I Like Yellow...

mainly because it is such a natural colour, it features so prominently in Spring, when Miss P and I go on our walks through the neighbourhood, she loves to pick yellow dandelions to take up to our friend James at the Cafe, thanks James for always acting surprised and happy to be on the receiving end of half wilted weeds!!

So in honour of all things Spring-like, I've made P this little semi-round skirt, in panels of vintage yellow/orange/green floral (thanks Claire) with bright yellow cotton. I'm feeling like I need a little yellow in my wardrobe, except it makes me look like something left on the beach once the tide has gone out (ie washed up), so maybe not.

On another note: 'My' Playgroup has been overtaken by a bossy, uptight Dad! We have all been laughing about it for some time now, and have managed to pretty much ignore him - but now he is putting signs up around the place, big signs that consist of DO'S and DON'TS, crap like 'Do Introduce your self' and 'Don't leave hot drinks on the ground' - it's so moronic. He has a core group of loyal followers (a bit cultish?) who do all the work for him, and dish out the dirty looks/smiles (depends whether you've introduced yourself or not), they love to get the microphones and tambourines out, and last week they had us all dancing around to 'YMCA' - addictive stuff sure, but not outside a gay bar and in broad daylight!! It all feels a bit like hard work just going, we used to just lolligag about the place drinking coffee and talking non-stop, now we are actually being bossed around, and told what to do .... there will be an uprising I'm sure! Slack Mum's of the world UNITE and take over!

Hotch-Potch Sewing

I'm not keen on perfect applique, just looks too 'done' for me, so this is my idea of 10 minute sewing, it's covering a paint stain, ergo the size of it - not only is it big, it's done in a hurry! Looks rather cute on though and the vintage buttons take back what the dodgy sewing gives it. Think it will be even nicer once it's been through the wash and is frayed a bit.

Surprise Package!

I was delighted to find the cutest package in the letter box today thanks so much to Claire from claireswimming. Unfortunately our camera is not working, Bid D dropped it whilst trying to multi-task, so I can't photograph all the lovely things, including some spunky retro fabric, one called 'Soul Sisters' by Alexander Henry, just gorgeous, hope it wasn't too hard to part with Claire! Will be replacing the camera in the next day or so, and will get some shots soon.

Any way, think I should buy Big D a copy of Popular Mechanics, as suggested in this ad, featured on the back of a sweet little book on 'How to Make Lampshades' - also from Claire.

Flashback Friday, on Monday

1977 Redcar Beach in North Yorkshire, this is the three of us with Our Gran, Ethel (known as Jenny) we loved our Gran!

We grew up in Africa (mainly Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe). Every week our Gran would send comics from the UK, my Brother would run ahead of us from school on 'Comic Day' and grab the tube of comics, and then come running back to Leah and I with our bounty. We loved 'Comic Day', I remember hanging out for my brother to finish his 'Beano' so that I could read 'Denis the Menace'!! When we returned to England (I say returned, but I was actually born in Africa, so I wasn't 'returning' at all, but everyone else was, so I use their terminology) the Comic ritual continued. Every Sunday we would walk around to Gran and Granddad's in the morning and stay all day, reading our comics, eating scrummy home made cakes and biscuits and watching 'Wurzel Gummage'. Some Sundays Grandad would put us all in the car and we'd go on a drive to Hutenley Hole where we'd have 99-er ice creams - oh Joy! They were the most excruciating drives, as my Grandad would not go over 40 km an hour - EVER, these trips just took forever, with my Brother and I bickering in the back all the way back to Redcar!

ethel loves fred Spring 07

Pretentious Moi? I love to name my little collections!! Here is a little peek at what I've been making. I LOVE vintage seersucker, check out the hydrangea print that I found, just love it - in limited supply though (bummer). This dress is really simple, and pretty, and can be easily fitted as it ties up at the shoulder with pretty bows.

A Little Story With a Happy(ish) Ending

This photo was taken in 1995. It was the beginning of what was, without doubt, the worst year of my life, and having this hideous flu has reminded me. I was 27 at the time this photo was taken, and I was on the cusp of hitting that slippery slide downward that only occurs with a life spent in excess.

I was in Coolum Beach (Sunshine Coast) on a break with my then partner, she is in the background (just) of this photo. We had moved to Coolum to escape the temptations of Sydney. Our hobbies were:

a) Watching/playing live music

b) Boozing and drug taking to excess

c) Sleeping off b)

d) Repeat all steps infinity.

