Yellow

Today is Daffodil Day here in NZ.

It's all to do with cancer.. and remembering and HOPING  (and fundraising!)

My mama died of cancer.

Some things turn a bit yellow for the day over here in NZ. The kids trundled off to school with yellow t'shirts on, clutching their gold coins.

We wear yellow at our place.

I thought I was a woman of many colours but today, unlike other years,
 I FOUND NOTHING YELLOW to wear!
( maybe there's something in a box in the garage that I haven't unearthed since the move...?)

Apart from bags and other accessories!

So that will be my new op shop mission!!! I'm on a Yellow Hunt!

Our regular friday playgroup jaunt. 

I made this lemon slice to share with the other mamas and dads.. (so good - it's like lemon meringue pie in a slice)

The kids iced biscuits with yellow icing and 100s and 1000s...
That's a vintage baby dress ( Iris is wearing it as a top) from my childhood. 

Cuteness...

(It's also the last official last day of Winter)
Spring is beginning to emerge..

I LOVE Spring!

Op Shop Booty and BOOTS..

YO!!!
It's finally me!
Finding  a space in the day to do  a post!

Well Hello there new friend!

It's got one of these hair blow wavers (?) inside.. which I am not going to keep... $6 which is actually quite steep in my cheap skate view.. but I had to have it...

They make terrific handbags
and  

EARRINGS.

And I had to get it because it is my other one's long lost sister.
We all know one is never enough.
One day I might get a real job and these might be my BRIEF CASES because they are perfect A4 size.

GOLD.

The Same but Different.
A bit like my all time favourite boots.
(complete with baby chunder)

Speaking of BOOTS.. I got these off trademe. They're CAMPERS as well. I find it very hard to wear uncomfy shoes these days.  One of the only things that we don't always buy at an oppie! (No I'm not being paid to advertise for them!)
Happy Days..

By the way, in my last post... the pram photos .. those are my first 4 kids.. about 2 1/2 years ago. the baby in the pink is Iris, not Arlo!
This is Arlo as he appeared yesterday. 3 months..
Bloody cute, if I may say so myself.

Perambulators

Ahhh what happened?! It's suddenly nearly September and the official end of Winter.. and I've just worked that out! 

First of all I'd like to say a big HELLO to my new followers.. (100! I'd better do a giveaway to celebrate!)

Thank you for all the wonderful comments and I will try to find some fabulous peaceful moments some time this weekend to read everyone's blogs and do a bit of commenting etc... Never seems to be enough hours in the week! 

This post is in response to quite a few questions and comments on my pram that featured in a recent post.

The grey one I bought for $10 when I was 16!!! There was an awesome monthly jumble sale here in Hamilton that was AMAZING at the Salvation Army 'Nest'. It was seriously the highlight of my month. It's a bummer they don't still do it but it finished years ago.. ANyway... I bought this home much to my Mum's despair hilarity! I loved it. Still do of course! 

History lesson: This pram was bought, along with 15 others when the Mothercraft unit at the hospital here in Hamilton was built. They still use these prams to get the babies to sleep. 

They sold this one a couple of years ago so I just had to get it (via Trademe)!

These prams are fantastic. They have amazing suspension and the babies really can't help themselves but fall asleep.. When we take them out we get stopped by old ladies saying  they love to see the old timers out and about, and young car enthusiasts who are well interested in the mechanics.

They are not great for fitting in the car though so we have a fold out one for that. I once had a 70s folding one that had a tassled fringe. So cool. Wish I hadn't let that one go.

This is Iris and her bestie as we blazed a flowery  trail to our Friday playgroup about 5mins walk from our place. My friend Kathy got her Silver Cross pram FREE from a charity shop in London!!!! The old lady in there had been waiting for the right recipient to come along to give it to !!!!*Pram envy!*
We would love to set up a vintage pram club but so far it's only us!!! 

Happy Days everyone!

a thrifty birthday!

