Frock on Friday with few old bags and a cute cat

My return to the blogging world has taken longer than expected.  Lets just get straight to the point and look at what I wore today for Frock on Friday:

This 1980s or earlier slinky polyester dress is one of my favourites - the burst of colours and the geometric pattern never fails to make me smile.  I found the crocheted handbag at lunch time today in the Hospice Shop - isn't it a beauty, not bad for $6! As my legs are not prepared for being completely bare I wore a pair of amazing floral fishnets I bought in a retail store on special for $5.  The ring was made by the lovely Vanessa of Two Squirrels - I had spied this on the facebook page and was delighted that it was still in the shop when I called in a couple of weeks ago.  

New Zealand had a General Election in September and any of you who follow me on Facebook might have seen the various pictures in me when I took part in the "Get out and vote" campaign which I was involved in from mid August until the day before the election.  The best part was when I wore Victorian clothes hired from the local theatre and voted early, which has only been permitted in the past if you are casting a special vote.  I took advantage of early voting to pay homage to Kate Shepherd who was one of the suffragettes who campaigned relentlessly for women to vote and won that right in 1983.


I was happy to be photographed when I voted and even appeared in the local paper!  The photo above was taken at work.The old doctors bag is a family heirloom and surprisingly heavy to carry.  The two photos of my cat Mittens are unrelated to voting, but she sure does look cute!

Carrying on the bag theme I found the most amazing bag at Toffs a couple of months ago....it is styled like a doctors bag, I think it is from Japan and made of beautiful peony fabric:




The last few months have just flown by - I can't believe it was two months ago (August) when I went to Auckland (for the first time!) for a women's conference.  Alas no op shopping opportunities!  The conference was great and the flight there was amazing as the photo of the Southern Alps below shows:


Now its October and I admit, one of my favourite times of the year - Rhododendrons are blooming everywhere at the moment.  I particularly like the pink one above left.  The less than perfect photo on the right is the lunar eclipse which I watched.  Amongst the spring storms the weather has had moments of intense calm, like the night of the eclipse. 

The recent school holidays ensured a much deserved week off work and time spent with my daughter.  Imagine our delight as we drove to town one day and saw this lovely Paradise duck family strolling down a street....

They were walking along one of the most popular streets where students live.  The damaged couch/sofa on the front porch is a common sight along the street, but I have never seen a duck family before!

Naturally, the school holidays meant some second-hand shopping.  One day my daughter and I went to a demolition yard to look for suitable containers for my peonies.  I did n't find any, but look at this fabulous Orion Coal Range.....which regretfully I did not buy.  Dear H would not thank me for making this kind of purchase without discussing with him.  I would like one of these outside on the patio of our new house...I love the idea of sitting outside and feeling the warmth from one of these old stoves.

An actual purchase was the cute sewing basket below left, which has a broken lid.  No matter I can use it for my sewing and crochet essentials which are stuffed onto the bookcase beside where I sit and watch tv, or read, or crochet! 

There have been some unanticipated successes this Winter, for a start, I have already passed my goal for reading 30 books this year.   I don't think I will be able to read all of Stephen King's books as I had originally hoped, though as there are more than I thought and I like to intersperse horror with other types of fiction.  For future posts I have two sewing projects to finish and then share, plus a knitting project as well.  

That's all from me for now - laptop is cooking my lap!  Hope you are all having a relaxing Friday night.  
Bye Penny-Rose

emerging from the winter

Hi, I am emerging from the winter hibernation and back in the world of blogging. 

Outfit photos have been few and far between but here's one of a black and white and yellow outfit:

 The dress was bought at the Hospice shop for a few dollars, the white and yellow glass necklace and the yellow bangles are op-shopped too.  

Today's op shop finds at the Presbyterian Support Shop in St Andrew Street.  Barclay knitwear nylon bat wing sleeve cardigan which predates 1967 and a Tekau pure wool long sleeve cardigan in just the right shade of oatmeal to go with a number of my dresses.  Both were priced at a $1.

