somewhat triangular, like a piece of watermelon. I bought some red dye for $3, and dyed the dress overnight. (It turned out closer to pink than red, but as you know, some watermelons are pink so I’m not sweating it.) I used green fabric from my stash for the rind. The earrings are made from paper, and the hat is made from cardboard, hot glue and paint. This outfit did not cost much cash but it delivers a big dose of fun for me. I hope you think so, too.

 

Red and pink are my favorite colors—so this watermelon-colored dress makes me happy. Wearing something playful brings a lot of fun, too, and I’m a firm believer that grownups need just as much silly, laughing, happy fun time as kids do. How can you not be in a good mood when you are dressed like a watermelon?

 

Of course, watermelon is available in the seedless variety, and I prefer it. But the polka dot-like seed pattern is such a recognizable feature of watermelons, so my dress has seeds.

 

 

 

This will be my last WW post until fall, as I’m taking the summer to hang with my kiddos and do other kinds of art projects. But I may blog about other things. Who knows? Either way, I’m ready for a break from schedules this summer.

Whatever this season means to you—watermelon, sandcastles, beaches, kites, picnics—whatever is good for your soul--enjoy the summer…

Wacky Wednesday #90—Crayons

Yesterday I baked crayons. Well, technically I melted them in the oven. But why split hairs?

Let’s back up a few weeks. At our house I can never find a pencil but we have hundreds of broken crayons in a giant box. Unlike permanent markers, crayons don’t wear out. So after they break, I keep them, thinking there’s still tons of life left in them. As an artist, it’s hard for me to throw out art supplies that could be used again, so the collection of broken crayons grows and grows. (Again, I am not a hoarder. I’m a practical saver of art supplies.)

The crayon fragments were screaming to become Wacky Wednesday accessories. So I used some fragments to decorate a crown, necklace and sunglasses. Other pieces I melted to create larger, usable upcycled crayons.

 

Until this week I’d never melted old crayons to make larger ones. I remember someone doing  this when I was in grade school. Why I can remember this--and not remember where I put the pencils—is evidence of how mysterious our brains are…

So, let’s review. This genius plan of mine has several bonuses:

1)      I’m creating another Wacky Wednesday costume I haven’t made before.

2)      I’m using up old, tiny crayons and therefore reducing the clutter (ever, ever so slightly).

3)      I’m giving old, broken crayons a new purpose.

Once I’d melted the old crayons I experimented with making art. I dripped the liquid wax onto paper, before it cooled, and I also colored with the new, giant crayons. It’s great fun.

This week’s crayon accessories are well-timed, if I do say so myself. I’d been planning this crayon theme for weeks, and by pure coincidence, crayons were in the news a few days ago. Crayola is introducing a new crayon color, based on a new shade of blue discovered by Mas Subramanian, a chemist at Oregon State University. He discovered the new pigment in 2009--the first new blue pigment to be discovered in 200 years.

The new blue has not yet been named, and Crayola is holding a contest to name the new shade. If you’re interested, check their website. Contest ends on June 2.

I’m taking next week off from blogging, but I’ll see you all again in two weeks.

The crayons and I wish you a colorful, creative day.

Now--anybody have a pencil I can borrow?

 

Wacky Wednesday #89—Maypole

May Day was two days ago, and I’m wearing a maypole today. But let’s not argue about dates, okay? My wackiness is a Wednesday thing and if May first has the audacity to arrive on a Monday, there’s only so much I can do.

Maypoles are not something we see all that often in Southern California. Apparently there are a few places in America where maypoles are decorated each spring, and some European countries set them up each May. In San Diego? Not so much.

Some people believe that the maypole has a pagan connection. There’s debate about why people decorate them. My costume has no pagan agenda or political message or anything like that. It’s just about being colorful and making something I’ve never made before.

For months now I’ve been thinking about how to make a maypole costume. I have a piece of bamboo for my pole, and six bright shades of ribbon. Apparently, I also need a handful of leprechauns or fairies to help me make one, since I have only two hands and there are many ribbons that need to be woven under and over one another simultaneously. Since all the leprechauns and fairies I know are at real maypole celebrations this week, I’ll have to do it myself. But as you may have noticed, I like a good challenge.

(Update: I tried twice to wrap the ribbons around the pole, under and over, with an alternating clockwise and counter-clockwise pattern. After two tries, my brain was in knots and the ribbons were not woven. So I did some ribbon arranging instead and I’m calling it good enough.)

