FOR ALL YOU BURNERS!!!!! PLAYA IS COMING SOON!!!!!!
With burningman just right around the corner, time is running out and for those looking for those extra show stopping pieces of fun wardrobe! !!!!!
Overnight shipping is available upon request….its not too late to get your Red Ant attire for the Playa. Make your burn memorable and look Fabulous!!!!
The RED ANT is having a SALE on ETSY.
USE THE CODE: burningman and receive 30% off
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheRedAntLLC
The first time I saw a bustle constructed in a way that made sense to me because you were able to just attach it on and off with a simple drawstring was at a Steampunk event @ “Old Tucson Studios”. They were designed by miss “damsel in this dress”
https://www.facebook.com/damseldress
Hers stuff is amazing!!!!
The bustles she was constructing were made from scrap fabric and had all raw edges and were fraying on the bottoms. They were very small and short but ever so cute. She had figured out a way to take her throw away fabric/scraps and create something fun and flirty and easy to incorporate into your cosplay costume. She was wearing two at once , One she wore in the front and one was worn in the back creating a micro mini skirt worn over a pair of bloomers she had also made. So naturally i had to purchase several of them. I do indeed own a few of her bustles in my personal collection that I love ever so much and do wear when i get dressed up.
That being said, her art very much influenced and inspired me to create a bustle of my own for Red Ant Fashions.
Now, I have made bustles before in the past but I had always just made a make shift bustle from pieces of fabric that i have pinned or altered in some fashion to construct a bustle in the back of my corsets. And of course I have in the past cut off trains and bustles from wedding gowns and painted, set fire to and grommeted to create attachable bustles.
Since then I have created several different types of bustles that are now apart of the Red Ant collection . My bustles are all serged around the edges and i like to use different colored thread on my serger to add accent in color as you would with trim.
They are each assembled differently and i use all sorts of fabrics for my bustles, anything from scraps, lace feathers, netting etc. They also run in different lengths. i have a mermaid bustle that is long and creates a train down your back side and short bustles to just cover your bum.
I also have a bustle i have named the “2 Ruffle Bustle”. It is constructed from a half circle and only has to ruffles like the name suggests. This bustle has a certain youth about it and it tends to be most popular among the young burners and circus performers. Its very simple yet flirty for the girl that wants to make a statement but not be to bold or outspoken. Also because this bustle is simple it makes it easy to perform in. this is always an advantage when your talents revolve around a hula hoop or other such talents that require a more simplistic attire but the performer still wants to have flare in their wardrobe.
I personally think bustles are a great accent for any Cosplay costume. I have seen them worn in many different fashions as well. I have seen women turn them into backless tops using the drawstrings to create straps that wrap and tie around the back. Some of my customers will wear them as aprons and i have also seen them worn as capes or shrugs. Creatively i ave seen them worn wrapped over shoulders and worn as detachable sleeves or two around the waist creating a skirt. With a little imagination the bustle has many different functions and can be worn in many different fashion styles.
For those that want to learn how to create a Red Ant Bustle…….
Now you can create your own Steampunk bustle. Here is a little tutorial I made walking you through step by step on constructing your very own Cosplay Steampunk Bustle. Many good tips of the trade are shared in this video. Its a great beginner video for those that want to learn how to create their own Cosplay costumes. I love sharing information on where to go shopping and how to find the right tools to make it easier to sew and create your own designs.
TO PURCHASE YOUR OWN RED ANT BUSTLE PLEASE CHECK OUT MY ETSY STORE
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheRedAntLLC
TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE DAY!!!
So Today’s Trivia Question is …..can you guess how many times I say “so basically” in my tutorial? The person who can guess the right number of times i use this phrase in my video will win their very own custom order SteamPunk Bustle made by yours truly!
After the first show back in April of 2003, I would receive a phone call from the Venue, asking if I would be willing to do it all over again except this time, open up for “David Jay” (Love And Rockets). With only a few weeks to prepare we scrambled to put back together the crew one more time.
Doing the first show, we never thought it would be as such a success as it was. It literally was my little sister and I making things up as went. We had no idea what we were doing and plans for the future beyond the event wasn’t something we actually thought about.
