Berkeley Botanical Gardens, Green Gala

Its been too long since I've blogged. I have been so busy slowing down (he he). It takes a lot of practice for me to actually be in the moment and enjoy my life. I have to say the last few months I have had three back to back events that I had to do a lot of preparing for. It's my first summer with my kids and trying to just enjoy these beautiful days with them, blogging was just one to many things to do.

Wow what a beautiful day. The Green Gala fashion show at the Berkeley Botanical gardens was truly inspiring. I had the pleasure of showing my pieces with amazing Eco designers from around the bay area. The setting was magical in the redwood grove. The huge collection of plants, the beauty and education that the botanical garden brings to our bay area community was the reason we were there. Cloth and plant are one in the same, hemp, linen, cotton, bamboo, nettle, soy and many others. They are as important as our food. What ever we put into the dirt ends up in our body's. Then there are plant dye and for centuries the most beautiful cloth in the world has been dyed with plants. Indigo, Woad, madder, onion, lichen, sassafras, brazilwood and so many more.

Because working with sustainable fabrics is my passion, for this body of work I was inspired by heirloom textiles and designs. I create by hand modern pieces. With each stitch I become conscious of the amazing quality and craftsman ship woven in these textiles. I bring to life a new story that connect us to our history and a way of using what we have, practice years ago as a way of life.

revamped vintage 1930's vest transformed into Halter, hand stitched

hand felted 1980's woven wool, copying an old Asian jacket

revamped mock Victorian blouse and fabric covered shoes

jean skirt by del forte

hand sewn vintage lace trim blouse,

Romanian hemp and turmeric dyed hemp obi and

vintage silk fabric pleated skirt

top made with 1930's laundry bag labeled Ruth A. Reed and
vintage Swiss cloth hand stitched

jeans by del forte

beautiful photos by Cara Mia photography

ZIO ZIEGLER, A NEW EXCITING STORE IN MILL VALLEY

Please go check at Zio's new store at 87 East Blithedale , this is a gift to Mill Valley. Sharing his artist statement below.

My collections of clothing are based off my paintings. By taking certain images and icons from my work and translating them into clothing products, I give my customer an opportunity to take a piece of work away with them. Because my creative process and work are transitory by nature, the products of this process are constantly evolving and giving those who appreciate my work a chance to wear new Zio Ziegler clothing often. While the work is ephemeral, the continuity in both products and paintings lies within my style. My work is inspired by everything at once . A capricious creation directly inspired by the moment make take place one day, while an “automatic drawing” may happen the next. My work is the manifestation of all that is in my mind, whether conscious or subconscious, philosophy or mountain biking, Ego or Id, my work is a collectively inspired by the movements of the universe around me. I am constantly developing a lexicon of imagery in my artwork that both aids narrative and concept as a constant element in the ephemeral subject matter of my work. Eastern Philosophies, an eclectic range of literature and nature are constant points of contact for the concepts of my work, but similar to my style, my concepts are constantly building into a pieces that exemplify more of a process than a premeditated and thoroughly simplified translatable creation. My silk screens, paintbrushes, spray paint, quills and pencils are tools of visceral expression in my creations and help me reach the desired product of my process, work and life: Happiness.

              ZIO ZIEGLER

Emma Kate has moved

We went to go see Emma at her apartment before she moved. Tears were a flowin. Emma walked into Ambatalia about 3 years ago. I took one look at her and it was like seeing a beautiful flower in full bloom. I wanted her to be a part of my life and she has. She worked at the shop and became part of my family. Originally being from Texas, she had that southern thing shinning from deep within. Kindness, beauty and talent are the words that come to mind. I love her. She and her dear friend Priscilla are designers of Green Dog Designs, available at select stores. She's movin back to Texas, and I will miss her so much, but I will not loose touch. Austin here we come!

Screen printing from Etsy

This post is especially for Youth Making a Difference Eco fashion show in fairfax this June 13th. We want to buy used tees, screen print them and then make them our own for that day. I like this because for years I really didn't get the whole screen print thang. It's pretty good and kind of entertaining.

Nike Davies

This made my day to find this video. I carried Nike's textiles at Ambatalia when it was open. I cherished these fabrics. I still have scraps and a beautiful boo boo with an image of a woman batiked on each side. This is so beautiful to see where and how these textiles where made. I had about 8 different styles at the time. I can still smell the indigo. Hmmmm

SHEEP AND WEEDS

I can't wait to go see Ashley and Sasha's show. If any body wants to car pool from Mill Valley, I will drive. Yahoo!

Youth Making A Difference eco Fashion show at the Fairfax festival June 13 and 14th 2009

Youth Making a Difference first fashion show event at the Fair fax eco festival was wonderful. The girls worked really hard and did such a beautiful job on thier designs. Please check out slow family to see pictures of the fashion show.

