Driving Miss Daisy and other things....

Yesterday Sue Webber and I headed out of town to the great outdoors and the countryside!!!  One of the things I love about living in this City of Hamilton is that there is not only one way in or out of it.  With in minutes you can be on the road to the seaside or the countryside.  Yesterday was the countryside.  A short journey south and we headed to a farming town going by the name of Te Awamutu.  Our mission was to check out some op shops, as you do when you venture to another place.  We had found a new one in the suburb of Glenview as we were leaving town so we did a quick detour.  What did we get??  What did we do???  Take a look for yourself then.

At the op shop we detoured to I got this spotty over top jacket thingy which will be dam fine in the weather we are having at the moment.  Layering is the order of the day for me.  I also got a sweet little necklace which I am wearing today which will feature in a photo near the end of this post.

Driving my Miss Daisy to Te Awamutu was pleasant and because she behaved herself so well I let her sit up front with me in the car!!

Miss Daisy bought us lunch and we sat outside the cafe and watched the world pass by.  Both of us loved the 1920's buildings that were opposite us.  We at one point wondered if the cafe owners would mind if we just sat for a few hours and people watched.

Miss Daisy!!

After we had refueled on healthy food, yeah right, well to be honest it was pretty close to being healthy.  We shared a french stick filled with salady bits and bobs and had lemon muffins with a nice cup of tea.  Anyway, after lunch we wandered down the main street and checked out some of the retail shops.  To my joy there was a Trade Aid shop.  We have one in Hamilton and they are fabulous places.  Full of amazing hand made goodies, great smells, and fantastic eye titillating colours!!!  Been a fave of mine since I was a teenager.

Hows that for an inviting blackboard message??!!  This was in a window, well where a window would have been but obviously had been broken and boarded up and black boarded.  This was a good old fashioned main street pub with big windows that open directly out onto the main street.  Waikato Draught was the flavour of the day!!

We headed back home after having spent a few relaxing hours of wandering and snooping in shops.  Another successful SuesDay had come to a close.

Now to the other things.

This huge shawl/table cloth I scored for $1 on Thursday.  It has a couple of holes that can be easily mended and won't really be seen when folded in half on the diagonal to wear as a super duper shawl.  It reminds me of Russia, well the colours.  Will look pretty dam awesome over black clothes in winter!!

this top I got off trade me

This bag I also got off Trade Me and it is the most wicked as bag.  I can pack all my supplies in this baby.  Has these gorgeous felt balls on the handles.  This even fits my new toy in it.  YES, I purchased myself a very early birthday present for myself.  A to me with lots of love from me present.  What is it??  A Samsung Galaxy Tablet!!!!  No you cannot swallow it but you can have a lot of fun on it, or with it, so sort of like the other tablet because some tablets you can swallow help you have fun. I am a daily taker of medication prescribed by my doctor that has helped me get back to having a life and having fun. But I digress, isn't my bag just beautiful??

necklace I got yesterday

Over our back fence is a school, St Peter Channel Catholic Primary to be exact.  Today they are having a fund raising family fun day for a little six year old boy who has an inoperable tumor.  TOF was out the back hanging out some washing like all good men do when I said "I think I will go next door and make a donation"  He said he thought that was a good idea, but better still he says " I just heard they are selling cupcakes, so pay to go in, make a donation and get me some cupcakes". 

 And because I always do as TOF tells me to I did.

I cannot imagine how hard it would be for the family to know that your six year old is terminally ill.  The fundraising is so they can hopefully take him to Australia for one last family holiday.  I am always grateful that I have two healthy sons, so popping next door and donating some money to a worthy cause is a no brainer.

Didn't mean to end this post on a sad note, but life is a bitch sometimes.  We all need to make the most of every day we are given and try to see the upside of a situation and look for the good things in people.  I am a firm believer in positive thinking even when the outcome could still be negative.  Life is a gift.  So get out there and enjoy it!!

♥ Toodles♥

Arty Farty .....

Today I went to visit my super duper,arty farty, clever clod friend Dawn.  She is a very talented woman with a life long passion for art and her medium of choice at the moment  is clay. Before this she was painting, huge canvas pieces that were wild and freckin awesome.   I love sitting in her studio while she is creating away, we chat and laugh an awful lot!!  We have been mates for about 31 years now another of those long time buddies.  I always make sure I pack my camera when I go to her place so I can snap away at her latest offerings.  Here is a sample of today's:

How gorgeous is this house.  This is roughly 40cm high by about 15cm square.  She sells these for $168 and they fly out the door.

She made the most adorable church complete with a little wrought iron cross on the roof.  That is for sale in a shop called Latte in Taupo.

