Levana 2.0 - WSBN Road trip!

If you've been following my blog for a while, you may remember the trip I took with the WSBN last year to Levin to go to the Levana factory store - only to find it was closed. We still had an awesome day, but didn't get to check out Levana.

I'm sure some people are wondering what exactly Levana is - well its a textiles factory that sells all  kinds of good stuff, including lots of merino for winter clothes.

Last weekend we tried to visit Levana again and guess what?  This time it was actually OPEN and they had a sale on remnants, hurrah!

 What was waiting for us when we arrived in the store? All kinds of pretties - perfect fabric for the cooler months ahead!

Don't let these photos fool you - the shop actually got INSANELY busy! There were only two staff members working running between the cutting tables and the till. 

We were all eventually able to buy what we wanted and were extremely happy - as can be seen in the photo below. 

From left to right - Me! (obviously), Juliet, Linda, Nikki, Sandra and Elizabeth. I'm looking so happy because I bough so much wonderful warm merino fabric. The two pieces of stripe fabric will become dresses/tunics, the red fabric a top and the black a cardi (although I may change my mind - you never know!)

The Hospice op shop in Levin was pretty awesome last time, so we decided to check it out again. This place had so many treasures!

Look at all of these amazing souvenir spoons for 50 cents each - I really had no reason to buy a spoon, but they were fun to look through. 

 Also there was SO MUCH FABRIC at the op shop - it was amazing! There we also heaps of other crafty goodies like buttons, trim, zippers and so much more.

What is a trip to an op shop without seeing a humorous pattern or two - this was my favourite.

I managed to pick up some slightly more useful pattens - a mens jumper/cardi pattern and a woman's raglan sleeve top. Turns out these Amvic patterns were made in Levin, I googled them and couldn't really find any further information about them - but they are pretty great.

Here's my op shop haul - all of this for $12! I'm hoping to use most of the fabric to make summery clothes for our holiday next month. The zippers, trim and other bits will all come in useful - you can never have too many zippers!

Obviously we had to finish up the day with a shared lunch - because that's what the WSBN does. So many delicious things!

Wednesday Wardrobe Challenge: Cosby Sweater

Today's challenge was a little difficult - Cosby sweater! I don't actually own a single sweater, let alone one worthy of Bill Cosby. But when I think of the great Cosby sweaters on the 80's I think of one thing - patterns.

So I found the most patterned cardi I have and buttoned it right up - like it was a sweater. Here's my take on the Cosby Sweater.

I also decided it was time to crack out the boots I bought at the weekend - these wee ankle boots are pretty much like new and the toes are SO pointy. I'm like an office pixie! I bought them for $6 at the Red Cross Shop at the weekend.

I haven't done the big "this is the stuff I got for my birthday" post yet - but I will soon. In the interim let me show you the super cute ring Ria made for me. Hurrah! The photo isn't the best but it's a plate of sparkly waffles. Super fancy.

Well, I'm out shortly to catch up with my friend Matt at a new Mexican Cafe we have in town - can't wait as I've been waiting for it to open FOREVER! Hopefully its delicious.

DEETS:

Boots - Op Shopped - Red Cross Store, Kilbirnie
Tights - Glassons
Dress - Pagani
Cardi - CB's Shop my Closet online store
Scarf - Asian import store at Left Bank Arcade, Wellington (its gone now)
Ring - Made by the talented Ria

Tropical Vintage Dress

Recently my Mum sent me a package of winter vintage goodies - inside was some cute tropical fabric she has picked up at an op shop. She said that I could use the fabric to make something for our upcoming trip (more about that later - but it is a rather tropical destination), I wanted to make a maxi skirt but there just wasn't enough fabric.

I did rather fall in love with the fabric and decided I wanted to use it to make something I would wear regularly, so I decided to make this simple little frock with it over Easter. I really want to get some orange stocking to wear with it - because I think that would be so rad. I'll have to keep an eye out for a pair when I am out and about.

