wonky eye day

The turtleneck matches his eyes

2011-12-02T10:27:00.000+13:00

This week I began recording the album- whooop!

The first step was drum tracking. Logan used this AMAZING record as his drumming inspiration:

As you can imagine, it really added extra intensity and passion.

This is Olly Harmer, he is our recording engineer at The Lab:

He won Best Engineer at the NZ Music awards last year. But it is very strange, the 'technical' awards (Best Engineer, Producer, and Album Art) are actually HIGHLY creative, but they are held on a different night to the main awards- like they don't even matter!

As if shaping the sound of an album is of no importance.
Insane.

Anyway, he won. Hurrah. Working with Olly was wonderful, and we are just getting started. When the live song frenzy came upon me, he was there, getting creative with vintage room microphones to capture the song 'Lazarus' in one solid take.

What you cant see here are the boys stomping and clapping till their hands bled, and one very talented bass player.

Album Art

2011-10-25T13:43:00.000+13:00

Creating an album is a bit of a logistical challenge, so I've been neglecting blog duties somewhat.

The album is a crazy amount of work. Something else that has taken me by surprise is the amount of work that goes into orchestrating a magnificent photoshoot.

The lovely and talented Brooke Tyson is on board to style the shoot, providing her beautiful feminine and dramatic clothing, which is a thrill. I can't wait for my first fitting. I love playing dress-ups. I was also planning to diet, but my compulsive relationship with Tahini has ruined those plans somewhat.

On Sunday I even had a papercraft party with some of my girlfriends so that we could make the props for the shoot, which is loosely based on Erica Lack's paper art.

Who knew making things out of paper took such a bloody long time!! (I'm sure plenty of you do.) We worked for 5 hours, and are only about half-way there- if I am generous.

Erica is also doing the album artwork, which will be spectacular. I am so excited. The artwork is in production at the moment. I have only seen the sketches, but they are amazing.

I can't wait till I can show you.

Sweet Caravans

2011-10-04T14:11:00.000+13:00

Lately, I have been thinking that I would very much like to buy a wee run-down caravan and fix it up to live in.... much like these pics (uncredited, sorry! I can't remember where I found them):

Which makes me wonder: do I have the general craftiness needed to embark on a project like this? Yes, probably.
Do I have the attention span? Doubtful.
How about the attention to detail that would ensure I did a good job? Um.....errrrr....

But can you imagine how delightful it would be to live in? Small, but delightful.

Snow in Auckland!!

2011-08-16T13:05:00.000+12:00

Many of you will wonder what the big deal is. Snow. And about two minutes of it, at that. Pa-thetic.

The thing is, in Auckland, New Zealand it doesn't snow. Well it hasn't for 80 years.

So, yup, it may seem a little lame to get so excited, but growing up in Auckland it was the kind of thing us kids dreamed about. A magical idea that still seemed magical into my adulthood.

AND THEN IT HAPPENED! And, even better, I didn't read about it in the paper, enviously wishing that I had seen it (I do this with water-spouts and tornadoes), but for the two minutes that it snowed, I was right there at the window.

Well, that, and running around like a maniac yelling "COME AND LOOK! IT'S SNOWING!"

First snowflakes in upstate NY

To be honest, I'd only ever seen snow flakes once before, when I was visiting a good friend in upstate New York. I was so excited that I locked myself out of the house in my pajamas (see diagram.)

So, Auckland snow day was an excellent day...

Despite the fact that due to our un-insulated home with no central heating, I slept in 1x thermal pants, 1x thermal top, 1x pair socks, 1 x t-shirt, 1x full set of pajamas, with 1x hot water bottle, under 1x synthetic duvet/comforter, 1x feather duvet/comforter, 1x wool duvet/comforter and a fluffy blanket.

mmmm love!

2011-08-08T19:03:00.001+12:00

I love a sewing win.

Anyhoo, self drafted skirt with piping. Based on this skirt at the Sew Weekly for "peer review" week!

I'm pretty much in love with this skirt.

Sunrise

2011-08-07T00:48:00.002+12:00

The best view would have been right outside my flatmates room- but lurking outside their window with a camera at 6.30am might have seemed a little creepy.

This morning

2011-08-04T09:08:00.000+12:00

Even powerful wizards buy into Apple branding

2011-07-23T14:20:00.001+12:00

Last night, I had a dream that I was a wizard- I could make fireballs with my hands!

Despite this, I was sobbing because someone had stolen my Macbook Pro.

The ruffle dress

2011-07-15T23:26:00.000+12:00

I love this dress. Unfortunately, my awkward mid-dance stylings may detract from its awesomeness.
Lordy, how painful can a photograph be? Very.

The fabric is silk. It took a crazy-long time to sew because I don't have an overlocker/serger, and those ruffles are bastards.

Since I discovered the wonders of patterns (I used to just invent my own, with varied results), I have totally embraced the pattern world. This one was Simplicity 2360, which instantly got me with the ruffles. I am such a girly-girl that the mere suggestion of a ruffle sets my heart a-flutter.

Next time I take photos (I would have taken them on the dress-form, but it just didn't look right), I will maybe style the outfit better, instead of just running outside (for the natural light) as fast as I can to avoid freezing to death.

And maybe, just maybe, I will do my hair. If Nanna was alive, she would probably tell me that I'm "letting myself go"- which never seemed like a dreadful prospect.

It is hard, actually- I keep wanting to call her for sewing tips, and I can't.

But regardless, I sure am loving this sewing lark at the moment.

The sweet taste of spider.

2011-06-17T22:45:00.000+12:00

I live with hippies.

Not of the rainbow-jersey wearing variety, but urban hippies. They eat organics, do yoga, and look nice.

I have not been a hippie, but do like assimilating into my social groups.

Therefore, when I was told that carob rice cakes were a delicious treat- I bought one. So sincere was my flatmate when she extolled their virtues.

I couldn't even eat the whole thing.
"You'll be back," she told me.
And I was.

I finished my rice cake. Bought another. I complained without conviction as I ate it.

By the third carob rice cake I was hooked. I love them. I am obsessed with them. A turn of events that I did not expect.

This was marvellous! There was something to this healthy-eating thing.

Then, having been advised twice in one week to try raw cacao, I bought some raw cacao beans that another friend recommended. (She eats them instead of sweets.)

Having had such outrageous success with carob, I couldn't wait.

When I bit into my first bean, the intense flavour was overwhelming.

The flavour of a spider cocoon. Filled with eggs and wrapped in tree bark.

Surely that was a dud one! (I hoped).

Nope. They all taste like that.

I am praying that this bag of expensive spider treats soon turns into a glorious taste surprise.

Spider treats

White summer dress

2011-06-13T16:46:00.000+12:00

Last week over at the Sew Weekly they had a sewing challenge to make your 'perfect summer dress'. This isn't it. Summer perfection is a steep challenge.

But it was definitely the summer dress that I was in the mood to make. In the end, I rather like it, although the wide neck makes layering a lot more difficult.

