tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15741121780354600652024-03-13T14:18:52.398-07:00Stash reHasha fabric, haberdashery and crafty supplies market in Christchurch, New ZealandDeidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-79014535916817548012010-06-06T04:18:00.000-07:002013-06-14T01:00:12.533-07:00So long and thanks for all the fish<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This is my last post on this blog. The only fabric in this post is the fabric of my life. The only stitches are one perfect row done by a hilariously sweary man. My time in Christchurch is over and with it this blog. I am going offline and I may be some time... so time to euthanise this blog to make way for another sometime down the track.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So here is one of my children's favourite songs to be going out on: "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojydNb3Lrrs"><span style="color: blue;">So long and thanks for all the fish</span></a>". Hopefully I'll depart gracefully and gratefully just like the creatures singing that song. The second line of that song - "So sad that it should come to this" - is apt, as while our whole ten years here have been a pretty wild ride, the past few months have been especially bumpy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">During the ten years I've lived in Christchurch, I've lost a parent, had one child diagnosed with a brain tumour (there are those perfect stitches), and the other child with juvenile arthritis; all this while my partner had a job that saw him alternating between being away from home for months of one year then literally working every waking moment for six months of the next. (When that came to an end last year, I have to admit I focussed on the aspects of Christchurch I've always really disliked, but now I don't give a darn.) This year my partner has lived and worked out of town and I've prepared for our move to Australia. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Despite all this, and thanks to our wonderful family and friends, we leave Christchurch happy, well, sane, together and excitedly looking forward to building a great new life in a new place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">These pictures of my family were taken by an amazing artist called France Herve who was in Christchurch during the 2009 Christchurch Arts Festival staging her show "My heart is a beast". The photo session was her way of saying thank you to my partner. We are Deidre, Guy, Matilda and Harvey.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So long Christchurch. Be <em>good</em>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">(PS My new blog about my new life In Mandurah, Western Australia, is called Pearl E Queen and it lives <a href="http://pearlequeen.blogspot.com/">here</a>.)</span><br />
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Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-67725419758426949802010-06-01T11:59:00.000-07:002010-06-02T15:25:16.502-07:00I've made it<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHm-mLu9GBt-OL4wJ_Nz5-aBD1wT-cZFLJbVtUlaP3EP7iCeZQT-jBBblr0hq_7PjztjNs_C5B7z9G1-7gLuoyiIIoM9UWtgRuzHHrZUeo0yPt-4U_eLcg3oxLcZ0MYYYbq7_vTzHeRBU/s1600/madeitbags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHm-mLu9GBt-OL4wJ_Nz5-aBD1wT-cZFLJbVtUlaP3EP7iCeZQT-jBBblr0hq_7PjztjNs_C5B7z9G1-7gLuoyiIIoM9UWtgRuzHHrZUeo0yPt-4U_eLcg3oxLcZ0MYYYbq7_vTzHeRBU/s400/madeitbags.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sometimes I look back on the year and wonder where on earth the time has gone and what on earth I've been doing. Today I had to destash some photos from the computer because it did a Mr Creosote and said the computerspeak version of "F*** off I'm full". </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I found photos of long departed miscellaneous goods made by me. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">There were handbags and tea towels...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndbQAta-EVD7S466QYR1RJVkdBrMwthC0xZx0oqWNBlD4-qrb8Wnc7nCIsHj7WogbjctKJmGG8msA9niKhvt52hFiD3WpYD7G2OzfWpnqvGao3Oqzbt-GHBiwx3YFMCjZ2nb-_Ktb_MrX/s1600/madeitteatowels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndbQAta-EVD7S466QYR1RJVkdBrMwthC0xZx0oqWNBlD4-qrb8Wnc7nCIsHj7WogbjctKJmGG8msA9niKhvt52hFiD3WpYD7G2OzfWpnqvGao3Oqzbt-GHBiwx3YFMCjZ2nb-_Ktb_MrX/s400/madeitteatowels.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">beachbags...</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pNBGwEhrgfKiF_IlUaWqlS3k9a6Q6GAf2Jw71vbwXheI_OD3WHfwLjt5XUV_A_rG2XeTTMPdqd54ElMERBuQ0uji7Kg8N7YxTZCDbovQHIALLva7QFsETKt62g6LpubYHcvBzCt_KQzW/s1600/madeitbeachbags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pNBGwEhrgfKiF_IlUaWqlS3k9a6Q6GAf2Jw71vbwXheI_OD3WHfwLjt5XUV_A_rG2XeTTMPdqd54ElMERBuQ0uji7Kg8N7YxTZCDbovQHIALLva7QFsETKt62g6LpubYHcvBzCt_KQzW/s400/madeitbeachbags.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and hottie covers...</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZn744s2XGjVmdkfMiuqbDoNsBDsYrjSo1YqX7cg41YnGE-iN3UjPjEzNFCK0zzwxhMHpS5exKqH_W213DPAH97PDWkGdymmRM6XkMoTn7BxfGuFolE6eR2KURfaEzjaCwdA6IsImfDrYC/s1600/madeitbooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZn744s2XGjVmdkfMiuqbDoNsBDsYrjSo1YqX7cg41YnGE-iN3UjPjEzNFCK0zzwxhMHpS5exKqH_W213DPAH97PDWkGdymmRM6XkMoTn7BxfGuFolE6eR2KURfaEzjaCwdA6IsImfDrYC/s400/madeitbooks.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">more brooches than you can poke a stick at...</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjex48mKzL4sm3s3vfu_xWVr56aczoPaeBP-lp-Zm7iY68S_hIgcUuamjJfFc_bHLRdFMIOlW2vHjEmsaoFipTiBNOD6kN5ZhlXKvbZrEB7JCTnXUBNFf7LyMPMdMSrchJ31LIwqt5jk5Sq/s1600/madeitbrooches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjex48mKzL4sm3s3vfu_xWVr56aczoPaeBP-lp-Zm7iY68S_hIgcUuamjJfFc_bHLRdFMIOlW2vHjEmsaoFipTiBNOD6kN5ZhlXKvbZrEB7JCTnXUBNFf7LyMPMdMSrchJ31LIwqt5jk5Sq/s400/madeitbrooches.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">keyrings, necklaces, and many more notebooks...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Oh yes and two fabric markets.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFBJ3wggo72RPTJQ2pdhzrNWj8XsXuEmjbzD2QdHW4qF1eQL4UppeXinUcpbRADM1vWyL24lv3J61aIF9pO627WqL84fb4bMyzHlS55H8DOm4dfRaHdmbKGDt_QFeR-UZwZacYhZYcDyw/s1600/srh2+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFBJ3wggo72RPTJQ2pdhzrNWj8XsXuEmjbzD2QdHW4qF1eQL4UppeXinUcpbRADM1vWyL24lv3J61aIF9pO627WqL84fb4bMyzHlS55H8DOm4dfRaHdmbKGDt_QFeR-UZwZacYhZYcDyw/s320/srh2+016.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Phew. Think I've earned some couch time. Lucky I haven't destashed it.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-27954438600476159292010-05-31T17:23:00.000-07:002010-05-31T17:37:57.169-07:00Destashing - the pets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX9qwkPyYYppXSJ9lRVvjkt_ajyddjqZYxj6IUZ4EkntME2a3To_jzgo0cCmKdVBofn1psZIFiz5HsYv_O27lBDeA3S2ue0BpNdqOyPXs_XbpJMHD42UL-dDDX7diZ5j30RgXypUqCckdE/s1600/maggie_tapisserie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX9qwkPyYYppXSJ9lRVvjkt_ajyddjqZYxj6IUZ4EkntME2a3To_jzgo0cCmKdVBofn1psZIFiz5HsYv_O27lBDeA3S2ue0BpNdqOyPXs_XbpJMHD42UL-dDDX7diZ5j30RgXypUqCckdE/s400/maggie_tapisserie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Today I arranged the hardest destashing job yet. We are recycling our cat. Our beloved Topsy is going to live in The Tron with her auntie and cousin. When we put her on the plane tomorrow I suspect the children and I will all get what Ken Oath! calls "dust in his eyes" (The sort of dust he recently encountered during <a href="http://www.nzballet.org.nz/season/tower-season-here-there"><span style="color: blue;">A Song in the Dark</span></a>. Ok that was quite dusty. I got some too.).</span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now we just need new homes for various fish - with names recycled from the unused portions of our baby names lists, so Pearl, Iris, Walter and Percy (hmm, that one wasn't my pick) - and a fresh-water mussel called Muscleman (Any takers? He is no trouble!).</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The children are adamant we'll get new pets in Australia. They want an enormous goanna because the little meanies know that is the one thing I am scared of. Apparently it helps to laugh at your fears, so to cure myself I plan to name that goanna Joanna. And make it wear clothes.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxaRzrH3Xpyf4TM3sRoEZ4JAQDomrahMpwRQmIhfCSqmj7cZo3Fj4_nGhKmVNU5rGJ8m1Og2pJAXYxReE-yHkPa0dPjNkI-lTWvau3Yc3abDAk_E7CL7k1KihEGH4F97xdmiB28ZZeXCQV/s1600/petclothing1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxaRzrH3Xpyf4TM3sRoEZ4JAQDomrahMpwRQmIhfCSqmj7cZo3Fj4_nGhKmVNU5rGJ8m1Og2pJAXYxReE-yHkPa0dPjNkI-lTWvau3Yc3abDAk_E7CL7k1KihEGH4F97xdmiB28ZZeXCQV/s400/petclothing1.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMt6kOWN_Ip-bB_tHaCgKfIxvrQ26ZBTHLpDH-K4PwFwEoxaqxmywqpChLXgf2MwBS_I2MAjc3WK020o9P6jmcaOv7IcBTtv_cKy8MD-47Fe6okCwNwTtbIOf_4xxK9-MIFCyzazBZrtq/s1600/petclothing3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIMt6kOWN_Ip-bB_tHaCgKfIxvrQ26ZBTHLpDH-K4PwFwEoxaqxmywqpChLXgf2MwBS_I2MAjc3WK020o9P6jmcaOv7IcBTtv_cKy8MD-47Fe6okCwNwTtbIOf_4xxK9-MIFCyzazBZrtq/s320/petclothing3.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The top image is from the fabulous<span style="color: blue;"> </span><a href="http://frederiquemorrel.com/main.html"><span style="color: blue;">Frederique Morrel</span></a> and the last three nutjobs were found <a href="http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-10-completely-ridiculous-pet-costumes/"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.</span></div>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-29481575882829231922010-05-26T06:24:00.000-07:002010-05-26T06:32:07.771-07:00Because we are all different and need different things<div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqm9jWqt5QiSCIfbwJnIQX6Xl3oAcarcUl-bVArn0h28BBKWQiVAiwaRAnEqSgt0Ah1TBPJV8GBqK49ssgYWvF5pKfOxXsFVyEzpIc3M346gZMW8PvVL6aFZDxYW7y1HxvcvBgO7YorLx4/s1600/brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqm9jWqt5QiSCIfbwJnIQX6Xl3oAcarcUl-bVArn0h28BBKWQiVAiwaRAnEqSgt0Ah1TBPJV8GBqK49ssgYWvF5pKfOxXsFVyEzpIc3M346gZMW8PvVL6aFZDxYW7y1HxvcvBgO7YorLx4/s400/brain.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Over the past few months I have spent a lot of time thinking about what I own, need, don't need, want and don't want as I destash my family's worldly goods in preparation for moving to Australia. Today I spent the morning out with my son then before launching back into the destashing, I spent a few minutes eating an enormous bowl of Stoup (it is fusion food - old family recipe - it is reheated left-over stew/soup usually with grated cheese on top) while muckingaround in Interwebland. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I came across something interesting on <a href="http://seedling-plantaseed.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Jen's Seedling Clothing blog</span></a>. Art student Rebecca Marshall is asking for contributions</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> to help her with a project. She needs participants to write anything they want, on anything they like, on the theme <em>"because we are all different and need different things"</em> then scan or photograph it and email it to her by Friday 28th to <a href="mailto:iamrebecca@live.com"><span style="color: blue;">iamrebecca@live.com</span></a> .</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This struck a chord with me. What do I<em> need</em>?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Maybe some togs. Mine dissolved in the hotpools at Waiwera last weekend. It wasn't pretty but with my planned new <a href="http://www.mysisterpat.com.au/"><span style="color: blue;">My Sister Pat</span></a> swimsuit it soon will be.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoxuEvYx7oBUWh1C5Jik0Z8Awfb_IZTtVED_fRfRYTUN-DrmL3d692SboDChi9WKSiKw6JswxP_MB598GbFnocP3wAjWZGgGtxIBFwzfBpbi2_4lHEGZpOkyMH3Ff_NBu8xB7owUIuedj/s1600/mysisterpat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOoxuEvYx7oBUWh1C5Jik0Z8Awfb_IZTtVED_fRfRYTUN-DrmL3d692SboDChi9WKSiKw6JswxP_MB598GbFnocP3wAjWZGgGtxIBFwzfBpbi2_4lHEGZpOkyMH3Ff_NBu8xB7owUIuedj/s400/mysisterpat.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Perhaps some plates. Surely some of my grotty old ones will get smashed in the move and I'll have an excuse to buy some new chocolate ones from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001ONMMAI/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001IUPZRY&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1JDD6EAF40EXQZY6FAJH"><span style="color: blue;">Ich and Kar</span></a> and some dreamhome substitute ones from <a href="http://www.peoplewillalwaysneedplates.co.uk/"><span style="color: blue;">People Will Always Need Plates</span></a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwHFAzlaLOcSVWmv0P55iObtL_huJnxVS_pf6q9tQCf4zzZD1DXoUA2BHfvGxhNPVQnL0nX78aSLV-P1Np-qUv13GImiFgI14p7r5fPhK4g-hUv0bPtyqlqiQ4ffLDHweWtNuxFp-xLM-/s1600/chocolate+plates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwHFAzlaLOcSVWmv0P55iObtL_huJnxVS_pf6q9tQCf4zzZD1DXoUA2BHfvGxhNPVQnL0nX78aSLV-P1Np-qUv13GImiFgI14p7r5fPhK4g-hUv0bPtyqlqiQ4ffLDHweWtNuxFp-xLM-/s400/chocolate+plates.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSEkt3BUTxbtlXGz_fxIQO430cc9LihAemtMZfEPPjD9sWk-LotxCESKoP5U7jLZgsm8Be-CKAwbrxS8MJeQu7ydxysPkMbk7I5C49BHj1zXRpX8_TxkPgG6rboalNM5qdHvKMR9D4Tgf/s1600/platesbrutalist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSEkt3BUTxbtlXGz_fxIQO430cc9LihAemtMZfEPPjD9sWk-LotxCESKoP5U7jLZgsm8Be-CKAwbrxS8MJeQu7ydxysPkMbk7I5C49BHj1zXRpX8_TxkPgG6rboalNM5qdHvKMR9D4Tgf/s400/platesbrutalist.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I'll need an excuse to sew as I'm missing it so much. A <a href="http://www.misterrob.co.uk/"><span style="color: blue;">Rob Ryan</span></a> design skirt kit from <a href="http://www.clothkits.co.uk/"><span style="color: blue;">Clothkits</span></a> should do the trick.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzynMcFRtlwzsgkv1-mdOApR__BlfIKJ2uyEaLJid_Ozfthn9RTvWR_lKFRpl_pGvrWJZVjNYI3tua5vggS0GmfBsmgBgrN-7YgRCmeymq9dGHdGVAOVoMbjSQw2C4BweLTFKwEjiorWe-/s1600/clothkits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzynMcFRtlwzsgkv1-mdOApR__BlfIKJ2uyEaLJid_Ozfthn9RTvWR_lKFRpl_pGvrWJZVjNYI3tua5vggS0GmfBsmgBgrN-7YgRCmeymq9dGHdGVAOVoMbjSQw2C4BweLTFKwEjiorWe-/s400/clothkits.