Im producing Youth Making A difference eco fashion show at the Fairfax festival this year. We gathered on Saturday for our first workshop. We created design journals,  played with plant dyes of turmeric, onion skins and madder root inspired by Dinner to dye for.
 

This was such a wonderful day !! I enjoyed so much experiencing my friends coming up with such innovative ideas. This show and process is about creating fashion with complete creative freedom. Our guidelines to sustainability is using reclaimed or new organically grown fabric , re purposing used or vintage clothing and playing with several print techniques and plant dye. This event is one of many to come in the future. Connecting youth in our community to explore ways we can support each other to be able to express ourselves while nurturing our community and our planet. If you would like to see more pictures of our prossess go to slow family . I will be holding Youth making a difference summer camps, if you are interested please contact me. I hope to talk with you soon, Molly

INSPIRATION JAPANESE STYLE

One of my favorite things to do is to go to Japan town, get some yummy food and go to Kinokuniya book store. Here are some images that inspire me right now.

Youth Making A Difference

Youth Making a difference
Have fun, take action. Create a more sustainable World
Summer 2009

I invite your child to come spend a summer week with me. I'm a mother of three, an artist and green business owner native to Mill Valley. Sustainability is my passion.

Campers will create art with recycled materials, bake bread with local, organic ingredients, dye fabric with plants, clean the creeks, care for our neighborhood, visit green businesses, and meet other local youth who are making a difference. Camp activities will be fun, democratically decided, and sustainability- oriented. Architecture, home decor, Arts and crafts, our schools, our communities, ourselves and our families. This camp is all about the solution and how we can a play a part in the green revolution.

Camp focus: Your child will feel safe, nurtured and empowered as we explore and create together. Days will include circle sharing, social and community service and a profound environmental awareness, with the guiding principle that each of us is unique and has a special gift to bring to the world.


Ages 8 to 13
Camp Dates: 
June 29th through July 3rd
July 13th through July 17th
July 27th through July 31st
August 10th through August 14th
August 17th through August 24th
Camp Times: 9:00 till 3:30
Prices per week: $325.00 per child, siblings discount
Extended day: $100.00 extra for the week
Maximum amount of children will be 8

Molly de Vries
molly@thefabricsociety.com
415.259.9582
My other Blog
http://thepublicgreen.blogspot.com

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

I had the honor to make these LOVE LETTERS, last minute of coarse. This amazing event was for Engage, put on by my girl friend Sarah Haynes. Jullia Butterfly Hill and Von Jones were being honored. I was so inspired, I shed some tears, big time. My heart was filled with LOVE and even more possability's

I love L.A

                                When my dear friend Roberta  jokingly said "get in the car, come with me to L.A" . I said "Hmm, could I actually leave my life for a few days for no good reason? I think I can" I said. We had a freaken blast. 

First stop San Juan Bautista, a potters stodio and shop just off the road.I feel bad I don't have the name. A couple have been there for thirty years. I bought some beautiful glazed white bowl. I love them I will add a picture of them at some point. I loved thier studio. They loved Jazz and Japanese ceramics

                                      

                                                  Roberta has taught me so much in life. 

                                               She puts so much intention into her home .

                        You always feel so comfortable and its beautiful every where you look. 

                                                                 Still no nonsence






        "Making happy"  Yes we can quilt. Made with reclaimed linen, silk and Romanian hemp

                        A Jess Brown doll just so happened to be taking a rest on the quilt I made.

                                                                   I am so honored

                                                My sister Colleen  at Taking the Riens





                                    Edele Horne and my Sister Colleen's Home in Silver lake



                                                           

                                                                        Angela Dufresne

 

Unbelievable

I've been having anxiety attacks about this subject ever since I saw sex lies and video tapes. Chris Jordon gives all of us an opprotunity to look at all the little things we do that make a huge impact in the world. It would be beautiful to see his art in 20 years from now with us as a planet taking action to reduse our impact.

Todays inspiration

                                   Pattern Tales from Barcelona

Ambatalia, making happy

                                                                             Smock




                                                                      Bib Apron
                                                                           Bistro

STRIP QUILTS

                                              With each stitch I prayed for change

                                    Reclaimed linen, Romanian hemp
                                                                 three in the works

smooth transition

Hi friend's,

Greenwood winter fair was wonderful and a big success. So many of my customer's came by to see me. I got reminded that how blessed I am and that Ambatalia is  still very much alive, even though my shop is closed. My specialty has always finding the most sustainable fabrics in the world, but also I love to create packaging out of  stuff I have a round. Grocery bags are one of my favorites, cellophane that I get my Japanese fabrics in. I'v been coming up with little rap packs. You can find these on my etsy

