Knitting, snow and Lomography dreaming

Hello. Well I have returned back, to Brisbane, from my trip home to Scotland. You may know, or not, that floods of an epic scale have hit Queensland over the last week. Fortunately we live on a hill out of the reach of the muddy water. Of course others are not as fortunate and now the big job of cleaning up begins.

When I was in Scotland there was big disruptions with serve cold weather and snow. So from one end of the scale to the other. I did really enjoy my trip home, seeing family and friends was great. I mostly just hung out with my parents. It must be in my blood to enjoy wrapping up warm and walking about in the cold!

One of the only semi- reliable and safer ways of getting around was by train. So took my knitting needles out of my case and got on with my cardi while the winter landscape went flying past. I am quite new to knitting and its a slow process. I also worked out that I have been adding extra rows on, duh. My Nana assures me that once you have knitted your first garment that you get faster.

I got heaps of lovely presents, mostly costumes pattern books. But on thing I did get was a Lomograpghy Diana camera. You can see it in the picture above. I have taken some photos with it, but they still have to be developed. You may remember my post when I day dreamed of having one... well I do now and it is aptly named   'Dreamer'. Plus the fact that it is sherbet mint is very agreeable.

xx

A dress for buttons

While reading all my favorite blogs this morning I skipped over to Frankie and read some old posts.

I now have to own my own house because I need, yes not want, really need this wallpaper! Its button wallpaper, how sweet!

Loving it.

Plus on the Frankie website there was a link to The Package Project. A very sweet idea to connect us craft-arty bloggers. You sign up to be partnered with another crafter somewhere else in the world and then send each other up to five items of loveliness in one ickle envelope. The sign up date is closed for this session. So I thought that I would use this as inspiration for my first ever give away.

It is a bit like lucky dip. I will make up two 5 item envelopes of crafty goodness to give away. Just leave a comment and then I will randomly select two people to send the goodies too :)

Well today I found a cute dress in an op-shop for $7. The shape was tent like but the fabric so bright and happy. The details of the shoulders reminded me of my Vogue 1940's costume too. So I decided to do a quick refashion using shirring. Yay!

Here is what it looked like before its morph via elastic...

I measured just under my bust and then just one inch on to my high hip (and just before the pockets on the dress, yes a dress with pockets, for mini Easter bunnies).

I then loaded my bobbin with shirring elastic and sewed in parallel lines half and inch apart from the line at the high hip to the line just under the bust. I also chopped of ten inches to make it a fun flirty length. Here she is...

Ahhh, so satisfying! Minimal work for a new dress. I got some other op-shop goodies but I will show you them soon! I still have a major amount of packging to do for our move and erm I am finding the most incredible bargains, plus, te he, hehe, te he... I got engaged!!! Whoooooooooooooooooooo!

xx

Once upon a zine

It is rainy ole Welly today... so I have been rummaging on the Internet for something new and interesting. I love Wellington library and so while checking out the website I looked in to their blog section on Zines and then stumbled on a zine from Canada called WORN. I am going there tomorrow to check it out pronto.

In their mission statement they say;

"WORN discusses the cultures, subcultures, histories, and personal stories of fashion."

That's enough to want me to read it. You can buy copies from their ESTY store or maybe your library as a copy of their Zine too.

I am still trying to sew my green silk dress together, but now that it is raining and there is no sunshine to tempt me out doors its the perfect day to sew. I am also thinking of having a clear out of my closet or is that just procrastination? Mmmmmmmm.

xx

Festive hello!

I hope that you all had an amazing Christmas Day, ate well and were merry. I had a lovely day with my family and friends and ate lots of yummy food. I also got amazing gifts. I wrote about one of my favourite artists a while ago and lamented how a print of one of her works had eluded me.

Well no longer. I received an authentic, signed print of a work titled 'If only you were here' by none other than Audrey Kawaski ... and here it is.

I love it. I can sit on the sofa and stare at it with my full belly and glass of wine.

xx

Back on track...