A few weekends ago, my family and I went on an urban train trip - a special service by the Taieri Gorge Railway:

I wore a extra warm op-shopped dress and woollen cardigan with my bow boots and tights, coat, hat and fake fur.  It was beeping freezing and rained almost the whole time.  Despite the weather it was fun to be on a train and see the city from a different angle. 

Another find today, this amazing hand embroidered top.  

The sleeves are tiny - for a ten year old - but the body is extra large.  Initially I thought it was something like an artists smock.  I am going to remove the sleeves and convert it to a skirt.  Again, it was $1. 

The same day as the train trip we also went to the Vintage Round Up Market.  To my delight the lovely Two Squirrels were just inside the entrance.  I fell in love with the donkey and brought him home.  I named him Clarence after the mule in the Outlander Books.  My very observant 12yo daughter found a custom pair of Chucks for $35.  Original retail over $150.  Forgoing pocket money for several weeks she took them home. 

 The greeting card boxes are made by a Dunedin lady.  I think she is very clever and patient and I asked her if she would consider teaching me how to do it.  She suggested Google as she does not have time.  I appreciate she is busy but think it would be more fun to learn side by side with someone.  

Final purchase of the day, also for $1 is an amazing hand made red slip.  Neither photo does it justice.  Its a tiny bit big for me under the arms and I will try and modify it. 

Lastly, and by no means least, the lovely and very special Vintage Bird Girl came to town last week with the Captain.  It was a delight to catch up with them both, if only work committments had allowed me more time to sit and chat.  VBG bought me a fabulous parcel of goodies which I will share with you eventually.  In the meanwhile the brooch, bottom left is from her, and means a lot to me and I have worn it regularly - I thought it looked really nice against a brown polyester dress and apricot fluffy cardy.  Every time I look at it I smile and think of VBG :-)

Computer is melting my lap as processor struggles to deal with internet and other things.  I will upgrade my laptop soon.  Well, eventually.  I just realised I have 100 followers and want to say a big thank you to you all for supporting me in my blogging endeavours.  

Bye Penny-Rose 

 

Friday - Flirty Floaty, with a bit of Fun Funk, and Pink Punk

Tonight I was home before it got dark.  This is a significant event because it meant that I could have a Friday outfit photo shoot in daylight.  

I loved wearing this outfit today.  The crepe pleated skirt dates from the 1980s or 1990s and the sequin sweater is modern and I found it at the Presbyterian Support Shop in the 50 cent section.  As well as the turquoise bangles I am wearing a watch and a ring in similar colours.  

 Flirty Floaty skirt is mid length but I am thinking of shortening it (well from the top/waist area).  

It only looks ankle length because the photographer is very tall.

It was a little bit girly and floaty and I felt a bit flirty and naughty.  And yes, that is blue in my hair.  Blue hair chalk which is a cheap way to add a splash of colour. 

For a more funky look, this is what I wore in the school holidays on one of several op shop expeditions with 12yo. 

 Cord skirt (Me Made), tights and sneakers (retail), 

leather jacket, black top, cardigan and beads (thrifted)

I think this was the day 12 yo said she did not want to go to a particular thrift store because it smelled.  I persuaded her.  Within a few seconds of entering the store she was rabid with excitement as she spotted a pair of Converse sneakers (which fitted her) for $5. She was a very happy girl. 

Another day I decided to wear pink and punk.  It was grey day so I wanted to wear pink and I realised that I had not yet worn my new plastic boots.  The pink Osti dress is too shabby for work now, but I thought it was perfect with the sequin sweater, skulls and roses leggings and zebra boots. 

If I recall correctly, the Osti dress was $2, the leather jacket $8 and the sweater 50 cents.

So, three outfits in one post.  I am going to the Vintage Round Market tomorrow - after going on a short excursion train-trip with Dear H and 12 yo.  I hope there will be opportunities to take lots of photos.  Computer is holding up okay, so I aim to post again this weekend. Hope you are all having a great Friday evening, xx Penny-Rose

Return to Blogland - the school holidays have started

Hello everybody, it's the school holidays so I have some time to catch up on some great blogs and write a post (or even 2!) of my own.

