Wedding gowns can be big and bulky — not the ideal decoration in your home—until you’ve seen Cyndie Wilkins’ creations. Many women want to save this memorable investment, but most of the time they end up sealed in boxes—maybe taken out 30 years later for a daughter or niece to try on.

Cyndie Wilkins painted a red dress for an auction, and two friends recommended she start painting wedding dresses.

“One friend told me I should paint gowns,” Cyndie says, “and then my hairdresser said something to me about it. It finally got me thinking ‘after two people said something to me so close together, maybe I should give it a try.’”

Cyndie started drawing when she was young.

“There were no art classes in school, so I took private lessons,” she says. “I originally went to college to become an art teacher, but studied family and consumer sciences instead.”

Cyndie has several of her paintings on exhibit at Samurai J in Daphne, and a few pieces are for sale. She also commissions her paintings.

Wedding gowns

She began painting wedding gowns a few months ago and the word has spread.

“It’s a neat little remembrance of the special day,” Cyndie says. “You can enjoy your gown all the time instead of it being in a box.”

Cyndie adds details to the painting, just like the actual gown. If there is beading, she adds beading to her painting. It’s not just a white, flat painting; it’s personal and detailed like actual dress.

“I add tucks, ruching and lace,” Cyndie says. “My eye for clothing construction helps me understand the silhouette and details.”

These dresses are unusual gifts for the parents or grandparents of the bride.

“A husband could give this to his wife for an anniversary or Christmas,” Cyndie says. “It’s not something you can buy at Bed, Bath and Beyond or Pottery Barn.”

All wedding dresses have the date of the wedding at the bottom of the painting in decorative scroll or as part of the hanger, holding the dress. If someone is wearing pearls, and would like to add them to the painting, Cyndie can add them as well.

All Cyndie needs from her clients is a full-front photo of the dress, date of the wedding and the background color of choice. For different examples, visit her website.

Cyndie will also paint other dresses, such as event dresses, Mardi Gras gowns, costumes and other specialty dresses.

Cookbook

Cyndie not only paints, but has also created a cookbook.

“When my kids moved out, they were constantly calling for recipes,” she says. “I typed recipes and sent them, and the collection grew larger and larger.”

Cyndie gave the books to friends and family as gifts.

“Then everybody wanted them,” she says.

“From LA to LA” is a book of recipes from Cyndie’s Louisiana recipes, her husband’s mother’s recipes and new recipes they’ve discovered in Alabama.

“I grew up in Louisiana and moved to lower Alabama, so that’s where the name came from,” Cyndie says.

The recipe book also has helpful hints about staying safe in the kitchen and other tips, such as making a roux. The book was published in 2009 and can be found at Page and Palette and The Village Peddler in Fairhope.

Cyndie’s website contains all of her creations, photos and activities in a blog. Order forms for her cookbook are available online and pictures of her gowns she has painted.

“My website is called Gumbo Creations,” she says. “Gumbo is a mixture of different things, and my website contains all aspects of what I do.”

Harvest Bird Seed Muffins

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup canola or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups grated carrots

1 cup grated zucchini

1/2 cup hulled millet (purchase at health food store)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/3 dried coconut

1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

1. Beat sugar and oil together for three minutes in a mixer.
2. Add eggs and vanilla, beat two minutes.
3. Combine the dry ingredients; add to the egg mixture, mixing until well blended.
4. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix well.
5. Fill lined muffin cups 2/3 cups full.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 – 20 minutes on the center oven rack.
7. Makes about 2 dozen muffins.

Good served with orange marmalade!

PEOPLE PROFILE

NAME: Cyndie Wilkins

OCCUPATION: Teacher, painter and cookbook author

EMAIL: FCScyndie@bellsouth.net

WEBSITE: GumboCreations.com