Countdown to my holiday

Hi Everyone, like many people the world over, I find this time of year very busy with work, family and home.  This year has been no exception: this week I have had to move to a new office (like about 4 metres away from my current office) and assist other colleagues with similar unfathomable re-locations.  Luckily the fruit has been ripening up at my garden /other section and I have been able to de-stress in the evenings by picking raspberries, black and red currants, and one or two gooseberries.

Despite being hot and dusty for most of the week while arranging the moving of furniture and people, and changing phone extensions etc, I have managed to rock a couple of lovely polyester dresses:

1980's (??) polyester dress with pussy bow and pleated skirt, and belt both from the St V de P.  Melissa Boots and a retail denim jacket.   Yummy red currants, top right, mini banana muffins bottom right, prune and port truffles - dipped in cocoa or dipped in white chocolate

Crazy neon yellow green purple and blue polyester dress bought off Trademe, worn with in your face neon yellow flower and Melissa Boots.  Jacket and belt both retail.

It is also the time of year to experiment with food - the prune and port truffles for example.  They were quite messy to make and taste nice, but if I make them again I will definitely adjust the recipe as they were very sweet - even for me a notorious sweet tooth!!   The banana muffins on the other hand are a recipe I have used for more than 15 years and is fail safe. For a special morning tea at work I made mini ones, knowing that one can comfortably eat one or two or three.  Another experiment of the culinary kind is to do with the tonnes of blackcurrants and the redcurrants.  I have decided to turn my hand at blackcurrant liqueur and blackcurrant chutney, and a redcurrant and red onion relish.  

Okay, need to go get some supplies and the sun has come out so more fruit will be ripening.  I am SO looking forward to Christmas Eve - it will be the start of a three week holiday with my family.  YAY.

Bye for now, Penny-Rose

Art Deco Skirt, my talented daughter and review of Restore, Dunedin

Hi everyone, I have had one of "those days" at work which can only be remedied by chocolate.  How do you de-stress after a difficult day?

Today I wore one of my all-time favourite skirts - with an Art Deco borderprint.  I am laughing in the photo because my beloved Black Cat "Handbag" was literally trotting towards me.  He loves being in my blog photos. 

 Art Deco border print skirt - age uncertain possibly from 1970s judging by the sewing.  Bought at Savemart in Blenheim.  Shirt, jacket, belt and necklace all thrifted.  Pink Flower from KMART.  Melissa Shoes. 

I want to show-off a couple of things made by my very talented 12yo daughter.  Look what she brought home on Monday night...an amazing backpack with cool fabric which is a map on London...and she also made her Dad a cushion to take to the cricket!!!  Isn't that so sweet??

Finally I want to show you some of the "goodies" on sale at the local Restore shop. 12 yo and I visited on Saturday while Dad was watching NZ vs West Indies at cricket.  Honestly there there was so much more I could have photographed, this is just a sampler!
 

The doll was in terrible condition - as you can see from her crooked eye - but I felt compelled to sit her up a bit straighter and take her photo.  There were about 20 or 30 pomanders and some impressive casserole dishes.  I bought nothing but did enjoy my fossick.  I wore a thrifted tee shirt and jeans both from Toffs and a vintage choker.  

Restore has been tidied up and some of the displays have been changed.  In the room out the back where the furniture is stored there used to be area for stuff that really should have gone to the dump.  Its all gone now and the furniture area is looking much tidier.  The paintings and mirrors are better displayed and some of the book area has been removed to make more space.  All in all very worthwhile improvements.   

Time for more chocolate, hope you are all having a good week, Penny-Rose xx

Frock on Friday, a few polyester dresses and more

Hi everyone, are you all glad that it is Friday?  I sure am.  It's been a busy week.  Thank you to all those who posted lovely comments on my last post.  The world is a much smaller place with the internet and I feel so lucky to make friends the world over who are supportive and understanding.  

I have a few photos to post but I want to start with what I wore today for Frock on Friday.  In a rare move I actually came home and put on another Frock.  Here they are: 

Left Blue polka dot and stripe polyester dress of unknown vintage, discovered on Trademe.  

Worn with blue plastic sandals from Factorie.  

Right a relation of a muu-muu found in at Toffs.  

There was one in greens and blues but I decided it would be greedy to buy both.  