Winter is a difficult month in terms of taking photos but this year has been harder with the deathknell (or the apparent deathknell) of Windows XP which sent several people into a computer frenzy of fear and millions of others to buy a new computer.  In total denial of the risk of viruses and goodness only know what I am soldiering on with my trusty Toshiba laptop.  Its only a few years old but can't upgraded to a newer version of Windows, thus I must run the gauntlet of Windows XP.  

Ok, on to other more important things, like what I have been wearing and where I found such treasures of couture.  First up, a remnant from the Presbyterian Support Fabric Sale which was initially made into a wrap around skirt before being incarnated as an A-line above the knee.  A dear, young colleague at work said I looked like I should be in Clueless.  Bless her. 

Where would I be without polyester?  This vision of loveliness -below - has a pleated skirt and a pussy bow collar (St V de P if my memory serves me correctly).  I teamed it up with some quirky jewellry including a necklace made for me by my daughter when she was about 7 yo.  The Easter Bunny earrings were in a $2 sale and the bangles are all thrifted. 

Winter has been hard on my feet - my beloved bow boots have been on high rotation with other op shop shoes including the heeled Mary Janes above and on more casual days the leopard print sneakers below.

Turquoise is almost my favourite colour at present - maybe because it is so bright and cheerful amongst the relative dullness of winter.  The World jacket above left, from the Winter 2007 collection was a $2 find from Toffs and the cardigan from the Hospice Shop.  Both accompany a floral polyester shirt dress.  The arm junk is a mixture of new and thrifted. 


Aside from the threat of computer-meltdown I have been very busy over the last few weeks with work and Union related matters.  As well as being on the bargaining team and looking forward to some improved salaries and working conditions being put on the table later this month, I have been to Wellington twice (sadly with no time to catch up with like minded bloggers) for a committee meeting and also on a leadership course.  More about both of those in the near future.  

As for now, I am going to make some more Picmonkey collages to post later.  Hope you are all well and free of the XP curse.  Bye, Penny-Rose 

An obligatory Blogger Deer is in this post (and some NZ icons)

I have been having some feet problems recently - most of my winter footwear seems to make my feet hurt.  

One day my feet hurt so much I bought another pair of shoes to alleviate the discomfort.  They were not a huge improvement on the comfort level (my face in the photo below says it all) but I think they matched my outfit nicely:

 Genuine suede Italian shoes $2 from Presbyterian Support Shop.  Worn with Chagall wrap skirt $4 and Vintage Goldcrest coat.

Despite the discomfort I really love this outfit! 


 On a completely unrelated matter, I often walk from work to the main street through a carpark and an alley way.  The walls are covered in graffiti and collage as well as the original signage.  An iconic image of Sir Edmond Hillary has been there for years and years.  But was recently, partially covered over.  So I took a photo.  It wasn't until I really looked at the whole wall I realised the new image was a giant head:

The "inspirational poster" was a couple of metres out of shot.  The accidental spelling errors of sign-writers is a constant source of amusement for me.  

Now,  I want to show you an outfit I wore two Fridays ago - I know I am a bit behind in Frock on Friday so I decided to combine Dunedin grunge with cute:

 Levis maxi skirt 50 cents, iconic "Dunedin" tee shirt $2 Toffs (normal retail $150 or something equally silly) Cardigan from Hospice Shop.  Socks and shoes retail.  Kitten necklace and Hello Kitty earrings both retail. Modern and vintage mood rings, both from a school fair, polished Paua and Silver ring from Barking Fish, Port Chalmers.

 I like the bunny socks peeping out from underneath my long skirt!  At lunch time I was visiting a stationery store with a friend and found myself a little cutie:

....a bobble head reindeer!  SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Unlike my Saturday morning post last week, I am short of time today, so that's all for now.  Hope you have a great weekend!  Bye xxxxxx

More than polka-dots

Shhhh, I have to be quiet, because I am up out of bed really really early and its not a work day.  Shhh I might wake the family.  Well unless the intense meowing of two cats didn't already wake them.

Saturday morning and I am all by myself.  Lit the fire.  Made a hot drink.  Internet humming.  Toast has popped up.  (Cat just re-entered house after post-breakfast stalk around the garden to check for invading felines from outer-space). Time to blog.  

