Connectors ...

I love a great button tin. These particular buttons literally came from our beach in Titahi Bay in New Zealand. I collected them on our many walks along our local beach when the boys were little before we moved to Australia.

My wardrobe is currently boring me and funds are tight, so I'm remaking some of my wardrobe using clothes I already own like a couple of my cheapy cardigans. One of my fave things to do is to switch out my buttons.  These buttons are a bit of my collection of thrifted and sea buttons that I've  gathered over the years. My kryptonite is haberdashery, natural fibres and yarn - especially vintage pieces.

My fave form of mark making is stitching and I enjoy the slow pace of handstitching amd I adore the challenge. My fave media is textiles. I love wearing my own work. And I love a good story.  I'll  print, stitch, dye, cut,  deconstruct and reconstruct things  in a way that makes sense to me.

It's a bit cooler at the moment. Queensland winters aren't as cold as Wellington winters but we still need an extra layer. My cardigans are cotton rather than merino wool. A bit of applique and new "old" sea buttons and handstitching and Bob's  ya uncle.

The thing is, when I wear my cardigan, I can feel the stitching and the decisions I made on each stitch placement, each thread chosen or button placement. Its a very organic process. No straight lines. No rulers  or tape measures which allows  for the unknowns to happen. I respond to the garment and trust my own vibe. It's  awesome when that flow hits. Being in the zone is the best rush a maker gets. Like a wave, you ride it in.

And those buttons, they link me to my kids, to a special time and one of our fave places in the world. My marks turn my clothes into beautiful narratives that are meaningful to me. And for me, nothing has more value than my whanau and our connection to our whenua and the ocean, to others and ultimately to our Maker. xo

#ministryofhome ➕ 

Threads ...

THREAD/S: A strand of cotton; slang for clothes; and/or a familiar theme or characteristic that ties a story together.

I lived with my thrifty grandmother growing up who repurposed everything. And an artistic mum who would give me the odd $5 at the Otara fleamarkets. I would fill kleensaks with old fur coats, frocks and cardigans. My fingers and toes wore rings and my arms jangled with bracelets up and down them.

It was the time of Madonna and Prince and Billy Idol and The Sex Pistols and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Cyndi Lauper  and Culture Club. My mum would bring home the best record albums. That is a serious vinyl collection I'd  give my hair for!

My mum God bless her was young. She wore high heel sneaker and short shorts. She had stilettos  and minis. Heads turned. She dyed her hair purple and while other mums were baking, she went dancing and studied psychology. She was the first woman to be employed in the steel plant she worked in.

My childhood homes were cool. My grandparents  lived in a seaside bach in Ahipara (Kakapo Street) on Te Oneroa A Tohe - the infamous Ninety Mile Beach in the far north of New Zealand. Beach for miles. Killer tides. Incredible  fishing. I grew up on Snapper and tuatua fritters in beer batter. My grandad built our home and fitted it out himself. 

My grandmother literally preserved and baked, knit and crocheted, sewed, recycled and repurposed everything. My clothes were originally cut down from hers or she'd take us thrifting in the op shops in Kaitaia. I never understood why the kids laughed at my shorts until I realised all the girls wore rompers (elasticated puffy pants) and I had boys rugby shorts. We had going to town clothes and home clothes. We found the city kids left behind clothes on the beach in  summer and took home our finds and washed them. 

We'd  trash pick at the local tip. You could back  then.  No disposable nappies and everyone composted food scraps and burned a lot of waste. It was the 70's. We had retired grandparents who had three of us mokos to raise and my mum was a single parent. There was no shame. We loved it. I had so many found treasures and my grandad built me shelves to store my collections of books, thriftee high heels, playing cards, my shell and rock collections, and odd vases and random stuff. We were honest and we shared with everyone cos you just did back then. It was how a community and whanau survived. There was no 'mine' and me or I. It was 'ours' and we and us! 