I love the lurid pink.  It was only $2. 

The garden is looking stunning at the moment.  

I have grown some very large lupins and my beloved peonies are also flowering. 

Here are a few photos from the last few weeks which due to internet modem problems have not been blogged. Some of you might recall that I have been very interested in ducks recently.  I was delighted to find a family of geese protecting three fluffy goslings when I visited a friend a few weekends back. 

  One of my favourite blue polyester dresses from the Milton Salvation Army.

Worn with a genuine vintage Canterbury jacket which I cut shorter. 

I have decided that on days when I don't feel like being in a photo (or I take photos and I think they are hideous) I am going to take lots more pics of my accessories - jewellery and bags and belts and shoes. 

Here is a collage from earlier this week when I wore green and gold and brown:

Green polyester Norman Linton dress (Trademe), green beads which were originally a longer necklace but I shortened to a choker and a bracelet.  Kookaburra brooch, $1 from a market in Ranfurly, Brass rose bracelet from Blenheim, other bangles thrifted.  Green bead ring from the Hospice Shop $2 and Mood ring $1 from a fair at Warrington. 

 

Despite my love of green I do seem to wear a lot of blue:

 Vintage polyester Trevira dress - the only dress I have ever found which has armpit pads to soak up odours.  I removed them as I found them creepy.  They were clean.  Almost as if the dress had never been worn.  Another Trademe find.  The blue flower ring was a retail splurge.  I just love the colour.  

Oh, and then there is my love of pink:

Modern unknown brand tee shirt from the Hospice Shop $2, Modern brand (forget name) pink floral skirt $3 from Toffs, pink Melissa Shoes, pink bangles and a cute ring found at the $2 import store. 

I included the sunset because I wanted another pink photo and I could not find one.

Okay, the heater in this laptop is about to go Chernobyl so I am going to post this before something bad happens.  Did I tell you that you are all wonderful?  Well you are.  Hope you are having great Friday night.  xx

The return of Penny-Rose to the Blogosphere

The internet at home has failed me for a few weeks - hence the lack of posts - and my online presence has been restricted to being able to post the odd comment and tick few likes on Facebook pages of my lovely followers. 

I have typed and re-typed this paragraph a few times.  Should I actually put it in writing?  Would I be burdening you?  I have been a bit blue, to be honest.  So, without the ability to blog, I got a bit lost (in a psychological kind of way), and then my style and colour mojo went out the window (I actually wore austere dark colours one day).  It's not like I am ashamed to say "I have been getting a bit depressed", but I am a bit hesitant about saying it out loud.  What the hell, I'll just post about it on my blog.  I went to see my doctor today and got my happy pills increased because as I told him, I could look over my shoulder and see that all familiar dark cloud swirling behind me, trying to creep forward without my noticing and then wrapping itself around me.  Blogging is good for me because I can express myself better in photos and colour and words.  Blogging helps.

Outfit for Halloween - pumpkin colours: vintage homemade dress found at Restore, worn with tights and Italian leather boots from Toffs $2.

The boots don't show up well in the photo but they are just gorgeous - but, sadly after wearing them for one day at work my ankles swelled up and made me miserable.  So I got out my trusty eyelet punch and made more holes in the leather straps in an attempt to get a bit more circulation space.  I will wear them again, but if they cripple me again they are destined to be on-sold.

The weather over the last couple of weeks or so has been unseasonably lovely...and I bared my legs before Labour Weekend.  Don't remember this happening in recent history.   (Labour Day is the 4th Monday in October and the preceding weekend is the first public holiday since Queens Birthday in June). 

Yellow cotton blend dress - possibly from the 1980s?? found on the $2 rack at Toffs, worn with black belt, shoes and accessories, including a hat found at the St V de Paul. 

 The colour of this dress is more accurate in the top right photo with the bunny necklace.  I like the crispness of yellow with black together. 

Pleated cream granny skirt worn with a made-by-me top and a Toffs Glengyle cardigan.  The $1 shoes are from Presbyterian Support and the necklace is a vintage find.  The wrist candy is all retail and the Pandora bracelet was a gift from my darling family.

