BVM Christmas Lunch & Lines in the Sand

On Saturday I had a Christmas Luncheon for our Brisbane Vintage Mafia group.  

I thought that we couldn't end the year without another excuse to get all frocked up and sink a tubload of wine, champers & coffee! 

I chose the venue of The Waterloo Hotel at Newstead. The hotel was built in 1937 and was restored a couple of years back. It is a lovely art deco styled bar & restaurant but most importantly, it is air conditioned!!

OF COURSE another event calls for another frock to sew!!! 

I found some nice fabric in the quilting fabric at the Lincraft 40% sale and set about making Vintage Vogue pattern V8789.  

I changed it slightly by having a 1/2 circle skirt instead of the super full skirt and I also added front patch pockets. This is another pattern that I will add to my 'favorites' list.

It was very very easy to make!  The only problem was that the facings didn't really sit all that well.  

Next time I make it, I think I will either line the bodice or interface the facings.

Other than that, it was great and I think the V-neck is very flattering.

It was a really lovely lunch.  I thought the venue was great and the prices pretty reasonable.

Everybody has a wonderful time chatting & eating & doing our Secret Santa.

I feel truly blessed to be a part of this community of dames that are not only incredibly stylish & fabulous but are also the funniest, caring, thoughtful women you could meet.

Susanne - our BVM unofficial photographer.

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Sunday morning hubby announces that he has a surprise for me.  

My cousin Chelsea (who was staying the night) and myself were instructed to go and have a coffee somewhere while he prepared said surprise.

Normally, I am almost freakishly psychic when it comes to guessing presents & surprises but this one really had me  frustratingly stumped.

Soon we get a text that we are GO and are told to come down to the waterfront at Sandgate.

My amazing awesome husband had...

MADE ME A LABYRINTH!!!!

What the heck is a Labyrinth? 

Well besides a fantastic movie made in the eighties a labyrinth is:

A labyrinth is a single path or unicursal tool for personal, psychological and spiritual transformation.   

One can think of labyrinths as symbolic of pilgrimage; people can walk the path, ascending toward salvation or enlightenment.   Modern labyrinths to help you achieve a contemplative state. Walking among the turnings, one loses track of direction and of the outside world, and thus quiets the mind

In simple terms, it is a path that you walk. Normally circular.  It's not like a maze as it has no dead ends. You finish where you started.

It is like a form of meditation.

For more information about them go to :http://labyrinthsociety.org/home

Ever since I saw a show about a lady who was building one in a park I have been fascinated by them.

They cross all religions & faiths but their origins are hazy.   

One of my goals for 2016 was to walk one and here my husband had made me the most glorious one on the waterline.    And so I walked it.

It was just beautiful.  I focused on my breathing and on the feel of the sun on my face & the wind and the sounds of the water & birds around me.

It was just wonderful and it got me a bit teary with happiness.

It was such a beautiful gift.

Afterwards we stood way back to see if any other people would feel inclined to walk it.

Some people walked it, some ran it and some just looked at it a bit freaked out that it was some sort of alien crop circle thing.

I cannot wait to walk some other labyrinths and I particularly want to do the one at St John's Cathedral in the city which looks incredibly beautiful.

What a great weekend.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

WALKEN IN A WINTER WONDERLAND

Saturday night I had my hubby's work Christmas party and the theme was
Winter Wonderland.

"Oh for shits sake! Winter Wonderland?!!! In summer in Queensland!??"
was my immediate reaction.

This was closely followed by "Oooooo an excuse to go to Spottys and buy some more fabric and sew a new frock SQUEALLLLLL!!"

Even though I was warned that the majority of people would probably NOT be in theme I cared not because if a theme is announced then God Dammit I WILL be in theme!

I decided to do the Simplicity Lisette dress again because it is really lovely on.... has a back zip and has pockets.  I chose a red cotton with gold metallic snow flake pattern.

I can't recommend this pattern highly enough. It is really easy but LOOKS like it is really hard.

I teamed my frock with a gorgeous Christmas hair piece from Kats Cadillac Vintagewhich made my super duper Christmas outfit complete!

Kats Cadillac Vintage Hair piece

I can't say too much about the Christmas party except the hall look freaking spectacular.

They even had fake SNOW!!

Hubby was right. 

Out of about 1000 employees only about 10 people were in theme.

I didn't know anybody so frankly I didn't give a shit what people thought of my 1950s Mrs Claus ensemble. I had fun anyway.

I managed to rail road two employees dressed as elves and convinced them that we HAD to have a photobooth photo together considering we were the 3 best dressed people in the place.

I'm not sure if they were too scared to say no but be all crammed into the booth.

Please note Mr Elf's expression in photo three.

I was squishing into frame & I accidentally put my hand on his........ ummmm.... christmas baubles.

Ooops.

It was a lovely night and a great excuse to make another outfit.
Not to toot my own christmas trumpet but I had at LEAST 5 people come up to me & tell me how much they loved my outfit & hair piece.
I'm not gunna lie it was pretty good for a dame's confidence and it felt very nice to say modestly (ok maybe not so modestly ) " Thank you. I made it myself"

Christmasy as all shit

I freaking LOVE a mystery photobomber LOL

You can't see it but it is snowing in this pic.