We lived in an original tiny home. Nothing was wasted. The gardens fed us. Grandad went fishing. He did cabinet making and fitted out our local marae. He sharpened everyones mowers and farm implements in his mega garage he built. In return, the locals would pay him with fish, half a side of beef or lamb (our kitchen would become a butchery). We had chickens for eggs and occasionally a roast. Mama baked sponges and pavlovas and made jams and pickles to sell at the fleamarkets in town. 

My dream would one day be that we owned our own tiny/small home in a small town in New Zealand. Before we are too old. It's stupidly expensive and a waste of life to buy huge homes  we spend our entire lives paying off. Most of us can't  do it and tiny homes make sense to me anyway. 

Our house with my mum in Auckland city was brand new. We had a black vinyl lounge suite I would give my teeth for and the wallpaper! Gold and black in the kitchen (my fave). Blue and yellow giant peacock  feather patterned in the bathroom to match our yellow bath even! It was the shizz. I decorated my own room with posters  of my music heroes. My mum was out there and it was pretty awesome. She did the best she could and I'm  thankful for both my mum and my grandmothers influence.

Later in life, when I studied Visual Art at Whitireia Polytech in Porirua, I couldn't  stay out of the textile and jewellery classes. I was a certificate student and drove the degree students and tutors nuts. Eventually  I fandangled my way up into textiles  but I was too out of the box. I had trouble towing the line and struggled writing my conceptual ideas before I created. It was a pain in the arse when it came to describing my ideas to my tutors. It hindered my learning. I just wanted to make stuff. I don't apologise. It takes courage to tread your own path.

I've  since discovered  that I'm an intuitive maker rather than a process oriented one. Maybe if I hadn't  had so much going on in my life like 3 kids and an injury, I  may have persevered and developed  more discipline. There are times I sit at the sewing machine or get halfway through a project  these and think "$h!t! this is why I needed to focus more back then!". I realised I couldn't  play the game. I wasn't  great at any one thing and I had family commitments and health issues. I knew I would have to finish my journey on my own and in my own time.

I've  learned that I respond to things and right now my eyes are finding inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram. I'm  needing a project and I have a personal need for a better look that reflects me. I have time and I feel inspired to respond to my need. And maybe inspire a few people along the way.

My wardrobe looks tired and middle-aged much like me.  I live in a different climate. It's hot here. Mid-30s in summer. Our coldest winter day on the Gold Coast is like a nice summer day in Wellington.

I'm keen to do a bit of stitching and making. I love handmade. Natural textiles, found or thrifted objects, handmade stuff. My legacy from the women I grew from. I have always loved Zambesi and Nom_d  but my wallet doesn't match. I like the idea of a capsule wardrobe. It speaks of intention and making awesome choices. It also plays well to my real need for frugality. I have tutu (mischief) fingers. I like to play and try different things.

Having a family means I have an extremely modest budget. But we have screeds of op shops here on the Gold Coast (GC). I'll  have to wade through miles of polycotton and lycra and resort wear help me God. We have online garage sale pages and Gumtree  you beauty.

Leave a comment below so I know I'm  not nuts and talking to myself. xo

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Welcome to my #ministryofhome

And finally, I found  the following inspiration today. I love creative folk. We are so much richer for having internet access to artistic people globally. Meanwhile I'm eyeballing  my cardigans because of hers and they are getting makeovers. I love cardigans. It's a nana thing!

http://mywardrobetales.blogspot.com.au/?m=1

I wish I was a steak ...

Every human is an artist. The dream of your life is to make beautiful art.

... don Miguel Ruiz

Perhaps there is something about the new year being so full of change but whatever it is, I am having trouble focusing on any one project. Instead I keep being inspired by new things (like baby blankets, baby christening dresses, baby toys - hmmmm, an obvious theme emerges) and yet seem to be finishing nothing. There is also Knuckles, my wee babe (well not so wee anymore) who continues to interrupt any kind of flow I manage to create. By the way, a lot of people have commented that I should just enjoy my kids and the change ... and I do. I wouldn't have my life any different. I am also compelled to be honest enough when things aren't all sparkly and wonderful. No point being pessimistic, no point being shallow. Just my take on things.