This has to be my all time most favorite piece!!  A groovy little retro caravan. Roughly 30cm wide by 20cm high. These sell for $168 and again they sell uber fast.

I love the colours she uses on her work. Vibrant!!

Custom made to your requirements, her latest, pet tomb stones.  This is for her old dog Alice.  These will sell for $84.

Welcome Hills she has been doing for a while now and another great seller.  These sell for $91.

This is only a smidgeon of what she makes.  There are Busts, patchwork parrots, dead dollies, peas in pods.......well lots more.

I guess you can see why I enjoy hanging out at her place in the country then.  Apart from the piece and quiet that comes with living out of town, there is the vibrancy of colour that is all around her studio and her garden.  Reject pottery ends up mainly in her garden but I get sent home with the odd piece for my reject garden.  

today reject

She keeps telling me to wear old clothes and have a play with some clay.  But I always go straight from work and forget.  We did a pottery course together about 30 years ago.  That was hilarious as the female teacher who was a grey haired hippy took a liking to Dawn and used to get a little too close for comfort on most occasions. Little did we know at the time that this would become her passion and income.  Pottery that is not the other!!

♥ Hope you all had a pleasant day like me ♥

My BFF and fairy god motherness..

My BFF Leonie, I have known each other since we were in our prams. I am eleven months older not that that means sod all.  Even tho' she has lived all over the world, currently in Germany, we always keep in touch and we just pick up where we left off when ever she is home.  I think that is a good sign of a solid friendship.  We have been through loads together and apart and will know each other till the end.

When we were teeny tiny girls and pretty much  the same height we used to play dress ups.  We had matching dolls and dolls pushchairs.  We lived in the same street and hung out together all the time.  Our memories go way back and there are plenty.

Her family was mine and my family was hers.  And still is.  She had two older brothers and I had two older sisters.  All our holidays were spent mostly at Whangamata where our families had beach houses.  Life was carefree and full of fun.

Leonie's parents were my god parents and great ones too.  For me I always felt like I had this huge extended family and even as an adult I often visited Leonie's mum until she sadly passed away a couple of years ago.  Leonie like me has two kids, and back when her daughter was a tiddler me and TOF were asked to be god parents. Not have my own daughter I was stoked to get a loaner!!

Crikey me and TOF way back, and when I was taller than my god daughter!!!

Now you may well by now be wondering where the hell this is all going!!  Last weekend my god daughter and her dad were in town.  They are back living in Wellington and Leonie and their son are still in Berlin until June/July due to work and school commitments.  So me and TOF got to have some visitors.

This is my gorgeous god daughter (Sydel, 17) who calls me her "Fairy God Mother" FGM for short.  I am not a particularly religious person, well basically I aren't so being a fairy god mother sits well with me and always has.  I really should get me some wings.  After having her and her dad visit I am now seriously hanging out to see my dearest friend again.  We last caught up two Christmases ago when they were back in NZ for a holiday.

♥ So here's to life long friends, well all good friends really ♥

which one would you be then...

My BFF who is currently living in Germany but home in a couple of months sent this to me today via email.  I figured I am "favorite".

♥ that was all ♥

who's flatemates and more bargins!!...

...lucky I love these boys as much as my own!! (Max's flatmates not mine) Started with a text from Michael asking what time his mother (Sue W) was coming into town today.  I said she wasn't.  Next text, oh thought she might want to take me and her brown son (Jordan) out for lunch.  My reply, be at mine at 12 and I will make toasted sammies.  Last text, YES!!

Our brown son fell asleep after I had fed him, just like a baby really.  He had done a night shift so all is forgiven.

And the other one, well he just reclined in the lazy boy and watched Geordie Shore!!!

I left them too it as I had things to do, places to be, and people to see.  Well I had plans put it that way and this way I didn't have to lock up the house because they work well as cheap security!!

So what did I get today???  Well lets see shall we???

I am in love with this Mohair cape!!  I got another one last winter but the colours really aren't me and it is shorter, so it may have to go onto Trade Me.  This one is like brand new so I didn't mind paying $20 for it.  I also got a Mohair blanket which you will see in the pic below for $5 and a pair of Quiksilver Jeans for TOF for $10.  All of these were from Looksmart.

Sitting on the blanket is my best score from the church gala that was on tonight just down the road from us.  The Swanndri hat for TOF that was only $2.  He wore it home eating a snag in bread with onions!!  

The black lace top socks I got from a retail shop on sale for $4-95 so got two pairs.  The three pairs of tights came from Shanton or Shit-on as Sue W calls it!!

Also from Shanton was this gorgeous rust brown poncho sort of thing.  I saw it the other day and loved it but didn't get it, so  today I caved in and bought it.

