March 7
 It has been a week since the dress project. No, I do not miss it. I have been feeling so liberated. How lucky am I to decide what I want to wear every morning? Hah....but I know now that it really does not matter what I choose to wear, it matters what I choose to do. I have been super busy trying to catch up on everything else and am now getting ready to go find a job, one that pays money....so i can continue making art and living in this beautiful city. I have learned a lot from this project and it has helped me see the world a bit differently. I hope it has made an impact on you as well. Thank you all for your support, I just cant say it enough. If you are in Missoula and would like to check out our senior thesis show it will be at the Gallery of Visual Arts and the UC Gallery at the University of Montana, April 26-May 11th. Opening reception is on the 26th from 5-7. HAPPY MARCH!!!

The End
 There are things that I am finally allowing myself to realize now that I am done with this piece. Such as....I have been unable to relate to anyone else for the entire month...everyone else has been unable to relate to me. This idea, project, and myself, became one and everything else seemed pretty far away. That being said, I want to apologize to those that I love, for being absent as a friend, daughter, sister, granddaughter, aunt, niece, cousin, and babysitter. Having spent nearly thirty days in this performance, I would hope that energy and commitment has been paid off. I am now granting myself time to get caught up with the rest of us. I may not throw away much, but I will not be sewing it on to myself......for at least a week. HAH! but seriously....I've been as loud as I can and now I need to just sit back and listen....what a weird month.

Day 29
So I managed to squeeze a few hours of sleep in, but I was not able to finish the dress. There is just too much crap. I could have just stuck it all on there, but after investing so much time and energy into this project, it just didn't feel right. So I guess my work will continue even though I will no longer be wearing it. For now....the show must go on! It looks like we are getting some heavy weather and I am praying that it is snow and not rain because this dress is not even close to being water-proof. Oh....if you are a blog viewer and live here in Missoula, you should come and celebrate the long month of February. The KettleHouse on the North-side is hosting a Sadie Hawkins pint night for MUD. I am pretending that it is my reception! I will be there from 6-8 and would be happy to celebrate with those who have been following. WOW!!! down to hours now

Day 28
   One more day!!!! I have been working all day and will continue to work all night in attempt to finish the dress before the grand finale tomorrow. I thought I would include a picture of the desk in my studio just to show you the type of environment that I have been living in this month. Absolute chaos. Looking back I can not believe how fast this month has gone. I really do not know how to express my gratitude to all of those who have been supporting me throughout this project. I also do not know how to describe how fortunate I am to be able to see this through. Well I have to get back to work and prepare, but stay tuned for tomorrow's update!! There will be some hilarious photos and commentary if this goes well.YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 27
 So I finally found a place to put Bonny's tag. Bonny is the name of the dress. We joined forces today....I had to give a shout out to the dress because without the dress, the piece would not exist. We are a pair. I also tackled some of the phone book. I only have one more day to work and the amount of stuff that still needs to find a place is overwhelming. The end is near.

Day 25 & 26
 I cant believe that I have only three days left in the dress. The possibilities that await March are so exciting and I feel ready for anything. I have learned so much about myself through this project that I cant wait to apply it all to my life. Change will come and is a crucial part of the next chapter. Three days of hard, long, work and I will be done!!!

Day 24
 Is it so bizarre that I have found myself to be more confident in a wedding dress made of trash than I ever did in my plain t shirt and jeans? Thinking about life after this project is a bit intimidating. I have become to feel so comfortable with myself when I am wearing the dress. Its an honesty that I seem to not be able to communicate in any other outfits. What do our clothes really have to do with our interactions with others?  I hope that I can take this strange confidence with me when the dress comes off and stays off...It has been really good for me.

Day 23
 Today was awesome.