Annnnnnnyhow ... interruptions by Knuckles are a good opportunity to head out thrifting at our local op shops. If you ever come to Wellington and wanna op shop, drop me a line. I love op shops and love introducing people to our local wonders. Todays bargains being two linen baby dresses with mother of pearl buttons to re-make for friends ($1.99 each), a handknitted jersey for Knuckles ($1.99), some denim baby overalls ($2.99), baby jeans ($1.99), and my fave thing: my new baby bag is a Kathmandu slouch over shoulder hip bag for TEN BUCKS. It's also my new fave colour: mustard green. Score!

I think my Marcus (6 yrs) was hungry the other day when he pipes up in the back seat with ... "I wish I was a steak cause then I'd eat myself." And...

After a funeral my twelve year old says "Mum do they put stuff in him to preserve the body?" to which my Marcus startled reply was "Stuffing? Does he have stuffing?" "Yes, just like a chicken son! He's got stuffing..."

We have a lot of laughs around here. Classic!

Op shopping in Wellington ...

The Family Stores in Wellington are some of my fave places to look for bargains. I got such a good response from everyone logging on and looking at Trash Palace that I took my trusty camera out with me yesterday and this is what I saw ...
A striped deco lounge suite ...
An old rolled arm couch in great vintage condition
I loved these plates. $2 ea.

Yes, another chair. I love the form of this style of chair. Three sweet pairs of shoes - $6 per pair. All size 8.
A dinky girls dress for $2!
Lots of preloved textiles including a great brown vintage curtain. It is now my winter bedspread.
Two patchwork cushions, one striped, one floral.

Housewares.

The fabric stash.
I love bundles and collections of things. And I love knitting. I can only do knit, pearl, and cast on and off; but this year I plan to learn to crochet, and 'tutu' (Maori for 'muck around') with weaving different textiles.
We also went to the Mary Potters Hospice in Tawa. I find so many old things here and it's not as tidy as the Family Store but I don't mind, as it encourages rummaging and the unearthing of bargains. I picked up a few things including some tiny vintage pictures (20c each), a big lace doily ($1), a handful of old buttons (free), 5 x vintage hankerchiefs (50c each) and three pairs of boys trousers ($4 each). I also scored my huge screenprinted curtain on that thick vintage fabric curtains were once made of ($8) and a large vintage lamp ($20). And some funny shaped old spoons (20c ea) because I have started collecting weird old utensils. I don't know what for but at 20c each, who cares! I know they will find a home with my other bits.



Some things are quite pricey. I guess if you love it, you will pay for it. Some things are overpriced in my opinion, but on the whole, always a bargain to be found.

Trash Palace

One of my favourite places to rummage through here in Porirua is Trash Palace. Not for the fainthearted, nor the perfectionist but rather the opportunist, the gatherer, the thoughtful who would use something from here than purchase it new from down the road at the mall.

Dear friend Wini and I decided to drop in on our way past yesterday. She had to drive me everywhere because dumbdumb me locked my keys in my car AGAIN. One of those alarm self-locking devices that are great for deterring break ins but hopeless for an airhead like me who always forgets to disarm it and leaves her keys on the seat inside while I am distracted. Last time I did it at Alena's house. Who is Alena? Read on ... Here is Trash located at the entrance to the Landfill high up above Porirua and under Colonial Knob, a big hill that looks like a mountain (We have lots of those in Wellington).
Definitely some of the best views of the city are from our city dump. Shame. That's one of the two harbours in Porirua. Overcast day, grey and bleak but cheery nonetheless cause we are girls on a mission. Shopping.
My darling friend Alena. We have been friends forever. Our sons are growing up together. She's looking good these days. A bit of romance in the air helps. She's always smiling, is warm and friendly. Doesn't whinge. Authentic, kind, caring. One of those people I love to spend time with. She's another earth person, teaches me through her example how to live wisely, laughs at me all the time because for a Maori, I am citified; and lately running off every weekend to every tree hugging, reggae summer festival. We are going for to another friend's cocktail bar this Friday and hopefully we get to meet her new friend. That hand mirror is Bakelite and only $10.
Tea anyone? My mother is mad for teapots, cups and tea parties. I quite liked that blue china cup but left it for someone else to enjoy. One teapot person per family is enough I think.

