My dear friend and very talented artist, Melonie Anchetta, created this wild and colorfully beaded and appliquéd jean jacket. She came by for a visit one day and showed me a scarf she was working on with embroidery, beads and appliqués that I found exquisite. She had some time healing from a surgery so I had asked her to create something fun and flower-full for me on a jean jacket and that she did! The original idea was “a bit of beading on the back and shoulder”, but Melonie got started and inspired and I was excited.
Melonie and I have always enjoyed our conversations in the garden. She has always been a very good source for me to learn about plants, and flowers, plus we both share a passion for rocks and minerals. Melonie is currently researching the paint that was used here on the NW Coast before contact with Europeans. She’s trying to determine exactly what pigments were used and what were the mediums. It’s definitely not a simple project! The woman is a font of good information about plants and herbs for dyes, healing and cooking. We’ve shared many a stroll through my garden and I’ve always learned something. She’s a consummate seed snitcher, always trying to make something grow. And I’ve always got seeds for her to snitch. I’m a prolific, yet lazy gardener and prefer to let a lot of my flowers self-seed. I love to see where they’ll turn up next season. I’m always eager to introduce new varieties into my ever expanding and overflowing garden. Both Melonie and I are artists, but our interests often parallel then go in different directions and circle around to reconnect in Gardens and Beads.
I had originally thought, “Ok, I’ll have something fun and Shabby Chic” in a beaded jean jacket. But this wonderfully beautiful creation is a joy to see and wear and definitely not shabby! If you’re interested in something like this, I’m sure she could be encouraged to make something for you. She tells me that she enjoyed doing it and would be willing to do more. Thank you again, Melonie Anchetta.
