Birds I've met recently

I've found out why I keep hearing birds chirping at all hours of the day and night. One of my neighbours in the next block keeps some cute little finches or such. Here they are out for some sunshine and fresh air.  

 I keep trying to get a good clear closeup picture of these Intermediate Egrets but I only ever see them when I'm travelling to work or coming home from work in the car. They are strange and graceful birds in their own way with long long legs and necks. They are all white but get dirty brown heads from poking their heads into the mud to get breakfast. They look quite funny in flight as their legs and wings and necks all look too long for them!

 This is Miss Pigeon. She is a young pigeon who lives near a cafe I like to go to (she still has her brown baby eyes). She has the most amazing collection of feather colours I've ever seen on a pigeon.

 A pigeon tree aka lots of pigeons on a lamp post. The pigeons like to hang out on the lamp posts in the morning, surveying traffic and grooming themselves. Every so often a squadron of them flies off to do a circuit of the neighbourhood. I like to think of the pigeons watching over us and making sure we are safe.

A woodpecker standing on a tree trunk. This one was mostly black and white coloured and had a little crest on his head. He was very busy and didn't stop to let me take a good photo. Looks kinda like a Heart Spotted Woodpecker though I'm not sure if these can be found in Singapore.

In other bird news, there are pigeons nesting somewhere near my apartment. I hear them cooing in the morning and evening. Such a sweet lovely sound!

March Making

I thought I'd share some things I've made recently. Though I've been sick, when I've had the energy I've been making all sorts of things.

 I've been busy making baby vests. I'm stockpiling them in case there is an onslaught of babies soon.

 Actually I just really like making them as they are quick to make and I get to play with colours and stripes. My jogless stripe knitting in the round is getting pretty good now.

 I made a bag out of two remnants I picked up in the fabric store in Montreal. Total cost for this bag is CDN $2.00 plus some black thread. The outside is a crunchy sort of vinyl and the inside is a lovely cotton.

 I like the lining as it gives some excitement to what is otherwise a very plain bag. I'm considering turning up the edge of the front flap so that the lining shows a bit to make the bag less plain.

 The nice thing about making your own bags is you can decide exactly how long the shoulder strap should be. 

 I tried making a crocheted shoulder bag before I attempted the sewn one but a few days into it I realised that I didn't like it. I'm going to undo it and try again.

 I made a tunic top from the Japanese book 'Drape Drape 3'. The pattern is very simple - just two pieces and has a really nice drape to it. The lace has a slight stretch and is slippery so I had to sew the front and back pieces and the neckline by hand first as I couldn't pin it. I then zig zag stitched it together with a jersey needle on the sewing machine.

 I assure you it looks less like a Kaftan when worn on a human. Its actually quite stylish.

 This dress I made from a jersey knit pillowcase (for an extra long pillow) from Muji. The dress is just a simple rectangle and I unpicked along the seams for armholes and a head-hole. I then reinforced the edges where I had unpicked by handsewing some stay stitches. I left the neckline and armholes unfinished.

I wear it with tights and a belt. I like stripes!

A little cheer for a (rainy) Monday

Mina Perhonen 2012 Spring Summer Collection. Shiny with trees on it. What more could you want? 

I know. They sell it by the metre!

Its so so nice. I think the trees are slightly raised off the fabric surface and possibly velvety.

Mina Perhonen 2011-2012 Autumn Winter Collection. Tights with clouds on them! Yes please!

Do yourself a favour and go watch their collection videos. I love the Autumn Winter video so much! It is so wonderfully quirky and delightful. I don't normally watch fashion videos but this I watched twice. Then I made the Mr. watch it with me. Take a look!

Birds Still Make Me Happy

This photo is my computer desktop at the moment. I love the colours of the feather so much - the depth of softness in the fluffy ends and the way the tones shade from grey to orange. Looking at it and thinking of what amazing bird dropped it gives me joy (I have carefully stashed the feather in the back of my diary and carry it around with me to enjoy). Its amazing that something so small and insignificant can be so beautiful and bring so much joy. Its a little reassurance that things are all not so bad as they often seem. 