I'm a bit sew obsessed at the moment. Although I suspect I have more important things that I'm supposed to be doing, I can't for the life of me think what they are.

Winter

2011-06-08T14:27:00.000+12:00

I bought gumboots. Though mine are black and shiny, not like these glorious wellies from Topshop.

Why? Because New Zealand weather in winter is crap. There is a billboard on my way to work which ~~shows me~~ taunts me with the current temperature in Fiji.

During the last couple of years global warming was good to us. Beautiful winters with clear skies. And now, classic NZ weather is back again. And it rains. A lot.

As New Zealanders, we all fool ourselves that we are a "sub-tropical" country (technically we are), so we don't wear rain coats or rain boots and our older houses aren't insulated. I currently sleep with three duvets on my bed.

But no! Finally I rage against this. I now wear gumboots to work when it is raining (they are pretty cute though). I am also determined to find a plastic rain coat that I like.

Then I will be a social outcast. But a dry one.

(Please, rich benefactor, let me live in L.A or something... so my hair will never be frizzy and my clothes will never be made of plastic.)

Behold the wonders!

2011-05-17T17:33:00.001+12:00

of this very average hoodie... which looks like every hoodie on this planet that you can buy for $20.... But actually cost a ridiculous amount in materials and took me like, 6 hours to make.

Awesome.

Actually, it is awesome.... but only because I made it. It is also made of totally rad, high quality merino wool, so it is a toasty dream (that for some reason looks like regular sweatshirt material.)

Banana feet

2011-04-26T13:41:00.000+12:00

When I was little, I went to the school dental nurse with some other classmates.

One of the boys was wearing his shoes on the wrong feet.

The dental nurse pointed and said, "banana feet!"

I didn't know this expression, and it was instantly the funniest thing that I had ever heard. I laughed and laughed and laughed...

Until she pointed at my own shoes (which were on correctly), and said, "pineapple feet!"

It really upset me.

Mouse Recreation

2011-03-29T17:14:00.000+13:00

Phew. It has been an exhausting few weeks, but I feel better now.

Sunday Diary

2011-03-20T11:08:00.000+13:00

Somebody very kind bought me the kind of diary that I've been looking for. One with watercolour pages (why is this such a hard thing to find??)

I was reading the very excellent Creating a Life Worth Living (which reminds me that I have a burning desire to make a new page on this blog where I write the crappiest book reviews ever), and in it, the author Carol Lloyd suggested doing an "ecstatic task" every day.

The ecstatic task is something creative that you are doing purely for the love of it, not to produce great works.

And I thought, what I love doing for fun is drawing with pen and watercolour! Hurrah!

...Although, this last week I have been waking up at 5.30am, which does diminish my love for the world somewhat....

Last Sunday

I just wanted him for talks...

2011-03-13T11:57:00.000+13:00

When I was 6, one of the best things in the world was the typewriter. It added such authority.

J.J and the gost.

It was nigt-fall and J.J ~~waw~~ was in bed a gost sletherd throw the walls of the house. It slitered down the hall. into J.Js' room!
~~So J.J.~~ In the moning J.J. got up he looked up he saw......................... A GOST$$!!!!!!
J.J was verry escered ,
your, a, gost, right said J.J. wooo ,said the gost, Pardn said J.J. wooo said the ~~got~~ gost. o,said J.J.
"AH" said J.J wen the gost wen,t thro him
gulp said J.J. O, said the gost sliding thro the wall ,o, well said J.J
I just wanted him for ~~tack~~ talks si said J.J.

Update-Wood Bay

2011-03-07T16:17:00.001+13:00

Anyone missing NZ will recognise this beautiful native Kauri tree- we have quite a few here.

When I originally posted this, I couldn't work out how to join my pics into a panoramic view, so I just posted 4 individual photos.
My good friend Ezra gave me the gift of panorama via email- WHEEEE! Thanks Ez! Here is the updated view.

Click on me to experience the panoramic wonders!

Good morning, sparkling awesomeness!

2011-03-07T09:52:00.000+13:00

This is the view from my new bedroom:

Do you hate me a little?

Thank you New Zealand for providing me with an amazing creative space- and all I have to do is drive a little bit further to work.

My walk-in-wardrobe (a dream of mine) is also large enough for me to set up my music. Oh lordy, today is good.

little monster

2011-02-03T13:55:00.000+13:00

rad friends doing cool sh*t

2011-01-30T22:37:00.002+13:00

Early last year, one of my good friends and her fiance came to visit me in Piha.

They were excellent house guests- in fact the most low-maintenance house guests EVER. That is because they slept and ate and worked in my back room and hardly came out for air.

They were co-writing this book! And now the book is published, has been totally rocking the NY Times best-seller list, and we are all thrilled.

I feel very proud and happy. Not only do I feel like my good friend is living her best life and being a wonderful, creative version of herself, but it gives me HOPE!
Hope for all my creative friends, and for myself too :)

Yes please

2011-01-27T22:59:00.000+13:00

The coolest mug in the world from LennyMud

The comfiest looking handmade ballet flats in the world. From lunashoesuk

Petticoat from PoshesPlace

My Nanna

2011-01-12T16:20:00.000+13:00

My Nanna with her 2 kids, 2 much younger silblings, and 2 neighbourhood children

My Nanna passed away on Monday night. It is quite a personal thing to be blogging about, but it is the only thing I've felt like writing for a long time.

Nanna helped my Mum to raise me, and because of that, me and Nan were very, very close. Two peas in a pod.

A gypsy once told Nanna that her daughter would "not be easily led," and Nan always thought that prophecy was about me. I was like a daughter to her and 50 times more stubborn than my mum.

Me (my Jamie Oliver Phase), Nanna, and Mum wearing a rather fetching sweatshirt.

Nan's hair was always done. Every day of her life. When I would visit Nan with no make-up and scruffy clothes, she would worry that I was "letting myself go." When was in hospital from her recent stroke, I think it was the first time in 86 years that she hadn't been able to do her hair.

That is a small thing, in comparison to the overwhelming pain and frustration of not being able to move half of your body. Bruised limbs from being moved, day to day boredom from lying there. There were uncaring nurses- but some beautiful souls as well.

Nanna was an excellent singer and impersonator. She sewed parachutes in the war, married young, and encouraged her husband to take a job in East Africa for the adventure of it.

She was caring and generous, and had infinite patience. She would take me for long walks, pushing me in the pram while I ate raw cauliflower. Nanna would sit for hours while I performed song and dance routines and gave fashion shows. (Bless her!)

There was an incident where she encouraged my four-year old self to jump from a moving bus- but that might be another blog post.

My lovely Nan

When Nanna passed away, she waited until I got there, and left this world 2 minutes after I arrived at her side.

I'm staying in her flat at the moment. People keep asking if it is difficult to stay here. It isn't, because everything smells like Nanna. What I'm really worried about is the time when I have to leave, and nothing will smell like Nanna again.

handmade xmas

2010-12-05T19:01:00.000+13:00

I've decided to make all my xmas gifts this year. Starting with a few xmas decorations for friends who as-yet have no kids to make them crappy ornaments to defile the xmas tree.