And if my maypole falls down later, we’ll just start a limbo contest instead…

Wacky Wednesday #84—Grapes

What do you think of when you hear the word “grapes?”

Sour grapes?

Wine?

PB and grape jelly?

You probably don’t think, “Hmm. Wearing grapes is a good idea.” But I do.

This story started ages ago—three days ago, to be precise. I was in a thrift store searching for ceramics to smash for an upcoming mosaic project. I decided to do a lap around the store because thrift stores (with their quirky mix of stuff) are excellent for jump-starting Wacky Wednesday ideas. Mixed in among this and that was a silicone mold of bunches of grapes. Was it intended as an art supply? Or for soap making? Candy making? Ice cubes? Who knew? Of course, its original purpose has nothing to do with its potential. (This is a wonderful philosophy for people, too: who we’ve been or what we’ve done in the past shouldn’t prevent us from trying something new, just because!)

In any case, the grapes mold came home with me and the grape harvesting began. I didn’t end up using all the parts of the mold, but there are two of the shapes in my necklace. For the rest of my grapes, I used felt and t-shirt fabric with pillow stuffing inside.

Here’s a breakdown of my costs:

Grape mold, thrifted                      $1.70 (Tax included)

Purple t shirt, thrifted                    $1.10 (Tax included)

Felt                                                    $1.76 (Tax included)

Purple skirt                                      $      0 (Already had it)

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Total                                                  $4.56

And so today I am wearing grapes. Just for fun. This outfit is not a reference to Dionysus, the Greek god of grape harvesting and wine making. Or Bacchus, the Roman god of wine. You choose your favorite. I’m staying out of it. This costume is Just About Grapes.

And let’s say “Cheers” to grapes not only for their flavor but also for the fact that they are good for us, full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories and vitamins. Personally, I don’t like wine, but I like grapes and raisins. But grapes with seeds? Having to spit out a seed takes away from my experience. Seeds make grapes feel like work—the equivalent of bringing homework on a vacation. I choose seedless.

Now it’s time for me to sign off with a quote from a famously silly French royal, Marie-Antoinette. What was it she said? Oh, yes. Let them eat…grapes!

Wacky Wednesday #83—Peacock

I’m bucking tradition and dressing as a male peacock. Female peafowl are much less colorful—and child, please—do you think I want to dress as the less colorful half? No.

My intention with today’s outfit was not to replicate every feather in a peacock’s train. That would require 200 feathers, which would be some serious work. No, instead I am suggesting a peacock using a few feathers I created, a few real feathers I bought at a thrift store years ago, and a few decorations (also thrifted) that gave a peacock vibe.

Last year at the Goodwill store I found some decorations (approximately 100 of them) that grabbed my eye. The shape reminded me of peacock feathers and at $1.99, the price was right. 

My peacock outfit simmered in the back of my mind for quite a while, but recently everything came together. I liked the idea of a poncho that I could wear not only today but on other winter days—one that had personality and color and was unlike any I’d ever seen. Clearly, I’d have to make one. So I grabbed this navy blue fleece while it was on sale at the fabric store and planned to embroider some feathers onto. Welllllll, embroidering a peacock feather is easier said than done. I’m sure it can be done but my first attempt at it wasn’t quite how I wanted it to be. It looked like a bunch of confused pine needles. So I opted instead to make feathers from fabric and to stitch them onto the poncho. I ended up using some beautiful fabric that my fashion designer friend Frana gave me a few years ago. It’s copper and gold mesh with sequins here and there, and although I hadn’t planned on it for this project, I’m delighted with the shimmery results. I’ve abstracted the feather shape but I think it still reads as a peacock feather. 

Today’s statement necklace incorporates some of the same feather decorations I thrifted, along with some fringe, real peacock feathers and rhinestone. My two head pieces use the small feather decorations, a few real peacock feathers and rhinestones. It was breezy today but my headdresses (mostly) stayed put. One woman I saw today said my outfit had a Mardi Gras feel, and although that wasn’t my intention, I agree. And she’s from New Orleans, so she’d know. 

These gorgeous birds really put on a show when all their feathers are on display. Did you know that after mating season, they shed their train? The feathers are gathered and new ones grow back. If only I shed peacock feathers instead of tumbleweeds of brown hair—the bathtub drain would look much more glamorous.

But hey, you can’t have everything.