I'm still sick. I've been sick now constantly since September. I've lost 8.5kg and now sport a BMI to rival a catwalk model and shoulders like a coat-hanger. My hair is falling out and none of the medicines are working. But there is still beauty, there is still love and there is still hope in my corner of the world.

Little things, insignificant things in the scheme of the big bad wide world, matter.

Go search for a feather. Tell someone you love them. Watch the clouds go by and look for funny shapes. Make something (I've been knitting lots of baby vests recently - all my friends keep having babies - proof  if any that there is goodness and hope left in the world). I'll post some pictures of my latest baby vest knitting soon. I've been having fun playing with colours. Perhaps I should make a vest based on the colours of the feather...

Old Friends

I thought you might like to meet some old friends of mine.

This is Elizabeth. She was my mums bear when she was a child. Elizabeth is now eligible for a senior's card. She has a worn out nose and tattered paws. Her dress is handmade and is decorated with rick-rack trim. Apparently she likes a quiet life, you can't talk too loudly around her as it hurts her ears - or so my mum says...Her nose is falling off and her ears are getting worryingly loose! Evidence of lots of love.

This is Turtle. He was my favourite toy when I was little. He is wearing a patchwork coat because his body is falling apart and his stuffing is coming out. My mum made him for me for my first Christmas. He has a little tail that I used to chew on when I was teething. The tail has been re-attached a few times cause I bit it off! Evidence of lots of love. 

Turtle is probably my most treasured possession. He's irreplaceable and one of a kind. A little bundle of worn out fabric and stuffing with felt eyes and a cotton cord tail. Funny how value is placed isn't it? 

Travels around New South Wales

 The Mr and I were in Sydney for a few hours. The beautiful old arcades were still decorated from Christmas. It was quite magical.

In another arcade: we went to hunt out some coffee and do some window shopping. I accidently brought a dress from MARCS. They sometimes have cute things.

 The Mr and I took the train up into the mountains to a town called Leura. One of the first things we saw to welcome us was living Christmas Tree topped with a White Cockatoo! 

 One of our Christmas presents was to stay here for a night. The guest house was a beautiful old timber house with wide verandahs and a garden. The interiors were furnished in the style of the house. 

 The view out the window of our room onto the garden.

 Some amazing foliage. It was summer too, so the trees are always this colour.

 Another Cockatoo. They were perched on the power lines opposite the restaurant we were having dinner at. I was wondering why they were all congregating there until I saw this:

 They were all queuing up to drink out of the fountain outside the restaurant! 

After our brief holiday of one day, we arrived in our destination: Portland. A small town of approx 2000 people in the middle of  nowhere. This is where my sister lives. A complete contrast to where I live: 5 million people crowded into a small 700square km island which is bustling and busy 24/7.

My little sister married her prince charming

Just under a month ago my little sister got married in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. I think they are called the Blue Mountains because they appear blue from a distance.

 She let me be a bridesmaid. I got to wear my vintage silver sandals (given to me by one of my great aunts - the sandals date from the 1970s and were given to me in their original box!) and carry a pretty bouquet. My bouquet had white and purple flowers in it, so pretty! I couldn't bring my flowers back, so I gave them to one of my other great aunts to enjoy.

 The bride had beautiful flowers too with interesting pod-like things in the centre. The soft roses were so beautiful, though they didn't really have a smell. I always think its a pity when flowers look nice but don't smell like they look!

 The wedding cake was made by a family friend of the bride and groom. It was chocolate with white chocolate on the outside. Even though I can't eat flour, I had some for supper! It was good.

 The wedding dinner was held in a large dining hall overlooking the valley below. I 'love' the decorations!

 The dinner continued and the champagne flowed into the night and everyone had a good time!

Even the local wildlife got into the party mode. Here a fly is snacking on a bit of wedding cake!