Being uber handmade, these imperfect wee decorations took AGES to make, which means sewing xmas decorations was probably a short-lived experiment.

Now, how to blog about the other gifts I'm planning to make without ruining xmas surprises....

Concord Dawn Video

2010-12-05T16:02:00.000+13:00

Over summer, Concord Dawn said to me, "hey, be on the upcoming album!"
I said, "sure."

So I co-wrote this song. Concord Dawn sent me the tunes from Vienna, I wrote the melody and lyrics, recorded it in Piha, and BAM! A few months later, the album was in my hands.

People bought my song on Itunes, and they played it on radio. That was pretty sweet. It was number one on George FM for 4 weeks and I didn't even bribe anyone.

Then they made a video. In Vienna. Without me. I just sat back and did nothing. And here it is.

Climbing Rangitoto

2010-11-29T11:43:00.001+13:00

Me at the top of Rangitoto Island

See how we just climbed a dormant volcano and we look HAPPY about it?? See that?
Ah, fitness, nice to see you again. It's been what, 20 years?

Susie rocking Rangitoto

I haven't been blogging much lately because, to be honest, I just don't feel like it.

But I HAVE been going to the gym. And running on the road*.
This is a miracle that only some will understand- a select group of brethren who also came last in any long-distance races at primary school. Perhaps your parents wrote you a note to save you from this humiliation? Perhaps you were just "sick" on the day of the cross-country race?
Yup, that was me.

The journey to the stage where I can lurch through a 3km jog has been painful and awkward. But SO fulfilling! And I climbed up a volcano without complaining. A miracle in itself.

Rangitoto- dominated by our superior hiking skills.

I've also been lifting weights. I even found my first muscle last week. Imagine that! Michelle Obama arms, here I come!

My eating hasn't been so marvellous. Which is definitely the key to weight loss. But this whole fitness concept is a new, fun thing.

As I mentioned, I've been doing Body For Life. But not strictly. I've been going to the gym 4.8 times per week (average) over the last 10, and my meals haven't been awesome. I'm sure that if I was going 6 times p/w, and eating like a champion, I would have seen even better results.

2 weeks till our final weigh-in and 'after' photos. No, I will not be posting them online!

Whoop whoop!

*Note: "Run" is actually a jog with intermittent walking

Turning 30

2010-08-19T16:57:00.002+12:00

My friend Aaron pretends he bought me all of these sweet gifts.

Is more fun than I could ever have imagined!

I've been celebrating since last Friday... and I have a MYSTERY WEEKEND AWAY starting tomorrow!

WHEEEE!

Aaron also pretends he bought me this sweet hot water bottle (he didn't, although he did draw me a roller-coaster and a turd in the card he gave me)

I have super kick-ass friends. And my mum (who is not a rich lady) bought me a guitar- which is not only thoughtful, but a huge financial sacrifice. I cried.

Yup, feeling pretty blessed, and totally LOVING this 30-business.

WHOOOOP!

Red Sea Buoys "Technology" Music Vid

2010-08-07T16:41:00.002+12:00

Brendon stars in this music video. He plays a computer geek who is doing some online romancing.... I think his eyebrows are the key to his bad-ass skills.

Cape day fun

2010-08-05T09:47:00.000+12:00

I have wanted to make a capelet with a bow for such a long time. I have been carrying this beautiful, light blue wool around for about a year.

The light isn't very good- it is raining and pouring here, but you get the idea. :)

And this brown fabric too- which I didn't like until it was a cape :)

Then, for my personal pleasure I also made a hot water bottle cover with the leftovers.

I love hot water bottles. The hot water bottle cover from this post (which was the joy of my heart) finally died.

I did such an extremely crappy job, no symmetry, no straight lines, no measuring, no attention to detail. BUT I did use pinking shears- which are a joy not experienced since childhood. So in the end, the crappiness kinda worked, and I kinda liked it.

Hurrah!

Monster Cookie

2010-07-21T14:04:00.000+12:00

Last night I had an odd dream...

For some reason I owned a large chocolate chip cookie that was actually a monster, and I was slightly afraid.

In the dream the monster cookie ate flies.

Flies would land on the cookie and dissolve into it. When the flies dissolved, they looked just like a chocolate chip.

In the dream I was filled with anxiety. Anybody eating this cookie would not know which part was a chocolate chip and which part was a dissolving fly.

Plus, I was scared of a baked treat.

Mouse attack!

2010-07-17T16:08:00.001+12:00

By the time you see a mouse poo, there are already hundreds of mice infesting your life. (That's right, not your house, your life!)

Such is my take on mice since The Great Piha Mouse Infestation.

We moved out of the mouse house of horrors (which also had great views and lousy neighbours) about 2 months ago now.

We didn't even know that we had a mouse problem until some guests saw one in the kitchen. Having been discovered, the mice began showing up everywhere. Eating pasta from the cupboard, tomatoes from the fruitbowl. FLYING off the bathroom counter top.

We laid traps. Mouse after mouse was caught. After we caught about 8 mice in 2 days, and there were no signs of the mouse plague stopping, we resorted to gruesome poisoning tactics.

Still they came.

There was even one incident with an "enraged" mouse trying to bite Brendon.

When we moved house, there was a treasure trove discovered of fat, infectious poops coating everything that had been stored.

It was horrific.

So...You can imagine how my heart broke today when I found three mouse poos today in my new house.

Commission this!

2010-07-06T19:57:00.000+12:00

Tonight, I commissioned this worthy artwork for $1.40.

$1.40 may not seem like much, but this money takes the artist's piggy bank up to $6.80, which makes me a serious patron of the arts.

Please enlarge to see the alien more closely. There are people coming out of his mouth, he is wearing a party hat, and is wearing P-Funk boots. I am not sure which is scarier- the bad-ass alien, or the tornado sucking people (and one sheep) into the vortex.

Also note superman flying in on the left.

Natural Selection

2010-06-30T11:34:00.000+12:00

I called up the University today.

"Hi, I'm just calling up to check what papers I'm enrolled in this semester."
"Um, you aren't enrolled in any."
"Sure I am! I did it online when I was enrolling for summer school."
"No, you aren't enrolled in summer school either."
"Oh, really? I feel a bit dumb. Ummm.... can I just enroll now?"
"You do extramural study, right?"
"Yeah. So can I enroll?"
"No, enrollments closed."
"Oh."

So, in conclusion...
Perhaps a person who can't fill in an enrollment form correctly shouldn't go to Uni. ;)

This week

2010-06-03T09:52:00.000+12:00

Our new accordion

2010-05-24T10:14:00.000+12:00

On Saturday we moved house (which was horrible-who likes moving day?)

We moved to Avondale.
Avondale is sometimes referred to as Stab-n-dale, or Stabs, for short. But the house is a big villa, with wooden floors and cheap rent. Oh, and a luxury INSIDE TOILET AND SHOWER.