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm always on the hunt for dishy sandals I can actually walk in. I feel some <a href="http://www.camper.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Camper</span></a> Twins coming on.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikykxwVp0WTa093ZJKP_m4_Nq8CsEd2iTJDAla5tOo6WNthtTgAFHNEQUXDlm0iUk7OeuIzvcmUBK11vUm6uHTfnslJN_WVnC4wqu4MJ7yB3u5NccVo5MaBrmD1B_oEcv5RIJeUPOpszf9/s1600/campersandals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikykxwVp0WTa093ZJKP_m4_Nq8CsEd2iTJDAla5tOo6WNthtTgAFHNEQUXDlm0iUk7OeuIzvcmUBK11vUm6uHTfnslJN_WVnC4wqu4MJ7yB3u5NccVo5MaBrmD1B_oEcv5RIJeUPOpszf9/s320/campersandals.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I sold our sun umbrella but don't want a tan so I've got my eye on these at <a href="http://www.birdtextile.com.au/"><span style="color: blue;">Bird Textiles</span></a>.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UNxt1DjEpJvz79lFRxTWABPT9LjevOJ-Nd7NsoW2gjU8OYF30CRxqdEv82WbwRFaeYAtYR3uIVT5409AqvU_xRFgZw4kYM6Z9_u8KJPMvXzWwRpDwkzoURg4Ulqm5VsoPFsIEH4jlYQB/s1600/birdumbrella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UNxt1DjEpJvz79lFRxTWABPT9LjevOJ-Nd7NsoW2gjU8OYF30CRxqdEv82WbwRFaeYAtYR3uIVT5409AqvU_xRFgZw4kYM6Z9_u8KJPMvXzWwRpDwkzoURg4Ulqm5VsoPFsIEH4jlYQB/s400/birdumbrella.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I sold my bike but I'll need something to hunt the groceries with. I quite fancy a tricycle but my family mock me by pointing out that the <a href="http://www.trademe.co.nz/Sports/Cycling/Other-bikes/auction-292551055.htm"><span style="color: blue;">Trademe seller</span></a> describes these as suitable for "the physically challenged".</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBWpsKEDqSi1bLZfIbME5vYT56jQ4yZQN0BK9qHn0ZKVEQYVsv0OoSe8GrXXRALrT98hQHgHJ7-qg0Yubj6pWCE3KrvczkolnyQePvBqGMWQHysi5Jfjhk5r9D09-gMABDcN9EehQwdrm/s1600/tricycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBWpsKEDqSi1bLZfIbME5vYT56jQ4yZQN0BK9qHn0ZKVEQYVsv0OoSe8GrXXRALrT98hQHgHJ7-qg0Yubj6pWCE3KrvczkolnyQePvBqGMWQHysi5Jfjhk5r9D09-gMABDcN9EehQwdrm/s320/tricycle.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Oh what a big fat lie. Firstly, that virtual consumerist pig-out would virtually bankrupt me. Secondly, even though when Zest in The Press profiled me last year they called me "Material Girl", the truth is I'm just not into stuff anymore. Sometimes I think that if our shipping container fell into the sea that it would be quite liberating.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yet there is one thing I really do need and it makes all the desirable, gorgeous, material goods in the world seems frivolous and trivial in comparison. My day out with my son this morning was spent at the hospital where he lay perfectly still for 40 minutes while a large white machine clunked, clonked and pinged around him. He has done this many times over the past six years and thankfully the results have always been good news. So here is my response to the brief <em>"because we are all different and need different</em> <em>things".</em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHxf0kSzYeRMh1m37N_rgkehFKdB-BcMfYJ9cqkgZAyoylk6hWtDJmH-fnoV2DS1GAXi311Hyng6bQ4GnLShzNycv63a6Wn1cNkirVE3-BKDqTGSHcI66g-UvOFz66eUyPyLvvFlbC1AW/s1600/need.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHxf0kSzYeRMh1m37N_rgkehFKdB-BcMfYJ9cqkgZAyoylk6hWtDJmH-fnoV2DS1GAXi311Hyng6bQ4GnLShzNycv63a6Wn1cNkirVE3-BKDqTGSHcI66g-UvOFz66eUyPyLvvFlbC1AW/s400/need.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">That photo was taken in 2004 by Hanne Johnsen as part of The 21st Century Documentary Project, A Place in Time. My children and I were waiting in line for a donkey ride at a local school fair when the photographer approached us. My son had been discharged that afternoon after several weeks in hospital, had recently earned the nickname "Harvelstein" and was patiently waiting to finally do something "fun".</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The image at the very top of this post is from a fabulous site called <span style="color: blue;">"</span><a href="http://harbaugh.uoregon.edu/Brain/"><span style="color: blue;">The Museum of Scientifically Accurate Fabric Brain Art</span></a><span style="color: blue;">".</span> (From the site: "<em>While our artists make every effort to insure accuracy, we cannot accept responsibility for the consequences of using fabric brain art as a guide for functional magnetic resonance imaging, trans-cranial magnetic stimulation, neurosurgery, or single-neuron recording."</em> Hahaha!) The image is of a hooked rug by Marjorie Taylor. I have to admit, I feel like I <em>need</em> that rug.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-22684287017404790422010-05-18T20:00:00.000-07:002010-05-18T20:32:32.114-07:00Stash reHash - Ashburton!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRXRW6ijkdyfilUV7P_tmW3RTPnPmRYbp58mjLelkEwRdsy8EkhzG4kqw0t8gOeq0KMcefSv0M2b0vLN1MRB7eQOJ8kq8XY-dsozl-H2g64dN7zidtpwbxsB4vAgTta9Tsd1GHTXnphb6/s1600/aliens+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRXRW6ijkdyfilUV7P_tmW3RTPnPmRYbp58mjLelkEwRdsy8EkhzG4kqw0t8gOeq0KMcefSv0M2b0vLN1MRB7eQOJ8kq8XY-dsozl-H2g64dN7zidtpwbxsB4vAgTta9Tsd1GHTXnphb6/s400/aliens+002.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's Stash reHash ladies, but not as we know it! Arthritis NZ are busy planning the next Stash reHash fabric market. Here are the details - don't keep it a secret!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Stash reHash Ashburton</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Sunday 27th June, 11am-2pm</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>at the Sports Hall, Tancred St, Ashburton</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Contact Rowena Hart on </span><a href="mailto:rohart@clear.net.nz"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">rohart@clear.net.nz</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> or ph 03 308 9371</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">To book your own stall at the market, then please contact Rowena</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Volunteers will also be required to help on Arthritis NZ's stall and to help run the market. If this sounds like you, then please get in touch with Rowena.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And one more volunteer is needed. I have set Arthritis NZ up with their own Stash reHash blog site over on Wordpress. As anyone who has set up and written a blog knows, it is quite a steep learning curve to get it all looking how you want it to and working properly. If you are familiar with Wordpress and would be able to help out with setting up their blog, then please contact Angela Stevens at Arthritis NZ on </span><a href="mailto:angela.stevens@arthritis.org.nz"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">angela.stevens@arthritis.org.nz</span></a> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">or ph their office in Christchurch on 366 8383.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">That alien fabric above is one of the few pieces left in my stash. It is going to become a quilt for TheShortBloke in my house as I reckon that wherever you live, there'll be times when snuggling up on the couch under a quilt and watching a movie is exactly the correct course of action.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-17384529162383541902010-05-18T05:25:00.000-07:002010-05-18T05:30:42.077-07:00Pants pants<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HfzVyiPusX3dPEcJ0nZwgY1x2xs4RJdWvfJzIlrhBnZmIO9kJeCIkVcnm3Aw8o0_ol_sr0RYSG1-Qcaoo2QtyZS402XZgUqu5Y49i3pwfuDnh4Cydx3gB2QmvMnmqn4oduv_JMJF3wJ6/s1600/farty-pants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HfzVyiPusX3dPEcJ0nZwgY1x2xs4RJdWvfJzIlrhBnZmIO9kJeCIkVcnm3Aw8o0_ol_sr0RYSG1-Qcaoo2QtyZS402XZgUqu5Y49i3pwfuDnh4Cydx3gB2QmvMnmqn4oduv_JMJF3wJ6/s400/farty-pants.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Somehow I have managed to get to the age where if I accidentally tied too many helium balloons to my deck-chair then reporters would describe me as "middle-aged", yet I've only just learned some apparently old-hat sayings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Until recently I thought "pants" only meant two-legged garment suitable for wearing when when climbing ladders, hanging upside-down or when all your skirts are in the wash. Luckily I have hip young friends who inform me that "pants" has another far more interesting meaning. Ever since learning the other meaning, I've ditched naff, stink and crapola like an ungrateful old bag for my new one and only rubbish-word; Yes, I've been wearing out "pants" with gay abandon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Shopping malls: pants!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Moving ads on websites: pants!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cup and Show Week (known in this household as Sup and Throw Week): pants!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Repair company that charged me 2x $85 hourly rates + 2x $22 travel charges for a job that took the tradesbloke less time to complete than it has taken me to type this line: pants!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">But the most "pants" thing I deal with on a regular basis is my inability to just go to a shop and buy... pants! See, this entire century, I have been unable to find trousers that actually fit me (Elastic waists don't count; I have standards and I'm not "elderly", though according to reporters I probably will be next year). My idea of heaven is being able to swan into a shop and find pants that not only fit me, but are also fashionable, flattering and comfortable. Too much to ask? It seems so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It is a mystery to me how this has happened. I am not a house-sized person. I am not even home-unit sized. I am just a normal sized person and I have been the same size the entire time I've been a grown-up (except for pregnancy 1 when I resembled a very short hot-air balloon and pregnancy 2 when I looked like an anorexic with a basketball shoved up my jumper). I am not an odd-shaped person. I have a waist and I have hips. My waist is not <em>freakishly</em> small (it is bigger than my neck) but it <em>is</em> considerably smaller than my hips. I suspect that this old-fashioned shape - which used to make pants shopping such an easy experience - is, in New Zealand, in 2010, the cause of my pants-buying problems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The low-waisted trousers in favour for the early part of this century are a nightmare on me. Their "waistline" sits at the widest part of my body so there is a constant battle with gravity to keep them up. After bouts of belt-induced sciatica I gave up on shop-bought pants and stuck to homemade pants and skirts. As pant waistlines have risen again I've ventured back to the shops, but every pair I try on has enough fabric left flapping at the top that if I took in the waist I'd have enough fabric left over to make a matching bra top. The only pants I have tried on recently that fitted me were in the most expensive shop in Christchurch. They were French, gorgeous and fitted like a glove. I seriously considered selling the car complete with one of TheShortFolk to buy them, but instead went home empty-handed - and made a pattern and sewed myself some pants.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I've been reading my stash of vintage fashion books (to sell or to keep?) so envisaged some high-waisted, wide-legged sailor pants like vintage Chanel leisurewear. I imagined wearing them with a small stripey T-shirt, an enormous sunhat, mental sunglasses and high wedge-heeled sandals. The finished pants fit well and are very comfortable. However they remind me not quite enough of Coco on a cruiseship, and a bit too much of my youngest sister - not as she is now but as she was as a four year old in the mid-1970s in her somewhat-mental favourite Mothercare pants. Sadly my new pants are a tad pants.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">That's not my new pants pictured above. Those mental numbers are from a comic strip advertisement in The Netherlands, found <a href="http://www.neatorama.com/2007/08/20/farty-pants/"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a> on Neatorama.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-72124952838319432602010-05-11T16:44:00.000-07:002010-05-13T13:20:07.184-07:00Get out! (and about)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgYriV7Lh23GCIrr7pai-Rg3a9qiLFvV34sLI-cOYXLX2m6YImdiND13Re6KZWXuxpnH82WUMSOJs6kjzlZG0MDRvIZiesYr_VBKneVVeXClgn9FaP7h2rgc5wBYOS0vxl38VlyrmLX8n/s1600/moa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgYriV7Lh23GCIrr7pai-Rg3a9qiLFvV34sLI-cOYXLX2m6YImdiND13Re6KZWXuxpnH82WUMSOJs6kjzlZG0MDRvIZiesYr_VBKneVVeXClgn9FaP7h2rgc5wBYOS0vxl38VlyrmLX8n/s400/moa.jpg" tt="true" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There is lots of interesting stuff happening in Christchurch over the next wee while to put in your diaries. If you don't believe me then let me be your guide - just as I have guided dozens of visitors to Christchurch on my Sisters' Shopping Tours over the years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Firstly, if your wardrobe would benefit from an injection of dishyness, then head to the <a href="http://www.moa-unlimited.co.nz/moa-news.php"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><strong>Moa Pop-Up Shop</strong></span></a>, Sat 14th 10am-4pm and Sunday 15th from 10am-3pm at the top floor of Le Petit Apartment at 124 Lichfield St. Those are Moa outfits pictured above and if you like to have a jolly good virtual rummage before you shop, then head over to <a href="http://www.moa-unlimited.co.nz/index.php"><span style="color: blue;">Moa's website here</span></a>.