A very bleak Fair day

Spent yesterday at the Thordon Fair.   A friend was having her first market stall and as its always easier with 2 people, I offered to help.   I also threw a few things out on her stall to flesh it out.   She was selling some intricate smock dresses for little girls.

And what a horrid day Wellington turned on for the Fair.   It has been glorious weather prior and its glorious weather after.   But Sunday, the day was terrible - gale force winds that blew everything over (including taking people's gazebos into nearby trees), and generally kept you on your toes.   It had rained up until an hour before set-up and we are thankful the rain held off for the day, but the clouds sort of blew through the street, lending a real chill to the air.   And of course, this kept the crowds away - lets face it: I wouldn't have got off the couch if I hadn't been involved. 
 
So, all and all, not the best foray into the world of fairs for my friend, but certainly a realistic one. 

My highlights included (i) buying this toffee apple that I'm going to eat tonight.
 
(ii) acquiring this teapot to match the mugs I'd bought the previous year.   I love this design and love the quirky shape.   I figure if I keep buying an item every time I attend a fair where this talented potter has a stall, I'll eventually have the whole set.

Chemo Head Scarves

- ideal for the uncoordinated

I wanted to do something for my mum who is in the process of surviving breast cancer and is currently stoically fighting through her second bout of chemo treatment. 

As I'm sure anyone who's seen someone close go through this process, you feel entirely useless in this situation - not being able to 'take away' any of the troubles or ailments.  Add on top of that having a mother as strong and stubborn as mine, she will go to all lengths to make sure she doesn't "burden" her daughter.  Her determination and steadfastness is incredible, if not slightly annoying for those of us left with only offers of little things and minor assistance to try and make ourselves feel better, like some way we've lightened her load.

She started loosing her hair shortly after the first bout and I felt like it was important to be prepared.  She wanted to figure out how to tie a scarf to make a head cover but we determined pretty quickly that wasn't gonna work for us - we are way too unstylie and uncoordinated for that type of thing. 

So I wanted to sew a few scarf head coverings that were easy to wear and provided comfort that they weren't going to blow away or reveal peaks of scalp.

I used this wonderful pattern kindly uploaded by Brimming with Love called the Milly Tie Hat Pattern .  Thank you so much for sharing this pattern. 

I made two using this pattern, in contrasting fabrics.  One from light cottons and one quilting cotton on top with nice warm sweatshirt material on the inside.  The pattern provides a wide band.  You need to roll the band (as shown on the pattern picture) to show the contrasting fabric otherwise its quite large.

I didn't take any photos of those before I gave them to mum.  But I did make one more, taking 2 inches off from around the band (this meant the seam sits around the face without needing to be folded up).  Excuse the hideous photos but it gives you some idea.

So, along with her sleeping caps, her wig, and this little collection of head scarves, at least I feel better that she has a few head coverings to choose from.  My Mum - what a star!  

Round scrappy cushions

As with any person who like to sew, I have become a chronic horder.

This was underlined by my dear friend who - when I mentioned I might try and get to the next fabricabrac sale to buy up some great deals - pointed out we should be setting up a stall and selling fabric stashes rather than buying more. Yes ok ... perhaps she has a point. Thanks V.

So I took the pattern for the sprocket pillow from cluckclucksew.com and put it to good use with the load of scraps and bits of fabric I have stashed in a big metal pot.



The results are very cute and effective, and for the price of the stuffing only, are a wonderful way to put those scraps of this and that to good use.









I am thinking of making some much larger versions with beanbag filling for floor cushions. Might be fun. With a coated cotton base they could be for outdoor use too.

 

A calm and moody moment on the coast before the southerly blasted in yesterday

Kitch Nirvana

When I visited my brother recently in San Diego I stumbled across a place called the Antique Centre in Ocean Beach.  It was like a Nirvana of fun-ness. 

It was the last store on my list and I had given myself 5 minutes to wander round until the next bus back into town.  It didn't take long to decide that I wasn't going to make the bus. 

I could have pitched a tent and lived in this place.  It was a massive shop with individual sellers having an area each to display their wares.  Some of the displays were fantastic and the sheer amount of goods was just astonishing. 

From little old New Zealand where just one of these booths would have made the coolest store on the block, I just wanted to get a shipping container and fill it up.  This will be the first place I visit next time I'm in town.

Lolly wrappers

Cape Gooseberries are like little sweeties, individually wrapped for easy consumption.

What I like the most is when the case has been left on the ground and becomes skeletal.  It still retains its shape and is so intricate.

Enough - feet up - faccio niente

So yay that's it. That's my sewing room pretty much done. Here are my before and after shots.

Before

After



Before



After



Before



After



I think I can put my feet up and get back to something a little bit more fun.

I visited my brother in San Diego a few weeks ago and I was watching Eat Pray Love again on the plane (for want of anything better to pass the hours).  It reminded me of the phrase they stress in the Italian section "la dolce far niente" - the sweetness of doing nothing. 

The idea really resonates - to be calm and do little. I am such a fidget britches and have such a long list of things I want to do, to try, or to finish, that the thought of spending time not doing anything, and not trying to accomplish something, is much more difficult than it sounds. Well it sounds grand, but then I think "oh, I could start that...." or "I could try to do a little bit of that....". For example, I get the Saturday paper delivered because I like the idea of sitting and sipping coffee and leisurely reading the paper.  I never manage to get through more than one section and then it just gets used under the weedmat in the garden.

So this is my new aim. To allocate some time every weekend to not have to achieve an outcome - read a book, or snooze in the sun. That's my pledge.