For the Original show Sarah and I had called anyone and everyone we know and began talking to their friends and so on. before we knew it we were talking to anyone and everyone who would listen and was willing to participate in some compacity of another. Neither us knew anything about having a fashion so but we did have crazy artists for parents, and growing up as fair brats and a father who is an attorney helped more than we ever imagined. In the end we had 2 make-up artists and hair stylists, 4 go go dancers, 88 models, 1 videographer, 3 personal assistants and a dj. Models came from everywhere. We had one model travel all the way from Canada to participate. Sarah and I were surrounded by strangers we barely knew if we knew them at all. Some we didn’t meet till the day before the event at rehearsals at the venue. Luckily for us there was small handful of crew that actually did know who we were but also had experience in doing productions. Everyone stepped in and stepped up where it was needed without asking and due to this we not only packed the house but had the best Red Ant fashion show known to date.
Getting back to “David Jay”……… We accepted the invitation to open up for the singer and began our process. The southern Renaissance Fair going on at the time and it would be my first time with my booth at the fair. This was a very exciting time for me. But this also meant that we would have to do the show, and pack up and get to the fair site as fast as we possibly could. This would prove to be a challenge since most of my merchandise would be in the fashion show. Awe, to be young and crazy and full of ambition…….
So we put back together the core crew and added some new additions as well. Diva Zappa, frank Zappa’s youngest daughter was working at the Renaissance fair and had stopped into my mothers booth and my mom had thought she should model for me. I at the time had no idea who she was, let alone that Zappa had a Youngest Daughter.
This show wouldn’t be as big as the first show, we had half the size of cast and crew. We felt this to be a little more manageable and we were able to go a little more elaborate with the costumes, clothing and hair and make-up.
The models looked amazing and we all felt really good about our work. The night of the event came quick and as we were in the “red Room” in the back (green room) waiting to go on I get called into the dressing room where “David Jay” is getting ready.
Nervous like child being called into the principles office I decide to have someone go with me, A beautiful 7 foot “drag queen” I had done up like a Gothic Peacock. We enter the dressing room were it is explained to me that I shouldn’t go on stage. Apparently the singer and his people felt that I was a “Nobody” and began to explain to me that no one knew who I was or cared so it didn’t make a difference if i went on stage this evening. They further explained the singer is on tour with his new album and should go on without an opening act. As they were telling me this ever so politely it was also clear they needed me to agree to this. I simply responded that thought this might be a fashion show promoting me, I don’t pay my crew or models for what they are doing. Everyone involved in putting on a Red Ant show is strictly volunteer. Not only has my crew spent money from their own pockets for hotel rooms and supplies, etc but they also have taken the last 48 hours off from their own lives, work etc to do this for a woman, me, that they barely know and yet believe in for one reason or another. I told them I would have to ask the crew and the decision would solely be up to my crew.
When gathering up the Red Ant crew and explaining the situation and asking them for their thoughts……it was hands down no one was willing to back down and walk away from their hard work. So…..well the singer waited in his dressing room for our answer I went ahead and took the stage under the authority of the owner of the venue.
The show must go on…….Once word had gotten to the back that we took the stage, panic arouse and people came running back stage to pull the plug. Our Red Ant Dj took to the sound booth and locked himself in. It was time to move things along. I lined up the models and redirected them to move quickly and keep things moving just at a much faster pace. Our show was normally 45 minutes long in performance and with the extra push we got in down to 20 minutes. One the last model had hit the stage it was time for me to go out. I grabbed the arm of my escort and to the stage we went. The crowd went wild with applause and from what we could tell the audience had no clue that anything had taken place. as far they were concerned the show went off as it was originally suppose to.
TO READ THE ARTICLE REVIEW IN THE VENTURA WEEKLY
It started with my own fairy tale going terribly wrong at a very young age. I was still a child when i had a child of my own. Strange to look at my son now and know I was his age when i gave birth to him. He seem so young and still so much a little boy though he is off to college and living on his own.