I can hear the cars on the main road instead of the sound of the sea roaring onto the beach, but it is 10 mins to work instead of an hour.

So on Sunday we went out for the day, and stopped by a great antique shop to look for a new-to-us couch.

Instead, what we found was this FABULOUS old Hohner accordion/ squeeze-box, which is JUST what we needed in our lives, having written a new song that needed one a few weeks back.

What makes life even better, is that as we came out of the shop, we met Tracey Stevens and Tony who were in Auckland for the day taking photos. Tracey sent me these awesome pics last night- how lovely is that!!??

I thought how nice it is to make new friends whilst buying an accordion.

Missing in Action

2010-05-12T09:46:00.000+12:00

I am supposed to be writing an essay (dumb).

While I do this, feel free to buy me
this chicken foot:

mrd74

This tree stump:

myimaginaryboyfriend

Or this owl:

decoylab

Thank you very much.

Roller Derby Madness!

2010-05-03T23:47:00.000+12:00

Photo: Pirate City Rollers

I decided to go to Freshmeat Sunday at the Rollerderby Rink.

When I announced this on Facebook, the response was quite discouraging.
“Mate have you seen those girls? Hope you skate fast!”
“I’m very worried about you getting smashed and crashed and pulverized. Please be careful.”

But I loved roller skating as a child, and figured I could take a beating, so I grabbed two of my friends and went.

These were my initial worries:

1. I didn't look cool enough and had no tattoos (well, I didn't look cool enough, but nobody cared.)

2. The other girls would be HUGE and I would be pounded to a pulp (girls were a range of sizes, some surprisingly little, and there was no pulping on that first day)

3. I wouldn't be able to skate (turns out a lot of people can't remember how to skate... but I kinda did!)

It was actually AMAZING FUN. The only thing to be afraid of was the putrid, unwashed, knee, elbow and wrist pads.

They showed us stops, and we practiced falling onto one knee and getting up again (think lunges on wheels).

It was the BEST workout I have had in years. I would never do that many lunges at a gym. No way.

For the rest of the week I couldn't walk. And not in the hyperbolic way most people claim that they can't walk after a work-out. For a whole week my muscles were killing me. For a whole week I couldn't walk up or down stairs without clutching the hand rail like an 80-year old. But I also couldn't stop dreaming about Roller derby.

When I went back the next week, my muscles still hurt.

Week 2:
Anyhoo, not being a sporty person, I thought that this whole "warming up" thing was a myth. As a result of my idiocy, I injured myself in within the first 10 minutes, dragged myself off the rink, and had to lie down because I thought I was going to faint. Ha!

I haven't been back since.
But, I still honestly believe that Roller Derby is the sport for me! I just need to free my Sundays up and buy my own knee pads, so I don't vomit at the smell. Whoop whoooop!

Emma Article

2010-04-27T17:40:00.000+12:00

Photo: Chris Corson-Scott

The Spirituality, Sexuality, and Sensuality of Emma Walter
"Jesus, Drugs, and Jeff Buckley style folk."

I wrote it, you read it!
Then listen to her rad-ass music!

How to blow a job interview

2010-04-26T10:16:00.001+12:00

I am a student at the moment, and need a part-time job in order to buy groceries.
I am also the master of blowing job interviews.

My job interview the other day was with an upmarket clothing boutique.

In my head, I am qualified for the job. I am friendly, I have worked in retail and sales, I make clothes for a living for heavens sake. I love dressing people.

But in the interview I didn't say any of these things.

"Hey Nina, so, what are your favourite high fashion labels?"
"Oh, I prefer to buy vintage and handmade..." FAIL "And to be honest I'd rather spend money on a guitar than spend hundreds on a piece of clothing." FAIL FAIL FAIL

"Can you work Xmas hours?"
"Yes, as long as I don't have a gig." FAIL

"So you are back at school again?"
"Yeah, studying journalism. Only a year to go. Luckily I can cross-credit a lot from my music degree- another terrible life decision!" FAIL FAIL FAIL

(Actually, this was the one bit where I lied. It wasn't another terrible life decision, it was a terrible life decision that turned into a great learning opportunity. But my verbal diarrhea was in full swing. I was gushing forth crap and I couldn't seem to stop. )

I was dismissed in 15 minutes.

No surprises, I didn't get the job.

Leila fixed my life so you can see cool stuff

2010-04-15T21:00:00.003+12:00

Basically, this post WAS asking for help because I wasn't embedding my youtube videos properly, and they were only half showing up. But Leila saved my life.
So now I am posting 40 seconds of the REAL ghostbusters- where Sigourney opens the fridge....

And the 48 second rip-off that I tried to post before (and failed at)...

I am going crazy with power....

Punched in half

2010-04-13T15:05:00.002+12:00

The dog next door is always yapping. Yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap yap.

It belongs to the people who also bought their kids the dirt bikes that plagued us when we first moved in. Oh, and did I mention that their adorable kids tried to clog up our outside toilet with expanding foam??? Gee, how I laughed. (Ahem.. for those who didn't insert sarcasm into that sentence, please do so now.)

Yap Yap Yap Yap Yap

Brendon: I'd just like to punch that dog in half!
Me: Punch it in half????

You sure would need some serious punching powers.

We thought that if we sent the neighbours a creepy, threatening note, it would look like this:

V 48 Seconds Film comp

2010-04-12T10:16:00.004+12:00

Brendon is in a team (lensflare) that enters the 48 hour film competition every year.

Hundreds of people from around the country make a short film over a 48 hour period (not an easy thing to do well!).

Teams are given a genre, character, and line of dialogue on the Friday night and they write, film and edit a short movie by Sunday night. If any team is one second over the deadline, they are out of the competition. (Oh, I can't resist adding that lensflare won the national competition once and were runners-up another time. Phew. ok, boast over.)

Last year I promised Brendon that I would bring him food and drink and keep him nourished. I didn't. This year I may do the same.

Anyhoo- the warm up to this event (happening this weekend) is the 48 seconds competition. The rules are: the wee movie has to be 48 seconds long, it has to contain a can of V, and the clip has to be a scene from a film.

They chose the scene in Ghostbusters where Sigourney Weaver comes home to find Zuul in her fridge. I have posted it for your viewing pleasure. I love the low-budget awesomeness and the mean V can.

Enjoy!

Poladroid Fun!

2010-04-09T17:19:00.001+12:00

Poladroid is a site where you can convert your photos into Polaroid madness. Tons of fun.

So we have one pic of little Deniro... and in the spirit of polaroids, I also converted a couple of enraged action-shots.

Download free musics!

2010-04-08T09:41:00.002+12:00

Jealous Guy by ninamcsweeney

Download this- for free!

This is a recording of John Lennon's Jealous Guy that I did with my old band about 2 years ago now.

It is completely different to the music I am working on now- field holler/blues/ bluegrass type stuff. Really stripped back. I will post that too, when it's finished :)

But anyway- I love downloading free stuff, so here is free stuff for you too! (just click on the arrow on the side of the soundcloud bar)

Makin' stuff this week...