more china and stuff ....
The wall of collectibles. Old tins, gollywogs (not the politically correct name for them you know), tin toys, Kiwiana, books, mags, comics, etc.
The pottery table and a view of the bric a brac area. A new manager has sure made a noticeable difference. Everything is tidy and organised. Definitely better but somehow I liked the adventure of rummaging and finding things UNDER other things. The unexpected. Somehow with everything laid out, that dynamic is missing. New manager is a young woman, sorry name alludes me here but I met her and she seems very nice and by the looks of the changes astir, on-to-it as well.
A funny old bag full of hair curlers anyone? I keep thinking "I am an artist, what can I do with these?" and you know what? I can think of NOTHING but the novelty of them has me thinking this every time I see them.
Something nostalgic about these old tins. I have a few for my sewing threads and any other excuse whenever I find a cool one that must come home with me.
So much stuff. Better here though than filling the landfill. And often I walk out with an armful for only a few dollars. Much better than The Warehouse, NZ's famous bulk store. And so much more character. And lately I have been thinking that if those things sold at The Warehouse and The $2 Shop are so cheap, how much do the folk who make them get paid? My awareness about Fair Trade and work being sent off shore to Asian countries where workers get paid a pittance is growing slowly. Part of the spin off effect of being an artist is the thought that I now put into my art supplies and resources. I don't hug trees but I do think I can make a difference. I can get a roll of retro wallpaper here for $1. The Scrapbooking shops sell one piece of 12x12 for nothing less than $2. Lots of old readers digest books and so forth, great for altered art work - grab a bundle for a couple of bucks. So I try to use these places first and avoid the art shop in the city and the local Spotlight if I can. Not always possible, but my small contribution. Coming to appreciate that the kind of creativity I aspire to is not so much the sticking together of ready made things, but the process of actually creating my own resources to start with. Felted wool, handmade papers, twine, dyed silk from old kimonos. Wool for instance is a renewable resource. India Flint discusses the wisdom of this on her website. It just makes so much sense. You shear the sheep of it's wool in summer and it grows back. Why on earth are we making plastic fabrics? I learned that if you burn fabric, synthetics melt and a tiny hard plastic bead remains. Why wear fabrics that don't breathe. Probably don't break down for years. Why do we buy so many clothes to start with? Yup, I'm changing and learning it and feeling a bit kinder towards this beautiful planet that God, ultimate artist created.
Ten million cups. So much more interesting to have cups in your cupboard that DON'T match. Depending on my mood, I can have a big cup or a little cup, and my latest favourites that perch on a wee pedastal like a wine glass. All my store bought cups are now chipped or broken. I buy pottery ones from here. Nothing like a clay cup that someone formed with their hands. That cup of coffee becomes so much more precious.
Half of Trash is bric a brac (clothes, small house items, books etc) and the top half is furniture, building supplies and BIG THINGS. I saw a garden shed there yesterday and honestly got to thinking how I could use it??? Like I need a garden shed.
Flash Trash is where the identifiably desirable things are located in another building. Antiques, kitsch, and stuff. Come have a look in here ...
They have lots of those vintage radios in at the moment. I wish I could get one going ... Might ask my dad, he's an ex-electrician.
The obligatory trunks ranging around $40+ I think. Items in this area are pricier but I think still less than the antique and collectable stores around town.
This really cool rocking chair (the back is part of an old wooden packing case) and check out all those groovy radios behind it, the old singer sewing machine' the typewriter sitting on a glory box. I have a glory box, my grandad built in and my grandmother gave it to me a few years back with her photos and years of diaries starting in the 1950's! Her life in written form. Very precious indeed.I don't think the mannequin is for sale but theres a little writing desk and hey, some more vintage radios.

