Sharing the stash

The first born is doing a design and technology course at school or what I used to call sewing. She is making a bag this semester, I recently invited her to go thru my stash and see if there was something suitable she wanted to use. One of the options I presented her with was this op-shop dress I had brought with the intention of cutting it up and recycling, but "no" she cried "I could wear that!" And so with a little bit of altering -taking it in and bringing up the hem, she has headed out for the evening in a brand spanking new dress.

Browsing in town this afternoon she was complemented by an assistant in a groovy wee shop, proof I am told that this is indeed a great wee number. I love that I have a kid confident enough to believe she can alter clothing and that she wants to wear something rescued from her mother stash.

Don't you think it would be perfectly suitable to have a picnic of this fabric, just like wearing a flash table cloth- in a good way. And the good thing about taking up that hem is I get a little bit of fabric to play with - hooray everyone is happy when we share the stash.

A new start

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I have just been browsing thru some old

photos. This is one of my sister and I having a late night dance at a family gathering of Easter 2007.

Easter symbolises rebirth; for us Easter of 2007 was for us a time for a new start, or at least the start of a new idea. An idea was planted for us to move to countries and we decided to contemplate it. A few short months later we had a job and were underway with moving all of us over. Husband and I were both born and have lived all our lives in the same area so moving our family overseas was a big deal. This has been a journey that has taught me a lot about myself, about my relationship with family and friends, our priorities, attraction and creation and that if you want an adventure it helps if you leave the house. Lately I have been finding a lot of new adventures, I know they are good adventures cause I am feeling that great mixture of excitement and fear. Even blogging for me has been a great new adventure, a chance to meet new people and to share some of our lives and adventures. Thank you to those of you who share your adventures. I love to read about them and thanks for stopping by and reading mine.

Wearing....

Today I am wearing a dress a friend gave me.... I love to wear hand me downs, and I love to wear op shop finds, and I love to wear things made with love by clever people. I have grown to love all these things, it wasn't always the way.

When I was a kid in a small town in New Zealand, op shopping was oh so very embarrassing. I loathed being dragged into an op shop by my mother- what if a friend from school saw me? or worse my teacher! Oh I so wanted to impress Mr Farr.

My Mum has always been super clever and resourceful, I liked being able to draw pictures and then having her make them into applique t-shirts or knitted jerseys (jumpers) but I don't think I really appreciated the wonders of having a mum who would stay up late the night before we went skiing to make us all new ski pants. Or our floral togs! Thanks Mum

Then at some time it changed, I raided Mums wardrobe most mornings and wanted the 'opshop' look and even made some clothes for myself. What I love most is to wear outfits with a story. I love to know who else has worn it, or where I found it and what a bargain it was. In our house one of our games is to add up our outfit - how much did it cost, the reward- looking stylish at a bargain price. I am glad I caught on to Mums great idea and I love to share these adventures with my first born. I reckon even Mr Farr would be impressed. Do you love to op-shop? what do your kids think?

Confessions

Imagine if you will a picture here of lovely autumn fruit, apples, pear, figs and lemons. I did take a photo to share with you all but the first born took the camera to a friends and it slipped her adolescent mind to bring it back home again. Damn she has been telling me we need another camera, "need?" I reply "I do not think that word means what you think it means." However now I want to use it and I am thinking maybe it is a need after all.

But back to the point of this story. I have a confession. I have lived in this fair city for just over a year now and yesterday I finally made it to my local St Kilda farmers market. I didn't mean to leave it so long it just, you know, happened. But yesterday I snuck out of the house before the house stirred. Oh joy, I found bounds of lovely fruit and veg. I found sausages sizzling and music playing. I visited some new friends selling cake for the local Steiner playgroup/preschool. They have been playing with me recently at Little Sparrow making lovely wee rabbits. One confessed she is now making more, it makes me happy to be a part of someone giving a new craft a go and wanting to carry on.

So I headed home happy with a trolley and a heart full and I promise not to leave it so long again. :)

In the afternoon Husband and I headed to the city on the train, to visit the Craft Victoria Craft Hatch a little market held in the city library. I loved to see what people are making and to have a chat with a couple of the artists too. Then we went to the NGV to see the Top Arts VCE 2008 It is an inspiring show of some of the works completed by high school students studying art and studio art in Victoria last year. I will be taking my girls back to see it at least once before mid June when it closes. I am inspired by their amazing work and commitment to see their vision thru. I have to work hard to talk nice to myself while I look around as it is tempting to think 'why bother'. Self talk is something that I often have to work hard with. Years of training make it easy for me to tell I myself, I am not talented, to be ready for others to find out the truth about me, that I am a big fake, that the stories I tell are silly, I am not skilled enough, smart enough, pretty enough...... I know you know the stories that we tell ourselves because I know that I am not the only one. These days mostly I talk nice to myself and am gathering evidence that prove those thoughts wrong, but you know sometimes I slip, especially when it is that time of the month, or when I see someones work I admire, or when I put my heart on the table and overhear a negative comment. But mostly I remember that I have something unique to offer and that I have a place in this creative world.

Goodness I didn't know I was going to go there... but there you go confessions on a Sunday afternoon....

I hope you all had or are having a lovely weekend and remember to talk nice to yourself. :)

Today is Wednesday and I'm wearing......

Didn't have to go far today, just for another 'business' meeting with Shelley at Little Sparrow. Occasion enough for these lovely shoes which I got from an op-shop a long time ago for I think about 4 dollars. I love them, when I wear them I feel old fashioned elegant.

Checklist

Rabbits made - check

New skills learnt - check

Tea drunk - check

Cake eaten - check

Wide range of topics covered - check

Giggles and laughs - check

Plans for the next projects - check

A very successful evening I think - just a bit wired from all the fun

Not enough time!

There is not enough time in the day....

Off to teach little bunnies again tonight but before that as you can see from my clock it is time to stop and make dinner for the family and whilst I do so, bring in the washing, supervise homework and get changed out of the sloppies into something halfway respectable. All I can say is at least I don't have to travel for ages to get there. Little Sparrow is just down the road... so handy.

I must confess that I did already stop in to see Shelley, but you see the coffee was just to fuel us for our 'meeting' - we started with giggling about the Comedy Gala on TV last night. I was also picking her lovely brain, as I have been working on a new range of kit sets for my brooches and other lovely things yet to be revealed to you all. They are so close, but it really doesn't come naturally to me, I love to make things and I love to share things but committing to paper and trying to explain my little ways I have found to be trickier than I thought. I think part of the reason is 'cause I love them so much and want you to enjoy them too. For it to be a joy not a nightmare to create I must get it right. No pressure huh?

Well right now I must be pleased with what I did achieve today and put it aside to do the aforementioned tasks. Tomorrow is another day and the school holidays will be upon me before I know it. so type, sketch, stitch, photograph and felt... see you all again tomorrow.

btw the clock is by fossil stonecraft in Christchurch, New Zealand. A reminder of home.