Stillness

It's been quiet here for a few months. I've not had the energy or inclination to blog about anything other than things I'm not really prepared to say on the internet. But I can assure those of you who are curious (or those in the know in NZ) that trying to get knocked up is a hell of a lot of work. Failing to do so is a hell of a lot of work too. Because I am currently wallowing and consuming my weight in chocolate I thought maybe trying to blog again might be better for me and my mental health. It'd be good for my body too.


So...

I've got a creative project on the go that was inspired by a something I saw on etsy  (I hearted a different city and although I didn't leave my heart there, I certainly met my love) and the embroidery above that I saw over at Meet me at Mike's. If these two gems had a love child, it would be what I am slowly stitching. Stay tuned for some super embroidery! Or since this blog o' mine's been dead in the water how about you just tune back in! Ok?

Because even when the going gets tough, the tough still go thrifting, I have to share a travel case I bought at Salvos a little while ago. These pictures are just as I started to clean it- grimy. No after photos. Brilliant, huh. I will take some in a lovely shoot (ha) and pop them up because the inside of the case is delightful.
It was marked $30 at a 50% sale day, at the register I was told this was a collectable and collectables were excluded. I was a bit miffed and I walked away. But the next day I was still thinking about it and I went back and paid more than I thought I should. But I haven't had a second of regret. Not-a-one. I am having a love affair with the blue and red.

 

Find other treasure hunters X

Odeon Carlton Theatre, Toronto, 1948

Calamity Jane  --  1953

Doris Day and Howard Keel are the kind of movie couple you wish had really got married and had too many children. A little like Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta. Right!? Doris and Howard would've sung together as a family every night and had lots of dogs. Doris does love the animals after all.

The movie is based loosely on the life of the real Calamity Jane. Having just read the wikipedia entry on her I am glad Hollywood didn't let reality get in the way of a great story. I come from a family of old movie lovers, particularly old musicals. This is one of my favourites and I have probably watched it a hundred times. It is full of great songs, funny lines, makeovers, shootings and romance. What more could you want? My sisters and I were obsessed with it and would often put on good shoes, grab a salt shaker and throw salt on the laundry floor to reenact the scene when Calamity comes back from Chicago and is sharing what she's seen there.

"That ain't all she ain't"

The drunkard*

There's No Place Like Here: Pass The Baton from Etsy on Vimeo.

Why school holidays, hello! How I've missed you.

Digging around the internet this afternoon I've shopped (and really bought this time, I didn't fill and empty my basket in some crazy fake shopping ritual) and drank tea and read and had a sing-a-long. I headed over to Etsy to see if there were any new videos to watch. I love the videos they do. I am positive I will never get over the one I about a couple of American upholsterers. They worked as a team stripping and rebuilding an armchair in the video- I was in awe. I had a dream (for a week or so) to give up teaching and learn how to do upholstery and become instantly skilled and fabulous at my new skill.

Pass The Baton tells the story of a Japanese shop with a unique take on second-hand goods. They ask the person who is donating to provide information to go with the item. I LOVE this idea. I often wonder about the history of an item in an op shop. Perhaps it's real life mightn't be as interesting as the one imagined but it would be lovely to know a little about the owner and the past life of the treasure. I particularly want this for orphaned photos. It breaks my heart to see old photos that have been given away because I think they ought to be someones treasure. I don't mean the story of why they were given away but who the person was and something of their life story. Although a back story to those would probably make me buy them all and fill my house with ghosts!

Last year Pip chose Anne of Green Gables as one of the book club reads. It took me ages to find one in an op shop but the Lobster did manage to do so and I loved it. My sisters and I watched the movies a million times growing up. I enjoyed the differences and seeing what ideas they'd nicked from the first book and moved around for the movies. I might be wrong and the same/similar things happen in later books but that would be poor writing from old Lucy Maud. I didn't intend to read any more but I discovered this edition of Anne of Avonlea with fine 70s art on the cover and thought I'd continue on. I think I'm hooked. The next one is on a mental list of "Special things to keep your eyes peeled for..."

At the moment the book club are reading Pride and Prejudice. I've probably read that four or five times already. But I thought I'd look for another Austen. Yesterday I found a lovely copy of Emma. I've never loved the movies or tv adaptations but I'm going to give her a shot. I also picked up Middlemarch by George Eliot. I am looking forward to that as I know nothing of the story. What are you reading at the moment? Anything to recommend? Do you hate period stories? I see a theme in my reading... I've got about 8 books on my shelf in various states of read. My husband likes to call me a bookworm. I say it comes in waves!