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcegmY8Yf77Tmrad4jJDlK3b2Ei6IbQa3LDR0F-YtDhvsg35leGSBSVCFK7IFEG7DcoZ7S2cp3jaj90YpmQEWwGlMlY_nJMXzzIwXDG47imokzoqW0JGWIRSfjmxCN9eoFhhJeQ1hsQ8eT/s1600/pechakucha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcegmY8Yf77Tmrad4jJDlK3b2Ei6IbQa3LDR0F-YtDhvsg35leGSBSVCFK7IFEG7DcoZ7S2cp3jaj90YpmQEWwGlMlY_nJMXzzIwXDG47imokzoqW0JGWIRSfjmxCN9eoFhhJeQ1hsQ8eT/s400/pechakucha.jpg" tt="true" width="282" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then head down the road to Galaxy Records at 110 Manchester St, hand over $10 and get yourself a ticket to next week's Pecha Kucha night. </span><a href="http://www.pecha-kucha.org/night/christchurch/8"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Pecha Kucha Chch 08</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, Thursday 20th May, at Level 5, Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti, doors open 7.30pm / start 8.20pm. If you are one of the few people left in the world thinking Whocha Whatcha?, then read all about it on the </span><a href="http://www.pecha-kucha.org/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pecha Kucha site here</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> or their </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/lucy.arnold?ref=ts#!/event.php?eid=113268652036970"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Facebook page here</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. As usual a fantastic line-up of speakers and guaranteed to be the most interesting and entertaining $10 you'll ever spend (yes, I lead a very safe and sheltered life). </span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUSCqpsL4_74o83p9ayD2SHZaicDay5l-4U3vhltuphCTgGGH3PCK_kn0Tvz_rQNU72rPJzISxH8RB2vUlsDjsDSs-kZUjDXEWxGjFsNr9FqU6GXtaRbpgDetvg6Tfv5W-4EqlqY6cmf7/s1600/swap2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUSCqpsL4_74o83p9ayD2SHZaicDay5l-4U3vhltuphCTgGGH3PCK_kn0Tvz_rQNU72rPJzISxH8RB2vUlsDjsDSs-kZUjDXEWxGjFsNr9FqU6GXtaRbpgDetvg6Tfv5W-4EqlqY6cmf7/s400/swap2" tt="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">One of the speakers you'll hear there is Kris Herbert of <span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Swap-O-Rama-Rama</strong></span> fame. She's organising another Swap-O-Rama-Rama event for 19th June (11am-4pm, Lyttelton Recreation Centre, Winchester St, Lyttelton). By all accounts <a href="http://stash-rehash.blogspot.com/2010/02/swap-o-rama-rama-lyttelton-20-feb-11am.html"><span style="color: blue;">the first one</span></a> was a great success, so now is the time to volunteer your services, get in for free and get first dibs on clothes! Swap-O-Rama-Rama is a non-profit event that survives on the strength of its volunteers. Just follow follow <a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AhOejxxLguvBdGVpN3RtQTdaLTlQenpkRkFUSWFSTnc&hl=en"><span style="color: blue;">this link</span></a> and sign up for a job that suits you - sewers, designers, screen printers, sorters and just help setting up and cleaning up. There's something for everyone!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9e3AlwHA-6z1V3TxXY7NEwwPkAO8FCrmNmrYlIK9xHnnH3DpRldwc7ISPe1mqXlExZwQnwOUzx7YRsmRVo5bps45D9uValunCreAJDklVUaL5P0bl0BY7_71yrLEIbACVcIcfY6LR_Rqi/s1600/acraftaffair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9e3AlwHA-6z1V3TxXY7NEwwPkAO8FCrmNmrYlIK9xHnnH3DpRldwc7ISPe1mqXlExZwQnwOUzx7YRsmRVo5bps45D9uValunCreAJDklVUaL5P0bl0BY7_71yrLEIbACVcIcfY6LR_Rqi/s400/acraftaffair.jpg" tt="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And last but certainly not least, <strong><span style="font-size: large;">A Craft Affair</span></strong> is being held on <strong>Sunday 11th July from 11am till 3pm</strong> at <strong>Our City O-Tautahi</strong> in Christchurch. Formerly known as Craft 2.0 Christchurch, this will be the sister event to The Night Market in December. If you are a shopper then mark it in your diary in red vivid marker (oops, texter) as this will be an event not to be missed. And if you are a maker of gorgeous goods and fancy being a stall-holder then hop over to the <a href="http://www.acraftaffair.co.nz/"><span style="color: blue;">A Craft Affair website</span></a>. Stall-holder applications are open now, are limited in numbers, and close on 23 May.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sadly I'm going to miss most of those as I'll either be busy having <a href="http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=287039565"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Open Homes</span></strong></a> , or they happen beyond the giant red vivid-marker line in my diary which denotes when my NZ life ends and my Australian life begins. But I suggest you get out, make the most of these events, and by all means have fun.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-78334446039891247282010-05-05T21:23:00.000-07:002010-05-05T21:41:47.674-07:00Destashing - Stash reHash fabric market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipl6AE3I_DNjXo4NFJG8UsKUg2EsXnUaVDJYtAOHmKDLeSyq17tVwLxuzCpVq4i56qgnXDww9ghWItlrpUTGaIi2mU6ihQePCIEh0bukcSQib6sMM1_hkNHES5TgZFdSF4RC_qKNntca7P/s1600/sewingmachine+018a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipl6AE3I_DNjXo4NFJG8UsKUg2EsXnUaVDJYtAOHmKDLeSyq17tVwLxuzCpVq4i56qgnXDww9ghWItlrpUTGaIi2mU6ihQePCIEh0bukcSQib6sMM1_hkNHES5TgZFdSF4RC_qKNntca7P/s400/sewingmachine+018a.jpg" tt="true" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Many years ago my daughter ripped open a birthday present. The gift was a fancy ceramic moneybox in the shape of an anthropomorphised strawberry, with ceramic hands suspended from the body on springs. On seeing the gift, her younger brother cried out excitedly, "Scott Arms! Scott Arms! Scott Arms!", and this then became the object's name. Well actually that is just what <em>I </em>heard thanks my dodgy hearing. My family know to check that I haven't misheard them if I get over-excited by something they've said, before I inadvertently go spreading a far more interesting - but untrue - version of events. So just as I spent many happy years imagining a svelte, maybe anorexic or possibly worm-riddled man while singing "Nine stone cowboy" instead of "Rhinestone Cowboy", so all my son actually said was "It's got arms".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well Stash reHash could be renamed Scott Legs. I've had many people contact me to ask when the next one is going to be or how to run one in their town. Arthritis NZ made $4,600 on their stall at the last market and I'm very pleased to say that they are going to take over running the whole event. Today I met with Ange and Rowena from Arthritis NZ to hand it over. My meeting today was a bit like what I imagine it is like on the day you change the locks and boot your ShortFolk out to make their own way in the world.</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> I handed over my original sewn poster, my sewn bunting, instructions on how to run the event, notes about the many things I've learned along the way and instructions on how to get hundreds of people to an event on an advertising budget equivalent to the cost of 14 blocks of butter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The first event they'll be running will be in Ashburton and it won't be too far way. As soon as the date is finalised I'll let you know here. I'm also setting them up a new blog space and when all that is ready, I'll link through to it from here. I thought about it (for 2 seconds) and decided that t</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">his blog is going to end when I move to Australia.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">One of the main reasons I started Stash reHash fabric market was because I became tired of waiting for various things I've greatly enjoyed in other cities to happen in Christchurch. Since moving here I've missed many, many things. I miss far more than just walks in the bush and seeing native birds. I miss the chance to see contemporary dance on a regular basis. I miss seeing contemporary object art and textile art exhibitions like those I've enjoyed at ObjectSpace, TheNewDowse, Pataka and various other galleries. I miss the sorts of contemporary craft markets I go to when visiting other cities. I really miss the sort of theatre shows I was used to going to at Bats Theatre in Wellington. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yes, I had a wee moan. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then I decided that moaning is a bad look and to do two things. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Firstly I decided to view the lack of certain things happening here as an opportunity and to do something about the ones I was capable of doing something about. I planned to have a go at running a small, no-risk event (Stash reHash) with a view to running another larger, ongoing event. Well now I'm leaving but I reckon someone else will seize <a href="http://stash-rehash.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-year-new-dreams-new-market.html"><span style="color: blue;">that particular opportunity</span></a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Secondly, I decided to really make the most of local events I <em>am</em> interested in. So I cyber-bully friends into coming with me to exhibitions, talks by artists and writers, Pecha Kucha, concerts and shows. And after many years of thwarted attempts to see <a href="http://www.thebutlershow.com/Home.html"><span style="color: blue;">The Butler</span></a>, I am finally going. If outside you see two children locked in a car and puking into buckets, just move along, nothing to see here, Scott Nothingtodowithme.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-37683095946306426122010-05-03T04:57:00.000-07:002010-05-04T15:36:18.988-07:00Christchurch - The Garden City?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNm2lhEE_c6sDe7zZcRADiSa2z_u1YjjkNrv-vDmy74yrJA71rGsVgnjIRngbQ1UK04ocJx8Y4U0iqJYe2CM7BD5r7O6c8xFWM0E9hzD4Bl5rnN85aynSgg8uQkFAKIdkTyCb76AuAf7i/s1600/harakeke1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNm2lhEE_c6sDe7zZcRADiSa2z_u1YjjkNrv-vDmy74yrJA71rGsVgnjIRngbQ1UK04ocJx8Y4U0iqJYe2CM7BD5r7O6c8xFWM0E9hzD4Bl5rnN85aynSgg8uQkFAKIdkTyCb76AuAf7i/s400/harakeke1.jpg" tt="true" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">While standing around in our unusually clean and tidy open home on Saturday, lots of visitors commented that our home must be great for entertaining. We said "Yes, it is". Maybe we are easily led, but Ken Oath! and I then looked at each other, looked at our clean and tidy house, thought what a waste it would be not to make the most of it, then got straight on our various communication devices to invite friends to a Sunday afternoon post-open-home-knees-up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This morning I've filled the yellow bin to overflowing with the resulting bottles, washed and dried all the Crown Crystal and reset the house to its unnatural, surely-only-a-bad-mother-could-have-such-a-tidy-home state. During the cleanup I found a packet of seeds that had arrived around the neck of an Allan Scott bottle of wine (very nice it was too). The sentiment on the packet of native tree seeds -"planting for our future families"- made me think about one of the changes I'd love to see in Christchurch should I ever come back here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am not only a recovering fabricaholic, maker of textile goods and member of Overdressers Anonymous, but I am also a maker and admirer of gardens. When we decided to move to "The Garden City" from Wellington ten years ago, I was excited at the prospect of perusing Christchurch gardens, exploring the Canterbury landscape and of possibly building a new garden. But what I found in the gardens and wild spaces of Christchurch and Canterbury was not at all to my liking. The let's-pretend-we-live-in-another-country style of garden so prevalent here didn't appeal to me in the slightest and certainly didn't fit with my idea of a New Zealand "garden city".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Just as I am not the slightest bit impressed by stunning-looking but functionally-hopeless design, so I am not impressed by showy gardens that use huge resources to build or maintain yet provide nothing apart from eye-candy in return. To me, these are the garden equivalent of having cupcakes and wine for dinner: great fun occasionally, but unsustainable and unhealthy if the norm.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My friends and family living in other urban centres around New Zealand not only have Tui in their gardens, but Kaka clambering on their rooves, Kereru pooping on their washing lines, Kotare stalking their fish-ponds and Ruru waking them in the night. They have native butterflies sunning themselves on their fences and skinks on their patios. Call me greedy, demanding and opinionated, but I won't be satisfied until Christchurch has all that too. Only then do I believe that Christchurch, New Zealand can truly call itself "The Garden City".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I admire gardens that a) look stunning, but are easily maintained with minimal resources, b) pull their weight by providing the gardener with food and, most importantly, c) make a positive contribution to the wider environment they are part of. My garden is the one patch of land I really have control over, and it makes sense to me to do my best here before I get my knickers in a twist about environmental damage happening in my city, country or world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I love all the contemporary designer fabrics, home-wares, artworks and garments inspired by New Zealand flora and fauna that are currently so popular. But I believe this design trend is just 100% Pure nostalgic nonsense unless we also all do our bit to ensure that the <em>real</em> flora and fauna actually has a chance of surviving. (The fabric pictured above is called Harakeke, is by artist Tim Main, can be found in various galleries and shops including </span><a href="http://www.boltofcloth.com/shop/Fabric/By+Designer/Tim+Main+%28NZ%29.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bolt of Cloth</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> and the </span><a href="http://www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz/shop/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Christchurch Art Gallery shop</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> where this print is also available as coasters, and it also hangs in my house.