Project 7 - A week of mending

 

A week of mending! That was the plan, anyway. But of course, although I've mended boring things like school uniforms and a rashie, there's still a stack of troublesome to-mends waiting impatiently for me.

 

The most fun mended item was my plaid skirt, which I wore (as usual) despite a raw hem. It looked super cute but I could hear my mother's voice reminding me it was a little shabby. (She's right. No surprise.) So I mended it with bias binding and teeny-tiny stitching. (Well, it was without my glasses)

 

As a fun addition, I embroidered plus signs in sets of three, and a little heart too. It's the tiny things that make me happy - maybe no-one else will ever notice, but I will know that I took that time and effort to make it different and special.

 

It also led me to wonder about the underside of my hem. I know it's proper to keep your underside tidy (so to speak) but what do you think?

A little iron-on cutie that found it's way onto a painted board. Should I add this to my hem? Undecided.

 

My pincushion is in a bad way. It's all out of shape and a little dusty, with random threads just hanging out on it. The most precious part is the knowledge that inside that fat little poodge of pincushion, there are myriad tiny needles just waiting for me to squeeze, agitate or manipulate this thing in any wrong way. I'm not exaggerating.

I need a new one. Stat.

Breakfast for dessert

We had so much fun making these cute little bacon and eggs on Wednesday afternoon - don't they look adorable? It's so simple yet effective, and easy to do with the little monkeys (although I do admit I got a little perfectionist mum, saying things like "No no, the M&M is upside down!")

Not proud. Can't help it.

Anyway, the mixture of salty, crunchy pretzels with the sweet white chocolate and M&Ms is tasty delicious and reminds me a little of the salted caramel milkshakes we make at work. Yum!

I wish I could claim the cleverness of this invention, but alas, t'was not I. This was the source.

I think the ratio of yellow to all other colours in the M&M packet was a little skewiff. We ran out of yellow, so we made some green eggs. Now I'm figuring out which lolly could look a bit like ham... any ideas?

Project 6 - I think I'm turning Japanese!

 

 

 

Well, maybe not, but I'm trying something new! My plan this week is to try something I've never done before. So here it is, ladies and germs! Gyozaaaaaaa!

 

I had a sneaky feeling that I'd have a hard time finding the gyoza wrappers, but I shouldn't have doubted Fred at the local Indian/Asian grocery store. (Every time he sees me, he asks me what I'm cooking today, and when it comes to advice on cooking perfect authentic Indian food, he's the best!)

 

Since it was the first time, I googled around for different takes on making gyoza. This recipe from Steamy Kitchen was the most helpful. I just followed the directions, making the pork and vegetable recipe.

 

I served up the gyoza with a soy and sesame oil dipping sauce, shiro miso, steaming edamame and sake! Of course we had to do the chanting, just like at Harajuku Gyoza

 

Dekimasu sake! Kampai!.

And I can't forget the dessert, which was vanilla icecream with blueberries, served in a chocolate bowl! I dipped balloons in melted chocolate and chilled them until they firmed up. Then I popped the balloons and voila! Edible icecream bowls! (Which I then served in bowls... )

So that's Valentine's dinner AND project 6, done and dusted. I wonder what I'll do next.

Verbs are doing words

Reading - Poetry from Allen Ginsberg. It's wonderful, wonderful writing, it captures the wildness and desperation of such an incredible time in the modern history of America. And the best part is that when I read it, I can hear Ginsberg's voice!

 

Contemplating - the mood board that has been the same since December. I think I need a little fresh inspiration!

 

Shifting - chairs and such around the place. Do you get bored with things really quickly? Living in such a tiny house means space is at a premium, and every available corner is filled with things. Sometimes, I just long for a bit of empty space! (You wouldn't believe we contemplated living in a bus to travel around, would you?)

 

Who's that cutie patootie in the photo? It's me! At the tender age of 19, modelling for my dear friend Alison. Seems like a million years ago, but I can still remember how much fun it was.

For the record, I like Valentines Day.

So our present to each other is a record player. YAY!

I started the turntable for the maiden spin with my Alexei Sayle record, CAK! which made the kids laugh their heads off. And all day I've been playing old friends I haven't heard for years, and new (old) ones I've never heard... like the original score from West Side Story.

You know I'm a total dork. Don't act surprised.

And, since it's been quiet in my little shop, I'm having a 20% off sale, and adding little presents for free. If you see something that you'd like, use the code KISSES000 at the checkout.

Project 5 - I am the jean genie!

No, I'm not strung out on lazers and slash-back blazers. I've just got busy with a bunch of old jeans.

It's 501 city in the bedroom now! This west facing window lets in so much unrelenting sun and heat in the afternoons, and after looking at the price of blockout blinds, I knew I had to do something myself. This is the upside of never throwing anything away... four old pairs of dark denim was enough to make this rough-edged curtain.

I just cut off the legs below the crotch, split them lengthways and sewed them together. Adding a generous pocket for the rod to slide through means that I can slide it to one side easily. And call me lazy, but when I hung the curtain to check the hemming length, I decided it looked better unhemmed.

It's kinda random and messy, but then, so am I! Yay!

Project 5, done and dusted. Jean Genie, let yourself go!

Arsenic and old lace

A collection of dresses

 



 

 Window sill huddling

 

 

Old handmade lace from my mum

 

 

$1 cross stitch pillowcase. A bargain, right?

 

 

The new globe, in situ. This is the wall where I put all my favourite stuff. Can you tell? I love my collection of original art prints and op-shop stuff.

 

 





Project 4 - Stained glass photos

It's been a very quiet week for me, with a touch of heat exhaustion sitting me firmly on my arse. Wow, I felt bad.

So project 4 is a low-key effort... these photos turned out more dramatic than I expected, and I love them! Our new home-made 'stained glass' windows are really cardboard and cellophane, but they look so cheerful and cast the most amazing light in the afternoon.

It's rare to catch these two in repose, so when I saw the opportunity, I took it.

 

Mini shopping trolley... the fact these even exist makes me strangely happy. But you know about my obsession with abandoned trolleys, right?

I also have a note from the doctor....