   


Shopping baskets are often filled online and then left to time out. It's like a shopping fix without the spend...or the pain of wandering around shops all day. I had a purpose today as I browsed asos and modcloth. At the end of the month I'm going to need a pretty dress to wear to a wedding. I am sure there is probably something in my wardrobe that would do but I want a new one. Yes. I Want. This frock and this blouse are heading my way. I wanted ANOTHER pussy bow blouse but I saw a little sense and got this frilly one instead. I do love those pussy bows.

   

* "I am simply a 'book drunkard.' Books have the same irresistible temptation for me that liquor has for its devotee. I cannot withstand them."


— L.M. Montgomery

stitch it

My sisters were cross stitchers. I found the concept too complicated- possibly because I wasn't really very interested in cross stitching. Last year I came across the etsy shop & blog for chez sucre chez. I loved the beautiful work and the clever use of lyrics, particularly those of The Smiths. Interest piqued. Skills still woefully lacking.

A friend gave me a starter kit for Christmas and while listening to some music at home this line in The Pogues 'Rainy Night in Soho' struck me and I started marking out the stitches on a plan. The back is messy and tangled, the front has imperfections, but I care not. I am proud as punch that I did it, hardly swore during the sewing and realised cross stitching is actually fairly straight forward.

Although I finished it in January sometime I've only just tied a stripy ribbon on it (I pushed it out of the way a little for the photo) and hung it in our lounge room on the picture wall. Where it now sits happily below a thrifted cross stitch of a couple of lovely blue tits.

As to avoid looking like a neglectful follower or secret stalker of blogs, I am still unable to comment on posts unless there is an option of anonymous. Which many people don't have! A friend told me she was unable to comment here too. So I say to those dear blogger/gmail/whoever-you-are workers... Pull your socks up and fix this very annoying glitch in your system.

what the blogger

I'm just putting it out there that for three entire days I have been in a battle of wills with gmail/blogger. EVERY SINGLE TIME I have tried to comment on blogs I have been taken through a painful and swear word inducing loop where I sign into my account, enter the secret password for commenting and then swiftly go back to signing into my account. So on and so forth till I crack it and give up. What the beejesus is wrong?! BAH!

In heart warming news, a boy in my class was a little unwell with a cold today and his mum told him he'd have to stay home. He cried so much about wanting to come to school that she sent him in the end with a note for me to call if need be. It's nice to know he is enjoying school so much he is desperate to be there.

Yesterday I did a little bit of op shopping and picked up a couple of embroidery hoops and some trashy chick lit. I usually save that sort of reading for summer holidays but during report season I felt like a little light reading.

I have a couple of plans in the works for the hoops- one will be a top secret gift for my husband and the other will be a little acorn.

On the cover of our wedding booklet we had this quote from Captain Correlli's Mandolin:
Those that truly love, have roots that grow towards each other underground,
and when all the pretty blossom have fallen from their branches,
they find that they are one tree and not two.

We chose it because when we lived in Manchester we lived by a canal. Along the canal there were two oak trees growing side by side that had wrapped themselves together and we'd often stop by them. They were our trees. So the acorn is a symbol for that and I suppose I've kind of adopted it as a focus for us as we try our best to have a baby. It'll happen one day, starting with a little seed and then it (the baby, our family) will grow strong.

Grease IS the word

via

I felt a funny sort of sadness today when I found out that John Conaway had died. Is it because you think you know the person? Or part of your youth is gone? Not that the 70s were my youth but the movie sure was. Or you start to wonder which member of the cast will go next? I have enjoyed the facebook status' filled with Grease quotes.  I think tomorrow I might pop the dvd in and enjoy a little time with Kenickie. And Danny of course.

Finders Keepers

source

I've got a wallet full of cash (sort of) and I'm ready to spend today. Hooray.

bachelor pad

We need a new lounge. Almost every night as I sit down to unwind I dream of a new furniture arrangement that centres on a sleek new corner lounge.

The one above doesn't actually feature in my fantasy life but it did make The Lobster and I stop, smile and marvel a few weeks ago in Vinnie's. There was a bit of time spent imagining it's past life- her life was colourful and a little bit seedy... It isn't there anymore so I can only assume it worked it's charms on someone else and they had to take it home.

*Edit: I should clear up that I thought the corner lounge with built in stereo and drinks cabinet (as far as I was concerned) was interesting but not desirable!