When I wore this outfit to work, 3 colleagues asked me if I had a job interview!  It is perhaps a bit more demure than some of my other outfits - do I exude administrative excellence in this combo?  Just in case you are wondering I was not going to a job interview (although I may go to one in the future).  I merely wanted to go for the light floaty effect - in fabric and in colour.  

I usually forget to take photos in the weekend, but one Saturday this is what I wore to the art gallery:

Pink cotton/linen dress with tag torn out from Toffs $2, worn with turquoise cardi from the Hospice shop and green tights from the Hospice Shop.  The kitsch knitted bag was also a Toffs discovery. 

The inspiration for the outfit is the boots, which, although a poxy shade of pink, are decorated with turquoise, pink and green flowers.  The Retro Pin up necklace was won in a Facebook give-away by Jorjalicious Dome Jewellery. The pin-up looks like she has received a nice cheque from the Inland Revenue - don't you think??

The photographic exhibition I went to see was of Gregory Crewdson.  He takes photos of the most amazing scenes which are incredibly detailed but also spooky because they appear vacant when you first look at them, and then BAM you are hit between the eyes with something really confrontational.  You can read more about him here.  The exhibition is called In a Lonely Place and I just loved it.  

'kay, that's all I can get out of my head for the time being.  I'll be doing a massive read of all the wonderful blogs I follow over the weekend.

Bye for now
Penny-Rose 

 

I sense a disturbance in the internet universe

Hi everyone, I have had a few continuous and annoying technical difficulties over the last week or so :-(  very erratic internet connection which has prevented me from blogging.  Luckily I have been able to do plenty of reading and have enjoyed the Halloween highjinks many of you have posted about.  Here in Dunedin, NZ we are entering spring with a vengence with so many lovely rhododendrons are flowering, as well as all the native flowers.  

Right this selection of photos are not really up to date (no FOF for me today) but I think they will show you how I am enjoying the warmer weather:

Black and white dress from Hospice Shop and Vintage black necklace from the Presbyterian Support Shop in St Andrew Street, Kapow slipper shoes, hair bow, belt and Bonds tights, all retail

Folk art plaque - handpainted Kereru (NZ wood pigeon) on Kauri dated 1940, $3 from Presbyterian Support, Mother and Ducklings swimming happily in a puddle near the harbor

1980s  polyester dress from Toffs $2, worn with Melissa pink shoes and tights gifted by a colleague.  The hat is modern but it was at the St Vinnies for $2.

1980s polyester dress from Toffs $2 worn with modern cardigan found at Hospice shop for $5, bracelets both thrifted. Kapow slippers (already been worn so many times they were worth buying retail for $10)

So, these few snaps give you an idea of what the weather's been like.  11yo turned into a 12 yo a couple of weeks ago and we went out for a lovely lunch with her and her best friend, then on to Aramoana for a frolic in the sand.  I have gone "duck" mad having seen several mother ducks with their broods trying to cross the main road - hence the duck photo. 

That's all folks, I detect a disturbance in the internet so must press "publish", hope you all had a great Halloween and a very happy Friday ;-)

Bye

Penny-Rose  

PS 12 hours later and still trying to upload this blog post....at this rate I will be blogging monthly!  

Four fine frocks

Hi Everyone, its been a gorgeous weekend. Here's a quick run down on what I have been doing:
Yesterday we visited the iconic Dunedin railway station to see the New Zealand on the Move travelling display by NZ Rail (see bottom right).  In the afternoon I made a quick trip to Toffs and then came home and did lots of washing - drying everything in the lovely warm breeze.  In between loads of washing I managed to do some weeding which was very satisfying.  

Okay, lets get to the good stuff: Frock on Friday and Frock on Saturday:

Frock on Friday: polyester dress with grey velour jacket, both from Toffs. Red border print polyester dress $1 from Presbyterian Support Shop with retail jack and shoes.  Cute cream knitted bag from Toffs.

Friday's look was all blue-purple-turquoise.  When I washed this dress yesterday I realised that it has been shortened as it has a huge hem.  Saturday was a casual day and I had bad hair so I put on a hat and dressed around it.  The border print red dress has been taken in - when I got into the cab of a diesel locomotive I felt an ominous pull and felt something ripping.  Sure enough it had been taken in about two inches from hem to arm pit.  Again, when it was washed I realised the extent of the modification.  I think the dress will need to be put on the sewing pile before its worn again.  Don't worry there are no holes because the original seams are okay.  It just looks a bit funny.  