2010-03-29T10:33:00.005+13:00

Cheeky

2010-03-29T10:18:00.001+13:00

Deniro eating the herbs.

Etsy desires

2010-03-17T11:12:00.005+13:00

Things I am in love with:

Sorbet hair pins from Mia Beads yum yum yum

dear god I want a tea cosy from Andrea Lesley Crochet

Live the zig-zag dream with Oveja Negra

I need these, don't I?

Acorns by Fairyfolk

Seen today: three dead birds...

2010-03-13T11:38:00.004+13:00

... and one man jogging in only underpants and running shoes.

If there were any signs signifying the end of the world, surely this would be one!

New Etsy purchase

2010-03-12T18:04:00.001+13:00

Oh sigh. I shouldn't have. But I kept visiting this shop again and again....
And it's custom-made. Sigh.
Thanks Sohomode

Birth Story Blog

2010-03-12T11:49:00.005+13:00

I don't have kids, maybe never will. But the first story on this wonderful blog made me laugh and cry too. And I am the last person that I thought would ever cry during a birthing story!

Holy hell. Brendon will start to worry that I'm getting clucky... but I'm not- it is just amazing how moving these stories can be.

I can imagine that this blog would also be a great way to share your stories and get support if you are a mother or mother-to-be.

So check it out and send in your stories!!

Full-on colours

2010-03-10T10:37:00.002+13:00

I showed my man my new colour scheme and he just said, "woah." Which I don't think is a good thing.

Dammit. Trust me to go for the most uber-colourful template around. I wish I could just make my own.

I was also trying to find a 3-column blog template (fail).

My blog feels all squishy now.

So if any of you have any advice, advise away! I needs it!

We travel to where "the fun begins"

2010-03-08T15:08:00.007+13:00

We decided to go to the Southern Hemisphere's crappiest amusement park, Rainbows End. It also happens to be New Zealand's best.

I don't think the park has had any maintenance for the last ten years. The log flume ride promised an enchanted forest. It delivered an elf with one arm, and one who had no doubt been overwhelmed by the delights of the forest and had collapsed.

As we floated majestically down the river, there was an assortment of old gum stuck to the underside of the bridge we had to travel under. There was an old chip packet in the pine needles.

When we played miniature golf, the 18 holes of yesteryear had been changed to 12 holes to accommodate a weird, un-inviting conference centre.

The golfing 'green' was worn and fraying. It had also somehow shrunk and there was a crack an inch wide surrounding each green. My ball kept lodging itself in these cracks instead of bouncing winningly into the hole.

Then came the most exciting part of the game. I hit my golf ball into a mystery tunnel. The idea being that my ball would somehow travel past the obstacles on the course to appear right next to the hole. I dreamed of a hole-in one!

Alas. Wondering where my ball was, I discovered that it had become stuck in a tangle of leaves in this mystery tunnel. After clearing this, I stood back, waiting for my golfing glory. My ball moved a little before getting stuck under the rolled edge of the golfing green.

Oh, and to top it all off, I lost.

So we decided to celebrate this glorious day by paying $16 for the photo on the log-flume.

It ended up looking a little obscene and I was slightly embarrassed as we stood in line with families waiting to get their happy snaps. Plus, who knew I had a tongue as long as Gene Simmons'?
Creepy.

General life stuff and a few new dresses

2010-03-07T11:57:00.006+13:00

At the moment I am typically over-committed. I'm back at school. My subjects are great, but I'm feeling like my brain is being fried.

On Tuesday nights I am taking a Pattern Making class. Which, to me, feels like Math. And I sucked at Math. So even though I am in awe and wonder at the possibilities of pattern making, I feel like the dunce of the class.

Still writing for Soundproof, and I'm mentoring a young girl through Project K. Which is always really cool. I went to the airbase yesterday and watched her skydive out of a Hercules.

I stole this photo from The Guardian.
I only had a vague idea of how large a Hercules really was, so this shows the scale. It was a super cool day. She was the last to jump, but the 7 hour wait was totally worth it!

I've had a great friend visit from Canada, and two great friends visit from Nashville.

So this is why I haven't been blogging!

I've made a few more dresses. I always post them here because the different Sari patterns are so exciting. But I'm hoping that with the pattern class of dreams, I will soon be able to make all the things that are floating around in my head. Whoop!

I can't get any books out of the library because they are too distracting. Sigh. Roll on mid-semester break.

Papercut detail

2010-02-22T16:56:00.003+13:00

Holy crap! I thought Erica's papercuts were amazing before..... but now I see this detail I am even more blown away. Click on it for a close-up. There are miniature wonders inside it like tiny little keys....

Read my crap!

2010-02-12T16:48:00.003+13:00

Read some crap I wrote!!! Do it! :)
It is my second article for Soundproof.
Read it now!

Ps: my camera as broken. Sob.

These kick my ass with awesomeness

2010-02-03T11:55:00.006+13:00

made by NYrika

These are the coolest hats I have ever seen. I love how the penguin looks disgruntled and slightly ill.
Also made by NYrika is this sweet shark:

Cuteness

2010-02-01T23:08:00.004+13:00

Thanks Vegkat for my Happy 101 award :)
My personal favourite Vegkat post is this one entitled "no more menstrual mobile" which made me laugh and laugh.

Sooo- here I list 10 things that make me happy and 10 blogs that make me happy.... and if your blog is chosen then you win the happy award. Hurrah! If you wish to participate in this cycle of blog love..... well, you choose 10 things and 10 blogs etc etc etc.

10 things that make me happy without fail (not in order):
1.Having a great jam with awesome musicians... or a great gig
2. My lovely Brendon
3. Food. And specifically people cooking for me. It is a wondrous delight.
3. Piha beach. Walking on it. Livin by it. Listening to it.
4. Exciting new places
5. The movie Harold and Maude
6. A new book
7. Beautiful shoes and clothes. Particularly I like to imagine beautiful clothes that I would make if I had the pattern making skills. And the sewing skills too.
8. Discovering new music
9. Dancing
10. My Nanna

Now for the BLOGS (in no particular order)!

Scientician-
I love her for her rants, scientific information, stories about stuff I dont do (cooking) and things I never plan to do (running).
Favourite science post: New reasons to love your vagina!
I was going to post my favourite rant here.... Which was also vagina-related.... But I couldn't find it. SOB!

Modish-
for yummy design wonders!

Elsa Mora-
She makes super cute stuff

Fighting Commies for Health Insurance-
The scenario: you and your partner are trying to make it as writers in Hollywood. Suddenly there is a pregnancy and you are forced to join the military for health insurance....

Julita's Studio-
Beautiful art and a great, honest reflection into life

Paperwaves-
Papercuts to die for and so much talent I want to puke. But in the good way.

Regretsy-
I first heard about Regretsy from my Google stats. When I saw the site, I freaked out and searched Regretsy for my work. However... by the end of my Regretsy time, I had laughed so much that I was pretty disappointed that I wasn't featured.
Plus, being featured is a GREAT way to make sales!