WE JUST LOVE LOVE LOVE A PHOTOBOOTH

THE BIG FELLA

ONE CHRISTMAS SHIN-DIG DOWN...... 3 MORE TO GO.

WHITE RIBBON DAY.

SO this week was White Ribbon Day. Awareness for domestic violence against women.
I am all for this 'awareness' day BUT I think it should just be AWARENESS FOR ALL VIOLENCE.
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, MEN, CHILDREN & ANIMALS.

I'm NOT down playing the importance of raising awareness of domestic violence against women.

So much so that I thought I would share with you my story of domestic violence that not many
(if any ) of you know.

I was 22.
I had very little self esteem and confidence due to instances in my life up to this point (that's another blog post)
I met him when I started bar tending at a new bar.
We instantly clicked.
He was hilarious, charming, lovely and told me many many times how wonderful & gorgeous I was.
We became serious.
It was great working with my boyfriend at first. We would joke around and laugh and it made work fun. I hadn't laughed that much in ages.

It began after about 4 months of a fantastic relationship.

He would grab me by my upper arm very very hard behind the bar and whisper into my ear "I see you looking at that guy. Don't you fucking look at him".
We would go out after work with a group and he would be smiling & laughing at everyone but as soon as we were alone he would stab his finger into my forehead and put his face right up to mine and hiss "Don't you fucking LOOK at anyone! You are a fucking SLUT".
I had NO idea why he was doing this. I have never been a flirt or acted sexy in my life.

Then he would suddenly flip back into awesome BF. Everybody LOVED him. Everyone would tell me how LUCKY I was.

One night I finished work at 2am & we had organised for me to go back to his unit as he had the night off. I got there and knocked on the door. I saw his bedroom light go on. .. but he didn't answer the door. So I called out for him to let me in and knocked again. His light went off and he left me locked out. I had no money to get a cab home and it was winter and freezing.
I pleaded for him to let me in but he wouldn't . I ended up curled up on his door mat sleeping on the balcony. When he opened the door in the morning he was all loving and calling me a silly duffer and saying he didn't hear me. I convinced myself that was true.
This would not be the last time he locked me out.

One night at work he grabbed my arm at work & pulled me into the back room and shoved my hand under the steam spout of the cappuccino machine and got right up into my face "I see you looking at THEM. I hear you talking about ME and laughing at ME. You slut I'll fucking burn you".
Suddenly my bar manager appeared and he let me go. "is everything ok here?" "Yes" i replied not making eye contact.

He was eventually fired from this job because he smashed a pint glass on the bar & threatened me with it.  He was escorted out by security and banned from the premises.

Did I leave him?
No.
Why?
I believed that I WAS a little slut & I was in the wrong. If only I hadn't have done that thing, looked at that person, said that thing, smiled at that customer.

I took to working double and somtimes triple shifts because work was the only place I was safe.  I would sleep in the change room or eat room.  But, no matter what time I left he was waiting.
Literally waiting outside all the time.
He would go through phases where he was boyfriend of the year for about a month. He was amazing. We would go out for dinner. He would tell me I was wonderful and that he loved me.
I started to believe that I must be going insane. How could THIS wonderful caring man be a monster? No no it MUST be me.

Then it would come back.

One night I was having a shower and he decided I had been in there too long. He stormed in & dragged me out of the shower, naked & wet & threw me on the floor and started stabbing his finger into my forehead with his nose & mine almost touching. "What are you doing in here??? Why are you taking so fucking long??"
The weird thing is that we rarely had sex.  He wasn't interested. I took this personally and believed that I must truly be awful & hideous if he wasn't even interested in me sexually.

By this time he was living with me in my shared flat with two other girls but because I was a shift worker & was working 12 hours + a day I rarely saw them.  They loved him.
He was so charming & funny and would do things around the house & housework.
They told me that thought I had scored a great bloke. I was so lucky.

One day we were walking along near a park and he was talking to me about something and I was lost in my thought of how not to piss him off today when he grabbed me, swung me around and screamed "Fucking RESPOND when I talk to you!!"
I started crying and saying sorry sorry sorry.
He responded by throwing me into a chain fence and getting up into my face again telling me how pathetic I am.
Then suddenly it was like he switched and he would say softly" oh baby come here. I'm so sorry. You are amazing. Let me give you a hug".
We are now about 8 months into our 'relationship' and I have now lost the strength to fight anymore.