A metal trunk, old drawers, one of those fancy turkish rug thingys.
An old organ thing, giant basket, vintage picnic basket backing onto a wall of old prints and paintings. This is where I found her, my $5 beauty (see earlier posting).
Another ten tables laden with kitchenware. Some Crown Lyn where my grandmother used to work by the way. Wished I'd had these tastes sooner, our cupboards only had Crown Lyn in them. Now it's worth a fortune.
The tubs out of washing machines are great planters, and some old corrugated iron. Wouldn't mind getting into this pile at some stage. This old iron makes a great canvas.
Chairs are fabulous. Nothing I love more than diving into a great book in a comfy spot. Some of these old beauties show up with gorgeous vintage fabric on them. Just need a polish and some TLC ...
More chairs. I think I have a chair thing. Like my button thing, and vintage thing, and doily thing, and strange objects thing. Can you see the cat laughing on the side of that box. Probably laughing at the mad woman taking photos of all the chairs.
Umbrellas. Well they are had-it, munted and forlorn but the patterns and colours make them stand out. And they are in a bunch. Like a collection. And I am a collector, so maybe that's why I had to take their picture. It's sad this place. Like a SPCA for pre-loved stuff all waiting for someone to come along and see the potential and write a new chapter in their lives.
The lamp/light section where my other beauty came from last week. I liked that blue one but I think my sons would protest having a lamp like that. I do romanticise that one day I can decorate my home to suit my flavours throughout but when that day comes, I know I will also miss my sons dearly. So the shade stayed.
A reluctant son posing amidst the mirrors. In his hand a bag of Lego to be treasured.
Suitcases. I have found a few great leather suitcases and vintage hard ones (couple of bucks each, I kid you not), great for storing my art in. I don't want to look at my art because I make such challenging things sometimes but I love the thought that they are safely tucked away in their treasure chests, awaiting me to discover them again. So there you have it. Not a lot to be personally had yesterday, a few old wool blankets I want to experiment with and a bag of lego for theBoy2. Wini found some clothes and linen. If you want to come visit and want a personal tour, be sure to let me know. Otherwise follow the link here to www.trashpalace.co.nz/ to find out more.

some new treasures in my room ...

Ok, I love my op-shopping tendencies. Even if I was wealthy, I would still love the thrill of the hunt for a bargain. I swear that as I drove up to Trash Palace today, my heartbeat accelerated and I had a genuine rush of adrenaline. Mmmm, I took some photos there too for you, so you could see what that place has but first ... some new additions to my room.



(The painted blue box with flowers is one of my mothers pieces she made and gave me on one of my last trips to Brisbane. It's gold on the interior. I don't like many folk art things but this one is quite beautiful.)
See my wonderful crotchet wool lampshade, along with 8 pottery cups, milk jug and sugar bowl; and a plastic retro crystal vase; all this came to a grand total of $7. Can you believe it. I was stoked. I love the way the light throws shadows around the room. Poor theMan, this one is on the desk on his side of the bed, but I think he's coming around to my love for retro things.
I LOVE THIS PICTURE. Can you believe she was only $5!!! In her original cream and gold frame, a few wear marks but nothing major, she is my favourite thing. I cannot stop looking at her. She makes me feel so good. There's something nostalgic and poignant about her, and when she came at such an amazing price, well ... I must admit, I was holding my breath when I took her up to the counter and when the lady said 'Um, $5?', it was all I could do not to whoop and do a wee kanikani (dance). Absolutely stoked!!!

