New Earring Designs

 Above is a simple design involving acai seeds and macrame string.  The earrings below are made with little white seashells I collected at a place called Praia de Sono, Sleep Beach, in Brazil.  Both designs are very light-weight and I love the sound of the shell ones; they sound like waves rolling over the shore. 

Mar Pacifico

In Cuba, hibiscus flowers are called Mar Pacifico which means Pacific Ocean.  I always liked that because the hibiscus is so symbolic of the islands of the Pacific Ocean; the name makes perfect sense to me.  So here is that symbol on my new summer hats, in a red, green and gold batik-dyed style.  They are one-of-a-kind and there are only two left! (at least until I find that specific fabric again someday)

Roots Earrings 2013

These are the latest coconut earrings I made with "coquinhos"  which I collected on the beach in Brazil and then sawed in half, sanded, and drilled.  I bought the cowries and red seeds but the other pieces of coconut I cut into shapes myself.  The round, tan-colored acai seeds came straight from the land where acai palms grow abundantly.  I was able to polish them using a "rola-rola" tumbler that my dad made from recycled machine parts.  

Newborn Baby Naya

Here is Naya at three or four days old wearing her new hat with her mother Luisa.  So sweet!

Abundance and Beauty

 Above is Marcelo with the harvest from the farm in Brazil: bananas, palm heart, oranges, and acai berries.  I used the fibers from the frond which the berries are on to weave a mat (below). On the mat is a oil pastel I did of the view looking out over the valley with the acai palm and the moon rising and pink clouds at sunset.   

 Below are some beaded earrings I made which were inspired by the pink and blue sunsets at the land.

 I love this sand art!  Tropical sunset colors. 

Brazil Fades

 These are both dread crowns with draw strings.  Above: beige, grey, olive green.  Below: black, navy, teal.

Minha Tigrada

 Here I am with my friends' lovable pittie bull, Hirasema.  She looks vicious in this picture but she is just very playful.  Her brindle (tiger striped) coat inspired a few of my hats.

 Above is a solid dread crown made with the brindle yarn.  Below is a puff stitch hat made with cream, beige and mustard yarn. 

Jorge Makandal's Rasta Recycled Camp in Sana

 Here is a wall made with recycled glass bottles. Beautiful light!

 Mirrors, mosaics, and more glass bottles.

 Plastic bottles used for hanging planters in an entryway.

 The sistren and the bredren.

Dreamscapes

 

Geriba

 Cabo Frio

 Arraial

 Saquarema

 

Itacoatiara

I chose these because I liked the skies and also the sense of serenity in each picture.

Reggae Singers

Here are some great pictures of Luv Fyah, California reggae artist, performing with a crown that I made.  It is sold black ribbed, with a mega tassel with metallic gold strands.  Above he has placed a special pin on the hat, which I think is a great thing to do with a solid colored crown.  To listen to a classic song from him, click on the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_74WKDvRNU

Below is Mario Bagaman Seixas performing with a hat in a new style I made here in Brazil.   Here is a link for one of his new songs: https://soundcloud.com/#pedradasrecords/mel-de-tribob-mario-bagaman

 Below is another Brazilian reggae artist, Daniel Profeta, at a recent concert.  This is one of his hit songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPZsKmHNHGg  His crown is solid black with gold and green.  The red is absent in this crown to represent an end to bloodshed.