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The city's native flora/fauna situation has improved during the ten years I've lived in Christchurch. The council and various community groups are doing amazing work in the city. But imagine the enormous difference it would make if every gardener in Christchurch also planted a few native plants. Imagine the difference farmers and life-style block owners could make to Canterbury eco-systems if they planted their shelter-belts with a self-maintaining band of mixed natives local to their area - rather than the waste-of-space species needing constant trimming that are currently so prevalent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">f you want to make a positive contribution to this city's eco-system via what you plant in your garden, then it isn't hard, it isn't expensive and you don't need much space. Here is how to do it in a nutshell.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A) Eliminate the negative.</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Identify what is currently growing on your property and get rid of any pest plants. A great starting point is the </span><a href="http://weedbusters.co.nz/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Weedbusters</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> site.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">B) Get informed.</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The best few dollars I ever spent was buying a booklet called "Indigenous Ecosystems of Otautahi Christchurch" by Lucas Associates. It is still available from City Council Service Centres and is also available to borrow from the library. (There are four booklets in the set covering various geographic regions of the city.) The council has also produced a variety of excellent pamphlets on attracting native birds to your garden and making wise choices about what to plant here. The </span><a href="http://www.inet.net.nz/~stevensh/tui/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Banks Peninsula Tui Restoration</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> trust have produced an nice, simple brochure called Tui tucker. The public library has a great selection of books on native plants.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">C) Start small / Doing anything is better than doing nothing.</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If your preferred way to spend time in the garden is lying in a hammock with a book and a coffee, you can still provide excellent food sources for native birds by just planting a few key plants. Plant them, mulch around them and leave them alone. Many of these plants will have the added benefit of ensuring that other useful plants will arrive in your garden for free via bird poo. I could write a book about best/favourite plants and many others have, but here I'm going to limit myself to my top ten plants. You are big girls and boys so I'll leave you to find out more about these plants and where to plant them yourselves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1. Wineberry/makomako <em>Aristotelia serrata</em> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2. A Coprosma such as Karamu <em>Coprosma robusta</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3. A flax. Either the smaller Mountain flax <em>Phormium cookianum</em> or the larger <em>Phormium tenax</em>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4. A Pseudopanax such as Fivefinger <em>Pseudopanax arboreus</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">5. South Island Kowhai. <em>Sophora microphylla</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">6. NZ jasmine <em>Parsonsia heterophylla.</em> Because butterflies go mad for it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">7. Wirenetting bush <em>Corokia cotoneaster</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">8. <em>Muehlenbeckia astonii</em>. My favourite plant in the entire universe. Like a beautiful, rusty, wire-netting sculpture. Makes a fabulous hedge and don't trim it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">9. Mahoe <em>Melicytus ramiflorus</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">10. Cabbage tree <em>Cordyline australis</em>. Don't go on about the leaves dropping and being annoying. Just plant it at the back of the garden where leaf fall won't be an issue.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You'll be able to pick up all these plants from </span><a href="http://www.treesforcanterbury.org.nz/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Trees for Canterbury</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> and most will be only a couple of dollars each. Small plants are great and often establish themselves better than bigger ones, especially on hilly or exposed sites.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You can stop here and climb back into your hammock, or you can...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>D) Go mad</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Learn lots about the indigenous eco-systems of Christchurch and Canterbury and plant masses of appropriate plants on your property. Then volunteer your time and energy for one of the many community planting schemes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">That is it. Easy. And in just a few years time Christchurch could be a fantastic <em>real</em> New Zealand garden city.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">For years I have potted up surplus native plants to give to friends. I have a few plants left to destash. If you would like them for your garden and are able to collect them, then please just email me on <a href="mailto:stashrehash@clear.net.nz">stashrehash@clear.net.nz</a> .</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-38194415021482233032010-04-27T13:00:00.000-07:002010-05-24T18:34:38.923-07:00Home Sweet Open Home <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kKZzeN81D0NF7xlSkAR65uZ8mGVbTR5tHZua-lPvKF8-u1t7RmWWEUG5RqATksm665lDLF72g51Chb_ZWxvwnJI_AZd-1Of7V_xFyWTxQbtSSCApko-JR32wHnRQ1HTELkamOmDGT4xC/s1600/treehuthalf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kKZzeN81D0NF7xlSkAR65uZ8mGVbTR5tHZua-lPvKF8-u1t7RmWWEUG5RqATksm665lDLF72g51Chb_ZWxvwnJI_AZd-1Of7V_xFyWTxQbtSSCApko-JR32wHnRQ1HTELkamOmDGT4xC/s400/treehuthalf.jpg" tt="true" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">WARNING: Property Investors and Landlords please leave now, click-as-you-can. Nothing to see here. Away you go. Shoo!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You see, I'm finally there. This weekend is our first open home and I am determined to find loving new owners for our dream-home. By the weekend I'll hopefully be out of denial and ready to welcome visitors. If you know someone looking for a new home who you think would like this style of house, then please pass it on.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Details are:</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><ul><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-me-property/Residential-property/Houses-for-sale/auction-287039565.htm"><span style="color: blue;">Trademe listing here</span></a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1950s Pascoe and Hall (designed by Humphrey Hall) modernist home.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Timeless, unique and fabulously functional design.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3 bedrooms, 2 living, plus study.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Superbly sunny and private.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">932 sq m section planted in natives and with an extensive vegetable garden.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Double garage with internal access and auto garage door.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">One bathroom and large separate laundry.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Micro-park across the road, Christchurch/Westminster Park 1 minute walk away and St Albans Park 5 mins walk away.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">35 mins walk to my old job in town in sensible shoes or 40 mins walk in dishy shoes. Took 10 mins to cycle there before I sold my bike.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Warrington St shops, Shirley Road shopping centre, Edgeware shops and The Palms all in easy walking distance.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">43 Aylesford St which we say is in Mairehau, our neighbours on one side say is in Shirley and neighbours on the other side say is in St Albans (Sarah Palin would say "I can see Merivale from my house!).</span></li>
</ul></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We have absolutely loved living in this home and hope to find new owners who will too. Now I need to go cheer myself up in the company of my friend <a href="http://www.bunnahabhain.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Bunnahabhain</span></a> and stitch myself an Open Home sign.</span></div>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-45137292863350866472010-04-25T23:39:00.000-07:002010-04-26T01:08:56.534-07:00The "To do" list and the "Not to do" list<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufr9I1n2PULFbnWihPUM6fPn7T8K0eRVvrUuI2iNe1NH7UcwhMYOGa-Prlhv1Gpl9QZNQ7CFUhLL_4qSSY4uuJj6bK9jc58Fvrfy042yy5qy0NzeyZPT5Zz6scLzM_uHyPYZ7C5tK85tO/s1600/lush1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufr9I1n2PULFbnWihPUM6fPn7T8K0eRVvrUuI2iNe1NH7UcwhMYOGa-Prlhv1Gpl9QZNQ7CFUhLL_4qSSY4uuJj6bK9jc58Fvrfy042yy5qy0NzeyZPT5Zz6scLzM_uHyPYZ7C5tK85tO/s400/lush1.jpg" tt="true" width="365" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwSsndEay47rQOhb0p9lzgSwEUdAn7K8_Z0dBSswgxGiGkMeZvOKTXak66-qCF7T2iHBd8NI4QE7VbK8WDphwXeBn_iAvK0_spWm8WONp5WJO6lEnScotobTSZUNsvjnea14Rj6K8bN14/s1600/lush2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwSsndEay47rQOhb0p9lzgSwEUdAn7K8_Z0dBSswgxGiGkMeZvOKTXak66-qCF7T2iHBd8NI4QE7VbK8WDphwXeBn_iAvK0_spWm8WONp5WJO6lEnScotobTSZUNsvjnea14Rj6K8bN14/s400/lush2.jpg" tt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYPlYEslypyUr8YdhbEhQO6Qsse11PnGn1i87o5Z9ipUDmgaGvWnHPTqVe9Csg210thCSJ3IZhPDrp5iV8ebCzsCaxmLC1BMLy46_hfzrIMGlF-kL8_NdbGx6FlMihnm77GluZ4F6siC9/s1600/lush4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYPlYEslypyUr8YdhbEhQO6Qsse11PnGn1i87o5Z9ipUDmgaGvWnHPTqVe9Csg210thCSJ3IZhPDrp5iV8ebCzsCaxmLC1BMLy46_hfzrIMGlF-kL8_NdbGx6FlMihnm77GluZ4F6siC9/s400/lush4.jpg" tt="true" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Because I am very easily distracted, I have always been a list person. My favourite list was the one I made when Ken Oath! and I moved into the first home we bought together. It was a long and sensible list with things like "Underfloor insulation, sand bathroom floor, investigate drive-on access, paint spare bedroom, fix bathroom window latch, get gas heater serviced, fix dodgy step, build vegetable garden" etc etc. At the bottom of my list, in a different coloured pen, in Ken Oath!'s hand-writing it says, "Have babies!" So we did that then of course finally ticked everything else of the list five years later - about twenty minutes before boarding the plane to move to Christchurch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the last few months I have been working through a hallway-long To Do list in preparation for putting our Christchurch house on the market. Last week it was down to fridge-freezer-long and now it is only freezer-long.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Given that I generally do all my own stunts (i.e. a do-it-yourselfer), this means that a) the skin on my hands now resembles the left-over Christmas Day roast potatoes you find in the oven when you return home from your holiday on January 6th, b) while my hands have been busy, my mind has been doing some serious wandering.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lately it has been wandering to my "Not to do" list. Does anyone else have one of these? These are things that for one reason or another I hope to never do in my lifetime. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Below are a few of them. Blogging used to be on that list until someone far cleverer than me suggested it would be just the ticket for Stash reHash, so who knows which of the listed joys I will actually get to experience one day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1. <em>Vote Act</em>. My family are under strict instructions to get me psychiatrically assessed if this ever happens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2. <em>Be an All Black</em>. Too shouty for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3. <em>Sledge </em>(that rude thing cricketers do). It is simply terribly bad manners and I don't care that you are wearing a sports uniform.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4. <em>Wear a sports uniform</em>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">5. <em>Make my children do outdoor winter sports in Christchurch</em>. So unspeakably grim. Surely people will look back in a hundred years time and consider making children run around outside, in shorts, on a 4 degree sleeting day a form of child abuse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">6. <em>Moonhop to the North Pole/unicycle across the Sahara/flutterboard across the Pacific Ocean or participate in any other "extreme adventure".</em> When "extreme adventurers" come on Nine-to-Noon I have to pop a CD on lest I should start shouting at the radio. I wouldn't want to cause anyone else to shout.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>7. Get my mugshot on the "Wanted" pages of the newspaper.</em> Upsetting for my mother.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>8. Drive a Hummer.</em> They are for people who are in wars. And saddos.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>9. Grow a beard.</em> Or even </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">a moustache.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>10. Paint a room beige.</em> If I had the job naming all the paint colours, I'd call all the beiges things like "Surely you can do better than this" or "Warning - contains highly offensive non-colour". Then I'd probably need to get another job.