Here is my choice for this week’s Ruby Tuesday – a street exhibit as part of the local arts festival, Cairns, Queensland. It’s a very clever use of old plastic bits and pieces thrown out in the trash!
Blue Monday
Here is my choice for this week’s Blue Monday – an apartment building at Docklands that caught my eye with loads of yummy blue tiles.
Scenic Sunday
Here is my choice for this week’s Scenic Sunday – from a drive along the Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia.
Life goes on … Christmas Party 2009
I can only say this has been a really stressful and emotional week, and I’m glad it’s all over … the week saw the passing of beautiful dear Erin, I found Mum has been in hospital recently, and amidst all of this I was the key staff member involved with releasing a new product this week, due to our department’s project manager being away on leave – unfortunately the latter project was quite stressful in itself as everything didn’t got 100% as planned, and it meant a few extra hours work this week (read 10-11 hour days). All this while struggling to comprehend the news of Erin’s passing. Not to mention also dealing with two other projects, including daily hook-ups with the sites … it didn’t leave much time to ‘breathe’ this week!
Last Sunday I finally decided to pluck up the courage to dress up for our work Christmas party (which was last night). I bought a wig, and some fabric and tunic pattern, and started assembling it. I did a bit more on Monday night, then put it to one side for the next night. Of course then I found out about Erin passing away – when I came home I just didn’t have the heart to keep making my costume, then on Thursday afternoon the whole stress of the week got to me, and I had a mini melt-down … I just didn’t want to have to “persevere” and put on a brave face anymore, after such a stressful time at work – and I certainly didn’t want to have to smile at everyone at the Christmas party, so I made the decision not to go, or to just not dress up and just go for the dinner.
At 8pm Thursday, on the way home from work, I started thinking that perhaps I should get things ready ‘just in case’ I felt a bit brighter in the morning, as I was already starting to feel a little better, so did an emergency dash to Spotlight and Big W to pick up pantyhose and false eyelashes, a handbag and a different wig … and got my costume dress finished along with a necklace and earrings – at almost 1am I finally fell into bed … but I’m so glad I did do that …
Yesterday morning I felt so much brighter, and was actually starting to look forward to the evening’s festivities – we got dressed at work, and hit the streets in our get-up – staff that were still in the office were killing themselves laughing at our outfits. We travelled in the lift with another colleague on our floor, and it was only at the bottom when we were walking out and she heard my voice, that she said “Oh my God, it’s YOU!!!” – that was a real highlight of the night, and definitely got the laughter happening to start off the night.
The function was at Harold Park Raceway, where we had a private suite overlooking the racetrack (harness racing). I have to admit I don’t like horse racing, so I pretty much ignored the whole racing thing, but we had a load of fun. I caught up with one of my dearest colleagues who was made redundant earlier in the year, which was a highlight of the night for me, as I miss him dearly in the office, and it was great fun seeing everyone dressed up – the dress-up theme was the “decade of your birth” … mine being the 60’s. Here are the “three stooges” from the night – Lisa (70’s Elvis), Katie (80’s rock chick), and myself (60’s Hairspray lookalike … not planned, that thought just came to my head as were driving to the function in the taxi!).
And a close-up of those lashes! I think those eyelashes were everyone’s highlight of the costume, I had so many comments LOL.
Unfortunately we didn’t think to take a full-length photo. We had to vote for the best costume of the night, and I was really shocked to find my costume had been voted the best!! And everyone was super impressed that I’d made it all myself (um, including myself – I am personally amazed that I could remember how to follow the pattern instructions … maybe it really IS like riding a bike??). I was given a lovely gift of a couple of bottles of Margaret River wine as my prize. We also had other prizes drawn out, so that everyone came home with something, and I won another bottle of wine from that … good thing we’re alcoholics in this household haha.