I went to a place that sells off Books and things, like a wholesale place and got us a new NZ road map book and Ken Rings weather book.  Both were a good price and TOF is studying the weather one as I blog!!

I got these two tea towels last week from the salvo, I have washed them and now need to iron them, something I don't do alot of!! Me and my iron don't click!!  The only time I use my ironing board is when Oscar needs to be groomed.  The ironing board is the perfect height to have him stand on.  I am going to hang these on the wall in my sewing room.  They are quite bright and beautiful.

I was watching some wicked as Retro sunnies on trade me last week with a starting bid of only $5.  I posted them on Helga Von Trollop face book page and ended up bidding and winning them for the $5. She was too slow!!!  Arsebiscuit was the word she used when she didn't bid in time, but as luck would have it for her, they will be heading her way next week with some other treats.  Trixie had to try them on before they go.

Tomorrow is the beginning of another weekend round here and it is my Max's 19th birthday.  We got him a new phone for his birthday that he has already been using so I guess it is a box of Waikato for him tomorrow.

♥ Enjoy your weekend where ever you may be ♥

another crack at the shops...

It's still raining!!!  But that never deters me from going out, the worst that will happen is I will get wet!!  This afternoon me and Sue W did a few oppies, and went to a newly opened Salvo store. I know the couple that are running it so after chatting with them we are now signed up to help and man do they need it.  The shop is great but they have soooooooooooo much stuff to sort.  We may regret this.  So what did I get today you may well ask:

A huge cushion for $2, a wicked as bag for $4, orange shoes for $3, a Happy Hen (I collect these) for $1-50, and a cool little appliqued wall hanging for -50c.

Pretty happy with my scores today.  

My wall hanging is hanging on the wall in my sewing room, and my Happy Hen has joined the others in my China cabinet.

My collection of Hens isn't big but I rather like the Happy Hens made by Portabello in the South Island.  The Bright coloured one in the front, is from a dear friend that works in the diplomatic cor and she got me it in Mexico when she was living there years ago.

This is my China Cabinet which is home to many a memory.  TOF has the top shelf for his collectable cars and I have the rest.  It reminds me of a miniature curiosity shop.  Do you like my flower clock on the middle shelf?  My dad gave that to me for a birthday when I was about 10.  It still works!!

My other wee collection is Russian dolls.  The very first one I bought when I went to the Russian Ballet many years ago and my love of them has been ever since.

On Tuesday I helped in the Salvo around the corner from where I live.  I came home with a Balinese Chess set, a crocheted knee rug, a banana basket and some beaded things for sewing.  Out the back where we sort it is nearly packed to the roof.  It is such fun sorting through all the bags that come in but unfortunately a lot gets thrown out because it is just crap!!  People are too lazy to go to the dump so they donate it.  Unbelievable!!!

Close up of the beaded thingy about 10cm x 8cm triangle.  I got a bag load of these so some shall be heading to other homes.

Well I should go to bed and sleep will come easy as the rain is still falling.  I love it when it rains at night when tucked up in my bed.  Just hope TOF ain't snoring!!  We compete in that department but apparently I am the hands down winner.  I sleep like a log!!!

♥  Toodles ♥

singing in the rain.....

...not me, I went shopping!!!!  A wet day didn't put me off, no sirree!! 

My good shopping buddy Sue Webber came in today to inspect my newly tidied up sewing/girls only room.  And she gave it the thumbs up!!!  I whipped up some scones with feta and basil pesto in them and we gnawed on them while we chatted and drank tea.  Civilized or what??  We were joined by the flatmates, her son Michael and Jordan, my Max was at work.  But we turfed them out so we could deal to some shopping.  They both declined the offer to join us.

Firstly we went to Habitat where I dropped off a boot load of stuff due to my sort out.  We managed to go in and get a bag of things each to go back in my car.

I get  glossy magazines for 50c there, because I balk at the idea of paying $10-50 for them when they are new.  Once I have had my fill I take them back so they can sell them again.  Works for me!!  Also got these black and grey striped footless tights that are going to be super duper with boots and stuff in winter.  Which I think will be here sooner rather than later.

Found this rather gorgeous top there as well, it is a Diedier Parikin which I think is quite pricey new.  Also got a long black peasant style skirt with an under lay of tulle to go with it.

From there we headed back out into the rain and went to The Base a huge shopping area not far from mine.   I was on a mission to get boring crap like vacuum cleaner bags and laundry powder, so once mission was accomplished we went over to Farmers.  Sue had been there on the weekend so we went to the back corner where the "Big Girls" gear hides that was on sale.  Funny how the "Big Girls" stuff is always in the back corner.  I guess shops think that if its at the front us "Big Girls" might block the door or something.

