October 2006

October 17th, 2006

It’s been a week…

Well, look at how a week can just go when you don’t charge the camera battery. Yay, my exams are finished and I haven’t quite worked out what to do with myself yet. Looks like work though. Bought some cool fabric for $2 this weekend which I’ll photograph later today. I’m not sure if I dare commit it to paper, but we are trying to buy a big family house at the moment. Fingers c.r.o.s.s.e.d.

Bought a wacom graphics tablet which is going to save on a lot of scanning – it is though like I have to teach myself to draw and write all over again sort of – there’s definitely a bit of mastery and practice required till I’ll be able to do calligraphy or my little line drawings.

Here is my very first attempt at anything!

And this is an embroidery idea I’ve got for a cushion. Might do it in green on denim.

Still waiting for my big parcel of Cath Kidston fabric to arrive from the UK. Yet more fingers crossed as it’s been 2 weeks now.

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October 11th, 2006

Knitting and Stitching Show – London

Just got an email from Loop that the Knitting and Stitching Show is on in London this weekend at Alexandra Palace.

Just when we are getting a wee bit homesick for London! We did think though if we could have London in Auckland that would be good. But then it wouldn’t really be London now would it. Oh to be able to travel between the two instantaneously.

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October 11th, 2006

Moo cards

Got my free Moo cards yesterday – hooray! They are really cute and cool. And, the good thing is they are cheaper than getting them done here. They’re about half the size of regular business cards (good, saving paper) and it’s US$20 for 100 for double sided colour printing, and laminated. Compared with I think NZ$200 to get 200 printed and laminated. Plus I don’t have to fiddle around with the artwork – I simply select my images from flickr and do the rest online. Easy peasy.

I had a look through one of the Moo creators, Richard Moross’ flickr pages and they’ve also done a v. cool book on business cards which is worth a look too.

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October 10th, 2006

Baby Knits for Beginners

Here’s a book I got out of the library by Debbie Bliss called Baby Knits for Beginners. Project one is a simple garter stitch scarf and project two looks like I can tackle it – a patchwork baby quilt. I’m using some cotton DK I bought at Loop in London although I realised I only have two balls of it which I’ve almost used up.

Fortunately someone in NZ does sell it – a lady called Cait who’s in Herne Bay. She sounds great – when I called her up we chatted for quarter of an hour about fabrics and Japan – so I’m looking forward to meeting her next week when I go and visit her studio.

Yes, so I have found joining the library excellent and saving me a lot. I simply cannot order books like I used to in the UK as it’s nearly double the cost here. So I just order what I want online and pick it up from Grey Lynn library. Cool. Am eagerly awaiting the Shibori book to come free, but I do have waiting for me one of Jenny Dean’s Natural Dyeing books. The brilliant one that Mel lent me, Wild Color, appears now to be out of print and difficult to track down at a reasonable price.

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October 9th, 2006

In between the Nervous and Endocrine systems

Oh god I am really getting over study. It’s been a month now of it full time. I promised Kevin I wouldn’t get distracted today, which I haven’t really. It simply takes a whole day to do one system. And unfortunately I don’t have enough days left to get them all done so I am not learning them as thoroughly as I would like to. Never mind. It seems to be sticking. And of course I have an evening of study to look forward to as well.

Anyway, I cheated about not doing any blogging and took some photos of my study area just for something fun to do.

Had acupuncture this morning. Was too scared (or too lazy to be brave) to have needles in my sinuses as I currently have weak Defensive Qi and excess Heart Yang (stress, disturbed sleep) and phlegm. Humpf no cheese for me then this week. So I have promised to eat more brown rice as I haven’t been that interested in cooking much lately with my life so utterly filled with essential oils, oriental medicine and anatomical systems. I have however been very interested in Beetniks from Burgerfuel. Small sized burger with chickpea, mushroom and kumara pattie with beetroot and salad. Yum. They really ought to do something about their website though. If you want to see the menu you have to download a PDF. Why? Why why why?

The state of New Zealand websites however is the subject of another post. And on that note I think I shall go and make a nice cup of Earl Grey tea.

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October 8th, 2006

Presents for Londres

We sent Polly and Steve some presents last Monday and they got them yesterday – so quick. Lucky I was up knitting until twenty to eleven because Polly phoned to say what a lovely civilised morning they had just had, sitting in bed, drinking tea, unwrapping presents!

Steve was very pleased with the hula girl duster and Polly loved the bag I made her. Yay!!

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October 8th, 2006

Avondale market loot

We got off to a most excellent start today when we found a free parking space just outside the market. I was a bit worried as I only had $25 in cash – what if we saw something really good that was expensive!! The first thing we saw was $45 – an old magnolia painting which Tammy would have loved. Oh well. On we went until we found a stall with lots of really good stuff – Johnson Bros etc but it was all chipped, but I bought an old midwinter saucer that needed rescuing for 50c.

Then we came across a lady and her daughter with a huge stall selling old bits of fabric, a big jar of knitting needles, an art deco birdcage and a collection of cat books. They were eating mussels and chips out of newspaper. We unearthed a rather peculiar Japanese cat photo comic strip book which I knew Kevin would like!! He’s now taken it to Simon’s to show him.

And I just get a mysterious text message this minute: “miaow help your evil friend has stolen our clothes and now we are just naked kittens again”. hmm!

That was only $2 and the knitting needs were 50c a pair. Yay for the massive wooden ones!!!!

Onwards ho to a man with the Albert Williams print. I had actually bought this exact same one but in a different frame a few weeks ago. Today’s one was half the price at $5 and the frame is much nicer so I bought it anyway.

We also got some very sweet little books with lovely illustrations by Joan Walsh Anglund.

It started to rain at that time – something I had anticipated but not prepared for. Fortunately it didn’t last as I was worried Kevin would want to leave. Next up was a very sweet little Pallisy rose tea cup – it’s crazed and cracked but I love it to bits!

And at the shop next door were some sweet little white espresso sized cups – a similar finish to my lone Habitat mug. There was a carlton-ware-esque egg cup which I wanted too, so I offered a dollar for the three and the guy wanted $2. His partner said 50c so we were back to $1 for the lot – and as he agreed his hand somehow caught one of the little white cups and we watched it fall on the grass – and spray in shards everywhere!

So, time to go home now – there couldn’t be anything good left – we were nearly at the end. I had to get up on tippy toes to look at the next stall as there was a guy in front of me and some stuff in front on the ground.

What a sweet little set – the sugar bowl and creamer. To my amazement it was only $5 and the next plate I turned over was Midwinter at $1. So $5 for the lot. Yes.

Wrapped and paid I decided not to leave and asked after the unusual cup and saucer and pineapple plate. Again Midwinter.

And this time $4 for both! Yay! I paid, wrapped and ran away before he could ask for it all back! Kevin didn’t say anything and walked quickly. He knows that look. hehe!

So, with about a dollar twenty left out of my budget I can’t remember what I see at the next stall and we wander off and then I go back. Sundae glasses. We’ll need those then. Yes, we can afford 10c for 5. Cool!

Nearly buy a chrome teapot, creamer and sugar pot for 10c but can’t be bothered, opting instead for 5 little sherry glasses – or fairy cups as I think I shall now call them. The guy had had a good day he told us and we were doing him a favour. So, all nicely wrapped thank you and in tiny plastic bags our loot, off we go back to the car swinging our arms in delight!