                          Two weights of Romanian hemp and Organic cotton , 1/2 yard of each

                                                           Plant dyed wool felt

Giving thanks

Well it's been a few weeks since I closed Ambatalia. I have been organizing my new Garden shop/ studio , etsy shop and home. I am getting a sense of relief now. Being with my kids and having the time to really focus on my next step has been relaxing and inspiring. I also feel reconnected with my self for the first time in a very long time. I feel so grateful that Barak Obama will be our president and even though these economic times are scary for a lot of people, I feel grateful that our society will have to look at our ways in which we live. Hoping that people will take a step back in consumption, build gardens, Bike way more, sew using sustainable fabrics, and buy locally from our farmers and artists. Take responsibility for our purchases. That would be a beautiful way to build a more connected community. There is usually a reason why things are inexpensive, someone has to pay for it. It's usually the people that are making it, growing it or our environment. I pray for the people out there that are truly suffering, I hope only the best for them. For the community around me, I hope to connect more in These times. Being a part of the Obama revolution. Calling people all over the country, talking to strangers and doing my best for a man I truly believe in. I will never forget, getting the wrong # and asking any way. It was an older woman, we connected right off the bat, I ended up singing my Obama song for her, it was semi reticules but so much fun. We laughed together with hope in our hearts. I know its a time in our country we we will be a part of the change and  will work hard together as a global community. I feel grateful for the opportunity . talk with you all soon, all of my love, Molly

Lets sing my Obama song  together. If you sing the words to Oh Donna , it will work. I need a new line for( please win on tuesday) throw one at me.

Obama, Obama

Rosa Parks sat, so that Martin could walk ( o o o o)

Obama's running so our children can fly

Oh  we love Obama

Please win on tuesday

OH YES WE CAN 

Ambatalia officailly Closed.

Ambatalia was blessed with Anna dancing goddess Oshun for me


Ambatalia, the fabric society closing party was given to me by Ashley Helvey and Bridget Crow. I felt so loved and so celebrated. My heart and soul went into this 4 year run. Such a small endeavor for some, but so huge to me. It's difficult to write about the depth of this experience for me as a woman, a wife and a mother of three. I found an artist inside of me, but I found a need to create community around me to share and explore sustainability in everything we do to connect us in a deeper way. I've met so many wonderful people along the way that brings fulfillment to my life beyond measure. The day was blessed with a trunk show from Natalie " Alabama Chanin". It was so inspiring to meet a woman that has built a business model with such integrity. Please take the time to thoroughly enjoy her site and the hand stitch of her art work . It brought such an elegance to my party. My friend Patricia said it best" It would be a privilege to were her clothes. Because I knew she was coming two days before, I pulled together my partially finished "Making Happy" bedding. I was so inspired my Obama's slogan "YES WE CAN". With every stitch of my reclaimed linen strip quilt. I said Yes We Can. I presented it at my party with joy and to celebrate those words for our community and our world.

Kids are our peace teachers
Adam and Me Man ( very Scruffy) but still drop dead gorgeous

SWEET , SWEET BRIDGET

Natalie (Alabama Chanin)
My Mom and neighbor Danial (drunk), JK


Best place to be

My dear Cara ( sister)

With out these two gems, I would be in the drunk ward
Bestest friend Anna ( since I was 12)

My Mom

One of my incredible sisters Susanna
Bro and Sis ( 2 sisters and 2 brothers not in shot)

Break dancing at it's best

Dancin, inspired by the kids
Molly and sweet Denise
My friend Aron always up for a sleepover
Annabel and Sasha pretend sleeping

The party continues into the night with candles and laughter

We decide we will spend the night in the "Yes we can" bed

Covered in a well used crazy quilt from Nottingham England circa 1830's

Annabel and Bridget waiting for breakfast in bed

A thank you to all of my customers and friends that brought

joy and creativity to my days.

Ambatalia has not died , just moved on to less overhead, leaving a beautiful space

for miracles to happen for louesa at August

I will be forever grateful and I am sad. I will miss this time

Please keep in touch, All my love, Molly

Ambatalia closing, Obama opening , it's time for change.

Please, please join me in celebration. Special trunk show from Natalie "Alabama"Chanin. We will be at the shop At 6 till when ever. Every one is welcome. It's time to Celebrate. 

Finally on the front page of the news paper

This is this weeks Pacific sun. Thats my ---- Even better, my son Jullian holding no on 8. Sign the petition to stop these-------------

Come on I had to share !!

We are a part of a movement

Anne frank's house, and Amsterdam

Annabel, Camille and I went to the Anne Frank house. This is such a beautiful entry in Anne Frank's journal, for me because I take what I have for granted on a daily basis. Anne reminds me of the simple things in life that is the most important. When I walked up into the small rooms that her family was hiding in I felt the walls, the sink and I felt her and her presents there. I cried experiencing her pain and courage. 