After the divorce the thought of passing on my wedding gown from a failed marriage seemed like a horrible idea for a family heirloom. At first I just kept the dress white and set fire to it creating my first fairy costume and my very first pair of Red Ant wings ( see “Everything wings” blog post) .
https://mymonkey333.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/everything-wings/
Later though i had an event to attend so i pulled out the dress one more time. I began to paint it fire red with accents of yellow and orange to match my new fuzzy yarn extensions (see “History of Red Ant Hair extensions” blog) .
https://mymonkey333.wordpress.com/2013/07/17/history-of-red-ant-hair-extensions/
I soon after decided to paint my boots the same to match. many hours later I had a fully fire flame outfit and a pair of fire red wings to match.
My grandmother use to use the term “Boutana” throughout my childhood. She used the term to describe loose women or if she felt she didn’t like the way one of us girls dressed or dyed our hair she would tell us that we looked like a “Boutana” and not to portray ourselves that way (way old school way of thought) . Though the actual true English translation of “boutana” is Twat, it was used to describe a “whore” in my family.
Throughout history A woman wore white to her own wedding representing her innocence as a bride, untainted. As I had mutilated and painted and finally set fire to my own gown the thought of it being innocent seemed far beyond anything that would remotely be considered untainted. So I coined the phrase Bella (beautiful) Boutana (whore) ….”Bella Boutana”
Now you that you know the how the dress and name originated, lets discuss the actually gowns, shall we……
Each gown is a one of a kind created from a wedding , Prom or those horrible Bridal gowns that we have all had to endure at some point in our lives. Each dress is ripped apart and reconstructed or Up-Cycled as they call it these days. I set grommets down the back of the gowns to give it full adjustability to every woman’s shape and size but also I love the look of a costed back whether laced all the way shut or leaving a beautiful V from top to bottom that flows into a big beautiful Bustled Back side. each gown is hand painted with fabric paints and for those that like to shimmer lots and lots of Spray glitter. once the gown is fully constructed and painted to desire I pull out my favorite tool , The Blow torch and set fire to the edges.
My favorite thing about these gowns is that satin and silks when painted and burned, they have this paper like texture and movement when worn. I love this effect! No matter who you put one of these dresses on, they just look amazing and you cant help but to stare and watch the gown as it moves across the room.
To purchase your own Bella Boutana Ball gown
Custom orders are Encouraged!
If you have your own gown that you would like modified and reconstructed please let me know and we will adjust the price as well work with you to create your very own personalized Gown.
Over the years i have had the opportunity to work with allot of talented beautiful people. Many photo shoots and many Fashion shows and art installations etc. Not as many as i would have liked and I am sure there are many more to come. However i have collected allot of beautiful images of my art work along my travels.
So naturally after a decade of collecting these images I decided I would like to share them with all of you! Due to the volume of images though many have been seen still many more have not yet passed from one hand to next so we may share them with you. But until then I do have plenty to play with yet.
Now on the red ant etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheRedAntLLC
Professionally printed 4×6 photo of original art work by Red Ant LLc. Photo mounted on 5×7 white embossed Photo mount card. Card is blank inside and comes with envelope and protective sleeve.
not only can you purchase photo cards now but you can also buy matted prints in various of sizes. 5×7, 16×20 and so on……..
Very exciting indeed! I have been wanting to do this for a very long time now and just haven’t had the chance to get around to it till now.
Eventually I would like to have t-shirts and such made with Red Ant images on them but that is later on down the road. A girl has to start somewhere and getting the cards and matted prints done was a long and awaited and overdue.
To purchase Photo greetings cards or enlarged matted prints click on one of the links below
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheRedAntLLC
or
Here is a video made by one of Raw artist team for RawArtistTv on Youtube (Video guys name unknown) . I had the pleasure of participating in a Raw event this last February of 2013.
So back in January 2013 I received a phone call from Raw asking if I would participate in their event. I do love collaborating and working with new people. So naturally I said yes.
Since then I have been approached by other organizations to participate int heir events which are similar to RAW and I have sadly turned them down. Its not that I didn’t enjoy working with RAW or I don’t believe in what they do because that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I think creating a platform for new young artists to showcase their work is an amazing thing and I wish more people and organizations would do so. There are many talented and amazing young people out there that just need help finding a direction on where to showcase or even how to go about it.