You know me, I love polka dots - spots, dots, blobs, repeating blobs and spots and dots. So lets look at something a bit different:

stripes  stripes  stripes 
stripes  stripes

I got stripes, stripes, stripes.  With sincere thanks to Johnny Cash.

Striped shirt from Savemart (love the frills, striped tights retail - the black stripes are velvety!!

NZ designer label Boucle skirt, 50 cents from Presbyterian Op Shop, 

designer belt, $3 from St Vincent de Paul, 

patent brogues (NZ Made) from Toffs $3, 

vintage glass striped necklace about $4 from Salvation Army. 

or how about:

oriental    oriental  oriental  

oriental  oriental  

Hommage to a geisha.

 Vintage (1950s) , home-made blue dress, Toffs $2

embroidered leather boots Savemart

obi made by me

vintage necklace  Hospice Shop

bracelets all secondhand from antique store, trade me, school fair and op shop

((please excuse the crockpot - had to improvise when cat had to be kept inside))

and then there is inspiration from fabric:

 pacific  pacific pacific

pacific pacific

Pacific print polyester dress

Pacific print polyester dress from Presbyterian Support

Aqua Glengyle cardigan Toffs

Aqua vintage beads opshopped

embroidered leather boots, silver belt  retail

Okay, 12 yo is up and out of bed now.  Time to plan our long (Queen's Birthday) weekend.  Sure there'll be some chores, but we are also planning a walk in a park or along a beach, a bit of op-shopping (of course), maybe some baking and cooking.  As a family we don't have to spend a heap of money to have fun together.  

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Penny-Rose xxx

Some sewing projects and the world's Ugliest Pullover.

I am in awe of sewing bloggers like Trees who manages to showcase several homemade outfits in one week. My effort for Me Made May started off with good intentions and then fizzled a bit.  Let me explain why.

Here I am wearing my miami does cuba print top with a cord skirt, leopard tights and never fail bow boots.  

My photographer cunningly took this photo from an angle that reduces the amount of thigh on show - the truth be told, this skirt is a lot shorter than what I am used to. Although both items are functional and not unattractive I do not consider either to be favourites - the cord skirt crunches when I sit down and the rayon cotton mix top needs fastidious ironing.   

Now, dear readers, I want to share with you something truly hideous.  I trust you by now to share my absolute worst sewing project.  Ever.  I present to you, the worlds ugliest pullover:

I am so unimpressed with this Me Made sewing project that I deliberately cut my head out of the photos.  I dutifully followed a vintage pattern - even measuring myself and then comparing with the "Finished garment size" on the envelope.  I sweated over the V neckline and even accepted a compromise V with a slightly rounded bottom, used some groovy floral fabric for the facings, and twice took in swathes of fabric under the arms all the way to the hem to try and get a better fit.  In the eternal words of Grumpy Cat.  I hate it.  

I am not being harsh, the fact is that I never thought that the top part would be so ugly and unflattering.  The shoulder seams are so wide and the V so small that you can barely see any of the fabulous blouse I am wearing underneath - a gift from the lovely Vintage Bird Girl.  

Vertical darts in the front and back may well give this pullover a bit more shape and therefore appear more flattering.  But the time spent doing this would be wasted as it is the top I hate.  Off to the op shop it goes.  The material - a lovely grey wool poly blend was $5 for about 2 metres from the Hospice Shop.  The pattern was probably 50cents or less and the facings were a $2 shirt from Toffs.  I do not begrudge the expenses on materials, only the hours of time spent crafting this object of hideousness.  

I am not letting this get me down and have several other UFO's stockpiled and ready to be completed for next summer.  Next post will be about op shop finds and a new polyester shirt dress!!

Bye for now, Penny-Rose 

Some sunny weekend days

Dunedin is being tormented by a number of cold fronts at the moment.  Yesterday there were wind gusts of 130km hr.  A couple of weeks ago or so, there were some stunning sunny days.  I rarely take outfit photos in the weekend because I am usually too busy!  

Today, I thought I would give you a peep into my weekend world:

 Left: embroidered skirt from Toffs, thrifted top and cardigan, various plastic bangles, vintage necklace.  Attractive gum boots (Wellingtons) worn due to mud at the soon-to-be-building site. Earlier in the day was spent in town getting hair cut for 12yo and other chores.

