Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Wednesday Wardrobe Challenge: This is just what I wore today

I haven't done a Wednesday Wardrobe Challenge for a while - I've just had so much on that I haven't had too much time to think about it. 

So instead of Wednesday Wardrobe Challenge - here's what I wore to work today.
Last night I got my hair cut and I've added a blue streak - but its hard to see in the photos!
Here's a close up of my accessories for the day - it's all about the beads!


Boots and tights.
OUTFIT DEETS:
Boots - Op shopped
Tights - Glassons 
Dress - Made by Me
Necklace & single bead bracelet - From Chloe 
Flower bracelet - From a swap
Bone bracelet - Gift from Rich
Elephant brooch - Bought in Seoul

Saturday, November 24, 2012

13 Days of Halloween Swap - Stuff I made!

If you regularly follow my blog you will remember all of the goodies I received from Vany for our annual 13 days of Halloween swap - but I didn't show you the things I made for the swap (I bought some things too - but I didn't take photos of those).

Here's the creepy handmade goodies I made - first up three pairs of up-cycled gloves (one pair made from an old scarf and the other two made from a old tops).


A collection of sewing items - a needle book with a skull on it, two pincushions and four covered buttons. Rich designed the cross-stitch patterns for the needle book and buttons.


I made two sets of note cards - I stitched the old horror movie images on using my sewing machine and the envelopes are stamped with stamps I carved myself.



I made Vany a scarf - here it is modeled by me! The red fabric is up-cycled from a skirt I picked up at an op shop.
I made another wee pouch - this one was a simple pouch made in cotton and I used the hand-carved stamp I made to print the fabric.
A couple of cameo brooches - the creepy cameo are from esty and the settings are vintage. I especially love the setting on the right.
Vany is a book lover so I made her a cross-stitched book mark - I did use a pattern but I also kind of made up part of it as well.
These pot holders were the result of my first ever experience in quilting - they turned out much better than I expected. I was actually pretty proud of them.
I also made Vany this wee bat - he has buttons for eyes and one is blue and one in red. He is all hand-stitched.

I also made a tote bag - I printed this one with a stamp that Vany carved for me a couple of years back.

Even more fabric that I printed with stamps - this is a TV quilt (much like the one I made for Lukah) perfect for watching horror movies.
Finally another pouch - this one is made from the up-cycled scarf as well.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

OOTD: Emi Skirt and upcycled top

So here's a little something I made over the weekend and wore to work on Monday. The top is up-cycled from a maxi skirt, I LOVED the fabric but I just never wore the skirt. I unpicked the seams thinking I'd try and make it into a dress or tunic and somewhere along the line it became a top - I'm not sure how that happened.

The top itself is from the basic t-shirt pattern in "Built By Wendy - Home Stretch" I decided to lower the neckline a little as it was too high for me but I just eye balled it and it ended up slightly wonky - hopefully it doesn't look silly.
I'm calling this skirt my "Emi Skirt" I also made it over the weekend. It's my Emi skirt as in three weeks my lovely Emi will be leaving Wellington for Christchurch and at the start of the year she'll be leaving the country for Dubai and I'll miss her loads and loads. I've inherited this lovely blue fabric from Emi so I thought I'd name this skirt after her! I still have loads of navy blue fabric left as well as some purple and red so I'm sure there will be more "Emi" themed clothes in the near future.

Seen as we're talking about things sewing related this week I recieved a lovely package of joy from Vix - which included a whole heap of old vintage sewing patterns - some of you may have already seen these via instagram.




She also sent me some vintage buttons and zippers - I rather like this photos of the zippers, looks a bit artsy.
Finally - I received some blue Barry M nail varnish which I'll try out this weekend when I have a bit more time. Thanks Vix!
I also forgot to mention last week that I did a guest blog post for the lovely Meg over at Meg's Ragged Edge. My guest post was an inspiration post so you should check it out and see some of the stuff that's inspiring at the moment (the beginning of summer is pretty high on the list).

Also last week Meg's Theme Wednesday last week was all about her "Trees Dress" how awesome is that? Also in this post she wears amazing, super shiny docs - I like them very much!

Hope you're having a good week so far xoxox

Monday, November 19, 2012

Sunday Afternoon

We had a pretty quiet weekend - after a very tiring week I felt like I needed a break. Plus there was rain - SO MUCH RAIN!

But on Sunday afternoon we did have a chance to get out and about and enjoy the weekend - here's a few photos. 

