taking a break

It's time to take a break...

For the curious - life has been a challenge for a while with overwhelming health and personal concerns. I hope to return sometime inspired and invigorated.

If I don't return - then thanks for taking the time to visit, read, comment here.

Take care all

PS: Fergus the wauzer, our much loved K9 family member passed away May 2025.

extended blogging break

  

the sign says it all... 

taking a break

These days my 'quiet life' is anything but quiet, so I've decided to take a break from blogging.

Be back soon...

Happy Holidays

 

Happy Holidays everyone.

Have a safe and happy Christmas.

See you all in 2014

new workroom

 

I haven't been around for a while as I've been busy setting up a workroom for Miss 17 & myself. We found local premises with a very reasonable rent (5 minutes walk from home) and have been moving in. Here's some preliminary pictures of what our main workroom space looks like. The pattern & fabric cutting table was sourced from a garment manufacturer liquidation. We had to enlist Mr B, Sydney and Sonny to carry it up 2 flights of stairs and then they put the table together for us.

 

Our upstairs workroom has a main room (which you can see in the photos) and then 4 rooms off it. We're still moving all our sewing stuff in (there's literally many metres of fabric plus habydashery to transport). I'll post more photos when we're fully set up.

 

Happy weekend folks!

 

thank you

 

 Auckland's first pre-Christmas Fabricabrac sale yesterday was quieter than previous events - still we managed to sell quite a bit. It was the first time that our Retrovision store did a market. My previous attendances at Fabricabrac had been focused on reducing my personal stash. This time Miss 17 and I were selling retro and vintage textiles sourced through our estate clearances. We had a large pile of table linen & napery (beautifully embroidered with the odd stain or mark) that speedily reduced in record time.

 

Thanks to the Auckland Fabricabrac team for putting on a good event. Big thanks to all the wonderful customers we had.

 

Happy weekend!

bata bullets

That's right, the iconic 70s Bata bullets are back by popular demand from hipsters and the nostalgic alike. I'm a nostalgic type so yesterday I took our children shopping for Bata Bullets and bought them a pair each (Miss 17 chose grey/white while Mr 14 went with black/white) plus I bought a blue/white pair for myself. Sadly Miss 6 missed out as the smallest is size 2 (which is way too big for her!)

If you're after a pair, you'll find all you need to know at Bring Back Bata Bullets Facebook.

"Bata Bullets. They take a lot of beating."

the graduate & other stuff

Copyright: 2011 Taylor McDonald



Miss 17 graduated from College yesterday. She received class prizes for: Fashion Technology, Graphic Design, Drama and Academic Honors. Next year she's off to Fashion Tech to pursue her dream of being a fashion designer. All very exciting stuff.

 

I'd love to say that I got plenty of sewing done - but I didn't sew a stitch. My life hasn't been very quiet lately... Miss 6 had ballet rehearsals galore and then 3 ballet concerts last weekend, Retrovision has been busy, attended an engagement party, went to 2013 Cult Couture show, Mr 14s musical evening where he played a drum solo and health clinic appointments as well as a whole lot of other stuff too boring to list.

 

Enjoy your week folks. I'm off to catch a breather before the next surge of busy life arrives.

psst...

 

Just thought I'd share the news that Miss 17 will be in the NZ Herald Viva At Home (next week 23 October 2013 issue) where she'll be talking about her 5 favourite things. This is her first personal experience with media & she's excited by the prospect of sharing her point of view with everyone.

 

Miss 17 is at the last of her school days. In exactly 10 days she will no longer be a 'school student'. An exciting time for her while I'm left kind of dazed wondering where all the time has gone. It's been a very busy year for her with lots of ups and downs. She didn't place in these competitions however she learnt a great deal about herself, her design aesthetic and being true to her creative self. Having seen how she's handled herself over the last year I'm confident that she has what it takes to succeed in the fickle fashion industry.

 

She's off to NZ Fashion Tech next year for a gap year or two of technical study before deciding what to do next. I'm proud of my little bird that's stretching her wings in the world. I'll post a link to the article when it goes online.

 

Thanks for sharing my proud mummy moment.

stitch or ditch?

the driving force behind the latest de-stash is the departure of the Mopod which I've been using as a sewing space since our house renovations last year. My sewing space is shrinking dramatically into storage containers. The Mopod is leaving so that our backyard is ready for the installation of a temporary swimming pool for the summer.

My method for de-stashing this time is: Stitch or ditch?????

Is it working? sort of... I've got 3 fabric piles on the go:  STITCH? DITCH? & I CAN'T MAKE UP MY MIND!

5th blog anniversary

I've only just remembered that this blog is 5 years old - thanks for taking the time to visit here and read, follow, link, leave comments and email me. I really appreciate it!

pink October 2013

 

October is breast cancer awareness month. Due to censorship, many NZ women won't see this video about real breast cancer symptoms. Please share this video with the special women in your lives. 

auckland fabric-a-brac november 2013

 

remember how for the last couple of years I've been de-stashing at the Auckland Fabric-a-brac events? Well I did ok earlier this year at the March event. Yet I still find myself swamped with fabric. So I've booked a table and will be at the November event, again shamelessly selling off the stash of fabrics and other sewing & craft related goodies. Come by, say hi, I'd love to meet you...

anything but quiet!

 

since we launched our RETROVISION STORE it has been anything but quiet! Despite the busy days and constant juggling, I even managed to do a little sewing with Miss 16's ball dress (which was a 6 hour sewing marathon the day before the ball) and Miss 6's pioneer outfit (which consisted of

a dress, apron and bonnet). I did take photos to post but sadly my camera kit was stolen. It's been a real pain having to sort out insurance for a replacement camera. When I get the chance, I'll post new photos of my latest sewing achievements.  



retrovision

Logo designed by Miss 16

We have been in the scrap metal & demolition haulage business for over 25 years. During that time we've seen so many things come and go that have been worth rescuing. In December 2010, Mr B and I were inspired to start Retrovision so that we could onsell our many finds as well as items from our personal collection. After a bit of a hiatus, we've relaunched our online sales on Trade Me again.

auckland fabric-a-brac 2013

back in July 2012 I wrote about my brilliant plan to do a major de-stash. Well I did achieve it - now I'm moving on to the "harder-to-part-with" fabrics that I just couldn't part with last time. So I'll be at the Auckland Fabric-a-brac event in Freemans Bay on March 9, again shamelessly selling off this part of my stash of fabrics and other sewing & craft related goodies. Come by, say hi, I'd love to meet you...

taking a break

I'm taking a break from blogging ...

Happy Holidays to you all, stay safe this festive season. I'll be back in 2013.

auckland retro fair

I just read that the Auckland Retro fair is on this coming Sunday November 11th. It looks like there is a lot on offer - something to appeal to all retro fans. I'm looking forward to seeing loads of mid-century items all in one place and best of all, the whole lot is for sale too! I really shouldn't be thinking of buying anything... but there's no harm in a little looksie.

Pink October

October is breast cancer awareness month. The best way to find breast cancer early is with a mammogram. Please encourage the women in your lives to get checked. You can read about my personal experience here.

This is my 2nd year of being clear. Early detection. Cure. Prevention. 

why selfish sewer?

2012 so far has been a year of changes. In June I was diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic (I pretty much suspected it but was in denial) and my doctor told me to make some serious lifestyle changes. In response to that, I made some very dramatic changes which you can read all about on my other blog. The most radical change of all was that from 1 July 2012, I became a vegan. I've achieved really great results health wise and also lost 27kg. 

This is what's triggered my inner selfish sewer!