Right: jacket, teeshirt, jeans and boots all op-shopped.  My usual weekend garb. Photo taken in the Dunedin Botanic Gardens. 

On this particular day the gardens were looking beautiful - it was one of those days were the simple act of strolling around in the sun was good for the soul.  

I bought three romance graphic novels the other day and a pin-up tin tray.  I played around with the images and made a collage.  I think I might add it to my blog page! 

Hope you are all having a great weekend, I have some outfit posts from last week to show you so be sure to stop by and say hello.

Bye, Penny-Rose 

 

Bright is Might

The highlight of this week for me was a lunchtime catch-up with my friend Tanya.  We went to The Cuckoo's Nest store in St Andrew Street which is closing down sadly.  As well as selling some lovely vintage items from Most Wanted Vintage there are a number of ethically dresses, bags and jewellery from Africa and Asia.  New Zealand also features strongly with jewellery made from all kinds of materials including recycled remains of homes which were destroyed in the Christchurch earthquake.  Afterwards we crossed the road to visit the Presbyterian Support Shop.  In the dress-up box I discovered a fabulous gold belt which matched my outfit:

 Paul Klee print skirt - originally a maxi dress but cut in half by me to make a skirt and a top - from the Presbyterian Support Shop.  It once belonged to the Manager!! One day when I was wearing it she saw me and told me!!  Various plastic bangles from Trademe or op shopped.  Old pearl necklace belonged to my Grandmother, the blue and orange beads both thrifted.

Yesterday, Friday I decided that I needed more brightness, more colour and more, well more WOW.  I wore my new favourite polyester shirt dress which is garish neon green yellow purple and blue.  The left hand photo is what it looks like in the car.  I was playing with my camera.

 Garish polyester shirt dress, op shopped.  

Cardigan, boots and most jewellery also op shopped.  

I think I am in love with turquoise. 

The neon yellow tights are from KMART - one of the few budget brands which actually fit properly.  

Its been a lovely sunny day here in Dunedin - I managed to get several loads of washing dried and this afternoon I hemmed a grey pullover dress which I made a couple of weeks ago and made a big pot of pumpkin soup.  One of the joys of autumn is the comfort from a fire and a bowl of soup.

Hope you are all having a good weekend, xx Penny-Rose

Its definitely Autumn now....no more bare legs that's for sure

Hello!!  As I was inserting my photos into today's post I noticed that I was wearing tights in each photo, and that lead to my post title "no more bare legs".  The fact is that although there have been one or two nice sunny days it is now too cold to have bare legs.  Tights are now compulsory. 

Left, 1980s polyester dress with circle skirt and bat wing sleeves, $3 from Toffs

Right, polyester shirt dress of a similar age with geometric print pattern and raglan short sleeves, $6 from Presbyterian Support.  

I have been quite busy the last week or so including two days with my daughter during the school holidays -  12yo and I went to the Famous Regent Theatre 24 Book Sale and visited several op shops too.  I also went on an overnight trip to Wellington for an important Union meeting, sadly no time for opshopping or any photos :-(  I have nearly finished my current sewing project (photos soon I promise) and I also put all my summer clothes which are not able to worn with tights or boots away into the top of the wardrobe. 

On a more formal note, one very special event was to attend my first Bat Mizvah for a dear friend's daughter.  I had not been to a synagogue before and was fascinated by the whole ceremony. After the service a delicious long lunch was held at my friend's house, and as I left in the late afternoon I noticed a gorgeous doe peering through the fence.  I think she is the one who is so tame my friend can hand feed her apples (just visible in the top left). 

Purple polyester dress worn with vintage Glengyle angora cardigan.

This last weekend I helped the same friend move out of her office which was located in an old insurance building.  The ceilings are dizzyingly high and all the walls are bare brick with exposed beams of wood and steel (photo bottom right).  There is no outfit photo because I wore jeans and a teeshirt and got all hot and sweaty.  Afterwards I  managed to squeeze in some shopping at Port Chalmers and called in to Box of Birds which was having a sale.  I bought this unusual border print polyester dress by Norman Linton for $10 which more than I would usually spend on 3 items but I think it was worth it:

Norman Linton polyester dress with unusual border print in dark blue and pink.