Day 22
I think that I am one of the luckiest people I know. I love my friends! Kat.....I just want you to know that I have never been so proud to dance with a hot dog, thank you for taking some of the attention away. Last night we went to a show at the Top Hat and boogied all night, only this time I was not the only weirdo out there. My mood may have started out rough yesterday, but by the end of the day I was smiling to my ears. Some things seem so silly to get worked up about....like things we have no control over. This experience has been extremely humbling at times. Hope yall had a great and fat Tuesday. Bowling is on again for tomorrow, stay tuned.

Day 21
No bowling......I got stood up. So I got to go to bed, but I woke up and it is still February.

Day 20
I am beat. My back does not want to support any further work for the day. This project has become the sole focus of my life. If I am not wearing the dress, participating in life, I am working on the dress or dreaming about the dress. I can not wait until March 1st, when I can get a break. It is both mentally and physically exhausting. I'm drinking a cup of coffee though because in a bit I am going bowling with a friend. I've been looking forward to this for a while but right now I just want to sleep and wake up in March. I hope I can pull it together. Only 9 more days!

Day 19
    I made some big improvements this weekend. I put in about 20 hours of work, and squeezed in some time to sleep and run errands. My fingers need a break though so I'm trying to rally the girls to go to Jazz martini night. Thanks Izzy, for the great photos!

Day 18
 I woke up and realized I needed dog food. I desperately wanted go stay in my p.j.'s and just make a quick trip to the grocery store. Instead I shimmied my way into the dress and zipped it up as far as I could. I somehow was able to squeeze in to my car, which made bringing home the 15 lbs of dog food a whole lot easier. After the epic adventure of Safeway I spent the day catching up on the past few days of waste. Tonight I felt as if I should go out and be around people but I cant do that every day. I lack the funding and the desire. I have a busy week coming up and I have to take advantage of the work time right now. Lately I have been feeling like I am the queen of garbage or an insane seamstress collector. Depends on the situation. I'm excited about the additions I made today, I got some green plastic and several cans sewn on. I will update photos tomorrow. 10 more days!!

Day 17
I am starting to resemble an inside out, white, bag of garbage. I caught my reflection in the window of a car dealership on my walk home and couldn't help but stare at the crazy trash lady looking back at me. Hah! I have to walk now everywhere because it is too difficult to get into my car. I like walking but every day this dress gets heavier and trickier to move around in. I also get a lot more weird looks when i'm prancing around downtown or walking over the bridge, I usually just smile and say hi to the gawkers but every once in a while I'll return the stare and look at them as if they were the crazy ones.....that always makes me laugh. I think sometime soon I will loose the privilege of sitting down. I am running out of room in the front of the dress and need to start attaching to the back side. I think I can make it a week without sitting down....I guess I don't have a choice.

Side note* Since I have been walking everywhere lately, I can not help but notice every piece of garbage that is scattered around the city. I want so badly to pick it up but it is not mine, and that is a different project, I am only keeping track of myself with this one. So blogveiwers...please pick up a piece of trash instead of just walking around it. thank you.

Day 16
I had a great day. I walked with pride and left my fear at home, tucked away in a secret spot. It is better to hold your head high, then to stare at the ground. The least I can do is believe in myself and the idea. It's okay if some people don't look, if one does...it's worth it. I am grateful for the chance to visualize the idea and to really learn from the information. Make your own rules.

Day 15
 Long day of working on the dress. I had some serious catching up to do. I'm lucky I don't get as much junk mail as my roomate. However, yesterday I went to get the mail and there was a phonebook and a tool catalog that was as thick as the phone book. A part of me wanted to just leave them and deal with them next month, but my more logical part grabbed them and brought them up to the studio. So today is my lucky day, i get to tear apart a phone book and some junk mail, shred it, and attach it to the dress. There is a lot of paper in the world due to my existence. No, I do not possibly need another phonebook, and No, I do not need a 300 page tool catalog..it seems like such a waste. But not this month, nothing is being wasted. I better get back to work. Thanks for the support everyone!!! It really makes a difference!

Day 14
Happy Valentines Day!! Two weeks down.....two to go. Good thing I still have enough room.

