Heart Felt

Have a GHOUL night!

Bubble prizes

Family day spent at the local A&P show.

Ghost trains, merry-go-rounds and toffee apples....

Bright and noisy side shows...

and winning bubble mixtures.

Sun shine, smiles and melting ice-creams.

Last minute sewing

Some last minute preparations for Craft 2.0 tomorrow.

 

Super hero capes...(masks on tonight's 'to do' list)

 

Pretty pixie bonnets all made from recycled fabrics.

 

 

There will also be plenty of felt crowns, hair garlands, pillowslip dresses and play masks.

See you tomorrow. xx

Butterfly crusader

Today I've been sewing super hero capes for my Craft 2.0  stall which is next Saturday.  

Sadie then announces that she would like a pink cape with butterflies and a matching purple mask.

She loved picking out the buttons which I sewed onto each of the butterflies.

 

Up, up and away!

Maybe I should have at least one butterfly cape for next weekend.

Vintage silk scarf dress

I always admire the abundance and beauty of the silk scarves at our local thrift shop.  I never purchase them because it's not something I would normally wear, so I leave them for someone else.....until now.

Brain wave, what to do with them ~ a simple dress using two scarves of similar size.  No hemming needed!

 

I chose two silk scarves of matching hues and size.  Decided which edges were going to be the hem I pinned the hem together to guide me as I pinned the sides together.  I zipped down each side with the sewing machine and then removed the pins from the hem.  I cut two curves for the arm holes and made a casing for the elastic and used some ready made binding to tidy up the edges and for the shoulder ties.  

 

Sadie loves it, she told me it was like wearing a 'flower'.  

Silk dress: handmade from vintage silk scarves

Boots: Hand-me-downs (absolute current favorite item, she even wore them to bed last night!)

Kitsch bag: thrifted

 

Garden butterflies

It's nice to see the butterflies in the garden once again, fluttering from flower to flower.  My two favourites are the 'Spring Floral' butterfly and the 'Red Swirl Admiral' butterfly.

The 'Spring Floral' butterfly has very pretty wings, white with little pink, yellow and blue delicate flower pattern.  You can usually find them hiding the fairy grotto where it's cool, dancing in the dappled light.

 

 

The 'Red Swirl Admiral' butterfly likes to fly in the open breeze.  It's wings are vibrant and busy as is it's attitude.  

 

 

Both very pretty, but quite rare.  Let me know if you see any in your garden.

 xx

Peace Garden

This beautiful garden lined with flowering cherry trees is a memorial marking the site of a riot that resulted in the deaths of 48 Japanese prisoners of war and one guard during World War II.

 A plaque commemorates the site with a 17th-century haiku:

Behold the summer grass
All that remains of the
Dreams of warriors.

Inspired by Amy's annual family visits.

New Rags in Greytown

The New Rags Market will be holding it's summer series in Greytown starting this Sunday.  Located in the Greytown Town Centre, Main Street, (which is the old Town Hall building).  Doors open at 9 am ~ 3 pm.  

It's a gorgeous location with many cafes, the wine centre, parks and boutique stores nearby.  Don't be surprised to see the odd fat wood pigeon or tui birds flying about in the surrounding streets. 

 Make a day of it!

A few Heart Felt tempters ~ look out for lots of pretty felt crowns with flowers, hearts and butterflies to choose from.

 

 

Cotton pixie hats in vintage fabrics.

 

 

 

Also available will be fabric butterfly wings, pixie bonnets, headbands and pillowcase dresses.

And since it will be held in our home town you might be lucky and get the chance to meet the kids in person.

See you on Sunday! xx

Sunday glad rags

 

 

Thrift finds

Some lovely kitchen ware

English chrome teapot

(which the kids have snuffled up for their play kitchen)

 

Gorgeous, gorgeous Pyrex bowls

 

Retro cake tin

 

For the boys room

Wooden sailing ship (I'm so in love with it)

 

For Sadie, a retro Kewpie doll

 

For the walls, 

Plaster decorative plate with anemone flowers

(my Grandmother use to have a couple of these on her wall)

 

I love finding old watercolours.

I find them rather romantic.

 

For mama,

Beautiful handmade floral fabric bag

 

Not strictly thrift, but I bought it at a second hand shop

(a birthday treat)

Yes, you can all swoon now.

Isn't it the most divine thing?

Small bright red Regina child's sewing machine (which still works)