Amsterdam and Capsicum

Amsterdam is such an amazing city. My favorite fabric store that inspired me to open Ambatalia is there. I have been in contact with them ever since I found their store 5 years ago. I went there today with my daughter Camille to play. All of these fabrics in Capsicum have such integrity and a natural simple beauty. 

Family de Vries are still in Holland

Holland is beautiful. It's inspiring to me to learn different ways to live and to be our selfs at the same time. What makes me who I am. I have often thought of my self as being without Country. I don't  relate to Mill Valley so much even though I have been there for most of my life. I want to be a part of a global community, to expand and share who we are as Human beings . I love tradition and culture and why people are who they are, Honoring peoples history and traditions allows me to understand  a little more of why and how they live their lives. 

Molly in Holland

I'm obsessed with bikes here in holland, I'm so happy that more and more of us in the states are riding bikes. It's so inspiring here in Holland. Yesterday Camille, Annabel and I took our first trip into town (Nijmegen). I ended up riding back by myself. Opps, I got really lost. I secretly wanted to be totally lost in a city that I didn't know. Such freedom to have no idea where your going. I had to ask for help because it was getting dark and I knew that my family would worry. I finally got back on track thanks to this one boy that helped me. Then I crashed, still so happy.

BIKES IN HOLLAND

There are so many ways of thinking, doing and living that we can learn from other cultures. I notice in Holland there are a lot of things I want to bring back with me. Bikes are a big one, everyone bikes. Young, old, nothing to carry, lots to carry, post deliveries and police. They ride with no helmets, I suspect because the roads were made with them in mind, and it's just a part of their life styles. The dutch seem so civilized in a lot of different ways.

Holland

Vliegenzwam and gnomes every where! It's a children's paridise ! Where are the windmills, tullips and klompen. We are in heaven. 

Vliegenenzwam and gnomes every where !!

My heart is sad, but hopeful

I'm sitting here in my house contemplating my life and all the changes that I am going through. I can't seem to juggle everything any more. I truly want to bring peace in my life and I'm making some tough decisions about my shop. I have been working really hard at Ambatalia (The fabric society) for 4 years and I have been noticing that the past few years my family have suffered because of my dedication and struggle. My experience has been the most powerful gift I have ever received. I truly started this to do my dream, to maybe make a difference in the world and do my passion. I have grown up, and it brings tears to my eyes to say that I'm closing my store. The fact that I don't have the resources and this hard economic time has haunted me for a while. Ashley that has been working with me, the two of us have so much to give, and will continue in some way.  We tried to give it a go, but as a mother I had to make a change for my family. Any one that visits me here, knows of Ashley and her great gift to the arts, I know she will continue to soar. I personally have created my home line Making happy and its so much fun for me. My kitchen line is at Tyler Florence and I just sold it to ABC Carpets in New York. I hope they will do well there. I want to stay connected with you. keep in touch and I will tell you more, when I know more. For now I'm going to Holland with my family to go to Willem's Mothers 90th birthday. I will stay in touch while I'm there. Because I have a young daughter that got me in to face book, come and be my friend, it's kinda fun. I hope you are all well, and iI send all my love to you, Molly

Making Happy, Smock

Making Happy, Smock

I created this smock for my kitchen line. I love it. Yeh, its great for cooking but meant for the streets as well. It looks perfect on Ashley.

OBAMA

Talk about a Bum-per sticker!!!!

Making happy, bed

Im really excited about my Making Happy, bed. Im doing strip quilts right now, using reclamed Italian linens.

Making Happy, Celebrate Everything

These are my scrap Garlands from my line Making happy, For Celebrating everything your grateful for. Your child's smile, food that's on the table, a kiss from your lover or a connection from a passerby on the side walk. This Garland is made out of scraps, I love the idea of making things that don't tread on our sacred earth. It makes me CRAZY Happy to recycle in this way. I'm selling them in 3 yd lengths at $38.00. But I can totally customize the length for you needs.

Makin Pretty signs, Annabel, Camille, Auntie Cara and Molly

Spread the word

PROJECT OBAMA

Annabel, Jullian and myself hand stitched this sign to wave to MR . OBAMA on his way to a fancy fundraiser near where we live. Annabel and I hung out for 3 hours hoping we would see the man. Well not only did we see him , but we both got to shake his hand. He was incredible to be around. Beautiful to look at, generous of spirit and grounded in the true sense of the word. Well we made this beautiful applique for him and I want to do some thing more with it. The project OBAMA is standing on any corner in the bay area or for that matter any where. If you going to New York for a couple of days, man I will get it to you to bring, grab a friend and go stand on a busy corner for an hour or two. I will start this project off in Mill Valley because that's where I'm at. Let me know if you want to participate. The more we get out there with what we want, The more likely that will happen. Call me, or email me.... Molly

415.388.6278

molly@ambataliafabrics.com

PRINT MAKING WORKSHOP!

Come by Fridays and check out our Print Making Workshop 3:30-5:00!