First up we grabbed so sushi for lunch - although we shared a pack of sushi. I'm never sure just how people can eat all eight sushi rolls. I always feel like I'm going to explode after four.
This is the spot where we ate our lunch - civic square, loads of people about enjoying a break in the weather and also so many pigeons and seagulls (as always).
This old vessel is the Hikitea - its pretty old and originally from Scotland (I think). It's a historical vessel and often in the weekends there are volunteers working on board.
There's loads of poetry and prose around the waterfront - I noticed this one for the first time over the weekend and I really liked it.
A new diving platform at Aotea Lagoon on the waterfront - over the summer I'm sure all kinds of crazy people will be jumping off here. The thought of jumping into the harbour makes me feel cold, but LOADS of people do it.
Some more poetry on the waterfront, this time near Te Papa (Museum of New Zealand) - the duck sitting on this stone is basically the grumpiest duck in the world.
Much excitement in the city at the moment as the world premier of the Hobbit is happening on 28 November in Wellington (if you didn't know - the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies were made in Wellington). On Sunday a sculpture was put on top of the Embassy Theatre where the premier is being held. Here's some work men with the sculpture on the back of a truck.
Here's part of the sculpture on the Embassy Theatre - Gandalf outside a hobbit house, the full sculpture is up now so I'm sure you'll see a photo in the future.
Here's a wee caravan on Cuba Street which used to be all pink and girly - now its painted up with a cat that looks like red riding hood.

Just some street art on Cuba Street - I thought it was pretty cute.
Finally a poster for a gig for "Cat and Sock" I just thought the poster was pretty rad.
Hope the start of your week is going well xoxo

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Instagram week nine

Hello all! I am still alive and thanks to those of you who checked up on me, yes I am ok, my endometriosis has been pretty bad in the past week so I've been very tired and not had much energy for anything other than work and resting.

I've also recently got a new job - its still in the same government department I currently work for, but it is a permanent job and it is a totally new job. I've now given my four weeks notice and I'm starting there on 10 December so exciting times ahead and a new team and lots of new things to learn.

I thought I'd do a wee catch up post today of my instagram pictures - this is more than one week of pictures, but let's just pretend it's all week nine ok? 

First up is day 13 of my 13 days of Halloween swap with Vany - complete with "My Little zombie" which you've previously seen here.

Also the first picture of our "zombie snack" from Vany which you can see more photos of here - we had way too much fun with this!
I bought a new cardi a couple of weeks back - it has apples on it! I can't get enough of novelty prints.
I bought a pattern online for a Japanese style dress - I've cut out the pattern pieces of the dress. I just haven't had time to sew it up.
As you guys know, I went to Brownie camp a few weeks back - here was my "Kit List" (actually it was the girls kit list).
More zombie brain fun!
Just another day in paradise - the Wellington waterfront.
I got a lovely postcard from Miss V from her travels around New Zealand!
One day I turned up to work and my manager had bought us all muffins and left them on our desk.
I FINALLY won a blog giveaway from The Velvettes the prize was a $50 voucher to Wildfell Hall Vintage. It was a little hard to spend the voucher as there were so many lovely things in the Wildfell Hall Vintage store, but I decided upon a couple of lovely old brooches and a wee purse.
My tickets to the Toi Whakaari Costume Showcase - such a good night out.
Last weekend Rich decided he wanted to spend some time practicing some football stuff at our local field at Victoria University. I decided to go with him and read a book and enjoy the sunshine.

We have another new and fabulous sculpture down at the waterfront - this time a group of kina (I hear you call them sea urchins in the rest of the world).
Last weekend, Rich and I went to an annual book fair that we have over Wellington. It's a huge event over two days and pretty much everything is $2. Some of the more high end books have a bigger price tag and some of the magazine are a bit cheaper. I picked up a novel and a few old school sewing books, there first few photos here are from a book called "How to improve your dressmaking" dated 1972.


This one is from the second book I bought called "Dressmaking with Liberty" dated 1984 - I remember these kinds of prints from when I was a kid.
Last Sunday I decided to spend some time baking - it was a wet, cold, miserable day (sunshine one day, rain the next - typical Wellington spring!)

I took the finished cupcakes to work to announce to my workmates that I was moving teams - "sorry about the bad news guys, but here's some cupcakes".

I bought something from CB off esty for a Christmas present - she sent me a couple of pins and this adorable necklace as well. I LOVE this necklace.
Well - that's all for now - hopefully I shall be around a bit more in the next week.