So….here is my thing. I’m not a young new artist that’s has not be in the scene or ever gotten my feet wet. For me Raw was an awesome experience and I got to see how others are doing things. I also got to meet some amazing talented young women and men and I had the pleasure of working with a few as well. However that being said. When all said and done and all that Raw promises they do, I didn’t feel they did enough for their talent. The way they have their formula set up is that every Raw artists involved in this event was to sell 20 tickets at $10 each. if you couldn’t sell them then you had to pay for the rest…meaning regardless whether you sell them or not they are charging you $200 to participate in their event. Now the problem with that for me is all of these people sell their tickets to family and friends so Raw Has you sell all the tickets and we have a packed house of family and friends. Now one could argue we did pack the house and now you have expanded your network amoungst others family and friends…..the problem is that all these family and friends came to do is support…..not to buy, shop, invest, publish, network etc. Everyone wants a packed house but you want it NOT to be one big family gathering if you are trying to get exposure, network, meet potential clients etc.
I was also told that they would be promoting this event but that we should promote ourselves as well to help get the word out. well if you are a new young artist your going to this organization and you paying $200 so you don’t have to mostly because you don’t have or know the resources to do so. So naturally one would assume that the organization that is holding this event is promoting, running adds maybe, perhaps hooking up with the local radio station something. Well as the event was approaching I searched and i listened and i found nothing. There was a small little add for it under the venue listing int he local paper. it mentions it on its face book page and i am sure a few other places within their own network but mostly they rely on the artist s selling tickets and their own word of mouth. It makes sense considering that if each artist involved sells 20 tickets , they wouldn’t need to advertise much and get the word out seeing how they artists would pack the house themselves. I guess for me my question remains do he artists who participate in RAW help build and promote their portfolio or did they help get your name out there.
what I personally would like to see to see it moving more in the direction of…….I would like to see them highlight one or two f their artists for each show by getting them to talk about their art and the event on the local radio channel. maybe get public tv station (access i think it is called) to come out and do a story on the event live. Give away tickets through promotions on radio or online through one of their cyber medias (facebook or their own website) maybe get involved with the college radio so they can advertise through them (the colleges usually have their own papers as well that they could have writes up in). get some of these artists interviews or articles written up about them in the local papers or website magazines. have some of their stories told………..who are these artists involved in these events and why aren’t they showcased and promoted before the event? I would like to see these artists getting promoted and showing them the ropes with getting their names and their art out there and through this promoting your organization and selling tickets. .
Please don’t take me the wrong way because I do not have hard feelings towards this organization or any for that matter that is doing this sort of thing for artists. i am simply just sharing my own views and observations of my own experience in the industry and working with this organization or any for that matter. The video promo they made for me I think is really amazing which is why I am posting it here in my blog and sharing it with all of you. AS well they had this very talented photographer that took all these amazing shots in this post and i feel very blessed to have received them. I do wish they would have let me know who these talented individuals are that took these photos and video so I might be able to give them proper credit for their work.
BONUS OFFER…….Since we are on the subject of media and new talent looking to build their portfolios. ….Red Ant is looking for a Freelance for hire $$$$$. I need someone to write articles and actually get them published. If your interested please contact me and let me know what you think you can do .
I have been playing with yarn since i was a very little girl so it didn’t seem that far fetched that I would attempt o construct a pair of wings with the same basic tools as to make a hat. My first pair I did was back in summer of 1999. I had set fire to my wedding gown and watched the bottom half completely burn off. When putting it out I discovered it had this beautiful fire fringed edging that actually inspired what would be the beginning of something delightful. It looked so magical and yet something was missing. I found some old wire hangers in the back of my closet and began taking them apart. I pulled out the crocheting tools and began my work. Wrapping the wires fully with floral tape and then finally connecting the end together creating two circles that intertwined and connected in the middle. I pulled and stretched until the took shape that I desired and then wrapped some more with floral tape. I found some white fuzzy yarn and began crocheting tightly around my circles. once they had fully crocheted edges i began knotting and wrapping my string to create a spider web throughout my piece. I cut strips of yarn and began to tie them in slip knots at every cross section on my spider web. this takes much patience and lots of tie and cutting. once my wings were nice and fluffy i started gluing in white and cream colored turkey feathers I had. Now all that was left was a way to secure them to my back. I rope belt seemed efficient enough so i took many spools of yarn and began crocheting them together to create a long and thick chain. with a little adjusting i looped and tie it through the center of my two circles and over my shoulders, then under my arms and around my back where I simple created a bow.