This post is entitled Four Fine Frocks and here are the other two: 

I have two Osti dresses which are the same style and different colours.  They are different sizes too.  I wore them both this week and thought it would be nice to make a collage of both outfits.

Pink Osti Dress $2 from Toffs, with pink cardigan from Savemart.  Tights and shoes retail.  Blue Osti Dress from St Vincent de Paul, turquoise cardigan and cream boots from Hospice Shop.  Cute kitten pendant necklace and purple tights both retail.

My goodness I love polyester frocks - they wear well, they wash well, and they rarely need ironing.  I hang most of mine on hangers once they are line dry and air them in the house.  Okay, the broadband is letting me down again and I am going to post this before the who thing crashes and causes my reconditioned lap top to cr*p out.  Hope you all had a great weekend!

Bye 
Penny-Rose

Outram, Sinclair Wetlands, lambs, Milton and Two Squirrels

Hello, the broadband is actually working this morning and I have been able to upgrade my Adobe Flashplayer AND read blogs AND am about to publish another post.  All in one interrupted internet session.  Its almost too good to be true so lets get started.

On Wednesday 11yo and I hopped in the car with Milton as our destination.  On the way we got off the main highway and did a little detour to Outram.  Having read about Violet's recent trip there I was hoping to visit the collectable shop there.  Alas, it was closed :-(  However, as a consolation, we went to the cafe 8 on 87 (number 8 on Highway 87).  Anyway, its a converted cottage and very cute: 

8 on 87 cafe in Outram - love these copper light fittings, lime green espresso machine with matching feature wall, art on an old saw in the toilets (not for sale)

Despite the fact that Outram is not that far from Dunedin, it somehow took us more than a hour to get there (unanticipated road works).  Replenished with lovely chocolate cake and hot chocolate we pointed the car in the direction of the Sinclair Wetlands.  I have been wanting to see ducklings since last week when 11yo and I saw a family crossing the motorway near the stadium.  

Sinclair Wetlands - we saw lots and lots of cute lambs jumping all over the place but no ducks :-( Penny-Rose is wearing a vintage Bonds dress with thrifted boots and leather jacket.

The wetlands is a scenic drive along gravel roads and bordered by a forest and hills.  There were more lambs than I think I have ever seen, but no ducks.  The only bird life we saw were a couple of pukeko and a hawk.  All the ducks must have been hiding.  Undeterred we pressed on towards Mecca Milton.  

Acting as my scout 11yo shrieked out "there it is" as we drove down the main street.  Yes, she had spotted the gorgeous Two Squirrels sign.  I have to say being able to park in the main street of a town and not worrying about paying for parking is a major bonus.  We parked the car and called in to the Salvation Army store, then the Hospice shop, then an antique store, and then a kind of odd second hand store before entering the Squirrels kingdom.  

Two Squirrels Vintage clothing and Curios, Milton

 I can tell you Vanessa and Warren are artists - they have an eye for detail, design and composition.  The the store is beautifully laid out - it was absolutely gorgeous.  Each display area was exquisite. I took no photos because I was moving from one display to another like a bumble bee in a peony garden.  With so many gorgeous things to look at it was great that I had my 11yo scout with me.  She pointed out various items and assisted me when I tried on a dress and gently tugged my arm when I was visibly drooling over the handbags.  Vanessa and Warren have an enormous glass jar of sherbet fizzy lollies which went down a treat.  Everything from the fabulous mannequins in the window, stunning clothes, hats and bags and the displays of furniture, toys and books, down to the smallest detail of polka dotted bags is evidence of their love for all things vintage. 

Thank you Squirrels, we had a lovely time visiting you, and we will be sure to visit again!

All for now, dear readers, I am planning another mission - Operation Woodhaugh, the quest for ducklings continues.  

Bye, 
Penny-Rose

Houston, we have a major problem.....

Dear Readers and Followers,
I need to confess something.  I have a major space problem.  I have more clothes than my wardrobe can fit and I have been using my 11yo's wardrobe to store bulky furry coats (all three of them) my cloak and my raincoat and three or four summer dresses and skirts which have full skirts and won't fit comfortably in my wardrobe.  Things were going well, and then the other day, I was confronted with this:

Wardrobe rental  information.  Copyright Penny-Rose.