We broke up in this year, after 4.5 years, I was heartbroken and managed to contract Epstein Bar Virus from a hotel (severe, prolonged, flu) this led to chronic fatigue syndrome, which led to a mild depression, which became full blown depression, made worse by all the booze and drugs. I won't tell you the depravity and humiliation of that year, but know that there was laughter and tears, but not in equal measures.

I look back at that year with a shudder but I feel really lucky, and I chuckle when I think of the dickhead Doctor who told me that the CFS was all in my head!

These days my hobbies are much more productive, and I always have a little smile when I put on my favourite sewing pini (you know the type, retro, flowery with big eff-off pockets at the front for bobbins) to sew up a storm for my Little P.

Bleugh...Flu

Because I'm not feeling well - I've been struck down with flu - thought I'd post a couple of botanical shots that Big D took, I love the fact that he can get such gorgeous photos from our crappy little camera, I on the other hand can not!!

Flashback Friday, on Sunday

An impromptu blog-break, my Mum has been down for a few days, she left this morning, now just 2 weeks to go before my errant farther comes for a visit, he's coming from Holland (he's and Englishman living in Holland). Not looking forward to it, as well as his hand luggage he has so much other baggage to check in, of the emotional kind, plus he is completely belligerent, should be fun eh?

Flashback Friday: The theme this week: group photos, sad to say that I couldn't find anything from any sport, school or otherwise - I could only find this photo of me with 2 school friends sitting on a very young Santa's knee. This was taken in 1982 in Perth, so we had only been in Australia for 2 years at this stage. I'm the not blond one on the left. God knows why we are holding over sized Teddies - probably to hide the undersized jeans!

On Being Different

This is Claude, the Colour Changing Cat, he lives on a farm, when Claude becomes sad or excited he changes colour ... Which freaks the farm animals out, so they tease Claude who becomes very lonley, eventually he runs away to the bush ...
Where he meets some kind kangaroos and koalas.
who give him some milk, which excites him, so he tuns hot pink, the kangaroos freak out and tease him. Claude runs away ...
To the Circus! (As you do when you have the freakish ability to change colour without being able to help it)
That night the lion escapes and is headed for the Clown, Claude gets angry and turns red, this sends the lion back to her cage....
Claude is the hero of the circus, and lives happily ever after with the tolerant and broadminded circus folk!

My Op Shop find today: 'Claude the Colour Changing Cat' Printed in 1969 in Australia. It's a little tale of tolerance, or a tale of little tolerance?

Flashback Friday

There's a theme this week - Fancy Dress, I couldn't find one picture of me in fancy dress - Mum not at all crafty in that sense. So fancy dresses instead, another photo of us 3 playing, that's me very determinedly picking my nose, and Leah flashing (sorry, Leah). I love the movement in this photo, we're having such a good time. (Leah would probably have written an Agenda for 'Washing Dolly' along with a time management breakdown, which is why Tim has fainted!)

On a Blog Roll

Very productive day, finished off some sun dresses for Spring/Summer. And here is my label and swing tag! Excited? Ooh yes!

Retro Teak Lamp

A worthwhile trip to the oppy, just because I love these old teak lamps, this one does it for me cause I like the tree shape - not sure what the ball thingy is meant to be - but kinda suits the style.

The lady in the Op Shop said to me 'you love this stuff don't you?' Her tone was sort of accidentally judgmental, you know that polite/rude Mother-In-Law tone? Anyway I gave her the short answer (the same answer I give my MIL) 'yup - love it, see you next week'...

Foxy

She's coming to live with us! I've just bought this little picture from 'My Charlie Girl' I didn't go through her Etsy shop though, I found her here I'm going to be selling some girl's clothes over there as well. It's a great site, and all local, really nice people to deal with, and as an independent seller and maker, I find them uber supportive. I've been looking around for something like this for ages, cause I am firmly committed to the hand-made life, hope you are too! As I like to say 'get a hand-made life'...

Flashback Friday

Leah, Tim & I (that's me with the bed hair in the green top, um I mean dress) in Wanki Game Reserve (yup, it's really called that!) feeding monkeys, which are probably rabid and quite vicious, the Game Reserves are full of huge signs that say 'Please Stay in Your Car At All Times, Lions Roam This Park'. I presumed, at all times, that my parents knew what they were doing!