The autumn weather and the slowly encroaching dark in the evenings makes it really hard to take photos during the week.  One thing I have been doing is reading nearly every night and I was delighted that 12yo found me several more Stephen King hardback novels at the book sale - all for $1 each.  

Right, my laptop is practically burning up!

All for now, Penny-Rose xxx

 

Post Easter Post

For me and my family, Easter is a much needed opportunity to take a break and relax.  12 yo daughter is too old for an Easter Egg hunt now but we still partake in a few choc eggs.  Here in New Zealand we have both Good Friday and the following Monday as Public Holidays.  Therefore we have a four day weekend!  There are certain laws about shops and restaurants being open, and over the years the loud voice of Joe and Josephine Public seems to demand the right to eat and drink, and shop, any day they wish, in fact any day a business wishes to be open.

Sadly this need to consume has overtaken the need for many to have a break and relax with family.  As a happy thrifter, opshopper and careful manager of the family pantry, I do not need (or want) to go retail shopping or dine out or go for a drink on a Public Holiday.  

On Sunday, when the sun finally came out from behind the stormy clouds caused by Cyclone Ita, my family and I went for a walk, and this is what we saw:

The stunning Otago Harbour - a rustic boatshed, a crab warming itself in the sun, a heron wading for snacks and a dead octopus.

Walking by the water is fascinating and with only a warm breeze to disturb the surface I could see lots of ripples caused by insects and tiny fish.  The octopus was huge - I estimate the head as large as a 12 yo!  Although it was dead, I realise how lucky I am to live where a live one would not be uncommon.  

In contrast to the calm harbour, the next day we went for a walk to Second Beach which bears the brunt of the Pacific ocean.  The beach is almost inaccessible but there is a pleasant walkway and unusual rock formations to admire:

Wearing vintage cotton smock shirt dress (the fabric is a bit like cordroy but the ridges are not as pronounced.  Jacket, boots and cardigan are all thrifted.  Leggings, scarf and hat are all retail. 

I managed to do a little sewing (nothing of note to share at present).  Also, for the first time ever I washed, dried and ironed some fabric prior to cutting out.  I know I should do this, but I usually can't be bothered.  Although it is not vintage fabric it is very much in the vintage theme and hence I decided to do the right thing and wash, and dry and iron!:

The pattern is huge and I realise I should have put a pen or something in the right hand photo so you could get an idea of proportion.  I am thinking of making something which requires minimal cutting so that the patterns are kept complete - like a shirt dress  - or something totally over the top and impractical like a big skirt.  The background is not white - in these photos it has a pink hue - but it is not calico coloured either.  The pattern is a dark blue that reminds me of the ink my Dad used when I was little - Parkers Quink Ink.  

Lastly I want to show what I was wearing today:

 

 

Pink Osti polyester dress from Toffs, pink cardigan from Savemart, leather jacket from the salvation Army.  Fox brooch a gift, tights and boots retail.  Earrings made in Dunedin by Kismet.

So, how was your Easter weekend? Did you have a relaxing weekend?  I hope so!

Bye for now, Penny-Rose xx

Patterns and Patterns, green and green

Hi Everyone, 

I hope that blog post title isn't too boring to catch your attention.  I may have posted a few colour blocked outfits recently, but I still love patterns - especially spots, dots, dashes, blobs, and lines.  

I really really like graduated patterns which go from the hem upwards!  Anyway, on St Patrick's day, I was in a dilemma about which green dress to wear (I have several) and I ended up wearing this one (which has spots and stripes at the collar and cuffs and the belt):

 

The dress above (a St Michael special for tall women)  may be getting too small for me - or maybe its just my posture.  In honour of St Paddy I also put a demure green streak through my hair and wore my green hair clips.  I do have green shoes but I cannot wear them at present as my torn plantar fascia is still giving me a few problems (arch of my foot).  The red shoes were chosen by my friends and readers via my facebook page.  The silver hoop earrings were my all time favourites as they went with everything.  During one of my Friday lunchtime catch-ups with my Dear Friend Lisa, I lost one and did not realise until I got home.  I am now on a quest for a replacement pair.

