Why hello old friend

 

I've just been reunited with my childhood toy mouse, who has been languishing in my parents' basement for many years.  His name is Icecream Ears because back in the day the insides of his ears looked like fresh scoops of icecream (these days they're more of a French Vanilla shade).  His lolly-coloured shirt has always made me hungry:

And I've always loved the fact that his pants have a special tail-hole:

Here we are when he and I were much younger:

Welcome back old friend!

New Year's dresses old and new

I was looking at some old photos the other day and found this one of me in my new year's dress in 1999, in all my dreadlocked glory. I remember sewing until 6am for a few nights making that corset thing! I'm drawing a tattoo on my arm with a marker pen, a tattoo that looks like a practice for the one I have now, for better or worse.

And it seems that I'm still making new year's dresses...I finished this one on new year's eve. Here it is in action:

Or more extreme action:

It's my old faithful pattern, Vogue 1923 from the '90s and, luckily, it withstood a bracing new year's day sea swim.

Happy new year to you!

Thank you

Firstly, thank you to everyone who made purchases from my Felt shop in the month of April. It meant that I was able to make a donation to the Red Cross Japan Earthquake/Tsunami appeal on Sunday night.

Thank you to the op shop gods who helped me find:

An old postcard of Dunedin...

One of Oamaru...

I love that old bus in the foreground, driving past the Waitaki Electric Power Board.

And a new fella. Sorry Mr. Millicent Crow.

I also found a mother of pearl starfish brooch to replace my other mother of pearl starfish brooch (I know) that is missing a few tentacles.

And speaking of brooches, thank you to Susie from Flowerpress who is organising a brooch swap, exciting! You can find out how to enter here or click on that button over to your right.

How about you? Had any good op shop finds lately?

Smiling Victorians

I had a lovely day yesterday, staying home and drawing for most of the day. I had a break from the solemn folk I usually draw and drew a little series I've called "Smiling Victorians." Mr Millicent Crow has worked some photoshop magic to turn them into greeting cards and on Monday I'm picking them up from the printers!




The Victorians weren't so into smiling for the camera, but wouldn't you be smiling if you had a bird on your shoulder? Happy weekend to you!

Old treasures

One of the things I love to collect is old abandoned photos, left behind at op shops, markets, on the ground...
These are some of my favourites:

I always wonder about their stories.