Anyway, all-in-all I’m really really glad I went – I had a really good time, and aside from one moment of feeling a little sad when I was talking about going home for Christmas, which of course made me starting thinking of other home events, the evening was a real success and one that helped to put aside the crappy week … of course now I’m sporting a hangover this morning, but it was definitely worth it 🙂
Now I need to get all those chores done that I haven’t had the mental energy to tackle over the last couple of weeks … after I find the Panadol …
Photo Hunt – Technology
PhotoHunt
R.I.P. Erin
I forgot to send myself the photo that I wanted to post along with this note, but I forgot, so I’ll add it tomorrow. In the meantime I have used one of Erin on her wedding day, just a few years ago. The following was just posted on my Facebook status.
“R.I.P. dear sweet Erin – you were taken from us way too early in life – you will be missed here on earth, while those on the other side will have the opportunity to bask in your sweet smile and gentle personality. My heart breaks for loved ones left behind, and I wish Carl and the boys all the strength you need to endure these emotional days, also to all other members of the family – I love you …”
Mid-morning today I received an email from Carl to say that Erin passed away just before 5pm UK-time yesterday. I am still a bit shell-shocked by the news, and wish I could do something for Carl and the two boys – no words can truly express how I’m feeling today, and this is nothing compared to what Carl and Erin’s family are going through.
Along with many other people who have suffered greatly over the course of this year, I personally can’t wait for this hideous year to end! There have been way too many tragedies and trials this year … bring on 2010 and some brighter days …
Ruby Tuesday
Here is my choice for this week’s Ruby Tuesday – and you can’t get much more ruby red than this … this is the Pohutukawa tree, which is known as the NZ Christmas Tree, as the trees are festooned with flowers in December. I couldn’t settle on just one photo, so you get a couple of close-ups and what the trees can look like overall … just LOVE the Pohutukawa trees!
Today kinda sucks
A very close friend of the family has been in hospital over the last couple of weeks after finding a tumour on her brain. They had difficulties operating due to a major blood vessel in the way. They managed to remove most of it, and were going to then have her undergo radiotherapy sessions. Unfortunately, though, she has since had a stroke, and then developed fluid on the brain – and yesterday took a turn for the worst and is now on life support. I am incredibly saddened by this whole thing – she is so young, only being in her 30’s. It wasn’t so very long ago I was visiting them in Auckland for their wedding – I was really touched at the time, because they wanted me to do a reading for them as part of the ceremony – something I felt incredibly honoured to do for them.
Earlier today I received the email you wouldn’t ever want to receive – that she has very little brain function left, and that they are expecting to pull her off life support at the end of this week. I’ve been in tears off and on all day today, and couldn’t stop shaking when I first heard the news. Unfortunately this is all unfolding in the UK, where they’re currently working, so now the families are making the dreadful journey across the oceans to be at their side.
Tonight I’ll be going back to sewing my Christmas outfit, if for no other reason than to take my mind off it for the night. I don’t feel like stitching, so this will have to do as far as soothing the soul tonight … on top of having a stiff cognac in a few minutes!
Anyway, I doubt I’ll be online too much this week. I presume eventually the body will be brought back to Auckland for her to be laid to rest … so it seems there will be two trips back home this year – one for Christmas and one for a totally different, totally excruciating other reason …
Yep, today really does suck!!! My thoughts are with the two sets of parents and siblings who are going through all this on the front line – my heart aches for them all, not the least baby Cameron who will have to grow up without his Mum.
Blue Monday
Here is my choice for this week’s Blue Monday – my wedding outfit for an Indian wedding … of course my sari HAD to be blue!!! The only thing I refused to do was wear the traditional bodice top that shows half your midriff … no bulging bits were gonna be on public show for this gal! 😀
This used to be a stitching blog
This blog appears to be a photographic blog just lately, as I haven’t had the energy or the time to post an update – the only reason I have the photographic ones regularly is thanks to “post-dating”, as it means I can bulk publish for a couple of weeks, then go away and forget it! … Anyway, here’s a bit of proof that I have put the occasional stitch into fabric every now and then over the last week weeks, albeit not much!