I'm finally back to work today after four glorious days of sunshine at Easter break - it was hard getting back to work and it was even harder having a personal trainer session at six thirty in the morning today.

Easter Monday was mostly spent at Ria's house, we were working on our costumes for Armageddon which is happening later in April. However, Ria's sewing machine wouldn't play nice - she thinks it needs servicing, but that's ok as I got all my pattern pieces cut out ready to sew and it meant we could spend most of the afternoon hanging out, painting our nails (mine are pink with sparkles) and watching episodes of "New Girl". It was a pretty fun, chilled out girls afternoon - I haven't done that for the longest time and it was just great. Sometimes its just so nice to hang out with friends and do nothing much - I need to do it more.

Also in case you're wondering about our costumes for Armageddon we are going as Adventure Time characters which I am pretty excited about. I'm going as Princess Bubblegum and I have already cut out my dress all that needs doing now is sewing it up and making my crown.

Ria is going along as Fionna - the female version of Finn from the gender bender episode of the show. If you've not checked out Adventure Time before, you totally should. I watched recently when I was sick on Ria's recommendation and it was awesome! I may be a little hooked now.

I'll update you all with the progress of my Princess Bubblegum cosplay outfit as I progress with it - all I need now is to find an exceptionally long pink wig.

Hope you're all having a great week xoxox

Inspiration Board

Recently I was looking at one of my favourite blogs, Red Velvet and I came across this post about "staying inspired".

I love to do crafty stuff and create all kinds of things, but I have to admit, staying inspired is something I do struggle with.

I am one of those people that has about a squillion ideas floating around my head, but I find having the time/motivation to put these ideas into action really difficult. I also have an amazing but at time stressful job. I do LOVE my job and I know I am so fortunate, but at times it takes nearly everything out of me and I feel like I've nothing left over to create.

One of the ideas for staying inspired it the post was to create an inspiration board - I have been wanting to make an inspiration board for a while - so the article was the kick up the butt I needed to finally create one.

I decided that I wanted to pimp my board out a little - so I glued a whole bunch of stuff to the edges. Most of it just bits and pieces I had lying about. Seen as I am focussing on sewing at the moment - I decided to pin up these snaps and needles. The flower cameo is from my friend Meg and the little skulls are from my friend Vany. I received these wooden initials in a craft swap AGES ago and I had no idea what to do with them! The inspiration Board seemed like a good place for them. I bought this pattern at an op shop last weekend, its the next frock I intend to make. Right after I add a zip and hem my first one. It's so close to being finished! My friends Sue and Conor sent me all kinds of Kawaii cute for my birthday this year and it was wrapped in this amazing paper. I just can't bring myself to throw this paper away - but I'm not exactly sure what I want to do with it either. So much cute! Finally - yes a fan! It's from my friends Lisa and Aaris in Taipei - they sent Rich and I a whole bunch of Amoeba Music stuff from California last time there were home. I love the design!

Some cool stuff I saw in Newtown

I started my new job today and I am exhausted! I think it will take me a while to get used to working a forty hour week again.

Last week I wasn't working but Rich and most of my friends were so I spent a lot of time hanging around Wellington - here's some cool stuff I saw in Newtown.

Wooden bedside tables - I like the skull one. He's pretty amazing.I love street art and I thought this wolf was pretty amazing - I have to say I really missed Wellington's street art when I was living overseas.
These creepy looking dolls were in the window of a store called "reincarnate" which I thought must have been some scary bogan store. It is a little bogan but it also has all kinds of second hand loveliness and the folk that own it also revamp old clothes into something new and more awesome.I took this photo inside the changing room of a fabulous op shop in Newtown called "Oppourtunity for Animals". I seriously love these stores (there is one in Kilbirnie as well) as they are everything an op shop should be, they sell crazily cheap stuff that no one wants any more for a cause close to my heart. This trip I bought a purple animal print dress.