Well I was sitting having my breakfast and it was just starting to get light outside and I got a call on my mobile. It was Grant and he and Nick had hit a wave going out the bar, that had come over the boat, and they thought they had lost Nick's new golden rod, the Marlin rod, for when the Marlins come around, knock knock. So anyhows they found it, hanging off the back of the boat hooked onto another rod - LUCKY. So now I have to go and pick them up from the launching ramp in Pilot Bay, (cos they don't want to risk coming back in the Kaituna) well actually I am not sure which one, I will have to make another phone call. Seems I am always rescuing Grant from something, broken down cars, too much alcohol, and now fishing adventures, its all very exciting. xx tee hee and away

Could you please comment I don't want this to be a one way conversation, which blog do you like the best? Which ruff do you like, and why. Do you like my photos? I am not too good at photography but if you have any pointers, I would appreciate it.

Well I am having a sewing frenzy, so I am too busy to write much tonight. I am using the cotton fabric I bought a couple of days ago to make a skirt, The fabric has a tartan print with a black lace pattern overlaying the red checks of the tartan. It is quite cool, although probably a little bright for some, but I have been inspired by this kind of Balmoral love of tartan that Queen Victoria started. So I am using an 1860's dress from the Kyoto Costume Institute's collection to base my pattern on and it is going to be an interesting garment. I will show you how it comes out, and if anyone is interested I could put the pattern up. Anyway some cool stuff is unfolding at the moment and we could be about to get underway to make a crinoline underskirt for an 1860's dress in the collection so I am pretty excited. We are going to follow traditional techniques, and are even going to use crin steel, so it is the real deal, and I will blog a little about it soon. Anyway its tee hee and away cos I want to wear this skirt.

Weekend Friendship

I couldn't get near my computer all weekend, partly because I was sewing and partly because my 2 grown-up sons were having a LAN party in our office, it was wired up and pumping. I spent the day on Saturday with a new friend. When I met my friend he was already dead, so I do not know his or maybe her name.
It was a peaceful day we spent together, and I enjoyed my new friend's company because he was so beautiful in death, we became quite close and I have left him on his glass resting place, hoping he will hang around for a while.
It may be the effect of working on Francis's gothic coat that has made me a little macabre, but I enjoyed it, the feeling of life and death intertwined together.


Here is another wonderful thing, it is the top section of a hatpin, and if you look closely, I am hoping you can see trapped inside are small pieces of ostrich feather. I love this, as it speaks of the life of this object, I would like to display it magnified so that you can see the feather fragments, as it speaks of the hat laden with feathers that this hatpin would have once been worn with. This delicate metal filigree ball is only 2 cm in diameter, the detail is so fine, that I did not notice the feather fragments until I was looking at the photograph. It was a special treat, and was a reminder of the importance of observing objects carefully, as it would have been a shame if this hatpin was cleaned and the feather fragments removed, don't you think? I have one more thing to show you, and it is the cloth I was working on, on Saturday. It is a birthday present for my sister, so I shouldn't really be putting it up, in case she sees it, but its not finished yet so she won't see it in all its glory, and its nice to show something partially finished, cos it kinda proves that it was made by me.



It is hand painting, applique, embroidery, and silk ribbon work, on a vintage linen tray cloth, that has been hemmed with hem stitch. Anyway this a a post post as it should have been posted on Saturday as I explained earlier, but has been posted a little post the event. Tee hee and away.

Well I have already broken my promise of blogging everyday, cos I missed it yesterday. Oh well it is early days and I am still getting my head around the whole techno thing. My aim today is to put up a photo, and to thank Fiona for her great thought, that I have to go for it, even though my life might be cut short, I have to still do the things I would have done, and not let myself be stopped because I am scared that I will get sick. Thanks Fiona. Thought I would put up an image of my favourite textile at the moment. It is a gothic coat I am making for my son, and it has taken me over a year because I never have had the time to sew until now - yes things are going to change, cos I am now a 4 days a week girl, and it feels dam good I have to say. Anyway the coat is tailored and so it has a lot of hand sewing in it and no top stitching, it is called the Victor Coat after Victor the lead vampire of the vampire clan in the Underworld movies. Gotta go nighty nite don't let the vampires bite xx

Hi everyone, I just got home and what a great day, 50% off sale at Arthur Toyes, so of course I spent way too much money and bought some of the most wonderful fabric with the idea of making some historical costume. Isn't it amazing, and to quote some of my fellow bloggers how dorky we textile lovers are, and how happy anything to do with textiles can make us. Anyway look at my stash. 3 different colours of silk (yes silk) taffeta, red, the palest of pinks, and a yummy chocolate brown, hmmmm chocolate. 5 meters of white cotton lawn, 3 metres of black flannel, and 3 metres of a pale grey/green cotton nylon blend that just looks like a Victorian gown to me. OH I have found happiness and it is a wonderful thing.
I would like to introduce you to a friend I met in Wellington, dressed in one of her wonderful dresses, she inspired me to start blogging and I love her inspirational blog.

Hallo world, well here it is my first blog. I am thinking that I would like this to be a personal journal of my experience as well as a platform to share my designing and painting on. I want to talk about the textiles I work with and maybe help others to learn a little more about sewing. Today I am not feeling well, the cancer is starting to bite, and I have a mild pain in my chest. I no longer have the patience to put up with people that don't inspire me, and work that I do not want to do. So I am richly blessed, as my life allows me to apply both these desires. I wonder if I will feel better again, or if this is the peak now, and I am starting the rapid decline. I wonder if it is a good idea to talk about my suffering and my thoughts? At one stage I talked to Francis or Nick about writing a book about what it has been like coming to terms with the fact that I have terminal cancer, and we thought maybe it would help others in the same situation. Would it be a nice thing to leave behind for those I love, to read over once I have gone? I always wanted to write a book, so this could be my way of doing that. I love my boys and Grant so much, the saddest part of dying is leaving them, and worrying about them, I don't mind so much that my life has been cut short, I don't hink being old is that much fun, and all I have to do is lie down and fall asleep, as I have always been a pretty lazy person, I do not think that will be that hard. I will think about it, or maybe not, maybe I will just put up whatever I feel like putting up on the day and my blog will just take form on its own. Well bye for now and I will talk more tomorrow, I thik my only commitment should be to write everyday.