SmoothAnimator-
I love seeing what she has been animating! Plus there are super cute xmas pics :)

Cozyhunter-
Currently TOO in love- blah! ;) But I forgive her.

skinnylaminx-
Always designing cool stuff.

Magical Tree

2010-01-30T09:58:00.004+13:00

I was walking along the street and noticed that this tree belonged in a magical world.

Free-range Deniro- Karate Master

2010-01-27T11:53:00.005+13:00

Sweet little Deniro is now free-range.

I don't believe in keeping rabbits in tiny little cages (my point being that your cat or dog would be miserable in tiny cages, so why do it to rabbits?)... so usually I would employ a large run in the yard and free reign of the house.

However, where we are living now is DOG CITY! They seem to roam around everywhere. That would probably scare the pajeebus out of little Deniro, and a run wouldn't be secure enough.

So I took him to mums. Where he is now free-range. She lives in a farm area and Deniro roams around all day munching grass. He still visits the house every morning for treats and cuddles, and still likes a pat when you see him on the grass. The only difference is that he looks HAPPIER! And actually more trim. Deniro never runs away even though there are no fences. He just enjoys life. And that is AWESOME!

I was worried about other bunnies beating him up, but I saw him involved in a mid-air karate fight the other day and I know I don't have to worry.
He is a Karate MACHINE!

Neither of the bunnies were hurt, but I think Deniro won. And he has sweet Karate skills, so I am kinda proud.

Dresses and a few scarves

2010-01-26T10:35:00.011+13:00

And since I am obsessed with scarves, I thought I would throw a few together with some Sari offcuts that I can't stand to throw away...

Sunset powers!

2010-01-25T23:24:00.004+13:00

The view to the sunset is blocked by a sand dune and a tree, but you can tell when you are in for a doozy.

When you think there is a doozy sunset you need to be super quick to not miss a moment! So we sprinted over the road and took some photos. Which, of course, don't look nearly as cool as the real thing.

I've been feeling restless in NZ lately, but count my blessings to have super cheap rent near a wild and beautiful beach.

Favourite Covers- #1 Ring of Fire

2010-01-16T16:07:00.003+13:00

OOOH, this video clip is SOOOOO good.

It is worth watching the whole thing because...

First: June Carter Cash recites a very weird (may I say bad?) poem. And then Johnny tells her she did "just fine" and they seem so in love.

Secondly: The interview with Ray Charles is so sweet. And then Ray Charles plays Johnny an AWESOME version of I Walk the Line. Oh man. Ray is so cool.

Then: Then Ray plays Ring of Fire. And dishes out a serious ass-kicking. Legs flailing. Rocking the sh*t outta it.

I wish I was Ray Charles SO bad.

And the original Ring of Fire, sung by Johnny Cash. June Carter Cash was one of the co-writers, so we will forgive her for that dreadful poem she read earlier...

Favourite Covers- #2 Mad World

2010-01-16T16:03:00.004+13:00

This is such a beautiful, beautiful song. I love it so much. And the Gary Jules version of Mad World is so haunting and amazing... and.. just wow.

And the original Tears for Fears version... so upbeat and synthy.

Favourite Covers- #3 Hurt

2010-01-16T15:56:00.004+13:00

If anyone was in doubt about Johnny Cash's coolness... He covers "Hurt" by Trent Reznor and completely owns it.
And the video! I know more than one person that cries at this....

And the Nine Inch Nails version... pretty similar, but also awesome

Favourite Covers- #4 Hallelujah

2010-01-16T15:49:00.002+13:00

Hallelujah. Jeff Buckley. He has made this song almost TOO popular. Everyone sings it now. But nobody sings it as beautifully.

The original, Leonard Cohen version.

Favourite Covers- #5 Light My Fire

2010-01-16T12:26:00.003+13:00

Jose Feliciano's version of Light My Fire... he actually won a Grammy award for Best Male pop Vocalist for this song in 1969.

And The Door's original version. Which is completely kick ass. What a kick ass song.

Favourite Covers- #6 All Along The Watchtower

2010-01-16T12:05:00.005+13:00

I thought I would post 6 of my all time favourite covers. It was going to be five, but I couldn't cull any more.

I know a lot of people (especially musicians) who think covering other people's songs is pathetic! But I say to them, "behold these wonders of the musical age!"

That ability to take a song and make it completely your own.

(Plus, sometimes... on a personal note... I have to make a living playing covers. But I would rather do that than be a receptionist at a law firm or something. Which one of those is selling out more, I ask ya?)

JIMMY HENDRIX COVERING ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER:

The original version, written by Bob Dylan here:

Now, when Dylan plays Watchtower live, he actually plays it more like Hendrix.

Papercuts that blow my mind!

2010-01-16T00:08:00.005+13:00

Holy crapola. My friend Erica made these papercuts over her holidays:

The one with the blue frame amazes me so much that I had to have a little lie-down.

And, if that wasn't enough, she has just started this brand new Etsy shop!All you Etsy kids out there will know how hard it is opening an Etsy shop, so visit and heart her- it won't be hard to do!! :)

For our engagement prezzie she made us an awesome pastel drawing/ papercut combo... AND framed it. What a woman.
I will have to take a pic and post it.

I tells ya, I feel lucky to know someone so talented and so unbelievably cool.

SIGH! :)

Puni

2010-01-03T12:28:00.002+13:00

Snack Review

Notice that the monkey on the packet is lapsing into a diabetic coma.

Scientician

2009-12-15T23:24:00.004+13:00

I made my friend Susie a banner. I think she might be using it on her blog for pity, but I am pleased anyway.

(I really can't work my drawing tablet)

Check her out! She is a scientician and is in charge of all science-related matters in our friendship.

Some new dresses

2009-12-14T12:03:00.007+13:00

The 5th day of Xmas

2009-12-12T10:32:00.002+13:00

That moment...

2009-12-09T22:38:00.003+13:00

when you say to the person mucking around on the piano,
"Hey, that sounds like the song Easy Like Sunday Morning. Do you know that song??"
And they say,
"Yes. I wrote it."
And they actually did.

Good times.
So then you grab the mic and start singing along for fun, but you don't do a good job...so they sing instead. You don't feel embarrassed because it is all far too much fun.

Yup, just a typical Wednesday night.

The 5th day of Xmas

2009-12-05T21:31:00.005+13:00

hmmmm.... it was a BEAUTIFUL day today. I mean, STUNNING.

So instead of drawing the 5th day of Xmas I had a wonderful time outside. Hurrah!
Then I went to mum's and had a jam... I'm trying to get better at the guitar, and the resulting jam was horrible. Truly horrible.

Tonight I am finishing up the Concord Dawn track that I have been working on. Which may not seem like a thrill for a Saturday night, but it is.

I'm hoping that the track gets played at a huge festival like the Big Day Out and I can stand in the crowd and watch lots of drugged out people dance to my song (view scenario below). That would be amazing!

