Wardrobe Remix: Bohemian Sailor

When:
Tuesday 10 November 2009

What:
Jacket: Thrifted
Dress: Forecast
Headscarf: Thrifted
Belts: Supre
Shoes: Diana Ferrari
Necklace: Diva ( repeat, love that place for cheap accessories!)

Where:
A few errands (library, laundromat, shopping) then Business Management Class

Why:
The look was inspired by the jacket again, I was hoping to go for a bit of a nautical look, but unfortunately I am struggling a bit with my wardrobe at the moment ( the weight I have gained over the last six months doesn't fall off overnight unfortunately) so I could not wear exactly what I had in mind. Nonetheless I kept with the red, white and blue theme and am very happy with the final look, summery, carefree and a little bohemian.

Phaff phixed! *phew*

Super good news here at L'Abode, my beloved Phaff is fixed thanks to a little DIY!

Seems that what I thought was just a couple of threads caught in the hand wheel was more like half a blooming spool! Note to self: do not leave a long tail on the spool thread when loading up a back up bobbin whilst sewing!

So this was the damage:

And for a little perspective of just how big that nest was:

I am SO pleased that I could fix it myself, really could not afford to be without my machine whilst it was sent away to be fixed (or the cost to have it fixed either to be honest). Although does bring home this recommendation from Tricia to have a back up. *Brumby tottles off to search Trade Me*

Wardrobe Remix: Pop Tart

When:
Tuesday 3 November 2009

What:
Jacket: Thrifted
Jeans: Jeanswest
Top: ?, I know it was a shop in DFO Brisbane
Shoes: Chinese Laundry
Bangles: Diva (love that place for cheap accessories!)
Lips:  Revlon Stay Current

Where:
Business Management Class

Why:
When you are able to sit at home in sweat pants most days it is really nice to have an excuse to put a bit of effort into an outfit. The look was started with the jacket and grew from there. As I sit by the window (so I can sit there and day night-dream about the future success of my business) it can get a little chilly in the room, so I had to be comfortably warm. The outfit was starting to look a little flat with all that grey so I threw on the deep red lipstick which always reminds me of the first time I kissed a rather sweet boy, which instantly made me feel spectacular, and the shoes complimented the lips but also helped keep the outfit fairly casual being wedges and all!

Light at the end of the microsuede

My apologies, both for my absence over the last few days, as well as the absolutely terrible quality of the picture above. I swear it looked more focused, better exposed, and more overwhelming at 3 in the morning.

It does however explain where I have been somewhat - stuck in front of my overlocker and sewing machine from Saturday morning through to Monday at 3pm with a total of 7 hours sleep in between those times.

A friend called with some last minute work for me on Friday afternoon that they needed by Monday, not much mind you, only about 300 metres of fabric (a combination of microsuede and chiffon) that they needed to be turned into drapes in drops of 6 and 8 metres, but one continuous width (!).

Lets just say it is done, and now I have to deal with a bombsite of a residence to clean up, a puppy in need of some attention (and possibly some food), a sewing machine in need of repair, and a Brumby in need of some fresh air, a view of something other than the four walls of her house and an outfits that bears no resemblance to her manky sweat pants. A massage would also go down an absolute treat.

The sun is shinin' c'mon get happy

• Lying in bed and watching the stars twinkle like fairy lights in the sky

• Waking up at 2am and listening to a Ruru coo

• Visualising my dream home and me in it
  

• Home renovations - despite managing to resist the urge for almost a year, what can I say, I am a nester
  

• My new computer chair - aside from being much better for my back, it is so much fun to scoot around on the vinyl floor *flashback* 
  

• The noise "awrf" my little pup makes when he is dreaming that he is barking
  

• Beach weather (although the thought of me in a bikini is not so 'get happy')
  

• Free software trials - bless you Adobe
  

Happy Birthday Cohen!

Yesterday was my beloved pup's first birthday. He is my very special friend, and as such I decided he deserved a little party in his honour, to celebrate the very important role he plays in my life, and the lives of my friends and family.

The little guy comes almost everywhere with me now, which I guess defeats the purpose of having him at home to guard the house from bad people, but we are buddies, and I would rather have him with me, and the house be burgled, cos really what would he be able to do to stop the kind of thugs that steal from people to pay for their drug habits? Or more importantly, what would they do to him? So we cruise the streets of West Auckland together, in our SUV, and our music humming, and enjoy the sights and smells, together.

I adopted Cohen when he was 3 months old, back then he could fit on my lap, and for the first few months he hated car journeys - residual resentment from our first 3 hour car trip from the breeder at Whangarei, back to Auckland. A trip that was scattered with about 10 bathroom stops for the little dude which made it twice as long as it usually would be. Now, after learning that car trips often end up at a beach where he can romp til his hearts content, or a friends place who will shower him with affection, or his human cousins who love to drag him on bush treks or throw him a ball, or his Nana's who likes to nag him to stay outside, but to keep off her garden, he is happy to hop in for the unknown adventures.