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>11. Wear batwing sleeves</em>. And no, not because I wore them last time around. I just find them nasty. Last time they were "in" I ignored them and hoped they'd go away and it worked for nearly two decades. I wagged the day at Fashion School when they taught batwing sleeves in pattern-making class as I hoped I'd never need to use it. The one time I was required to make a batwing sleeve pattern was in the early nineties when I was working for someone who is now one of New Zealand's top designers. Thankfully her technique for "designing" was to go overseas on shopping trips and bring back two of anything she fancied. Then she'd hang one up in the workroom and fling the other one at a pattern-maker's head while shrieking "Unpick!" - never once realising that any good pattern-maker can copy a garment without having to unpick it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">12. <em>Wear a peplum.</em> On me: Ew.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">13. <em>Wear a jumpsuit.</em> On me: Ew, ew.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">14. <em>Wear godets</em>. On anyone: Ew, ew, ew.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Best I stop now as I've probably offended everyone at least twice. Plus this is starting to sound like a Listener column which I used to quite enjoy, but now think should be renamed "Stuff I hate" (could one of my Wellington poker+vodka friends please invite the offending writer out as I'm sure she's actually a very nice sort who just needs to get out more). </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bit like me. So I'm going out now. To Bunnings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The photos at the top are of fabrics that were my backup plan when I came to realise that "Make wardrobe doors" was not going to get ticked off my To Do list. When I rebuilt my bedroom I couldn't face shelling out dosh for giant white melamine wardrobe doors as that just seemed like a missed opportunity. I'd always wanted a photo mural there, or to jumbo-enlarge my favourite woodland scene paint-by-numbers picture and paint it onto plywood in just brown and white tones with the woodgrain left as the background. Sigh. Then I discoved Erin Michael's prints for <a href="http://www.unitednotions.com/un_main.nsf/mf_designers#"><span style="color: blue;">Moda</span></a> above and decided to make huge fabric panels like fake wardrobe doors. Well that fabric is harder to find than a Hummer-driver-I'd-like-to-have-a-cup-of-tea-with, so I'll be leaving....air. But naturally I'll be selling it to the new owners as ... an opportunity!</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-59103606813284089402010-04-21T21:06:00.000-07:002010-04-21T21:35:17.003-07:00Three great stash-busting ideas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnYUH8K-nJB7leQvNHCkSIj909AoaXN8wYOW91wUwxNzB5_owV8nt3hjA8YKRPPHINdLnu3J3p3FN9joXje7Sc6xpBDH4SztcVKnqqtKcX7K1deosW7QviwbvlUPKlUCyUq0qnh4LjtJl/s1600/floralfrocked2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnYUH8K-nJB7leQvNHCkSIj909AoaXN8wYOW91wUwxNzB5_owV8nt3hjA8YKRPPHINdLnu3J3p3FN9joXje7Sc6xpBDH4SztcVKnqqtKcX7K1deosW7QviwbvlUPKlUCyUq0qnh4LjtJl/s400/floralfrocked2.jpg" width="306" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now that I have no stash and no time to make anything more interesting than a folded pile of clean laundry, I keep hearing about lovely events for makers. For a compulsive and usually prolific maker like me, this is a form of torture. So rather than just sit here getting bitter, twisted and frustrated by my inability to participate, I'm going to write about them here in the hope that someone out there participates and I can live vicariously through you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>1. Wild Tea Cosies Competition</strong></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTMW0ymEEj_lvPyNBo6PD5YZOvUf4vFs9yq7dvqTQmESr5iID7hqKmxLSvTicycpBBUl7PkuVdGavgv2OvRFtMTUqXvBIQytkXkhMyEpX7HpYRYRKMxPYZI33Pw_Ob_B70ZHEpB8CzMTf/s1600/really-wild-tea-cosies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTMW0ymEEj_lvPyNBo6PD5YZOvUf4vFs9yq7dvqTQmESr5iID7hqKmxLSvTicycpBBUl7PkuVdGavgv2OvRFtMTUqXvBIQytkXkhMyEpX7HpYRYRKMxPYZI33Pw_Ob_B70ZHEpB8CzMTf/s400/really-wild-tea-cosies.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have spies in Nelson. One of them a) loves the wonderful Nelson independent bookstore </span><a href="http://www.pageandblackmore.co.nz/category/About_Us/2809.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Page and Blackmore Booksellers</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, and b) told me about a Wild Tea Cosies Competition they are running. Here is how it works:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Crafters and creators get your fingers clicking. Make a tea cosy to win the book Really Wild Tea Cosies by Loani Prior</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Entries close Tuesday 28th May. All entries will be displayed in our window and the winner will be drawn 1st June.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And yes the competition is open to people from outside Nelson. Take or send your entries to:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Page and Blackmore Booksellers Ltd,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">254 Trafalgar Street</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Nelson 7010</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you would like to have your tea cosy returned, then enclose a prepaid and pre-addressed post bag. 28th May is not far away, so hop to it, click-as-you-can!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"><strong>2. "It’s a Tree" collaborative community project</strong></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnDAL_WIoGNm-9WdH4CTmgr2j2qSg7FyRDO73wmfUcNvCxBaj-oKrt0fHGHJ9aYlSkpLVnQRuSaJGuudKKJG2vtfcabdIVw04NhFSwqt8460KuYx8upsLn-SvbFstIAPi8LpZpmmXe_KSE/s1600/itsatree" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnDAL_WIoGNm-9WdH4CTmgr2j2qSg7FyRDO73wmfUcNvCxBaj-oKrt0fHGHJ9aYlSkpLVnQRuSaJGuudKKJG2vtfcabdIVw04NhFSwqt8460KuYx8upsLn-SvbFstIAPi8LpZpmmXe_KSE/s400/itsatree" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's a Tree is a project by <a href="http://outdoorknit.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">OutdoorKnit</span></a>, sponsored by <a href="http://www.newdowse.org.nz/"><span style="color: blue;">The New Dowse</span></a>, <a href="http://www.craft2.org/blog/?page_id=3227"><span style="color: blue;">Craft2.0</span></a> and </span><a href="http://www.knitschyarns.co.nz/knitsch/Welcome.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Knitsch yarns</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. The idea is this:</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">there are a few very tall lamp posts outside the New Dowse in Lower Hutt, and OutdoorKnit decided it would be a pretty fun idea to turn them into something different...trees!</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What OutdoorKnit needs is lots of knitted, crochet or even sewn flowers, leaves and native birds to cover these 'trees'. The best medium for this is acrylic - it wears better when the weather gets a bit grotty.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For more info see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The </span><a href="http://outdoorknit.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">OutdoorKnit blog</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> and the </span><a href="http://www.craft2.org/blog/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Craft2.0 blog</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The picture above is of some of the flowers and leaves in progress and the picture below is, well, something else pretty, jolly, special.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EVdTEzknRtua9rWBMio2LWT0AaY-ilJjZEvFjVaadSV5iDHybrOHs70KS5jcSNwE8gqXppEwJO49Od2kyNV92_56RECgvcuXhwti3BmQJ7MYfB_HVlLbUrreFkV42HVMz0keQKTpJzFK/s1600/knittedwedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EVdTEzknRtua9rWBMio2LWT0AaY-ilJjZEvFjVaadSV5iDHybrOHs70KS5jcSNwE8gqXppEwJO49Od2kyNV92_56RECgvcuXhwti3BmQJ7MYfB_HVlLbUrreFkV42HVMz0keQKTpJzFK/s400/knittedwedding.jpg" width="266" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you are in any doubt about how rewarding, enjoyable and successful such collaborative projects can be, then check out this </span><a href="http://www.castoff.info/wedding.asp"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Knitted Wedding</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. A few years ago, textile artist </span><a href="http://www.freddierobins.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Freddie Robins</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> curated the exhibition Ceremony (Pump House Gallery, Battersea Park, London) which culminated in the Knitted Wedding of Freddie and artist, Ben Coode-Adams. To read more about it, see Elvis Robertson's great account of it on her Lovely Textiles blog </span><a href="http://lovelytextiles.blogspot.com/2008/03/cast-off-knitted-wedding.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, or browse through the photo albums </span><a href="http://www.castoff.info/album/wedding/index.asp"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="http://www.castoff.info/album/wedding2/index.asp"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. I've never really got weddings, but that, I get.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">3. Floral Frocked Floosies</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiah3WhBpnaKusSSuiWntnHtUJMayW7QhMGU8KNjINapv9Ru8htu4QMaqkWPzZKrbsxV6d1iAoI3AY-MYxoDZw6q3h1hHXDUiXcjKuMBZVb27NYaeD8Ui1T-3skweAc2Zg8Wl3bKh2vATP9/s1600/floralfrocked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiah3WhBpnaKusSSuiWntnHtUJMayW7QhMGU8KNjINapv9Ru8htu4QMaqkWPzZKrbsxV6d1iAoI3AY-MYxoDZw6q3h1hHXDUiXcjKuMBZVb27NYaeD8Ui1T-3skweAc2Zg8Wl3bKh2vATP9/s400/floralfrocked.jpg" width="300" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now don't run away. Just as "hood" no longer just means "odd, infrequently-used, hat-like appendix hanging off the back of a garment", so "floosy" apparently no longer just means "the lady I thought must have missed the No 46 bus up Manchester St and so offered to drive home one wet and windy night on my first week living on Christchurch while on my way home from the library." (Sigh. We still see each other sometimes and smile and wave.) No, to see what a modern-day floosy gets up to, see the picture at the very top of this post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you have had even the quickest trundle around the crafty bits of Interwebland, you will have gathered that it is a very caring and sharing place. There are dozens of blogs and websites giving tutorials, patterns and crafting tips for free. Sometimes I look at these sites these and wonder "Who has the time to put all this stuff out there? And why? And what do you get out of it?", but mostly I just think "What a kind lady. Nice tip. Thank you very much".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sometimes though, when you are attempting a new crafty project, nothing beats being in a real room, with other real crafters, with a nice real person who knows more than you do and is willing to help you. Like the Realworldland version of those online tutorials. Now add cake. I know! Who could resist! Well that is what Floral Frocked Floosies is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Floral Frocked Floosies is a Christchurch crafting group co-ordinated by Justine from </span><a href="http://redflax.felt.co.nz/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Redflax</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. They get together every fortnight or so on a Monday at 7ish. The group decides what they want to learn to sew and Justine teaches it - apparently with sometimes hilarious results. There are two different groups - one just for pottering and finishing stuff etc, and one more structured with a set lesson - like cushions, hottie covers, bags, skirts etc. You can find out more at their </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=150234748028&ref=ts"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> page.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So people, go forth, have fun, and if you do participate, then I'd love to see the results. Right. Best go get the washing in.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-10282573433397140412010-04-20T02:28:00.000-07:002010-04-20T02:28:51.943-07:00Destashing - miscellaneous useful stuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaUK2HzVxZmYF7jx2UCNjI_57EBERTtDhcTAg-H2keg1d-2qxg1JEq1ItpOLDz6o1uXZql3rabMQ6Gql-QXGhy4kc9EjDyOyMu9rpI1ImnwOC8mX2G1-sPQMHlB9CJsO4d50f2ry6AMWj/s1600/tradememosaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaUK2HzVxZmYF7jx2UCNjI_57EBERTtDhcTAg-H2keg1d-2qxg1JEq1ItpOLDz6o1uXZql3rabMQ6Gql-QXGhy4kc9EjDyOyMu9rpI1ImnwOC8mX2G1-sPQMHlB9CJsO4d50f2ry6AMWj/s400/tradememosaic.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Do you ever see a Trademe seller and, by the composite of their listings, make up your mind what sort of person they are? Do you ever save a Trademe seller as a favourite just to see if the item you guess they'll list next, they actually do list next? Oh, is that just me....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I've just listed some miscellaneous useful stuff on Trademe. When I went back to cyber-stalk my own listings to see if anyone had looked at them (Must stop now.), I realised that I had become that cliché! My listings tell a story and spookily that story is true. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yes it is true that I like to get home on my bike, flop down in the garden (actually on a bench-seat I made myself from a plan in a book but the photo didn't match) under my sun umbrella (so as to not get a tan), pop on a pair of mad vintage sunglasses, grab a funny old non-fiction book and say to TheShortFolk "play amongst yourselves!", then relax while they push each other into things on their go-kart, while indoors the cat scratches holes in a once-collectible rug and the vintage tablecloth sits forlornly on the dining table while no-one cooks the dinner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And looking at my own composite, perhaps my retro-is-a-bad-word friend is right and it is time to reinvent myself. With all those $1s I'll be collecting in a week's time!