On the fourth day of christmas

2009-12-04T10:14:00.002+13:00

The third day of Xmas

2009-12-03T10:36:00.002+13:00

The second day of Xmas

2009-12-02T10:12:00.003+13:00

First day of Xmas

2009-12-01T17:34:00.003+13:00

The toilet walk of shame

2009-11-21T10:12:00.005+13:00

When the toilet is outside the house there can be some awkwardness using the facilities when the neighbours are in their backyard.

This awkwardness is heightened when there are a posse of people standing in the backyard watching their children go around and around on their motorbikes.... drinking beers and staring RIGHT AT THE TOILET.

The beer drinking makes the toilet feel like sideshow entertainment in their destruction derby.

All moved in...

2009-11-16T11:19:00.005+13:00

We finally moved into the new house, which despite the smallness and outside toilet and shower... feels even nicer than the old house!

We don't have the view that we did at the old place- this photo is taken from our deck, but as you can see we just cross over the road, go over the dunes and waaa-hooo- beach!
Pretty lucky to be living in NZ, I think.

The next door neighbours also gave their kids motorbikes on the weekend. So the serenity was disturbed by the kids driving around in circles all day, both days of the weekend. (Surely that will get boring soon?) But despite that, this house is STILL better than our last one... AND the neighbours can't complain about me practicing the drums.

In other news... I was in a stationery store and this gigantic photo was on the wall. Does anyone else find it a little obscene??

An invitation to stalk

2009-10-23T22:58:00.004+13:00

View Larger Map

I am not blogging much at the mo, cause I waiting to move into the new place (LOCATION SHOWN ABOVE)

It has an outside toilet and shower- which may prove to be exciting. The plus side is that it is just a short walk over the sand dunes to wild and wonderful Piha beach.
Roar of the sea, black sand, that yummy ocean smell in the air...

The house is simple and small and cheap and I am in love.

Exciting things

2009-10-23T22:43:00.004+13:00

photo: Tarryn Garton

SOOOO.... my very first article is published here. Wheee! Its still a little scary. This writing lark is hard work! The article is about the NZ music awards and the funny attitude we NZers have with success.

I am already planning a wish list that would see me going to great local gigs, festivals (Big Day Out please sir)... international concerts (Them Crooked Vultures... Faith No more).... and having a jolly time playing rock journalist.

That life suits me JUST FINE.

Ladyhawke and the Prime Minister

2009-10-09T14:00:00.006+13:00

I was at the New Zealand Music Awards last night gathering info for the article I will be writing for SoundProof Magazine.

Highlight- Interviewing Ladyhawke, who scooped 6 NZ Music Awards... all deserved. I was able to ask her about her songwriting process and the production of her albums, which was a complete thrill for me. She was so sweet and humble and cute that I just wanted to cuddle her.

Lowlight- Some poor soul was standing at the side of the red carpet proffering her home-made demos to record execs and artists that just came to party and drink. Let me just say that she didn't look worldly enough for anyone to take her seriously anyway. I spoke to her briefly and gave her some advice and she was very sweet.
It broke my little heart because people are mean and life is tough.

Weirdlight-
I also interviewed the NZ Prime Minister, John Key.
This was an odd experience.
I felt very confused when I finished the interview. I found myself liking the guy.

I am very liberal, and have never been a fan. But there he was being interesting and chatty and likable, just like a good politician should.... and when I asked him about his favourite act of the night he chose one of the lesser-known artists, Sola Rosa, instead of one of the big headliners.

Way to win my approval.... dammit.

Undiscovered Wonder

2009-10-08T10:07:00.005+13:00

I first met Emma Walter when I used to MC this female singer-songwriter night.

To be honest, most performers were average. Some were good.... but then Emma would come on and literally take my heart out of my body. She would hush the entire room and is the only performer in the world who can make me cry.

She has a completely ethereal/ spiritual approach to making music and when you watch her, it is just this magical happening.

Emma finally finished her album. It is amazing. But due to record label problems, who knows when it will be released. And she is a poor artist and can't afford to release it herself.

Anyway, I post this because this album makes me feel things. So check out the preview of the album here and experience it for yourself.

Tsunami excitement!

2009-09-30T13:59:00.009+13:00

photo link

I woke up this morning (bleary and disorientated, as is my custom) to a friend of mine telling me NZ was on a Tsunami warning.

The Piha Tsunami siren started to wail. (Very annoying but also a little scary.)

HOLY CRAP. I began to plan my retreat to higher ground. I would need to take Deniro, of course, but the kettle was boiling and I figured that there would be time for a cup of tea.

By the time sanity kicked in, I had read the news that the Tsunami was only going to be 1metre high anyway, so I was pretty safe up the hill where I live.

Suddenly the prospect of a Tsunami became the event of the day. Thanks to the fancy weather systems, I knew that it was predicted to hit at 11.39am. How precise. I grabbed my camera.

Every time I looked at the sea, all the water appeared to be draining back in anticipation of a monster wave.

Alas, there was no impressive feat of nature.

Reports came that a 40cm wave hit an East Coast beach. Pathetic.

You should be ashamed of yourself, Tsunami.

The creepy boss saga.

2009-09-25T10:29:00.006+12:00

Lately I have been thinking of my creepy creeeepy boss that I had last year.

If he is reading this (and I wouldn't put it past him) he would probably be under the illusion that I was thinking of him fondly, even though I used the word creepy. Twice.

No, I am thinking of how much I would still like to hit him in the head with a garden spade. I think it would be cathartic if I wrote this down.

So the saga goes like this:

I start working at a job. In sales (EWWWWWW. But I was poor). The boss seemed nice, which is crazy because normally my intuition about people is excellent. I thought "How nice to have a friend as your boss."

He texted me on weekends and I thought he was just a little inappropriate, but harmless.
I stopped wearing pretty clothes around the office, but didn't think anything of it.

So, then I took a work trip to Queenstown (by myself). By the way, Queenstown is the most amazing city and is all Lord of the Rings mountains.

When I got there, there was this HUGE box of peonies waiting for me at my hotel room. A box! I felt sick. I took them and immediately ran down to reception and gave them to the receptionist. (They are no longer my favourite flower)

I couldn't face talking to my boss. So I text him
"Thanks for the flowers, but they are very inappropriate and make me feel uncomfortable"
He replies, "They were just a thank you for your good work"
I thought- Ok, he has saved face, we can pretend that it is for my good work. I did not reply.

An hour or so later he texted me a garbled message:
"All I want is love like every other person. I just want to enjoy to the max the happiness I feel when you are around" (to the MAX?)
I reply, "What I want is an appropriate working relationship and boundaries"

He says "WILL MAN EVER UNDERSTAND WOMAN?" Like I am some coy girl playing hard to get. NO, I was not playing hard to get. I was is employee and also found him repulsive.

I repeated myself "I want appropriate boundaries if we are still going to work together"

So, I get back to Auckland and he (62 years old, gross, hair like a hamster) is behaving like a angsty teen. He asks me why I am acting so cold!
I tell him that it is because he has acted inappropriately and put my job at risk.