As I type this he is sound asleep, snoring his adorable little head off, exhausted from hours of romping, chasing, and being chased, much attention as well as special food treats, and presents (!). So exhausted he has slept through dinner? He must be tired, but to be honest, I am not far off bed myself.

So this is my little man, over the last 9 months:

Look at how big those paws are!

This is when I took him into work, look how itty bitty he was!

Ducks in line

There are times in my life where I have wondered where it, 'life', is all going, and if the path I am currently on is really leading me to my true destiny? However I must say that over the last couple of months I have never felt more on track!

Part of this has come from finally letting go to the 'what if' and 'should I?' feelings I have had about returning to live in New Zealand,  and instead embracing the decision wholeheartedly. But, I was only able to let go, and embrace the decision by starting to feel more settled and on track too, so it is a bit of  'which came first, the chicken or the egg?' really. All I know is that at some point I learnt I had to stop looking back and embrace the decision I had made and welcome the opportunities ahead of me, opportunities that I created, either directly, or through the laws of attraction.

I signed up for a Small Business Management course which I started in September, and since then have been putting wheels in motion to get the tools I needed, physically and mentally to fulfill my goal of one day controlling my own income potential. That 'one day' came sooner than I thought when I was made redundant at work a fortnight ago, which really was not  great surprise given that I had lay in bed at night for weeks daydreaming about what it would be like not to have to get up and go to work for someone else ever again - laws of attraction right? I am quite excited by my new path, but I would be lying if I did not also say I was a little scared too.

Right now I am confident though that I am in exactly the place I am supposed to be in my life, I feel like I am floating through each day, in this sense of almost surrealism that it just feels so right.
The lovely ladies over at Astrostyle (who have now earned a regular spot on my 'must reads' following their accuracy about my horoscopes back here) have wowed me again this week!

It's teamwork time, as the Sun grooves into Scorpio and your house of collaborative efforts. This can be a bumpy transition for you, since you're generally most comfortable in the role of the boss. Now, you're being asked to step down from your throne and get down with "the people." You can't rule benevolently unless you truly understand what it takes to work in the trenches. An Internet-based project picks up speed nicely. If you have handmade wares to sell or a treasure trove of collectibles, consider opening an online store to peddle your wares. You're also an expert fundraiser now so consider lending your talents towards a charitable cause

Oops I did it again!

I need a muzzle, or the equivalent to curb my thrifting. Seriously, I have a whole chest full of clothes awaiting refashioning, and yet here I go purchasing more. Oops?

So here is a sneak peak of the thrifts, stay tuned for refashions at some stage (likely in the very distant future!)

This one will be sitting in storage for a while, it is a wool blend, and not really worth refashioning until we start seeing the end of summer. (I reside in the southern hemisphere remember...)

Here is a little clue for this one, again, laws of attraction!

Alexander McQueen

I was sent an email a couple of weeks ago suggesting I check out the Alexander McQueen Autumn/Winter collection as a very cool runway show. I am not usually a huge follower of high end designers, I mean do not get me wrong, I love and admire their work when I see it, but do not actively follow one above another, I tend to seek inspiration from different places I suppose is my primary reason.

So I was surprised to be absolutely besotted by so many aspects of McQueen's collection. But then I could have easily been won over by the hounds tooth alone, I am not sure why but I have always been quite fond of hounds tooth.

Not sure what your thoughts are on the collection by my heart is swooning, and I am totally inspired to add a more tailored hounds tooth piece into my 2010 Autumn wardrobe. And those fringed Golf Boots *sigh*

Plymouth Pullets

For ages I have been wanting to buy a few little chickens to add to my rural lifestyle and goal of greater self sufficiency.

Image

The breed I decided on was the Plymouth Rock, being as shallow as I am I had to have a breed that looked pretty as it pecked away in my garden, as well as obviously being good egg producers. The Plymouth ticked these boxes for me and so I set about trying to find a flock that would not break the bank. The recession seems to have many other people heading down the same self sufficient path as myself however, and prices became insanely expensive, as high as $136.00 for just 2 chickens at point of lay!

So it has taken me a few months to find some at a price I was happy to pay - $8.00 per chicken. Even better the breeder lives just around the corner from me, and so in true rural kindred spirit has let me take 8 chicks, and return any that are roosters! Bless her cotton socks.

So here are the little critters, just a few days old and in need of a heat lamp for a few more weeks before being able to go out into their coup! Can I just say, man they poop a lot, like A LOT!