I need your advice: should I pay up or negotiate?  I mean, my teddy bear coat takes up as much space as three or four dresses.  Any advice would be much appreciated*.

But what the frock, its Friday and I have had a great week away from the "W" place.  Here I am enjoying a few rays of sunshine at the end of the day - 

Orange and Purple: recycled sari skirt, retail, boots, top, cardigan all from the Hospice Shop.  Necklaces both thrifted.

Yes, my hair has had a chop (earlier this week) and I played with my electric heated rollers this afternoon (purchased from the Hospice Shop a couple of months ago for about $7).  The recycled sari skirt was a retail buy in Ashburton a couple of years ago.  The top, cardigan and boots all came from the Hospice shop.  Both necklaces were thrifted too.  I really like purple and orange together - there's a kind of harmony in the paisley pattern which I find very appealing.

Right, the internet (broadband!!! - my backside is broader than the broadband we get in my suburb) is really flakey tonight so I will have to post about my trip to Milton tomorrow.  Hope you are all having a very good Friday night!

Bye, 
Penny-Rose

 * For those of you who are wondering what "dun dun dun" means imagine singing it in a serious low voice accompanying a scary part of a movie.  Being a parent is like a scary movie sometimes, but at the moment its more like a comedy :-)

Beautiful Dunedin Scenery with a bit of thrifted fashion thrown in for good measure

Hi Everyone, I am currently enjoying a week with my 11yo (its week two of the school holidays). Dear H did the first week and I am doing the second.  

The weather has been lovely and springlike - on Sunday 11yo and I went out to visit a friend....

view of Deborah Bay over to the Peninsula, unusual patterned Mallard drake duck and expectant does

I am really looking forward to seeing the does have babies - my friend's back garden faces several paddocks of deer. 

Isn't the view from her house amazing?  (photo below) A silly goose is nesting right beside the road - its so narrow its barely wide enough to walk, but she has chosen that as her nesting site.  A road on one side and drop down into the harbour on the other.  Maybe she feels safe from predators like dogs and possums.

Not a great outfit photo but the view is amazing (skirt, top and cardi all thrifted) necklace gift, leggings and shoes both retail.  Road sign warning drivers of the silly goose

Yesterday 11yo and I did a bit of a shop-a-thon in town and took the cat to the vet to get his teeth cleaned (all good did not need anaesthetic which is better for him and for my wallet).  I wore the top that Indigo Violet gave me, as a dress with thick opaque tights which I found in the supermarket no less.  An amazing shade of burnt orange.  There was a lovely sunset last night - shepherds delight and everything. 

Slinky knit top worn as a dress, gift from Indigo Violet, boots and cardigan from hospice shop.  Kick ass kungfu slippers with "ka-pow" graphic too good to say no to, $9.95 retail.

While shopping for a black pair of high top canvas boots, with black soles which look like Converse but are a heck of a lot cheaper I spotted these cute kungfu style slipper/flat shoes with "ka-pow" embroidery.  I just could not say no to them - they matched my tights perfectly.

Today we went to the Botanic gardens on the Quest for Ducklings.  Since I saw a mother duck and her brood crossing the highway near the stadium last week I have been on the lookout for some cute bundles of down so I can take some photos.  Alas, our quest was unsuccessful.  However, we did find the worlds largest cone.  Now from a distance it looked like a beehive, or even a large partially eaten Easter Egg, but as the Botanic Gardens does not have bee hives nor is it Easter, we were compelled to go and check it out:

Giant cone sculpture.  Brown polyester home-made vintage dress, thrifted - worn with orange cardigan for a change!

It is a sculpture which was gifted to the city by immigrants from Lebanon.  It was warm in the sun but cold in the shade if you know what I mean.  I love the shapes of the echium (top left) and the white daffodils (bottom left).  Spring is definitely springing.  There are lambs in the paddock behind my house - too far away to photograph.  

I am going to close off up with a close up - of a beautiful peony in the Botanic Garden:

Beautiful peony.

 So that's what I have been up to for the last few days.  I am so enjoying being away from the W place.  We are planning to go to Milton to see the Two Squirrels later in the week and I have had my arm twisted promised to take 11yo to The Smurfs 2. 