Last weekend I had an extended weekend and had 4 days off work, and I spent the weekend housesitting on the other side of town (approx 1 & 1/2 hours drive away) for my close friends Brenda and Nigel – I had the distinct pleasure of spending the weekend with 4 furry pals … 3 cats (Comet, Ernie and Obi) and Dusty the dog (border collie). It was really lovely having animal company again, and lovely to see B&N as we’ve been strangers for most of the year due to my ill health and being too sick to travel far.
Anyway, while I was housesitting I sat in front of the huge TV and stitched away while working my way through B&N’s DVD’s and episodes of The Mentalist and ER that I’d missed. The main result of that was that I completed all of the stitching of Lizzie*Kate’s Boo Club – now all I need to do is attach some buttons, but that won’t be happening any time soon. I changed loads of threads in this piece, substituting for those I didn’t have in my stash … when I publish the final finished piccie with the buttons, I’ll add all the substitution details, along with the fabric etc 🙂
I also finished off the back of a little piece of gift stitching that I’ve been meaning to finish for the last two years – I wanted to personalise the back a little bit, which I’ve now done … and now I just have to put it all together – once it’s been received I’ll show a piccie (although I still have to finish-finish it, so don’t hold your breath LOL).
Over the last week I’ve had precious little stitching time, and this week will be even worse! This is as far as I’ve managed to get with Mirabilia’s Enchanted Mermaid … I think it’ll be an entire month stitching up one rotation slot of 10 hours stitching! I wish I’d hurry up, ‘cos she looks distinctly creepy to me right now!
This week, though, my time will be focused on the following:
Yes, Mum, here’s proof that I’m actually doing some sewing … clothing sewing … on the sewing machine … for real!!! And as you can see, I’m even following my training and measuring from the side of the fabric to ensure that I’m following the grain of the fabric correctly! Ha, I guess those gruelling hours of being lectured about how to do things ‘properly’ really did sink in! I haven’t sewn clothes for over 20 years, so I’m incredibly nervous and reluctant about all this, but I did make a calico ‘dummy’ test to check the pattern, and I’ve been able to adjust the sides to fit semi-OK.
This outfit is for our work Christmas party which is this coming Friday – I’ve only just decided very last minute (aka this weekend) that I’d give it a go to dress up … unfortunately being a fatty boomba it makes it really difficult to go to fancy dress shops, and op shops are just out of the question … it was even a struggle to find a dress pattern that could be adjusted to my broad rear end, and just as hard to find fabric … BUT it seems this might just work … maybe! If nothing else, Katie is highly motivated for me to dress up along with her for the party! 😛
The theme is to dress in the decade of your birth … of course I had to be born in the decade of the mini skirt/dress, didn’t I? As it turns out the tunic top I’d decided to make to wear over trousers doesn’t seem to look too bad as a dress, so I’ve added an extra 3″ to the bottom, and it sits marginally below the knee now – I had to let it out slightly at the hips (thank goodness for the overlocker which will hopefully still work when I try it out tomorrow night), and I had to take it in a little bit under the arms – I haven’t tried it back on again yet since making the adjustments, but fingers crossed it’ll work out OK. Then I’m off to buy some big black false eyelashes, and a flick-up-bob kinda wig … and I’ll make a chunky purple necklace and earrings, I think – the only problem I have is with shoes – I think knee-high boots were all the rage back then, but I don’t have any … oh well, what am I stressing for, there’s still one night of shopping left, right???!!! 😛
Anyway, time to hit the hay for the night – we’ve been sweltering in a 42C heatwave all day today and I have to say I’m a bit exhausted from the whole melting day. It’s been a real effort just standing up in our little flat today, never mind anything else, and everything you touched around the flat was hot to the touch … even the stems of my poor ‘fresh’ lilies in their vase. I think both Katie and I will be sleeping with the electric fans on tonight, and praying for a reprieve from the sweltering heat tomorrow, we have too much to do!
Feather Stitching 