and the story of my first pair of wings……………..
Not much has changed since then except i no longer use wire hangers. Honesty i am not even sure one gets wire hangers anymore these days. I prefer copper wire or really thick gardening wire that is like 9 gage. its thick and hard to bend and with some basic hardware you can fasten it and have a really strong structure that wont bend and squish and flop throughout the night. My originals thought had a beautiful delicate look to them were indeed delicate. These days you can jump and bounce around all night and the structure will keep its shape.
To purchase your own set of Red Ant Wings
Click BUY NOW button below to order your very own CUSTOM MADE Wings remember to to list colors and any special requests you might have for them when you place your order.
OR……you can see see if there is any pairs you fancy that are already in our catalog. just follow one of the links below.
Every culture, religion or just any individual standing alone has their own interpretation to symbols, or has their own beliefs for the meaning of objects, symbols, actions etc……..I think you get what i am trying to say.
Growing up I found myself surrounded by many different types of religion and belief systems. My mother was christian, my father baptist, my grandparents catholic and Jewish. We celebrated a little of all in the house and I toured most churches in the Los Angles area growing up.
I think the one thing that stuck with me throughout my life from such exposure was a basic baseline of morals, from right to wrong as well a huge sense of modesty. Beyond that I learned to FEAR, to fear death and to fear my own basic instincts as well trust that life has a natural process and will balance itself if only allowed.
My parents were not just religious, they were also artists and intellectuals as well modern day hippies of their time. We spent allot of time in nature, hiking, boating on the lake, watching the perfect sunset on the beach etc. They also exposed us more than I think they realize to different cultures, ways of life and walks of life that most children would not have had the opportunity to see or experience. ….good or bad.
For me there is no right or wrong there just is. to each their own but for myself I have based most of my beliefs from personal experiences in my life and how it resonates within me.
If you look at early years of Red Ant you will notice there are allot of symbols that have influenced my work and took hold from the very beginning. The one that has been consistent from the very beginning is the Raven
The Raven for me is where it all began……………
Ravens have many different meanings but for me they represent death and beyond. They are the messengers from the other side and remind me that we are not alone. They have one foot in the realm of the living while the other is on the other side of the veil. They guide us out of the darkness and into the light.
My very first Red Ant piece was a male and female version of a raven. I constructed them from netting, yarn and assorted bird feathers while bed ridden and unable to walk. They were created from my pain of dying on the side of that road Thanksgiving weekend and this rebirth I was quickly thrown into. Through my own death symbolically and almost literally my life was changing, I was changing and it was painful and sorrowful and much was being released. The more i surrendered to it, the more I cried and the more I created. The more manic I became, the more questions i had and the more I listened the more I cried out. Nothing looked the same, nothing felt the same and nothing would be the same ever again.
“Creating Beauty from Sadness”
To see more images of Ravens throughout Red Ant
click the links below
http://www.redantfashion.com/photovideo.html
https://www.facebook.com/bellsandstitches/photos_albums
Trivia question……….who was the original male raven outfit made for and whom currently owns the coat?
This is a double question as the person the coat was originally made for and the person who currently owns the coat are not the same
For anyone who can answer this question I will custom make you your very own pair of raven wings.
it seems fashion and beauty are all wrapped into one. Some see fashion only as wearing it if it is functional while others its solely on how it looks and makes you feel. Although…..sometimes looking good and feeling good in your attire don’t always go hand in hand. Sometimes looking amazing is a painful process. Women s Hair is a perfect example of this.