With the Easter holidays coming up (combined with School holidays) I am hoping to do some more sewing.  I keep finding awesome sewing patterns that I just have to buy.  They are only a few cents each!  They are green too, in as much that I can recycle them and use them, or use them to wrap gifts. 

The one in the centre one is a vintage Vogue and I love the neckline variation.  The Weigels (bottom row centre) is far too small for me, but I could not resist the cute picture.  I did not realise when I made this collage that the name of pattern and the pattern number were chopped off, which is a bit annoying when I think that I am trying to keep a visual record of my patterns!  Sometimes, I am just so keen to get the photos in a collage and posted I do not think about what things look like from the readers point of view.  

Okay, its a Monday night, and a pumpkin risotto is on the stove simmering, cold roast lamb is being carved and I just need to cook some greenery.  The fire it lit and one cat is positioned on a chair directly underneath the kitchen table (the roast lamb being directly above her).  Her brother is throwing himself at the front door demanding to be let in. Silly cat.

Bye for now, Penny-Rose

Would I be alive if I lived in a black and white world?

I seem to be loving colour more than ever at the moment - may be its the changing seasons.  We have just turned back our clocks to end daylight savings, and the result is: very few outfit photos.

Luckily, here are a couple I prepared earlier.  

I loved wearing this outfit, just ignore my facial expression.  The skirt is a die-hard favourite which I found at a rummage at a school fair.  I bought it with several other items for a couple of bucks.  My only criticism of it is that the waist band was sewn with invisible thread which has started breaking and now little prickly bits dig into my stomach (maybe that explains the facial expression! )

Me Made top, thrifted skirt, jacket and flower both retail, plastic shoes borrowed from 12yo daughter.  French jet (ie glass) necklace dating bought on Trademe for $1.

The other outfit I want to show you tonight is a violent combination of yellow and pink.  Inspired by my birdcage earrings:

 1980s? cotton linen dress from Toffs, cardigan from Savemart,  

Heart necklace made by my daughter about 6 years ago.

Birdcage earrings retail - the birds really swing.

I lied about the violent bit.  Although I had to be be-headed LOL.  The lighting in the hallway is not flattering for my complexion - although the end result is that it is a very true representation of the colours of the dress & cardi.

Its been a very busy week work-wise plus I had a Union meeting, also 12yo had her final waterpolo game of the season (a win yay) and today the final volleyball game (a loss to an all boys team but it was lots of fun).  My other bit of news is that the local council have granted us planning permission to build a house!!!  This means that we can now talk to the builder and work out when things actually start!    

Hope you all have a great weekend, 
take care, 
Penny-Rose xxx

Colour Block Friday and I found a purple dress

This week I wore something a bit different on Friday, so I can't really call this a FOF post - it is however a Colour Block post.

I am behind in blogging and reading due to a cold.  An annoying cold. 
Bright colours certainly compensate for not feeling 100%.

 Purple skirt - was once an evening dress - from Toffs, with teeshirt and cardigan both from Hospice Shop.  Shoes, watch and liquorice allsorts earrings all retail.

This outfit started from the ground up - I bought the shoes on Thursday and noticed when I put them on that there were flashes of purple - so I put on a purple skirt - then I could see sparks of yellow (very tiny ones) so I put on a yellow tee shirt - then I could see a bit of blue like a cloud - so naturally, I put on a turquoise cardigan.  Voila.  I found the badge at a music store which was closing down at lunchtime on Friday.  The irony is, that the badge was probably made in China. 

Earlier in the week I wore the same colour combination - purple and turquoise:

 

The dress is much much more purple in real life.  I pounced on it in the St V de P Shop, because I don't have a plain purple dress.  The nuclear free belt was a gift from my dear op-shopping buddy Tanya, the bracelets are a mix of thrift and KMART.  Like many dresses of its era, it has an elastic waist which was tiny.  I used my quick-unpick to undo some of the elastic and then carefully cut, allowing for several extra inches in the waist.  Fortunately because the skirt is pleated this was a very satisfactory arrangement.  