Frock on Friday with a bit of art and sculpture thrown in for good looks

Being a bit out of practice with blogging, today I wanted to make up for lost time!  First up, do any of you have an item of clothing in your wardrobe that you love, can't bear to part with, but somehow have only worn once or twice in the last ten years?  No, I am not talking about wedding dresses or ball gowns.  Well, I do.  About 10 years ago I was at a school fair and I found an Osti dress (polyester) dating from the late 1960's or early 1970's which still had all the original tags.  That dress is long gone, but lives on in my collection of Osti dresses.  At the same time I found a homemade dress.....
 

Homemade silk (?) dress with various thrifted items.  Cute kitty necklace and cute kitty. 

 The dress is beautifully made - it is interlined, which means that the lining is not a separate, its more like backing on to the fabric, the seams are overlocked but in a way which I don't recognise.  The collar and cuffs are scalloped, which I know is quite tricky to sew and get right.  The buttons (damn I forgot a close up) are vintage plastic and metal.  It might be a modern reproduction of a vintage dress but part of me things not.  The fabric is possibly silk.  It has funny little bobbles and nubs in it, which remind me of raw silk. 

Anyway, this object of loveliness sits in my wardrobe and is rarely worn.  After this successful outing, I think I might wear it more often!!

Next I want to show you a favourite combination - brown and teal.  I have worn this dress many times, its also homemade, probably from the 1970s with a big collar.  Polyester. 

Polyester dress from the Hospitce shop, accessories all thrifted except for the necklace. 

Several weeks ago, we went to the Youth Art Exhibition which was held in our lovely railway station.  My 11yo was exhibiting - her three pictures are in the middle vertically of the top centre photo.  

Finally, I went to Wellington a couple of weeks ago for a one day Pay and Employment Equity conference with my union.  It was a really intense day and at the end I went for a very long walk along the waterfront:

I really like Wellington: its a lot like Dunedin with the harbour and the hills and the weather, but its bigger, brighter, more arty (lots of sculptures and displays).  I did not have time to do any shopping or go to the museums but that was okay, I had fun by myself, which was a nice contrast to the full on conference.  

Okay, its Saturday morning, and that means several things: washing, washing, washing, washing, a bit of blog reading, cleaning...etc. 

Thanks for the positive comments about my submission :-)

Bye 
Penny-Rose

To think, to dream, to enjoy the details

Hi everyone, I have been occupied with other things recently and not been able to blog.  However, I have saved up quite a few things to share with you.  

A couple of weeks ago I helped 11yo with her wearable art project based on Artemis.  We went out to a great garage sale fund raiser event where all the money raised went to the Hospice Shop and afterwards we went to the Sally Army and the actual Hospice Shop in Mosgiel.  We found a great cardigan/vest which I converted into a hooded cape for her costume.  I found a great selection of train books for Dear H, and for myself, a yellow necklace below (I think they are pop beads) and a cute house key ring, which is also a tape measure. 

Yellow and purple beads, tape measure house, paisley socks and furry shoes. 

The colour orange seems to appeal to me at present - the Mosgiel Hospice Shop above is a great shade of orange, and the knee high socks (right) are paisley with orange and green and purple. 

I finally wore the green Lady Lichfield Shirt (because I finally ironed it!):

Polyester Shirt and velvet skirt both from Toffs, jacket and boots from Hospice Shop

Last weekend my 11 yo and I did a quick tour of the op shops on Saturday morning and we had a great time.  We found a great vintage suede Jacket which fits her perfectly - in the $2 section at Toffs.  Bonus.  I was very restrained.  So much so, in fact that I even dreamed about an item which I had seen but did not buy.  The next day I was in state of anxiety wondering if I could message the op shop via Facebook and ask them to hold the item.  11 yo told me it was wrong op shop.  I had it really bad.  So, after a calming swim, we went past the right op shop in case it was open.  It was.  11yo leapt out of the car and ran in to see if the lust-object was still there.  It was.  I nearly burst with happiness.  So, what got me in this state?  Well here it is:

Sigh.  I just love it - I think its a drinks container perhaps for a bottle of wine.  I guess its from the 1960s or 70s.  It is so kitschy and awesome.  The little slot machine works too (well you have to be really careful).  A couple of the poker chips are missing but that doesn't worry me at all.  I intend to use it as a handbag.