He says, "I thought you were in love with me"
"How the hell did you get that idea?"
"You sent me a secret message in your blog"
"What!!??"
"You drew a picture of a dinosaur and a rabbit who were in love"
"Let me assure you that was just a picture of a dinosaur and a rabbit."

That was this blog post, and this was the picture:

I ask him if we can forget this and keep working together.

So... earlier in the year I had told him that if he liked writing, maybe he should start a blog. Which is advice I would give to anyone who liked writing. Now, nobody followed his blog and I was the only one likely to check it.

I went there and there was a graphic erotic blog post! It was revolting and graphic and detailed and everyone who saw it felt sick.

THEN for Xmas, as we were breaking up for our summer holiday he ran out to my car to give me a present as I was leaving. I opened it as soon as I got home, because why save an icky surprise for xmas day?

In the box were two stuffed toys.... a dinosaur and a rabbit!!

Oh the creepiness. I didn't really talk to him much when work resumed again and tried to avoid 'planning lunches' and endless meetings with just the two of us.

In the end he fired me saying I was a bad employee... but I had already got another job lined up with cool, non creepy people, so I was glad to escape.

Deniro's disappearing act

2009-09-18T18:16:00.003+12:00

Oh that cheeky lil Deniro. First he loved to sit in the fireplace, which I thought was silly enough.

Then I looked away for a second, and when I looked back, he had disappeared...

He was up the chimney!

What a little monkey.

Deniro and the fireplace

2009-09-11T07:57:00.002+12:00

Deniro has discovered my fireplace. He loves sitting in it and trying to climb up it. VERY cute.

No photo today because I am late for work.... which I am being made redundant from! So soon I will be a blogging madman. And I will post drawings and photos ALL THE TIME.

Worried about money, but looking forward to having time to do fun and creative things. And... well, I can't wait to stop this job.

Toodles!

Wake up to communism...

2009-09-07T09:50:00.004+12:00

With this Vintage Chairman Mao Alarm Clock!

Please note the protesting fist near the number 5. This punches every second.

I bought this for a friend in the weekend. I hope it inspires her to renounce her capitalist ways.

Etsy Front Page (thanks!)

2009-09-03T15:38:00.004+12:00

I feel greedy. But in all honesty, I think they were searching for the same thing as last time.
Tagging is the key!

Thanks Etsy. Every time I feel like quitting making dresses, something nice like this gives me a boost. :)

Deniro RULES

2009-08-31T17:37:00.004+12:00

I have a new bunny! He was from the SPCA, and his name is Deniro. Obviously he is a complete bad ass.

Watch 9 seconds of Rabbit coolness:

In other news, I think the mystery animal who lived in my ceiling has died. There is a dead smell in the house and I don't really know what to do about it. Do you wait it out until all the mystery animal juices have dried out... and live with months of stink?

If not, I don't know how to climb up there... and I'm not sure if I would want to.

Suckiness and Awesome Farideh

2009-08-26T22:50:00.004+12:00

I started University, and I don't think I have ever sucked at anything so bad.

It is the adult student syndrome.
Actually... I lie. One set of adult students get straight A's. The other set (like me) forget how to reference and write in a University friendly manner.

I just got a D on a brief I had to write ABOUT MY OWN BAND. Apparently I didn't research it enough. I live it, but didn't research it in the University way. Oh lordy, a D!!!! (I've actually never got a D before).

The shame!

Anyway, to recover from the horrors....

Vote for my most wonderful friend Farideh (who I love very dearly) in this North American Songwriting Contest- she is in the top 10!!

I think she is glorious and charming. And she is touring NZ in Feb! WHEEEE!

Shoes of Dreams

2009-08-26T10:09:00.003+12:00

mmmmmmm... vintage yellow snakeskin heels. Thanks zaasvintageboots.

I also bought some boots from them. But these little yum yum shoes are the shoes of dreams.

Of course, they are actually slightly too small for me so I will end up stretching them out of shape as I try to mash my feet into them... sigh.

Ghost rabbit

2009-08-19T15:13:00.003+12:00

I had the best dream last night.

One of my pet rabbits who died came to visit in ghost form! It was awesome. My rabbit was invisible but we hung out and had great cuddle moments. Even when invisible, rabbits are cuddle-tastic.

I miss having a pet!

Squid Power!

2009-08-17T07:40:00.005+12:00

In the spirit of dragging my birthday on for as long as humanly possible (it is tomorrow) me and Brendon went for a birthday weekend in Wellington which was SO MUCH FUN.

Seen a Colossal Squid lately? Thrill of my life!

Everyone has said that they found this monster of the deep disappointing... perhaps because they were expecting a squid that could take down a ship.

But if you are comparing it to a normal squid, or say, if you were deep sea diving- I think you would say "holy crap. That is the most frightening squid I have ever seen."

Now I will show you photos of other people looking thrilled by the colossal squid:

And delight you with a squid autopsy:

I neglected to take photos of myself with the squid, because I was too busy extolling its virtues and walking in a dreamy stupor to the gift shop to buy squid merchandise.

fish wonders

2009-08-10T11:19:00.004+12:00

I drove past a primary school and look at the wonders!!
Fish galore all swimming like a rainbow on the school fence!

Click on the image to see the individual fish that the kids have done. I think they rule.

Makin stuff

2009-08-10T10:37:00.007+12:00

Back to makin stuff.
It is because I have finished 2 out of 3 Uni assignments - wheee! My first assignment was due last week was a big 30%, and I completely SUCKED at it.
Completely and utterly.

I'm hoping I do better with the assignment due today.

Lordy lordy I sucked.

New Undiscovered Music for Ya!

2009-08-03T08:54:00.003+12:00

There is a lot of great talent around too shy to promote itself.

Ghosts of Motat is one of those awesome undiscovered bands. (For anyone overseas- Motat is the Museum of Transport and Technology here in NZ. I love the imagery of all these ghosts haunting the transport museum.)
Go to Myspace and have a listen to the track Elephant. It is just one great track of the new album.... But I think they might need a bit more encouragement to put the album out, so if you like them, leave a message! The song Rawene is really sweet too.

I hate the thought that the mean ol music industry can crush the spirits of talented independent artists. Thats how the world becomes a bland crappy place.

Nightmare City

2009-08-02T20:46:00.005+12:00

Lately I have been having crazy nightmares!

A few weeks ago Michael J Fox from his Family Ties days was trying to kill me....

And then 2 nights ago, I woke up scared out of my mind because there was a very very frightening man after me with his severed limbs spurting blood!! (See diagram)

In retrospect I don't quite know how he was going to accomplish this killing with no arms and his major arteries severed...

ETSY FRONT PAGE!!!

2009-07-25T09:27:00.003+12:00

OH MY GOODNESS! eeeeeep! My little dress made the FRONT PAGE! Thanks Kate8085 for showing me how to get the picture of it!
Wow-wheeee.
How ruley.
RULEY!

I will walk around like I am in a marching band for the rest of the day.