</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-91119047220638566662010-04-18T16:27:00.000-07:002010-04-18T16:27:02.050-07:00Thank you, thank you, thank you<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I had an absolutely wonderful time on Sunday at the second Stash reHash fabric market and I hope you did too. I hope your stash is topped up with new treasures and that you are inspired to make beautiful things. If anyone was ever in doubt about the resurgence of crafts and the existence of the hand-made movement in Christchurch, then yesterday was proof of how strong it is amongst women and men (yes, I was wrong) of all ages.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I must admit that I felt like an alcoholic running a pub, but I managed to stick to my plan and not buy a single thing. Now that my fabric stash has completely disappeared I feel a bit like a sailor without a boat, but I have no time to dwell on that as today I have to do my GST! Aargh! No time for muckingaround again this month, but I can see the future and it involves a reward...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But enough of the silly similes; I have some serious thanking to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Thank you to:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• the wonderful stall-holders for taking a punt on this event, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• all the generous people who donated goods for the Arthritis NZ stall, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• the people at Arthritis NZ for always being such a pleasure to deal with especially when it became evident that the gorgeous but gigantic monster we created for the first market had been eating steroids, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• the lovely new people I met along the way who volunteered their time to help at the working bee and at the market, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• all the people who helped spread the word about the event through the press, via Twitter and Facebook, in shops, on blogs and out in Realworldland, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• and of course to all you many, many shoppers. I doubt there has ever been a more patient queue or a friendlier, more enthusiastic bunch of shoppers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But again mostly thanks to my fabulous friends and family. Many people asked me if I planned to run this event in my soon-to-be-hometown in Western Australia. The answer has to be no because this event only works because here I have such a great network of friends and supporters who help me at every stage of the organisation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The other big questions of the day were variations on “Will Stash reHash happen again? / Who is going to run it next time? / When will the next one be? / How do I find out if and when the next one will be? / How do I have a stall at the next market?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At this stage I can’t answer those questions. Discussions need to be had – preferably in wine bars. If definite plans are made before I leave, I’ll let you know on this blog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Otherwise here is my tip for the best place to find out about any crafty event. In Christchurch we are lucky enough to have Craft Royalty in the form of Lucy from<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span><a href="http://www.felt.co.nz/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><strong>Felt</strong></span></a>. Her <a href="http://www.felt.co.nz/blog/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><strong>Felt blog</strong></span></a> is the best place to find out about all things crafty - both in Christchurch and around the country. I've already got wind of a few upcoming events I'll be very sad to miss, so keep an eye on that blog and make sure you don't miss them too.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-75607233358136078302010-04-15T14:36:00.000-07:002010-04-15T14:40:11.667-07:00Blokes, dogs and children<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjKTgCk25BO2ubu9Widnz3iM1z_mjiOmdx8VFV9XCnl7y7hjiAUdlAwxJm3CC8wVwF2tD0jur4A4T6wN8iX110S8MNFEHngdKGekb3Emc24QE4so4myrVPbmLnHAYaF9d1bciFd3YglOn/s1600/frock+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjKTgCk25BO2ubu9Widnz3iM1z_mjiOmdx8VFV9XCnl7y7hjiAUdlAwxJm3CC8wVwF2tD0jur4A4T6wN8iX110S8MNFEHngdKGekb3Emc24QE4so4myrVPbmLnHAYaF9d1bciFd3YglOn/s400/frock+007.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Recently I received an email from a woman who is coming from out of town to shop at Stash reHash on Sunday. She is concerned that her husband, children and dog will do the old "Are you done yet? Are you done yet?" and cramp her fabric shopping style. Not being familiar with St Albans, she asked for some ideas of where to send them so she can shop in peace.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Good move. I'm going to make a gross generalisation here, but in my experience (most) blokes, dogs and small children don't really get fabric markets. If you are in the same position as this shopper then here are my top tips for where to send them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Abberley Park</strong>. This beautiful garden park is just a few minutes walk away (down Edgeware Road, cross Springfield Road and you'll see the entrance in Abberley Crescent). It has Secret Gardens, often has swarms of butterflies, enough room to kick a ball around, two playgrounds suitable for young children and bridges for playing Pooh Sticks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>St Albans Park</strong>. This is a bit further away between Madras St and Barbadoes St down the Warrington St end. Loads of different play equipment arranged in a circuit around the perimeter of sports fields plus a skateboard park, basketball hoop, flying fox.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If the weather is foul then you are spoilt for choice in Christchurch with <a href="http://www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz/"><span style="color: blue;">The Christchurch Art Gallery</span></a>, <a href="http://www.canterburymuseum.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Canterbury Museum</span></a> and <a href="http://www.sciencealive.co.nz/"><span style="color: blue;">Science Alive</span></a> (not much chop for dogs though) just a few minutes drive away from the market.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But if you really want them out of your hair for a good long time, and your Shortfolk are taller than 1.3m tall (oh, not the dog!), then tell them to drive out to Spencerville and go to one of my all-time favourite places near Christchurch: </span><a href="http://www.adrenalin-forest.co.nz/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Adrenaline Forest</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. This is just the coolest place. My lucky Shortfolk went there yesterday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And my apologies to all the men who <em>do</em> get fabric markets. Go you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Pictured above is the rose-covered fabric of a frock which sat in my stash for years. Before that it had sat in my friend's stash for many years before she gave it to me. It has finally been altered and now has pride of place in my wardrobe. The same friend took my children to Adrenaline Forest yesterday, had them for a sleep-over last night (thankyou, thankyou, thankyou) and is hopefully still sane.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-49068128350317037352010-04-13T13:53:00.000-07:002010-04-13T14:04:28.919-07:00New, new, new designer fabrics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIi8FyV9jfChbCMr9ot68q-MSQM7YB0Zvysidg9U5iSMpISu2tGhZ5_ObXsiNHHs9fHF687y7Cx6GhE7b0EmxTLMBJJdBrpq3gZRP2xx4jQrxrpAs0loxa-fDVLlOQX0nCd4XCYJXyg_zk/s1600/fabrication.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIi8FyV9jfChbCMr9ot68q-MSQM7YB0Zvysidg9U5iSMpISu2tGhZ5_ObXsiNHHs9fHF687y7Cx6GhE7b0EmxTLMBJJdBrpq3gZRP2xx4jQrxrpAs0loxa-fDVLlOQX0nCd4XCYJXyg_zk/s400/fabrication.jpg" width="340" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you follow this blog, have spotted me out in Realworldland or have kept me company in my home, you'll know that my personal taste tends towards the retro, or as a disapproving friend calls it, "The R-word".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But all tastes will be catered for at Sunday's market. Remember that there are dozens of individual stall-holders at Stash reHash selling their treasures. Stall-holders' descriptions of their wares include shabby chic, true vintage, vintage-inspired, Asian, Japanese, contemporary and designer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Plus three stall-holders are online retailers of <span style="font-size: large;">new designer fabrics</span>. If you aren't already familiar with their wares then this is your chance to see them in real life. And if you're not usually an online shopper, then this is a great opportunity to meet the great sellers behind these businesses so you can make future online purchases in confidence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you fancy checking them out before the market, then hop over and visit: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Annie from <a href="http://www.fabrication.co.nz/info/welcome.aspx"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Fabrication</span></a> (picture at the top is <a href="http://www.fabrication.co.nz/shop/product-images.aspx?id=f7196522-d5d1-4be3-828d-c6ff6cdceb69"><span style="color: blue;">Wishing Flowers - Fuschia</span></a> and below is <a href="http://www.fabrication.co.nz/shop/product.aspx?id=3f1c2241-26ff-44c7-8e1b-54df40ce3aa2"><span style="color: blue;">Antler Damask - Celadon</span></a>),</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lyndy from <a href="http://www.stitchbirdfabrics.co.nz/home/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Stitchbird Fabrics</span></a> (picture below is <a href="http://www.stitchbirdfabrics.co.nz/products/?category=lizzy_house&product_id=64"><span style="color: blue;">Ducks in a row</span></a>),</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyav4YhVspA1bYIHdBgJp5K3jzzuobbebaOf1671HrXEF27LiYWrv2Tk2EmkE4fkMD6QRV4s84v42od-HiKr4_TzDpRzOYGJ6csCKXuC5rxPhAlWU3N3iB4m8dOSPLPOYEZEUKzedV8GIL/s1600/ducks_in_row.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyav4YhVspA1bYIHdBgJp5K3jzzuobbebaOf1671HrXEF27LiYWrv2Tk2EmkE4fkMD6QRV4s84v42od-HiKr4_TzDpRzOYGJ6csCKXuC5rxPhAlWU3N3iB4m8dOSPLPOYEZEUKzedV8GIL/s400/ducks_in_row.jpg" width="382" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and Melinda who sells as <a href="http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?member=821182"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Littlebutton1 on Trademe</span></a> (picture below is <a href="http://www.trademe.co.nz/Crafts/Fabric/Cotton/Other/auction-282578042.htm"><span style="color: blue;">Timber apple mist</span></a>).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETiFszo29nOuxHuiYecSIzC_sg4hLF5tAghIp5QzNI6u83BNA5nyQTB_-gb4y9VBqiy2yoaW-wfzGHxixFfhUPDSNQ26aFjdoSAfsClXnzP8wrkaUFKn8Mu_Vt8aXA4vhxzz_xSH6Xo9w/s1600/littlebutton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETiFszo29nOuxHuiYecSIzC_sg4hLF5tAghIp5QzNI6u83BNA5nyQTB_-gb4y9VBqiy2yoaW-wfzGHxixFfhUPDSNQ26aFjdoSAfsClXnzP8wrkaUFKn8Mu_Vt8aXA4vhxzz_xSH6Xo9w/s400/littlebutton.jpg" width="268" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Come and visit them on Sunday and indulge your love of beautiful new designer fabrics because as Melinda puts it, "She who dies with the most fabric wins!"</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-63558687870767987642010-04-12T03:41:00.000-07:002010-04-12T03:41:47.161-07:00Coffee, cake, cupcakes and more<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42Tzj_wK0ZR8o-caUnGbKQBlwfkKQeXj774pP590w3Ydvb47eChoqX-xEPH5FY6ONwr-hc0dkhNgIpGnqfovcE4a3ZE8xQSUn802aohRayfnkF37ITEi3k6PRU9RFffIRYMUDVqXDB_HX/s1600/coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42Tzj_wK0ZR8o-caUnGbKQBlwfkKQeXj774pP590w3Ydvb47eChoqX-xEPH5FY6ONwr-hc0dkhNgIpGnqfovcE4a3ZE8xQSUn802aohRayfnkF37ITEi3k6PRU9RFffIRYMUDVqXDB_HX/s400/coffee.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Fabric shopping can be a very tough, energy-sapping business so you'll need to keep your strength up. Outside the market on Sunday you'll find the Retro Espresso coffee caravan for your coffee fix and my friends from the St Albans School PTA selling food including their world-famous-in-St-Albans baking. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then if after you've shopped and eaten and drank to your heart's content you still feel like a little something else, well how about buying a business! Even that gorgeous coffee caravan is for sale! Read more about it on its Trademe listing <a href="http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farming-industry/Businesses-for-sale/Tourism-hospitality/Other/auction-279171546.htm"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-33465929502445676502010-04-10T23:12:00.000-07:002010-04-10T23:12:09.670-07:00How to cure a fabricaholic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDBOSW4ARP9bYhmLoacB2oth5jHbF03S9paPGLb7CmZAqm3WocUKr7pTHLM4nCNMD7cYEKniqGd_qbfKPnHNDl769D-d7XTAWTRTOLCDnw7D75_t8NeNI1wu6G6k4igU2Z34Ntq7Ib2z8/s1600/bee+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDBOSW4ARP9bYhmLoacB2oth5jHbF03S9paPGLb7CmZAqm3WocUKr7pTHLM4nCNMD7cYEKniqGd_qbfKPnHNDl769D-d7XTAWTRTOLCDnw7D75_t8NeNI1wu6G6k4igU2Z34Ntq7Ib2z8/s400/bee+001.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am usually a pretty verbose person. I have just returned from the Arthritis NZ working bee and I am lost for words so here are some pictures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">10am arrive to find a huge room that looks like the picture above. And this,</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiP1NnfYU5mZcFBeDVAn573QJPuqKLxhSIALbDxo6dBTqadOMzt0IRXk967upiSwnJVlTqFAvCIobRBAe14KRZZsCxeX6dl0Pww55nYT6c1ZEGK_3uYJA3gtjKGSKWZIrXG78Xm0ZqvlG/s1600/bee+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSiP1NnfYU5mZcFBeDVAn573QJPuqKLxhSIALbDxo6dBTqadOMzt0IRXk967upiSwnJVlTqFAvCIobRBAe14KRZZsCxeX6dl0Pww55nYT6c1ZEGK_3uYJA3gtjKGSKWZIrXG78Xm0ZqvlG/s400/bee+003.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and this.