Have a Good One!

No post for a week...sorry..

Busy, Fun, Crazy times round here.

So this is to wish y'all the best of times this CHristmas, whatever you are getting up to..

And here's my favourite CHristmas Song.. It is quite long but def worth a listen.. This will particularly resonate for antipodeans.. 

I have listened to this so many times, but I STILL get choked up from about 3.45.. 
Beautiful.
(word of warning as I don't wish to offend readers with various views/beliefs: this guy is not a christian.)

Happy Days.
x

Trees at the Meteor

There's a cool thing happening here in Hamilton.

It's called TREES AT THE METEOR.

(the meteor is a theatre)

It's like Wearable Arts, but for trees.

It's like an art exhibition for trees.

Which is why I saved my op shop tags from the year!

I call it
Opportuni-tree.

My sister-in-law and I did this one too, just for fun.

Kids all cut jelly shapes out to decorate these jelly 'trees'.. One of the many interactive exhibits. 

Two of my personal favourites..
The one in the background was made of milk bottle tops. 

This was inspired by a christmas living in Mexico City.

Arlo and his hot chocolate 'tache.

Backyard cricket, televised of course. (I watched from the 'cafe')

The general theme of the event.

Those were some snapshots.
If you're in Hamil-vegas - you have to get there..


Happy Days!

Crazy Busy! (snapshots)

That's what it is right now - crazy busy!

SUMMER!

Christmas bomb. 

Teacher gifts.. SCHOOL IS OUT!!!! Yay!

Frozen Grapes. A bit like lollies/sweets, only healthy..

Purple hair (thanks to a friend, for the hairdresser voucher!)

An op-shop related project...

More to come on this... I'll leave y'all to ponder!


Happy (but busy) Days!

Treasure Sale, Part 2

Part One HERE if you missed it!

I KNOW!!! How cute is this guy?! (and a bit creepy?) He has a long elasticy dangly string on his head. Why? 

You all know I'm a picnic nerd, right?!

And that I have an obsession with swizzle sticks and cocktail forks?!
Yip I do! 

There was a little note on these saying they are for thawing stuff... Something I didn't know I needed!!

Hand painted.. part of an old skittles set?

Merry Christmas John.

And finally... also for John..
I know we all spent many happy times sitting by one of these.
The sound quality is amazing! John will LOVE listening to the cricket on this.
The tape that was in there is Bill Haley and the Comets..
and it sounds way better than a CD..
Sadly, I think all my cassettes are gone.. I might have got rid of them a couple of years ago..

Stay tuned for Part 3!

Linking up... here

Garage Sale Trivia

I recently came across a great infographic. It's HERE. 

It's trivia/ interesting stuff about garage sales in USA.

I found it entertaining/ fascinating. I'd love to know a few facts about the garage sale scene in NZ.

 What do you think?

Treasure Sale, Part One

Last Saturday there was a garage sale 4 houses down from us..

It didn't say in the listing, 

but I knew it was a 'deceased estate'.

I struggle with that term. But it's used a lot over here.

Iris and I were first there. It was very relaxing, just wandering down.. 

The listing said 'House lot'.

I got lots of amazing things.

But I also got a lot to think about.
I've been thinking about STUFF.
Treasure. (we accumulate it, and then we die, right? But our stuff is 'us' isn't it?)

I felt like I knew this woman.
(I didn't even ever see her.. regrettably)
I heard a lot about her, from her lovely daughter and 2 adult granddaughters.
She brought up 8 kids mostly on her own after her husband died too soon.
She worked two jobs to make ends meet.

She sounded like an amazing woman. The type they don't make them like anymore..

I'm stoked to have some of the things she called treasure, and some of her useful stuff..

Gloves, mostly made in West Germany.
Her family were so amazed that anyone wanted all that old stuff!

Want it?!
Yes!!!
And love it!

Tin canister.

Curler basket.

Pinnies.

I LOVE this ballroom powder, unopened, from a shelf in her garage. I have never seen such a thing before.
It cost 38c at 4 Square, when she bought it.

And these shoes.. I adore!

I felt a bit like the Queen Mother wearing these shoes ( when I went out on Friday night with some friends) but I LOVE THEM!

They are exactly what I wanted to find at that garage sale.

Part 2 to follow...

Happy days!

Linking to A Living Space - the Nifty Thrifty

First December

So today is the 1st official day of Summer

The first day of the Festive season and

the day my Mum died, 12 years ago.

I think that our culture doesn't have enough festivals. I like Christmas. I like creating memories and fun times and a bit of magic for my kids. My Mum did that for us. She loved CHristmas.

New stuff I've found recently.

I don't like to 'kick Christmas off' until this day though.

(and I pack it away December 26th without fail!)

                                           (more new stuff - especially love the packaging..)

Mince pies with mint-choc-chip ice cream and cream. Coz why not.


I will not bombard my blog with Christmas though. We keep it pretty simple. Decos we like, outings and fun times. And wrapping up the school year.. all keeps us busy!

Happy Days!

Thank you to Bakers' Delight for the mince pies (SO GOOD!!!) and the christmas cake.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun Times/ Finding Cool Stuff

SOOO>>> I have been absent on my blog for over a week (how does that happen?! Does time actually speed up at this time of the year or what?!)

RECENTLY FOUND:

These are brilliant. They are 'kid size' and in perfect nick. And they were $3 each.

This was at an oppie that I don't often go to, as the prices are usually a bit too steep for my liking... But this was a bargain. It's a shade umbrella that attaches to the pram. Like a BOSS!

New dress. 70s NZ made.
Worn to a party on Saturday night. If I'm looking like a shaggy dog, it's because this was our 3rd party of that particular day.. (a friend's 50th picnic lunch, a massive retirement party/hangi/banquet, and this was a friend's 40th.) All brilliant fun, but we had a half hour turn around for each one... If you've got kids you'll know what that's like!! Hahahaha..

flask. Obviously. $1

Also a buck.
Also obviously.

Over-the-back-of-the-door-hook-thing. How I love thee! I have no idea how I ever survived without one of these.  I have my eyes peeled for more.

This is sleeping bag/poncho. A sitting up sleeping bag? Can be sealed at the bottom or you can put your feet out.

It makes me look forward to Autumn. (not really)

I LOVE my new wall tiki, from my friend Ron Te Kawa, artist and fabric magician. AROHA means LOVE for those non-NZers.
Look him up/ask me if you want one... He uses recycled stuff and he is BLOODY talented. Christchurchians might remember him and his fabulous clothing at the art market years ago. 

Arlo had an accident last holidays.. I thought you'd all like to see his Harry Potter-esque scar.


More posts lined up soon, unbelieveably.

happy HOT days!