I gave my blog a festive present and birthday treat all in one... a little make over. I got some cards made up and now my blog matches my cards. Still little bits to do but they will get done without you noticing too much :)

I was going to go through all my old blog images and change the border colours but well... I have got better things to do, like day dream over presents I would buy myself.

First up would be a Retro Glider by Raleigh, ok there are more expensive versions but I had a gold Raleigh when I was a nipper and I LOVED it.

Then of course Anthropologie needs a visit, this wonderful blouse, dress and top would be my current top picks... but I would wear the dress. Then as I rode on my new bike in my new dress I would stop and snap away with my LOMO Diana... ahhhhh daydreaming.

Hope yours come true.

xx

Lovely

I live in a wonderful spot in Wellington, Island Bay, and to get into town I have to drive along a looooong road... lucky for me then at my first set of traffic lights I get to gaze into the windows of the shop and studio of Emma.

I have gazed and I finally went in. Beautiful clothes by fashion designer and director Emma Wallace. Sumptuous materials, stylish prints and quirky detailing. Check them out for yourself at the shop or online at Emma Collections. Not only is there clothes but a very great collection of accessories. Plus Emma is lovely too. Perfect.

Up and coming is a chance for you to get some local hand made gifts for the holidays. From the 18th to the 24th of December at the Thistle Hall Gallery, Upper Cuba Street is JUST GOOD STUFF. Check out the blog for a preview of some of the good stuff on offer.

Some good stuff for me was noticing that my major work dress was project of the week on BurdaStyle, sweet as. I got lots of very kind comments too, thank you.


Today I have been listening to Kings of Convenience and then watched some of their videos and here is one of my favourites.


xx

Its love!

Oh golly gosh perfection does exist after all... I love this dress from the colours, to the modern lace work, to the shape, the graphic quality, yum, yum, yum! It is from Alexander McQeen's 2010 resort collection.

I am busy, busy finishing costumes for the graduation show, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, and tailoring, then waiting for graduation... which means making my grad dress... but hey I may find a couple of thousand hiding in an old shoe under our house and be able to get the dress above *sigh*

I will be finished school this week so expect some bumper updates in the next couple of weeks. Until then make a date and check out CRAFT 2.0 this Saturday, 24th of October and make room for Fabric-a-brac, Saturday 14th of November.

xx

Put it all together...

I would like all these things to wear under my cosy velvet jacket, but since I made a pledge to not by new for 6 months and the fact I have zero dollars to spend on off the rack clothes I will have to dream a little... or make similar things myself!

The hat, cargo pants and bag are all from the heavenly Anthropologie *sigh* and the shoes are from my favorite shoe shop back home in the UK, Office. The top is from Arden B , ain't it sweet!

I think I will have a go at creating similar pants as I have a deep thick purple silk fabric in my stash just waiting for such a project. When I get back to do some crochet the top could be possible... if only father time would allow for such fanciful things. Its still study work all the time at the moment.

I do however love day dreaming...

xx

A for A.P.C

I do have a little thing for all things A.P.C. and looking on their website I decided in my virtual purse to buy the outfits below. I am feeling a little unwell and a little trip to Paris in the summer to shop at A.P.C. would be the best medicine... along with yummy treats from the pâtisserie.


I like the laid back style, I think if I ever find the time I may use them as inspiration for my refashioning and make new projects. But its finding the time, I am so busy (which is a good thing). Today and tomorrow I am working on the light dress.

Weeks ago Karen and myself did create some samples of a simple circuit and played around with some fabrics on top to refract the light. It was heaps of fun, but this weekend we

are stepping it up and developing a full mock up. Below are some pictures from our light sampling and in the image above you can see the flexible circuit.

Better get on with it! have fun xx

Dear fashion godmother...

... can I please have this
and this...

and this...



... minus the hair do's as it is so windy in Wellington :)

Check out more of John Galliano's ready to wear here

xx