Day 13
    My optimism took a turn and for some reason, last night I began to doubt myself. For the first time since this idea came to me, I couldn't make sense of it. Why was I trying to make this trash pretty when the truth is so ugly. When I began this project, I did not know how it was going to go or how I was going to attach all of this waste to my dress. I began spending time manipulating and creating things out of the trash and realized that the time working made sense considering the little time we normally spend with these objects. In a way, it has been easier for me to disguise the evidence so that I can be proud of it rather than acknowledge my own weaknesses. If I can't accept my own waste, how can I expect others to do the same. I see now that I can manipulate the evidence, but I still represent it. I am wearing a gown made of a collection of the products I buy and support, a direct representation. What do I represent? This is a question we need to ask ourselves and consider when we buy and support our contributors. I know that this project and idea will change throughout this month as well as how this experience will change me. Doubt is a weakness and the faster we can overcome it, the faster we can move forward.
I will update photos tomorrow.
* If you haven't seen the documentary Wasteland, I suggest you watch it
* Also check out on Youtube: The Story of Stuff

Day 11 & 12
The weekend was great! I got to hang out with a bunch of friends, and I got a lot of work done on the dress, though I still haven't gotten caught up yet with all of my evidence yet. I decided to include a picture of my drawing board. I draw to figure out where to put everything on the dress. I've been thinking about making a suit out of dollar bills to go with the dress, but I have not decided that yet. There are many possibilities. That was the theme of the weekend....."anything is possible" which is a pretty exciting thing to realize.


Highlights of the Weekend
1. Making a new friend
2. New snowfall
3. Having fun in the dress

Lowlights of the Weekend
1. Sewing = back aches
2. Always having to talk about the dress

Day 10

 I'm not tired of wearing the dress, I'm tired of talking about the dress. I'm tired of being the center of attention. I knew that this was going to be the hardest part of the project because typically I like to fly under the radar. I try not to draw attention to myself and I'm terrified of awkward encounters with strangers. But here I am, encouraging everyone to look at and consider what I'm putting out there. So blog viewers I am asking something of you. If you have an idea, an opinion, or a question about the ways we function in this world.....just put it out there. Hang up a sign, make a t-shirt, or write it down on every napkin you leave, whatever. Just share it with the rest of us, because otherwise it will forever be in your mind and the world may be waiting to hear what you have to say. Individuality is not in the way you wear your jeans, but in the way you contribute to others, through your ideas, mannerisms, and actions. BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.

Day 9
     It was a good day! I was too busy running around that I hardly noticed the dress. Except for when I would sit on a safety pin, or talk to a cute guy, hahaha then i'd remember. Its really not so bad though. I apologize for no photo update, but I have misplaced my camera cord, i will try to post a few later today.

Day 7&8

        Well I made it a week! only three to go......hmmmm. Things are going pretty good. The dress is getting slightly awkward to get around in, but that issue is only going to get worse, so I have to just get used to it. I sometimes feel pretty silly wearing around this giant white collection of paper, containers, and what not. Often though, I feel a sense of pride. Its a strange thing to put it all out there, I cant hide anything. If you look at the dress long enough you can figure out what I have been doing and where I have been for the past week. I have decided that me and my trash are on the same team. We both have very little control over their existence. By creating new things with the trash I am able to let it exist as something else, something pretty, or funny. I'm giving it a second chance, rather than putting it in the trash, then the dumpster, then the dump, then the earth, to forever exist there. Maybe we just need to have a little more respect for these inanimate objects, give them another chance. That is something we do have control over. 