I discovered to my joy a dress I had tried on in the so called Summer, but wasn't prepared to pay what they want, was in the sale.  Originally $90, such a joke, but today, it was $10.  Trixie wanted to try it on, but being a skinny bint she  doesn't really show it off too well.  With my buxomness to fill it out it is great.  A blaze of colour and really floaty fabric.  I reckon I could chuck a black Merino and some boots on and wear this in winter!!

I also found some very cool leggings, black and white stripe one leg and black with white spots on the other.  Couldn't leave them behind!!

That's them!  (the leggings)

Upstairs in the home ware section they always have a cheap as chips table.  What do you think of my watering can??  Down from $20, like who would pay that, to $3!!  Then the best score was my paint tin sized tin with 8 coffee mugs in it down from $60 to $10.  We have such a mish mash of coffee mugs so the newbies are in and the oldies can go to the boys in the flat.

After that we decided it was time to hit home for a hot drink.  Another pleasant afternoon SuesDaying in good company.  I hung the curtain over the door like I said I would, and I must say I am pretty chuffed.

♥  Hope you all enjoyed your Monday  ♥

ta - frickin - da .....

..it's done now can I go to bed!!!

Well in my eyes my sewing/girls only room is tidy, compared to how it was, this is a huge improvement.   No way was there going to be a before shot.  Check it out!!

From the door looking in, and that is my $20 couch.  Had a nana nap on that this afternoon.  I striped all the wallpaper in here ages ago when Jak moved out of this room to the other one.  Had grand plans to paint but filled it up with my stuff instead.

This is opposite the window.

Who needs wall paper anyway when I can hang stuff any where I want!!!

The other corner looking to my bookcase and Miss Trixie my mannequin.  She is very old, rather gorgeous and quite armless!!!

The doorway showing my early warning device of hanging Elephants with bells on so I can detect unwanted and uninvited guests!!! (boys!! eeewwwee!!)  The Tibetan curtain I am gong to cover the door with due to stickers being stuck on the door when Jak lived in here that don't seem to want to come off.

So Mrs W you shall be my first guest and maybe we shall have another grand opening of the ribbon cutting variety followed by tea in posh cups and cake!!

♥ Goodnight all ♥

slice of heaven..

Today was one of those glorious days where the sun shone, there was a slight breeze and it was far too nice to be indoors.  So once my small list of chores was done I set up outside in the back yard.

On my table was my book, my mobile, my land line, my reading glasses and the ipad I have the loan of.  All that was missing was my cuppa which was waiting to be made while I was in the middle of the photo shoot.  TOF had gone to Jak's cricket so it was just me, the sunshine and my dogs.

This is the view looking up through my pimping, through the tree to the sky.  

Did I read?  Did the phone ring?  Did I text anyone?  What about the ipad?

I cannot tell a lie, well I can but eventually I could get caught out, so NO to all of the above.  Well apart from the ipad, I have a serious addiction to Fruit Ninja on it!!

But I did see an Elephant in the sky running over the roof of my house!

The problem is that when I get into a rhythm of gentle swinging on my garden seat all thoughts and plans go out the door so to speak and usually I end up closing my eyes and just enjoy the sun and the great outdoors that is my back yard.

 I am enjoying the flowers in my garden at the moment so you get to see them as well because I am like that!!  Think of it as me giving you flowers.

TOF hates these "Chinese Anenomies", I have them in 3 different colours and they shoot up everywhere. Like the sacred vege garden!!

My dear old dad made this for me years ago.  It is a tiny bird house, but the only bird that could nest inside would be a ladybird!!  So far only Spiders.

Even though he is no longer with me in person his spirit lives on and he is everywhere in my garden.  He built my deck that I sit on, he built the tree hut that is now the chook house, he built my aviary for my Canary, so Dad is always here.  That is such a nice feeling.

When he died I planted a Daphne bush because it was his and my favorite.  It thrives and I talk to it a lot and it smells fabulous.

Don't you just love the colour that the Hydrangea changes into before giving away to the colder temperatures that are on the way. 

Last but by no means the least I need to say that yesterday our Sheba turned two.  No presents required as she loves her ball.  Adidas no less as when TOF bought it for her he told me, nothing but the best for his girl. I just hope that now she is two that she will stop chewing holes in my blankets.

Lets hope this beautiful weather continues on for a while. Even though it was gorgeous outside I gave in and I made a start today of sorting out my sewing/girls only room.  Mainly because I won a two seater couch on trade me for $20 so I needed to make room.  All will be revealed in said room when it is worthy of being revealed.  The plan is to finish the sorting tomorrow.  I have a pile to go to Habitat and a pile to go on Trade Me.  When all is done I really  need to attack some of the sewing I have half done.

♥  Here's to some more sunshine ♥