Crusty old acrylic table cloth, stained and a few rips but hung cleverly, now hides my wardrobe that bugs me. No door so all my clothes were screaming at me when I lay in bed. Wouldn't be so bad if I loved my clothes but this year hope to be doing some clothing design of sorts at art school and one of my new year decisions was to try and create a wardrobe full of handmade clothes I could love. Well, I'll give it a go. So far I am halfway through making a jacket out of a vintage green bedspread and an old orange felt scarf. It's only about 4 months old (note the sarcasm). A lovely wee vintage print of a robin, bird that is. We don't have robins in New Zealand, but someone I know in the States has a son called Robin, so maybe when she visits here, she may like to take him home. If not he can remain happily on my wall. Something very cool and simple about birds, don't ya think?

There's this cool secondhand shop in Newtown, in Wellington that sells stuff and raises money to help animals. I found this amazing 'carved hand vessel' for $3. The plastic vase was part of the deal with the crochet lamp and pottery, I think $1, Can you believe it? And the little brass container was $2 at Birthright secondhand shop in Paraparaumu, found when I skived away for the morning to do some R&R. Bit naughty, everyone else was busy dyeing and I was drawn away to seek out my little bargains.
This vintage jewellery box was a gift to me from my mother. I love that I am now studying textiles, funny, I always loved things like this object but now I know why. I love textures and patterns, and the hand work that goes into creating things like this. Not everyone gets it but those that do DO!
So here is my little installation on top of a set of drawers. I am trying to do this more now, set things up so they are more visually appealing. It is getting exciting because I am almost at the stage where I can start to display some of my own art work. In the meantime, because I do love to collect lovely objects, I will not put them away. Instead put them out for daily pleasure. All my little bargains. The carved drawers in the background, also a gift from Mum. Yup, she is incredibly generous PLUS she's an artist so she has great taste most of the time. She's really come around the to fact that I love grungy things. I was always hippie, tomboy, and not very girly girl, so now she knows that if she thinks 'yuck', then chances are I will love it.
Ok, so the lamp on my side of the bed looked sad and left out after the big sister one got the star treatment with a new shade. To compensate, I rummaged through my doily collection (yes, I have a doily collection, button collection, and vintage fabric collection), and pinned it on with this cute brooch made for me by Jilly, a lovely lady I met through workshops. I love Jilly's style, she is decorative and embellishes everything. OTT but still tasteful. Just like Klimt and Hundertwasser, it works. Notice the doily also on the bedside table - um, I promise no more lacy stuff. Well, unless it's a bargain. The pink patch cushion was one of about THIRTY my mother packed into a bag and brought with her last time she came to visit. Unfortunately, because they are made from reclaimed Indian sari silks (frail as!), they deteriorated very quickly in my home with boisterous sons. I only have about ten left. Reluctant to throw out my gift from my mum, I found a new use for these tattered cushions...
See the black bundle of thread hanging on the shelf theMan put up for me a couple of weeks ago. It is cotton and silk handspun thread using shredded silk and cotton pieces. I actually manually twined this, no equipment used (wouldn't know how to do that anyhow), except my own self. Thanks to India who taught us this technique. Only works with natural fibres and a great way to use up all those bits left over from sewing. It hangs prettily and the photos don't do it justice cause it shines with the metallic and bright colours of all those sari pieces. This piece probably took me about 15 hours to twine but I felt good to be able to put these tiny worn fragments of silk into a new context. They had so much history, colour and appeal, and now this skein of silk/cotton handmade thread awaits it's new life in a work to come. Anyone read 500 Baskets? Some amazing 3D textile vessels in there. One of my goals this year is some sculpture using textiles, especially reclaimed ones from secondhand clothing. I don't think sleep is going to be a priority this year somehow. So there you have it, some more finds and even a work in the making. For now it just sits prettily to be admired.