The Sewing Machine dress

I've managed to fit some sewing into my all-too-brief holiday this week (going home tomorrow, boo hoo!)

Pattern: Vogue 8727

View E (the blue version in the design images)

This is the same pattern as the Green Marilyn Dress

(This is Mac. He always likes to get in on the action and see what everyone's doing. He'll be featured, along with the other animals who live here, in a couple of posts coming up.)

Oh, hello! There you are!

I love the print of  this fabric. I bought it not knowing what I wanted to make with it, so I bought lots and consequently have a lot left over. I think I'm going to make a bag to go with the dress

The dress is a little bit too long, and a little bit roomy around the waist. I've left it like this deliberately because I forgot to pre-shrink the fabric before I sewed the dress. I'll wash the dress before I see whether any alterations are necessary.

The next couple of posts will probably be filler posts... I actually have to move house AGAIN 

(and if you're thinking I moved house not so long ago, you're right... my house is being sold AGAIN, damn renting) so I will be off the radar for a while. 

The good news is I have many animal photos to post in the meantime.

x

Playing dress-ups, and other trivial matters

 

You can never be too old to put on a fluffy dress and dance around like a nong.

I found this petticoat in an opshop in the bridal section. I always look at bridal/evening dresses as they often yield an abundance of fabric to be turned into something else. I knew this petticoat would be perfect to wear under my circle skirts.

I chopped off the bottom layer of net and it was the perfect length.

 

It's a bit scraggly but I think I'll leave it.

On a completely trivial note, my hair is really annoying me lately. I bleach it and then dye it, but it doesn't seem to be holding the dye very well and is turning out all dull and grey. I don't want grey hair (yet). I want purple hair. So I'm thinking I might just cover it up. It's a pain in the bum to maintain; even when I'm not bleaching and colouring the regrowth, the stuff that's already coloured needs a touch up every 2-3 weeks. 

I'm thinking of covering it up with a blue-black and using some silvery/white colour for the shaved side (yes, I just said I don't want grey hair. Silver is different). 

I'm wearing a blue clip-in fringe piece in these photos to cover up some of the grey.

My blogging and commenting on others blogs has been random of late. I've had a lot on my mind, health-wise, home-wise. I'm about to take a week's break to see family interstate, some of whom I haven't seen in years. Seven days of reading, cups of tea, wood fires and sewing. Aahhhhh. 

(Oh, and family, who I love. Ahaha)

xx

A Grande day at the zoo

My birthday is this weekend. Hooray, I'm older. I couldn't think of anything I wanted so I asked Jay to take me to the zoo.

After a small amount of dressing up and larking about, of course.

 

 

I wore as much animal jewellery as possible. My necklace is actually a little climbing cat. My brooches are a fox, butterfly and dragonfly.

Before we left I was presented with a cholesterol-laden breakfast...

 ...which, in case you're wondering, was muffins grilled with ham, tomato and 

SLICES OF CAMEMBERT CHEESE...

 ....and some 'real' gifts

Then off we went. I can't remember the names of all the animals apart from the obvious ones.

Like Mr Tiger. He was having his lunch in the shade.

I always call animals Mr Somebody. I don't know why. I am aware that girl animals exist.

Like this pretty fellow with his two lady loves.

This poor little guy looked so sad. All the others were jumping around playing and he just sat there staring mournfully at all the idiots behind the glass taking photos of him, or looking at the ground.

This pygmy hippo had an itch on its head or something. It was flapping its little ears furiously and opening and closing its mouth quite angrily. Then it would stand still as it waiting for something before beginning all over again.

The seals were so quick it was impossible to take a decent photograph of them.

Aren't these alien-looking? 

The penguins knew it was dinner time and refused to move from this spot. 

They. Were. Waiting.

Coati! What funny little creatures these are. They were continually running around here, there and everywhere, on some sort of industrious mission.

Sadly there was only one red panda in sight. I'm sure it must have had a mate somewhere. They are one of my favourite animals ever. Since it had its head in a bunch of leaves it was difficult to grab a decent shot of it.

I am pretty sure Mr Lion was eyeing off the children and wondering which would be the tastiest.

This peacock followed the elephants everywhere, from their pen to the feeding barn and back again.

 

The baby elephant was so cute.

We finished up at my favourite part of the zoo - the butterfly house. It's so magical and makes me feel like I'm in a fairy land. Some of the butterflies are massive and fly so slowly, especially these lovely green ones.

I did overhear one little girl say she found it scary. I suppose when you're small, some of the larger butterflies can be a little creepy. 

We didn't see everything because it would simply have taken too long. As it was, we walked around for about 3 hours which was enough for me. I'm older now, I needed a lie down, you know.

Happy weekend to all.

x