Day 6


Highlights of the Day
1.Added my first robot!
2. Acquired a name tag and tinfoil
3. Still have friends

Lowlights of the Day
1. The art building is really hot & I spent most of my day there
2. The dress needs some fine-tuning so I can still get around
3. I ate a frozen pizza last night and have a lot of packaging to deal with
4. Still have 3 weeks

 

Just another day at the office

Day 5

 Everyday involves more and more work on the dress. I still have errands to run and a life to live, so any chance I get I need to be working on the dress. I have been making flowers and designs but that is getting a bit boring. I can't make flowers every day for a month, I'm just not that kind of person. I've been thinking about creating a robot army that makes up the bottom of the dress....almost as if the trash was morphing into a smart and destructive army, ready to rage agains the industries that have controlled them their entire life. I haven't decided yet for sure.  I'm getting better at sewing so who knows what will happen. Big day tomorrow.

Day 4


Highlights of the Day
1. Someone telling me they thought of me when they took their trash out last night
2. My friend asking why people were staring at her when we walked in to the grocery store.
3. Neon straws!!

Lowlights of the Day
1. Back is starting to ache from working on my garb

   

     So, I'm sorry that I did not check in last night....I was too busy out parading around town and dancing at the Little Smokies show. First Friday Art Walk brings in a lot of folk and good weather on a Friday ensured that my downtown public debut would not go unnoticed. I actually had a really fun night, I was able to forget that I was wearing this giant gaudy wedding dress a few times. I must be aware of the scissors though when I'm dancing, I cut myself enough times just sewing the dress together. I am starting to realize some things that are going to come along with this project. I have never been so aware of my consumption before in my life. I spend quite a bit of time cutting and sewing up every piece of evidence that I cant help but start to change the way I do things. I have to keep up with my own consumption, so I always have to be working on this dress. If I drink a PBR because I'm stressed out working on the dress, I get mad at myself when I have to cut it up and sew it on when I'm all done with it. I directly pay the price for everything that I would waste/recycle. Also some people treat me differently because of this project. If something is uncomfortable for some people to acknowledge it is easier for them to look away, pretend it is not there. But I am here, and I'm going to be here all month, reminding myself and my viewers of the commitment we have with the industry.

Highlights of the Day

1. I can still dance in the dress

2. Haven't fallen yet

3. Hanging out with friends that aren't weirded out by the dress or me 

4. Realizing Valentines day was this month.

Lowlights of the Day

1. Spending 8 hrs. sewing on my second day's worth of evidence

2. It is only day 3....

3. Realizing Valentines day was this month.

Highlights of the day                                             
1. Going to Walmart                                             
2. Getting two helpers to carry my dress up 3 flights of stairs                                                              
3. Gaining more support!                                           

Lowlights of the day
1. Realizing that I'm going to have to shower more to keep the dress from smelling too bad
2. Discovering the amount of work it is going to take to keep up with my excessive relationship

February 2nd.
The first day went pretty good. I have put some miles on the dress already and i think it is going to hold up. The main struggles are: walking up and stairs, going to the bathroom, being anywhere that is warm, and remembering to not throw anything away. I had to go back to the bathroom yesterday to retrieve my paper towel I accidentally threw out. I am trying to live my life as normal as possible, so I even went to the brewery last night for a beer with a friend. Sure I am getting strange looks, but if you watch long enough you may see me eat a chocolate take the wrapper, turn it into a flower, then use my tools to sew it on to the dress. It is always a work in progress, any down time is spent sewing and sorting through my collection, which is constantly growing. Speaking of which, I am just about to head to Walmart to exchange a hard drive. Its going to be awesome! I'll be sure to post a new photo every day to keep everyone up to date.

February 1st.
It is day one of the Missoula Dress Project. I woke up a bit haggard because I had a hard time sleeping last night. It was like the night before a real wedding, I was so nervous I thought I was going to throw up. However, I am committed to this idea and this performance, so I woke up, put the dress on, and got to work, because I already had finished off a cream cheese container and needed to sit and attach it. The hardest part was walking out the door, I paced around gaining every bit of courage before I began the journey walking to campus. Now that i've made it 5 hrs in the dress, I am feeling more comfortable. I will be taking photos and video to document the process and the accumulation of my dress.