My cold is now mostly gone, except for an annoying cough.  As it happens, I have been dosing myself with lots of vitamin C by drinking the cordial I made from a large portion of the blackcurrants I harvested in the summer.  Purple definitely has therapeutic qualities.

Hope you are all well and having a great weekend, 

bye for now, Penny-Rose :-)

 

Otago Anniversary Day (photos are not related)

Its Otago Anniversary day and I have spent the day at home.  There is no school on this auspicious day.  But 60% of businesses are open.  Except banks and public services and the City Council.  I was happy to be home rather than at work.  12 yo has been at a friend's house for a few hours and listening to her ipod/playing on the computer.  While she was away I made several bottles of Blackcurrant cordial.  I also cooked some pears and put them in the freezer to make into a pudding on a cold winter night.  Roast beef and roasted kumara and potatoes also came out of the oven and some slightly overcooked ANZAC biscuits.  I finished a skirt from a remnant and a top in that Miami-meets-Cuba black rayon fabric that I showed you the other day. 

I have a slight cold.  Its annoying me.  I don't think I have had a cold for ages, possibly even a year.  12 yo was off school for a couple of days last week - poor lass could not move without needing a box of tissues and some Vicks.  Dear H and I shared the care 50/50 and I did quite a bit of sewing and reading.  Now I have the cold and it is making me scratchy and crabby.  I've had other things and injuries (shoulder and elbow, and then my foot).  Somehow the petty common cold is the most annoying. 

Moving right along: these photos have nothing whatsoever to do with Anniversary Day.  I had these in a "draft" post from a couple of weeks back when it was so cold I had to wear what I consider to be winter clothes.

First up: a light blue raglan short sleeved Courtelle sweater and a Glengyle cardigan with angora.   Alas, I forget what I wore on my bottom half.

Clockwise from top left: Bad photo of cute kitten necklace which I bought from Wellington Airport last year.  Real cute cat - not for sale.  Unless she brings a rat in the house again and then I would seriously consider it.  Real fur collar and bobble scarf I bought for $1 on Trademe.  I had to wash in in wool mix.  The collar is still a bit manky but I love the bobbles.  I like tickling my nose with them.  Badge bought retail when I had more money than sense.  Dorothy Parker is my heroine.  I see people peering at me trying to read the font.  On the inside I laugh. 

Vintage evening dress chopped off at bust and made into a skirt.  Zany stripey socks I have had for years and years.  Plastic boots which were necessary due to lots of rain.  Also I tore my plantar fascia and could only wear limited shoes for nearly three weeks.  Two plastic necklaces with black tee shirt and orange cardigan - the top part of the purple skirt outfit.  Truth be told I could not be bothered taking a photo in the rain.  Green check apron with ric rac.  Worn over aforementioned outfit while cooking tea.  Gift from my much missed and loved mother-in-law.  

Okay, that's all from me for now.  I need to make a hot blackcurrant drink and taken a couple of panadol.  Hope you are all keeping well!

Bye for now, Penny-Rose

Red shoes or silver?

Frock on Friday - Friday 14th March:

Polyester dress with pintucked bodice and circle skirt, possibly 1980's, $3 from Toffs, worn with Made by Me Elvis obi, silver plastic shoes

I was teased a fair bit at work on Friday due to Cyclone Lusi which was heading towards Northern New Zealand.  My dress had a cyclonic look about it as I twirled around the office.

Earlier in the week I wore the Made by med dress again.  

Dress Made by Me with digital print fabric from Tessuti, red leather shoes, old faithfuls from Frames in Dunedin, plastic bangles and beads all thrifted.  Hair flower, belt and watch all retail.

It's late on a Sunday afternoon as I type this and there's been nearly an eight hour delay in posting this due to an internet interruption this morning.  There is cloud down to ground level and its pouring with rain.  I have finished a skirt and put the sleeves in a top.  The fire is lit and I am cooking a roast chicken.  I bought several old sewing patterns again yesterday so I am going to update my database.  

Hope your weekend has been productive and enjoyable!

Bye Penny-Rose