So if your anything like me you don’t have much hair to work with and i don’t have time for it to grow beautiful and long so i have some to work with.
Back in the spring of 2000 I was dying skeins of yarn for my mothers hat business when i came across a spool of Mohair yarn. The way it felt and moved it reminded me my childhood and “Fragle Rock” . “Red” was my favorite Muppet. She had these huge pom pom pick tails that bounced around on her head. So naturally I dyed that particular skein bright crimpson Red.
I created two rubber bands with strips of thin elastic so they would be strong but smaller then normal pony tail holders. I then cut the yarn into strips. once i had my pile of yarn all cut i began tying the yarn around the elastic circles i had created. Soon i had two identical hair ties out of beautiful fluffy bright red Mohair. I then grabbed to normal rubber-bands and created to pick tails on top of my own head. After i got my pick tails in place i wrapped a red fluffy scarf I had found in my closet around the front of my head. I attached my Mohair Yarn creations over and on my pick tails and I instantly had cute fluffy yarn hair.
As time when on my new hair had changed and progressed as any creation does with time. the hair pieces became longer and i played with different ways of constructing them. I did some with the elastic like my first pair and then others i created and glued on top of plastic hair claw clips (they were fun and easy but the clips after time gave you a headache from pinching your head tight for so long). I started playing with adding fake hair in the hair pieces and cutting strips of fabric and ribbon and adding them in them.
Eventually i grew tired of the process of getting them off and on my head every night. Every time i got dressed up I had to go through this while process of getting them on and off.
A friend of mine in Seattle knew how to do hair extensions. I had asked her if it was possible to do them but use yarn or other fibers instead of hair. I cut the strips and she began parting my hair. 6 hours later i had a full head of hair of braids constructed out of yarn that extended down to my waist. i didn’t have to pin, adjust, wrap or anything. it sat like long braids on top of my head and all i had to do was style it. I fell in love!
To purchase your own set of Red Ant hair extensions
Click BUY NOW button below to order your very own CUSTOM MADE hair extensions. remember to to list colors and any special requests you might have for them when you place your order.
OR……you can see see if there is any pairs you fancy that are already in our catalog. just follow one of the links below.
So, i am still working on this whole video thing….I promise as soon as i figure it out you all will be the first to know.
As we are discussing Ratz or Leg warmers right now, i thought i would show you some other ideas for your leg coverings. …..
Back when i lived in Seattle, 2003-2004 in a house Known as “Bluehouse” (no… the house was not blue) I designed with whatever I could get my hands on. I didn’t have allot of money for supplies so all donations and hand me downs had to do. I was given a box of neck ties and I had seen people use them for designing clothes over the years. I was never really excited over the skirts and tops I had seen created from them so i didn’t want to reproduce something I would never wear myself. Just the same the easiest way to figure out what to do with something is to start playing with it. when seem ripping the Ties open and pressing them flat I discovered they already have the perfect shape for a woman’s leg cover. they are skinny and then naturally bell out. Naturally decided to see if I could design a pair of Ratz.
First I picked out colors that matched and then i began ripping and ironing flat. i stitched all the sides together until they wrapped around my leg nicely and still had room to bend and move. they fit snug above the knee and flare bell bottom style as they float down to the ankle. I used small pieces of fabric to create loops in front and back of the top of each leg to connect the garter belt. I tried to use the natural shape of the Ties so i left the points of the bottom of the ties and let them hang naturally at the bottom. around the top I rolled and sew the edges raggedly giving it each its own look keeping it a little raw in style. below is a pic of how they turned out.
TRIVIA QUESTION………So for anyone that can answer this question, I will personally design and create a pair of Ratz just for you in your favorite colors free of charge!!!!
Above I stated I lived in a house in Seattle referred to as “Bluehouse”…..who can tell me what is “Bluehouse’??
To purchase your own set of Red Ant Tie Ratz
Click BUY NOW button below to order your very own CUSTOM MADE Tie Ratz. Remember to to list colors and any special requests you might have for them when you place your order.
OR……you can see see if there is any pairs you fancy that are already in our catalog. just follow one of the links below.
The Red Ant Memoire 