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfdWuRCAZnbp-VjfVWWUOyvnhbxY4wfcS47i_3Mrf7jKOBG-nXDCYdRp44stDhk_XJNBEcV7MfJdNY8SCnTLKmzknuHMi1diW_2wp5kONcdH_u6zcKS1MeT9ZeMR4A8YsyvJ2Q2-MNStH/s1600/bee+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfdWuRCAZnbp-VjfVWWUOyvnhbxY4wfcS47i_3Mrf7jKOBG-nXDCYdRp44stDhk_XJNBEcV7MfJdNY8SCnTLKmzknuHMi1diW_2wp5kONcdH_u6zcKS1MeT9ZeMR4A8YsyvJ2Q2-MNStH/s400/bee+004.jpg" width="300" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Quickly realise that this is no place for children so escort mine across the road to Science Alive where they spend the day happily doing this (now that is a child with well-managed juvenile arthritis!),</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYK0bbSUcPXCei6aPzEMyzdNwHg4k7UqaccbxU95GfaKRBd5GX92OEVZqjNqmT6MI-s1xIGgUw0GkK4pKFIGoDEVTs_so8H9rjkejfs8NgUhkyjwfG4RbwKruiclkV9HycmLnqkEIhKMc/s1600/bee+051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYK0bbSUcPXCei6aPzEMyzdNwHg4k7UqaccbxU95GfaKRBd5GX92OEVZqjNqmT6MI-s1xIGgUw0GkK4pKFIGoDEVTs_so8H9rjkejfs8NgUhkyjwfG4RbwKruiclkV9HycmLnqkEIhKMc/s400/bee+051.jpg" width="385" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and this.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLWL0Lxjv15vNKkCP-A1NVOqRWuJxW1vus3CxTZQthzywJtzGTB3iGEooOdfSYJ3Wk9uO16bLlixqX8QjYQ6OmddWHI1t2B75DjHrA9ajPb6fUl1RFpfB_bOv71so-a6_a-KG2YUyjKkq/s1600/bee+052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLWL0Lxjv15vNKkCP-A1NVOqRWuJxW1vus3CxTZQthzywJtzGTB3iGEooOdfSYJ3Wk9uO16bLlixqX8QjYQ6OmddWHI1t2B75DjHrA9ajPb6fUl1RFpfB_bOv71so-a6_a-KG2YUyjKkq/s400/bee+052.jpg" width="362" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Get back to the working bee and find lots of amazing helpers sorting the donations. And what did we find? Everything! Trust me when I say that whatever fabric, notion, haberdashery item or miscellaneous crafty thing you are looking for, then it will be on Arthritis NZ's stall. We went mining and we found gold. More things than I can list or describe here. Incredible, amazing, beautiful and inspiring things. And I'm not joking when I say that it will be arriving to the market in a truck. Each helper had different favourites and items they put in the many boxes we labelled "Treasures". Here are a few of my mine.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpkVPNqCvgZLQ0uEjK8cblQaoQbvjdopFv_D2scCgwjtYLoHMJ9ZidQlMtubx4HA9wEo3cyTX9LpchQQChWxPhKcAfRZJI_lq_lio8E72nYjCroiGTLbIJx3ydhsHxQhh9hy2I_eclAhN/s1600/beemos1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpkVPNqCvgZLQ0uEjK8cblQaoQbvjdopFv_D2scCgwjtYLoHMJ9ZidQlMtubx4HA9wEo3cyTX9LpchQQChWxPhKcAfRZJI_lq_lio8E72nYjCroiGTLbIJx3ydhsHxQhh9hy2I_eclAhN/s400/beemos1.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqEFpcumRAoSPo0XMHD07YxZLTc0q9Vwq7eas93A3wKfjjDMW0vV65ds8XfTywH143uMZBlQe_ycLlDA41G3nq_3uy8loSSWUbCwNuHsRC7L4ZmLownis3HmQQXgqO7UfpasiT8tMgCxJ/s1600/donaldclark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzqEFpcumRAoSPo0XMHD07YxZLTc0q9Vwq7eas93A3wKfjjDMW0vV65ds8XfTywH143uMZBlQe_ycLlDA41G3nq_3uy8loSSWUbCwNuHsRC7L4ZmLownis3HmQQXgqO7UfpasiT8tMgCxJ/s400/donaldclark.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgvWC5KrbPZSVMJVOTut94TbL8YVyb-d_Pn6HHLWw8K2Y5CdcbSGGJMtdXRMb1iMYCukw-DYBvhPOfVPs2fPFPR-aX-AD3YMOe3X-YBXH86Sxw-QzrVXzqy8_UpBFQcc9qlPVp_iGXkw7/s1600/beemos2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgvWC5KrbPZSVMJVOTut94TbL8YVyb-d_Pn6HHLWw8K2Y5CdcbSGGJMtdXRMb1iMYCukw-DYBvhPOfVPs2fPFPR-aX-AD3YMOe3X-YBXH86Sxw-QzrVXzqy8_UpBFQcc9qlPVp_iGXkw7/s400/beemos2.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmiiFCEqgACFPIoJXQFIC1NdSfcUMHO3NRGpeqNXsAwjdigjc-5j6w-eZIqunH2DsGyouK-4NCnGyvEM1nn9SQZ1fZodZg3XBEchfFVQ9hyKZP98CmOXUoX9VjIGszyLIkcPQePIXHcm0f/s1600/beemos3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmiiFCEqgACFPIoJXQFIC1NdSfcUMHO3NRGpeqNXsAwjdigjc-5j6w-eZIqunH2DsGyouK-4NCnGyvEM1nn9SQZ1fZodZg3XBEchfFVQ9hyKZP98CmOXUoX9VjIGszyLIkcPQePIXHcm0f/s640/beemos3.jpg" width="240" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And that is just from one box. There are this many more.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OpzYFjdjmMo6bBiHlL3NI1Dx91TFa0vDd6EGRfcpn-i6OPpb-jtNH43naMc49-vQlClbPmmFLqlAbY7gXWQtKQRX51XG-15WYEMFM765yuHERwmMT6GVSy0C3xujHSlCgI9epZEsMp6h/s1600/bee+053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OpzYFjdjmMo6bBiHlL3NI1Dx91TFa0vDd6EGRfcpn-i6OPpb-jtNH43naMc49-vQlClbPmmFLqlAbY7gXWQtKQRX51XG-15WYEMFM765yuHERwmMT6GVSy0C3xujHSlCgI9epZEsMp6h/s400/bee+053.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTuzcVMqbZ-qfdVdgmuUtEFP9SyyJ0okV5iT4smeJScqJ0o3YPgQJu1lVsNUcydntHlN42LKyaD-H6eb31Mma8uPNhNaCsgbdqZZLQNCiiQ8m965yhUevrbQCRJYbZTDIfsC35iaS4wkQ/s1600/bee+054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTuzcVMqbZ-qfdVdgmuUtEFP9SyyJ0okV5iT4smeJScqJ0o3YPgQJu1lVsNUcydntHlN42LKyaD-H6eb31Mma8uPNhNaCsgbdqZZLQNCiiQ8m965yhUevrbQCRJYbZTDIfsC35iaS4wkQ/s400/bee+054.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Many thanks to all the people who have donated these amazing goods and many thanks to all the helpers who came to sort it all out. Now to make this all worthwhile we need shoppers next Sunday. Thousands of shoppers. Tell your friends, your sisters, your workmates and your Mum. Please. And I wasn't joking about that trailer.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-46835135673463089092010-04-09T04:19:00.000-07:002010-04-09T04:21:41.642-07:00Arthritis New Zealand working bee - Helpers required<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCufevKuksrXBlrwgWQoOyX6D9LbKefRTn1WrBlJYY5ePN8By4HpiTU3Nq72bRDFt3IXA7BTSayyQI_wZbcAUZ3cZHgz5hxg39wwaCZx01brDTSujUD7mNhATIOFVXODKwSJF4zwDbIlt/s1600/stashrehash+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCufevKuksrXBlrwgWQoOyX6D9LbKefRTn1WrBlJYY5ePN8By4HpiTU3Nq72bRDFt3IXA7BTSayyQI_wZbcAUZ3cZHgz5hxg39wwaCZx01brDTSujUD7mNhATIOFVXODKwSJF4zwDbIlt/s400/stashrehash+005.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm not scared of fabric. I'm also not scared of hard work. However when I delivered some donated goods to Arthritis NZ and saw just how amazing the response to their request for donations has been, I quickly realised what a huge job it will be to sort and prepare their goods for sale. This is an "all hands on deck" situation!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Arthritis NZ</strong><span style="font-size: small;"> are having a</span><strong> working bee</strong></span> on</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Sunday, April 11th, starting at 10am</span></strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and finishing, well, sometime before 11am on Sunday 18th April. Just kidding. Finishing mid-afternoon. If you are able to come along and help even for an hour or so at any stage during that time, then that would be fabulous. Please email me on </span><a href="mailto:stashrehash@clear.net.nz"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">stashrehash@clear.net.nz</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> and I'll give you all the details of where to come and what to bring.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pictured above is one corner of Arthritis NZ's stall at the last Stash reHash market in November last year just minutes before the hall doors opened. What you can't see is the room behind their stall filled with many, many more boxes of fabric. They constantly replenished their stall throughout the market. Given that they have even more goods this time, they'll be doing the same again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So if turning up exactly on opening time, dealing with crowds or queueing isn't your cup of tea, then come to the market a wee bit later in the day. At the last market there were great fill-a-bag deals from 1pm on Arthritis NZ's stall. I met several very happy late-comers who had avoided the crush, had a relaxed shop and left with enormous armloads of fabric set to become playtents, curtains, whole-cloth quilts and bunting and all purchased at absolute bargain prices. I wrote BYO shopping bag in some ads, but if you have a big job planned then BYO wheelbarrow. Or maybe trailer.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-49207277927558162332010-03-31T15:26:00.000-07:002010-03-31T15:35:42.646-07:00Advertising your business, group or event at Stash reHash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1V0DQDjmlFkyDvbPoZgQszEzzbLhufonytgjpd4U4rmQzjhm6mcx-f4oCaDGoQ7hZJdVckCyIjnTR-VrJHMpIx7887sVaHEIwjuPsNtHJl27bA4VZSPmnh5VGSldK3170Mnk-1eK37pWJ/s1600/matildasroom+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1V0DQDjmlFkyDvbPoZgQszEzzbLhufonytgjpd4U4rmQzjhm6mcx-f4oCaDGoQ7hZJdVckCyIjnTR-VrJHMpIx7887sVaHEIwjuPsNtHJl27bA4VZSPmnh5VGSldK3170Mnk-1eK37pWJ/s400/matildasroom+005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At Stash reHash we have a table set aside for information likely to be of interest to Stash reHash customers. Last time all the brochures, flyers, business cards etc on this table were snaffled up and taken away. As I go around town delivering Stash reHash posters and flyers (dangerous business - see below) I've been collecting more information for this table but I'd love to receive more.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So if you have any sort of shop or business, event, upcoming sale, discount vouchers, craft group, classes, exhibition, organisation or other that you think would be of interest to the sort of crafty people who come to a fabric market, then I'd love to hear from you to help advertise it. Email me at </span><a href="mailto:stashrehash@clear.net.nz"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">stashrehash@clear.net.nz</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> and I'll be in touch next week to arrange how you can get your advertising material to me.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My day out yesterday delivering posters proved to be a lot of fun but also a wee bit dangerous. Pictured above is the nearly finished quilt I made last night between doing the dinner dishes and watching Lost. The front is fabric I bought at the always gloriously tempting <a href="http://www.boltofcloth.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Bolt of Cloth</span></a> yesterday afternoon</span>. <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> The back is fabric I bought at Stash reHash last time, sandwiched in the middle is one of my woollen blankets and the edges will soon be bound with ancient stash fabric. All those times my not-so-subtle little cowgirl has left our computer screen displaying<span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.boltofcloth.com/shop/Fabric/By+Pattern++Theme/For+kids/-FAH034.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">this page</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> have finally had the desired effect.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-41454253322112440422010-03-25T16:45:00.000-07:002010-04-20T19:38:52.201-07:00Destashing - Our dream-home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiLw8W46pFOgfFziNzi-CRk9v3EA9SrqYFtvhUy8cml7PA7wLDHEKyH4tnqtoHeLXxgt42JOCgz9_ZIGv0lI-ikSvMdzIpurWxSXobCxjhP_8yTvN9J_IMWSewzGNRfQyOZCVfIeILMn9/s1600/house+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiLw8W46pFOgfFziNzi-CRk9v3EA9SrqYFtvhUy8cml7PA7wLDHEKyH4tnqtoHeLXxgt42JOCgz9_ZIGv0lI-ikSvMdzIpurWxSXobCxjhP_8yTvN9J_IMWSewzGNRfQyOZCVfIeILMn9/s400/house+003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In the past week I have destashed myself of my Realworldland job, my Interwebland job, my main PTA job and my voluntary job all in an effort to concentrate on the biggest destashing job on my To Do list: selling our house. The trouble is, the more time I spend at home getting rid of stuff, tidying and cleaning, then the more I fall in love with it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When we moved to Christchurch ten years ago, our children were aged 18 months and six weeks old. Ken Oath! was either travelling overseas or working every waking moment in his exciting new job. I didn't know a single person here. Our rental house was in a great neighbourhood (St Albans) but certainly wasn't dream-home. (It had one room I always went into with my hand over my eyes because the curtains were so nasty and another we referred to as Antarctica.) I had only ever been to Christchurch once before; that was a decade earlier and I'd spent that entire visit trapped in a training room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In short, I needed to get out, get exploring and get myself a life. I bought a double buggy and went out on hunting expeditions. First I hunted myself a collection of Rare Birds, i.e. the best collection of friends you could ever hope for. Then I hunted myself a collection of places I loved going to, including parks, opshops, libraries, galleries and walks. Finally I hunted myself a micro-mini short short-list of properties in the neighbourhood that I was potentially interested in should they ever come on the market.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A year later I was wheeling 60 blocks of butter worth of children home from my Plunket mothers' group, when I spotted one of my short-listed houses getting a For Sale sign installed. No time for muckingaround! I rushed home and got straight on the blower. That night, under the auspices of doing the grocery shopping, I met the agent and inspected this architect designed, modernist but modest, sun-soaked beauty. Within 5 seconds of walking in the front door I told the agent she could can the sales pitch because I was already deeply in love; I was home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So then I had to go and fess up to Ken Oath! what I'd done. After he'd recovered from the fact that I didn't actually have any chocolate for him, he too arranged to see the house. I waited nervously, then when he got home I excitedly demanded "What do you think? Shall we buy it?" He said what he says best: " 'KIN' OATH!" Soon afterwards the easiest property purchase ever was completed and ownership was transferred from the son of the recently deceased original owner to the happiest little family in StAlbansShirleyMairehau.