Rule Number 3 'Don't Panic'

Here she is at home before the bash in her new dress

And at the Church after singing 'Be Strong and Courageous'

brought a tear to my eye!

This morning before we left, she sat on the step and said:

"Rule Number 1 - no washing children's hair"
"Rule Number 2 - make people laugh"
"Rule Number 3 - don't panic"
"Rule Number 4 - don't wet the bed"

I love Rule Number 3 - and we've been saying this all day, it's going to stick!

Dresses

Pink, green and white Vintage Japanese cotton. This dress is made from the pattern above, without the trim or ric-rac, can you believe it?!!

I think the fabric is so strong, it didn't need any extra.

This is for tomorrow's soiree, I modified this, I put a zip in the back, as I want it to fit snuggly - the original pattern had hoops and buttons at the back.

The Phallus Scarf

I spotted this in 'Essential' a supplement in the Sydney Morning Herald, a home and lifestyle mag featuring Architectural masterpieces, with really dead interiors. I think this is, by far the best thing I've seen in it. I don't think I would want this dangling around my neck though!!

I've been sewing up a Storm I tell ya, 2 little dresses for P, her pre-shcool turns 30 tomorrow and they are throwing a party, local paper, food, songs from the kids! I can't show you the pics right know though as the big one has taken the little one to the Museum with the camera. When they return I'll get some snaps. Till then, I'm enjoying the peace....

Monochromatic

Parker's 'colouring in' these days consists of using just one colour,

she gets stuck on one colour for a while and then moves on to a new one,

but rarely does she use more than one colour.

When she draws or paints she uses lots of colours.

It's and odd quirk that's amusing me at the moment!

Who's Blog?

I found this picture on a blog - the most beautiful bedroom in my opinion, I saved it to my pictures for inspiration, the only trouble is, I've completely forgotten where it came from, and after searching through all my favourite blogs, I still can't find it!! Anyone seen it before? Is it your gorgeous bedroom? Anyone?

Are you Free?

From Australian Women's Weekly 1981.

I used to watch 'Are you Being Served' with my Mum,

all the innuendo was complelely over my head.

I couldn't work out why my Mum would giggle whenever

Mrs Slocombe complained of her poor, neglected pussy!

We daren't go a hunting...

... for fear of little men.

I am in love with this fabric, found at the Oppy today, it's fairly crudely screen printed, but gorgeous! I love the text, the fruit, the ladies with flowers but most of all I love the 3 wheeled push bike with the enormous cupcake on the back! I'm not sure what I'm going to make with it, but for $4.00, it had to be mine!

From the same stash, this gorgeous seersucker and a printed cotton, love both of these,

roll on summer!

Giveaway - Winner!

We picked a winner, thanks Dirty Bertie!

It's Leni & Rose!

This is how we did it really!!

Email me with your address, and I'll pop your bag off in the mail.

(I'll also swing by your blog and leave a comment)

My email is:

ethellovesfred(at)bigpond(dot)com

Thanks to everyone who left a silly joke! Some doozeys,

lots I haven't heard before and won't be repeating to anyone over the age of 5!

Girl-Centric Giveaway

I missed my 100th post giveaway, so this is a belated 100th post giveaway,

I can't let that tradition pass by (I'm superstitious)!

It's an over-the-shoulder number made with vintage denim weight fabric, which has girls gardening, flowers and polka dots. The lining is a vintage seersucker. It has button details at the side too, can't be seen in the pics. Uber cute for the little girl in your life, Niece, Cousin, friend, or your own little one!

All you have to do is tell me your favourite silly little joke, or tell me that you don't have one, and it's just way too silly, either way, you'll still go in the draw! I'll get Little P to pick a winner next Wednesday night (18 June).

So here's mine:

2 sewing machines go into a bar, one says to the other

'Are you a Singer' and the other says 'Why Janome?'

Lost in Translation

I mentioned dumb labelling in a previous post, but this is just hilarious!!
I bought this for Parker, it's a kid's painting kit, with glitter paint, and of course, made in China. The really funny bit is in the bottom left hand corner and reads as follows, verbatim:

1. Put the pigment to entrance inside absolutely not to.
2. Fill the colour after completing, please cover the bottle to cover good,
the in order to prevent pigment overflows.
3. If discover the pigment fucks too, can add just the right amount the few clear water mixes evenly.

On reading number 3 Big D and I laughed and laughed some more!
Click the picute to make it larger!

Opportune Find

I found this rather fetching T Shirt at the Oppy today, brand new, with tags, it's a limited edition Florence Braodhurst print, by Signature Prints, gotta love that!

On other things not Opp-shopped or crafted, but rather more blogish.

I was reading a post on a Craft Blog a couple of days ago, outlining some 'do's and don'ts' for setting up your very own Craft Blog. Some good advice in there, but on the whole, I found the emphasis placed too firmly on the general look of your blog, there was also a lot of advice on 'keeping it nice' and generating traffic to your blog. I'm all for being a total dag, and just being yourself and honest, and if that means putting up some photos that are amateurish, that's fine, long as the text is heartfelt.

So if you've got a craft blog, or just a blog for that matter, that's interesting and or funny, I'll be reading it - regardless if it has crappy photos, of you or anything you've made. I'm just a warts and all kind of girl, and as Linda so succinctly put it to me one day: 'Embrace the wonk'! That says it all really for me, life isn't perfect, mine certainly isn't and I'm not all that interested in portraying a perfect life, it's just my life, my blog, and I like to write in an uncensored kind of way, just from the cuff really.

The blogs I enjoy reading are not perfectly written but rather well written and by that I mean honest, I do struggle with perfect! I spend more time reading the blogs I love, than ensuring my blog is looking as lovely as it could be! I'm much more interested in YOU!

So if you have a blog that's a warts and all, down home, hanging out in your 'house pants' type affair, please leave me a comment - cause I'd love to read it!

Zwitsers

They don't look pretty, but these little Dutch biscuits are quite the yummiest biscuits out of a packet! If you haven't tried them, you must go to the shop right this minute and find them, bring them home, put the kettle on and enjoy.

Don't you just love the dumbing down of society when it comes to labelling? (actually lots of things) but check out the packet, it says 'BISCUITS' - just in case you thought you were buying a can of cat food! My all time fave dumb label would have to be some pencils I bought for Parker, which said on the box 'suitable for drawing and writing' right I thought, I'd better grab 2!

This is the way we.....

If you are adverse cynicism, STOP NOW!

So, this morning at Pre-school drop-off, I walked in with a couple who were carrying a baby bath, complete with all necessary bathing accoutrements, and a baby of course, all covered up in it's little car capsule, the natural question, I asked if they were going to give a demonstration on bathing a baby? They were a tad unfriendly, but replied that yes, they were - and together, how sweet. Their 5 year old pre-schooler was very excited. My 4.5 year old pre-schooler was perplexed. 'Mummy why are they bringing a baby to bath?' 'To show you how it's done' I said. It made me wonder why too. Maybe it's because my little girl isn't baby or dolly mad, perhaps if they had brought the family dog in to wash she would be really keen, but really what interest is there in bathing a baby? Why on earth would a 5 year old be remotely interested in the ins and outs of washing a baby? It was a little too self serving for me.

Am I too cynical? A smidge resentful, cause I don't have a baby to bath in front of the class? Maybe both those things.

1965 - Flickr Faves

for photo credits see here

Inspired by Pip I typed '1965' in to search on Flickr, above are some of my favourites. Happy Sunday (Go the Swans)!!