Anyway, you might be wondering what I have been up to over the last few days/couple of weeks which has meant that I am not blogging.  Well I have been preparing an oral submission to a select committee about an upcoming Bill which is going to parliament.  Its about changing the employment laws to make things more flexible - but it really only benefits the employers and as I am a union delegate I put in a submission with a group of other delegates saying that we think the proposed legislation is a backwards step in industrial relations!  I had to do my submission via teleconference rather than in person and today was the day when I had to present.  I dressed up specially, to make myself feel good!  I was very nervous but it was such a great feeling to be part of the democratic process. 

I found the shirt in the St Vinnies yesterday lunchtime for the princely sum of $5.  I have wanted a photographic print shirt for ages and ages and I was absolutely delighted to find this one.  The shoes were found at the same shop a couple of weeks ago for $2.  The boucle skirt was 50 cents and a dear colleague gave me the tights. 

Just re-looked at my photos and laughed to myself. One day I will post an outfit photo and one of my silly cats will be at the cat flap waiting to come inside.  Also I see that the chair leg is in the shoe pic!

Hope you are all well, and enjoying the changing seasons.  Now my submission is behind me I will be trying to blog a bit more often. 

Bye for now, 
Penny-Rose

  

I would think of a title if there was one moment of silence

Last weekend in the afternoon I went to the Vintage Round up (read more about it here and in this blog post from The Vintage Thrill) up.  I must admit the highlight was catching up with the delightfully whimsical Two Squirrels Vanessa and Warren.  Their stall was just delightful and I am looking forward to visiting them in Milton.  

The Vintage Round up is a great selection of stalls selling vintage clothing and accessories.  I spent a very contented hour or so wandering around.  I have to be honest though I am disappointed that there was a large stall of mass produced MIC vintage looking jewellery and another of glass beaded jewellery.  It would have been nicer to have all vintage things downstairs and leave the jewellery for a craft fair or similar.  

I could not resist getting a couple of cute little plastic babies from Liz from Kings Emporium and a velvet bow tie. 

I am so proud of my daffodil I just had to share it with you - usually they get eaten by possums.  Top right are my peonies all potted up in preparation for being moved to their new home.  

Remember a while back I went to Broad Bay China with Indigo Violet?  Well here is a photo of me wearing the Egyptian brooch I bought there - its got a handy hook on the back too, so it can be converted to a necklace.  The clip-on earrings are in the "make into something else" craft pile!!

Vintage Canterbury Wear woollen vest, St Vincent de Paul, brooch from Broad Bay China, necklace from Presbyterian Support and shirt from Toffs

 What I wore to the Round Up:

 Chagall "The Birthday" wraparound skirt worn with thrifted cardigan tee shirt, necklace and boots.  Tights given to me by a colleague.  The garden at home is looking lovely - the blossom was gorgeous until a vicious storm blew it all away.  Is n't my boy handsome?  He can't resist being part of my photo shoots.

 Okay, now for some recent outfit collages:

Polyester home-made dress with Glengyle cardigan, thrifted belt and boots, candy heart bracelet and ring, shell bracelet all retail, Mood ring and necklace from fairs, Vivienne Westwood brooch (online retail splurge some years ago) and the pink tights which seem to get a lot of comments!

 Cream polyester and lace dress from Paperbag Princess ($2) Elvis obi made by me, necklace and peal bobble earrings both thrifted, Purple tights from KMART and cute shoes just bought this week from St Vinnies for $2. 

 
 Frock on Friday for Friday 13th September: vintage polyester green dress from Toffs (and the white big bead bracelet), white and yellow necklace from the Mosgiel Salvation Army, white leather belt from Hospice Shop, shoes and hair flower and flower bracelet all retail, and tights from a colleague at work.  The theme for the day was "keep it fresh" and I think I succeeded. 

I got up early today (Saturday) and thought it would be a good time to throw together a post.  It's a beautiful day here in Dunedin and I plan to do some washing and housework then go to a few op shops and a garage sale.  If it stays fine I will be in the garden this afternoon.  Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Bye
Penny-Rose