Apart from a few things, everything iris got for her recent birthday was op-shopped/garage-saled and stashed away for the big day.. it is SO easy to do, and she really could not have been happier!

See that box of bits and pieces? She LOVES all that stuff. She has recently been given a doll's house so along with that and this stuff it has kept her amused for hours.

Birthday cake on the day.. All the cousins came over and she partied with her brothers all day.

Birthday party a few days later with her buddies, while the boys were at school.. 

Heaven for 3 year olds!

She wanted a Cinderella cake but that's the best I could do. Just a random doll cake. Princess coz that's her latest thing. 

Me and Arlo on cake cutting duties.


I have to say, that after 3 boys, I quite like doing a few girly-ish kinds of cakes and parties. Here are the previous creations. 

2nd

First!

pest

I have been stressed in the last 3 days..

There is a mouse in my house!!

I wish I did not have this phobia but it is quite debilitating!

As in I can't go into my kitchen or open a cupboard or drawer...

True Story! I have to leave the house all day...

 how the lovely folk at Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en like to party.
Just to brighten up this dreary post. 

In these situations there is actually only one thing to do...

The lovely people at Velveteen Lounge Kitschen will save me. They have a drink and/or recipe idea for every occasion, as well as terrific ideas and tips.

Random collections and corners

I took a few random photos around my house. I decided NOT to photograph my collection of washing that hasn't been done. Or my collection of toys that need picking up... etc.

No.. I found corners that made me smile!

I would like to add that literally everything you see in the photos is thrifted. Including most of the shelves etc.

The block set was from a junk market in Paris. 

And that's just a few random collections from within the walls of my crazy house.
Happy Days

A Sunny Saturday

Off across the field to watch the football. 
We live just on the edge of this field and that's the kids' school over there.
So nice perambulating distance!

Not the most terrific angle on me right now!
Never mind.

I've had this necklace since I got it at a Jumble Sale when I was about 15.
PLastic Fantastic.

My Dad came to visit..

And because it's been World Breastfeeding Week, I shall leave you with my favourite BF image ever, taken from this terrific book (that I found at an op shop of course):

TOTALLY ADORABLE.

Happy Days.

Olympics Champion

Inspired by Ms Helga to do an Olympics themed style shoot.. I donned my red white and blue.

I do believe the NZ flag should not actually be red white and blue, but it is. Plus, Team GB are doing a terrific job, and London is defo doing the job as hosts. 

PLus I am half english, you know. 

Me Dad is a Londoner..

The events I am participating in this year are:

The watching marathon. 
It's quite exhausting. 

The washing and folding duathlon. 

Here I am NOT doing very well.

My necklace has mussel shells on it. 

Because, well, all athletes have muscles you know.

I am actually a gold medal winner in Breastfeeding. I practise a lot. 
Have done for years on and off. That's why gravity isn't my friend, as you can see in this pic. 

Baby wearing/weightlifting. 

In the old days they called this 

Strong Woman contest. 

I need to work on the putting-clothes-back-in the-closet and Cleaning-the-mirror events.

Planking is probably my favourite discipline right now. chance would be a fine thing.

So there we go.
Olympic champion.
Half dressed of course, coz that's where I'm at right now!

Dress: thrifted a LONG time ago.
Cardy: from a charity shop in London
Necklaces x2: Fiji, handmade by a lovely woman(my dad used to live there and I used to visit him there.) I couldn't work out which looked best with the dress. I think the white. They are both symbolic of the fact that I am down here in the Pacific at this end of the world. Yet some of our athletes still manage to get a medal or 2 Yayar!
Beige and brown trackies (retro Golden Breed) : op shop of course
Slippers: from my mother-in-law!!!!
Total cost of what I'm wearing would be about $3 I'd say. 

hHappy dDays..

Why not take up the Olympic Fashion challenge at Ethical Fashion Bloggers?!
Join in!