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We have absolutely loved calling this house home. Over the years I've ogled many other cool homes on <a href="http://www.christchurchmodern.co.nz/"><span style="color: blue;">Christchurch Modern</span></a> but the reasons to stay put always outweighed the reasons to move. While our address probably won't impress those peculiarly Christchurch people who go to posh parties and ask grey-haired grown-ups like me what school they went to, this home certainly has numerous other impressive features.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We stuffed it with our eclectic collection of mid-century furniture, retro fabrics, kitsch collectibles, thousands of books and some New Zealand art - otherwise known as miscellaneous-stuff-we-love. Even though I greatly admire sophisticated, contemporary interiors in magazines and on blogs, my own decorating style could only be described as like a magpie on speed. Our interiors make Todd Oldham's look minimalist and will probably make some potential new owners' teeth hurt. Just as both our children's names are in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/What-Not-Name-Your-Baby/dp/0898158141"><span style="color: blue;">"What not to name your baby"</span></a> books, so I suspect that when our interior shots are loaded onto real-estate sites, they'll quickly make their way to various "How not to furnish your home" blogs to be sniggered at by people far cooler and more restrained than us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ah well. I'm not scared of being sniggered at. What I am scared of is living in a house so bland that I'd have to leave a trail of crumbs every time I went out so I could find my way home again. I'm scared that someone who really wants to live in Italy will buy this house and do a nasty Italiente makeover on it. I'm scared that the new owner will rip out our huge, tui-ready, native garden and replant it with roses and pansies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">OK, too much idle chitchat and not enough action. I should really be scared of still being sat here in my PJs in four weeks time, still hemming these jolly curtains (that I should have hemmed five years ago) when people arrive for my first open home. Back to work for me.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-79429523149376273772010-03-24T14:59:00.000-07:002010-03-24T15:04:48.443-07:00Destashing - 17 Vintage Metal Sewing Machines<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtSwSPx0pgp_39SlAik6WGAGc6Aw2VLZdD6-9RJCDjHvOTY3vhsHVmaM1bSFNdBRRyIQujtMnfb4RGVIydK8pQiWtzofzMVEt6dKMOKCz_g2akxbloDQWcm_77J7le0bBiMqKMtkA1e2I/s1600/machines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtSwSPx0pgp_39SlAik6WGAGc6Aw2VLZdD6-9RJCDjHvOTY3vhsHVmaM1bSFNdBRRyIQujtMnfb4RGVIydK8pQiWtzofzMVEt6dKMOKCz_g2akxbloDQWcm_77J7le0bBiMqKMtkA1e2I/s400/machines.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">No, it's not me destashing this time. This stunning collection of vintage sewing machines is currently for sale on <a href="http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=279051496"><span style="color: blue;">Trademe</span></a>. These are being sold by Jenafer from the <a href="http://localvanguard.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Local Vanguard blog</span></a> who does a sterling job promoting local events, businesses and miscellaneous interesting things. The least we can do is help spread the word for her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Imagine these in a crusty old museum (my favourite sort - the modern, shiny, all-singing, all-dancing museums make me feel like I'm an eight year old boy who hasn't taken his Ritalin. Give me a wooden cabinet with treasure-filled shallow drawers any day). Imagine these being cared for and used by a retro craft group. Oh, i</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">magine these displayed in a glass-fronted plywood cubby-hole cabinet on the back wall of a cool shop complete with their description tags. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Time to stop imagining and start spreading the word; these beauties deserve a loving new owner. </span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-87323024061721210192010-03-23T03:01:00.000-07:002010-03-23T12:03:19.443-07:00Destashing - The seriously big scary fabric shears<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_fGjym9t9uZ-zXx7hGq0MPX-VVqausDwUa_7C8l4nYklYjYebeZsE7Fq0qv9JX_8ygDTHvERVvpWOkriLpqqfMYODPWuv7Q3M20om-d6ZP2Y0O62c_DE0YXOeSbS8pFnFlEJ1D2Qwt0e/s1600-h/aa+021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_fGjym9t9uZ-zXx7hGq0MPX-VVqausDwUa_7C8l4nYklYjYebeZsE7Fq0qv9JX_8ygDTHvERVvpWOkriLpqqfMYODPWuv7Q3M20om-d6ZP2Y0O62c_DE0YXOeSbS8pFnFlEJ1D2Qwt0e/s400/aa+021.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Some things are easy to destash. Some, for various reasons, are a wee bit trickier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My fabric and sewing supplies sorting was trucking along nicely the other day when I opened a box I hadn't opened for years but hadn't quite managed to part with. Some items went into the Stash reHash pile, some went into the opshop pile, some went into the rubbish pile and some went into the rather too large Too Hard pile. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Something I put into the Too Hard pile were the two pairs of scissors above. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">One pair I had bought as part of the equipment requirements for the fashion and textiles course I did over 20 (!!!) years ago. Being a little-goody-two-shoes I dutifully had my name engraved on them as instructed. Then found I was too much of a weakling to use these 13 inch long monsters on a regular basis and reverted to my small, zippy Solingens. I won the second pair. The award details plus my name is engraved on them. I never used those shears either because they were incredibly sharp and, well, I'm a bit of a dreamer and I was convinced that if I daydreamed while using those they'd have my fingers off. Basically I'm a weak, scaredy, sook. So both sets of shears were left to go stiff and rusty in the bottom of a cardboard box with only some "bargain" elastic (loses its ping if you say boo to it - now in the rubbish pile) for company.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Silly I know, but the reason I found destashing these shears too hard is because <em>my name</em> is on them. I didn't want to be to someone else like <a href="http://stash-rehash.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-do-we-make-things.html"><span style="color: blue;">Edith Brand</span></a> is to me. I felt I needed to hand these on personally.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Too much thinking + not enough action = cup of coffee required. Naturally while having my coffee I wandered over to Blogland for a spot of muckingaround. First I hopped over to visit <a href="http://pinkpaperpinafore.typepad.com/my_pink_paper_pinafore/"><span style="color: blue;">Thoroughly Modern Miss Millie</span></a> but got distracted by her list of Christchurch's crafty bloggers: some are my friends, some I have met, but some were new to me. I am quite nosy so I went and had a snoop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And what do I find but a woman in Christchurch who loves and cares for her scissor collection and dreams of owning some enormous shears! The tidyness of the situation was just too much for me. By dinnertime that night my old shears had left their one careless lady owner and were safely in the hands of their lovely new careful lady owner! I hope you enjoy them <a href="http://mamaghomemade.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Gretchen</span></a>. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sometimes muckingaround in Blogland really is the best course of action.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-78458353071786846282010-03-18T04:23:00.000-07:002010-03-18T04:27:05.673-07:00I opshop therefore I am<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDiZwDKHQL113X-F0hf7K1bGpZIUCDL4efD1-xKYnpN-BiZctso2ZXUr40iY63SEDIpAa5cap9jmdC5Cs7sbaN3apC4FzEAMcglbqgWZK32g3Pq-SW0brKYv8SKII_CPGzhsrVZQStQIx5/s1600-h/aa+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDiZwDKHQL113X-F0hf7K1bGpZIUCDL4efD1-xKYnpN-BiZctso2ZXUr40iY63SEDIpAa5cap9jmdC5Cs7sbaN3apC4FzEAMcglbqgWZK32g3Pq-SW0brKYv8SKII_CPGzhsrVZQStQIx5/s400/aa+023.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am an opshopper. I do also like vintage and retro shops where some clever cookie has stuffed their shop full of cracker items, but my favourite shopping experiences are still down-and-dirty, proper, unedited, opportunity/charity/thrift shops.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Non-opshoppers probably wonder why. Well, I love the thrill of the hunt. I love never knowing what mad item will tempt me today. I love the fact that I can go for weeks finding nothing then have an almighty haul all in one day and still have enough cash left for an ice-cream on the way home. I love spotting a glimmer of potential in some tired old thing then remaking, remodelling, sanding, painting or just plain fixing it to turn it into something I love. I love the odd conversations overheard in opshops. I love the cheerful optimism of the term "opportunity shop".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now that I am de-stashing everything in an attempt to stuff all our worldly goods into a shipping container, I have gone cold turkey on opshopping. And wouldn't you know it, but after years of wishing and hoping that such a thing would happen, a fantastic opshop opens mere hopping distance from my house. Naturally I've fallen off the wagon big-time, but it is worth it and even the conversation is top quality! Pictured above is my new favourite haunt. It is on Warrington Street in St Albans, just by the intersection with Barbadoes St. Loads of haberdashery, doilies, embroidered tablecloths and retro clothing and there was also some really cool retro fabric but, um, I bought it! For a gift, honest. Plus there is a dairy next door for your reward ice-cream.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Plus for those of you still in full opshopping mode, look what else I have found! <a href="http://www.threelamps.ediy.co.nz/"><span style="color: blue;">The Op Art Fashion Awards</span></a> are "an exciting new concept for designers who must use creativity and innovation to create fashion with materials sourced from an Op Shop, a $2 shop and/or an emporium. The entire creation must not cost more than $200." $200! Such riches! I could outfit my family for a year on that! Well ok, I exaggerate. Not if we want to win an award. Ok, ok, not even if we want to be seen in public.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1574112178035460065.post-11872419479409085032010-03-13T12:54:00.000-08:002010-03-30T13:44:07.242-07:00GST procrastination - no time and no need<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEWMfWpkqjIRo7c3l6xBKGcaYaKOS2p8fTnOdGIBBBKNgzpZQGcSagDWH6slkpAhQZ6G273HuiXrhAPzt4cq4FwRUY1jJXFrpwTP142Ri1jw6c18Cau3Ug5tIP5cv8bPNxCmnhx9tQl6P/s1600-h/aa+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEWMfWpkqjIRo7c3l6xBKGcaYaKOS2p8fTnOdGIBBBKNgzpZQGcSagDWH6slkpAhQZ6G273HuiXrhAPzt4cq4FwRUY1jJXFrpwTP142Ri1jw6c18Cau3Ug5tIP5cv8bPNxCmnhx9tQl6P/s400/aa+015.jpg" vt="true" width="302" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3K9EVy8FXl4AumvCEakhTms-JVQxBzx_iWFExH2qJFANDWVKDaZC9UFjovXv837T3jV3N-ndElZJFF0Ru7rdaJAxrJsktmi5KdiN8M9n4uTMQWsibTDuJoHcY2sfHKpTbsZzstHPi2M6/s1600-h/aa+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3K9EVy8FXl4AumvCEakhTms-JVQxBzx_iWFExH2qJFANDWVKDaZC9UFjovXv837T3jV3N-ndElZJFF0Ru7rdaJAxrJsktmi5KdiN8M9n4uTMQWsibTDuJoHcY2sfHKpTbsZzstHPi2M6/s320/aa+019.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you read this blog regularly you'll have noticed that there was no GST procrastination this month. There was simply no time for my usual muckingaround. We were like a super-efficient GST tag-team, then when it was done we ticked another dozen equally annoying things off our hallway-long, leaving-on-a-jetplane to-do list.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Plus I now have no need for fantasising about a new life in a mental dreamhome in an odd location. I now know where my new life will be and I figure I'll just sort out the mental dreamhome when I get there. I'll also need to sort out new schools, a brave new GP, unpack our worldly goods and replace the ones I rashly decided were too huckery to ship all the way there. Once all that is ticked off,</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> I'll get on with the real business of my new life in my new hometown.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Whenever I mention where we are moving to, people respond with "Oh, you'll love it. The beaches! The water sports!". I say "Ummm. Keep going..." Because as anyone who knows me knows, I like my beaches on postcards or viewed from the great indoors, and the mere thought of water sports (OK, any sport) makes me come out in a rash. Given that I have never been within a few thousand kilometres of my new hometown, a</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> bit of research is in order to put my mind at rest that the things <em>I </em>love will also be on offer there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Firstly I consult a book from my waist-high pile of books selected for de-stashing: This is Australia by Miroslav Sasek. All I discover is that I still love this series of books to bits and so put them back on the bookshelves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So a quick trundle around Interwebland is required. There I discover that a) given the climate, I can safely sell my huge stash of woollen fabrics and blankets at Stash reHash, b) sadly these days the blokes there don't dress as fancily as the Dad in Mr Sasek's illustration, c) I'll need to tune into the local real estate as the few houses I fancy there are described as bowlable redevelopment opportunities, and d) yes there are fabric shops, libraries, art galleries, markets and op-shops. There is even an op-shop apparently desperate for staff...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Phew! Mandurah, Western Australia, here I come. Well, after I've de-stashed myself of my fabrics, jobs, pets, worldly goods and current dreamhome that is.</span>Deidre Robbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05005427656089984369noreply@blogger.com2