Almost exactly 9 months to the day I get home from work to find him in the kitchen.
His eyes are BLACK. I know that look.
He has a piece of paper in his hand.
"What the fuck is this?" He snarls.
I reply that I don't know.
"It is a note from Peter at work asking if you are coming to the staff barbecue".
"YOU ARE FUCKING PETER AREN'T YOU YOU LITTLE SLUT!!"
==========================================================
click

Something happens in my brain. Everything suddenly gets very very clear and it is like someone has turned up the clarity and colour in the world.
I feel.............. very very calm.
I have decided that it is over. I am ready.
I am ready to die.
"Yep. Yep I fucked him & all of the other blokes at work"
His eyes widen & get even darker.
"We stand around and talk about you & we laugh at you. You are a huge joke. You think I love you. I hate you. I'm using you and you are the one who is pathetic".
He storms around the counter to me with his fists balled up tight.
I feel............. nothing.
CALM.
I am not frightened. I am relieved. It will soon be over.
He puts his hands around my throat & slams me into the wall and begins to squeeze.
I... begin to
laugh.
Hysterical laughter.
I am so happy. And I can't stop laughing even as I start to see pin pricks of light floating around me.
Then,....

He releases me & collapses to the ground.
Sobbing.
Heavy loud sobbing.
He curls up crying.
I stand over him.
I feel....... STILL.
I tell him to get his stuff & get out.
He looks up at me. .. says nothing & goes upstairs.
I calmly pour myself a glass of wine and sit at the table.
After half an hour he comes down with a big suitcase packed.
He calls his father. Does not look at me and doesn't talk to me.
He walks out the front to wait.
I close the door & lock it.
I go back to the table and drink some more.

I never saw or heard from him again.

UNTIL

about 6 months ago. 20 YEARS LATER.
I walked into the coffee shop next to my work & he was there in front of counter.
I couldn't breathe.
I about faced & walked out.

I haven't seen him since.

The Rechords Album launch at Brooklyn Standard

It's not often that The Rechords venture up to Queensland

but whenever they do I make sure I get along to see them. 

So I was super stoked when they announced they would be playing at

Brooklyn Standard on October 31!  

They were up to promote their new album "The Rechords Live Rechording".

I have a copy and it is so fantastic. It's almost hard to believe it is a live recording the sound quality is just so clear & crisp.

 

 

 

Want to know how much of a dedicated groupie I am??

The set was from 11pm until 2am and I STILL got out of my pyjamas and went!!

That's how dedicated I am!

Naturally, another social outing calls for a new frock. 

Naturally.

I am doing a fabulous Sew-along with the lovely Miss Dixie O'Dare  

http://missdixieodare.blogspot.com.au/ and so I decided that I would whip up the sew-along frock I wear. 

I got this fantastic arrow fabric from Spotlight on sale.

I just love it.  It has a vintage cartoon Mary Blair Disney vibe to it.

 

 

 

 

 

Now, THIS frock isn't my 'official' sew-along frock so I won't do a write up on that yet. 

I have ANOTHER fabric that I want to do my PROPER sew-along with. ....

blog post YTC.

 

 

Anyways back to The Rechords show.

 

It was my first time in Brooklyn Standard & when we arrived the Mojo Webb Blues band were playing.  I've seen them play at Lefty's are they are fantastic.

I really liked the vibe of the venue. It's downstairs in a laneway & has a real speak-easy feel.

It didn't take long for us to secure a booth seat thanks to the surprising swiftness of my eagle eye husband and so we settled in for a few hours of people watching.

 

Holy moley.

 

Now keep in mind it was Halloween night in the city.

 

It is always an eye opener for me when I am surrounded by The Youth of Today. 

 

SO MANY TOTALLY SHIT FACED PEOPLE.

LIKE ANNILATED DRUNK.

MAGGOT.

 

 

 

As the night wore on I found myself becoming a concerned mother figure for one young gal Caitlyn who slurred to me "Eyyyyyyyyyyyyyy been shrinking ada Octoberfessssss all day. I drunk sooooooo many beeerzzzzzz". She was totally and utterly maggot. I was really concerned for her & I can't for the life of me understand why her friends didn't take her home. She spent all night looking like a zombie from the Walking Dead stumbling around the club stopping occasionally to do a power fist movement to the band & exclaim "Woooo!"

 

Then there was the young dude who kept nodding off next to hubby. His chin would nearly hit his chest when his eyes would snap open... he'd take another sip of his drink and then doze off again.

 

But the winner was a young lass who (without trying to sound too snarky) looked like a before contestant on Snog, Marry, Avoid. She was completely off her nut and was half dancing half stumbling around the dance floor. She had on these super high heels & I was terrified she was going to snap her ankle at any moment.  She would do this weird Mick Jaggeresque wobble across the dancefloor with her lips pursed in a permanent duck-face.

She seemed to be having a great time though.  Such a good time she just HAD to get in our selfies.

 

 

 

I wonder if this is how I looked in 1992 at The Gig nightclub after my dozen test tube shots of B52.

Probably. *face palm* I wonder if the lass would have had a big spew out of the taxi door in front of the RBH like I used to every Saturday night. Probably.

Sigh. Youth.

 

Finally The Rechords came on.

 

It's so easy to review them because every time I see them it's the same.

 

FUCKING BRILLIANT. AMAZING VOCALS. FRANTIC ENERGY. TOTAL SPUNKS.

 

I AM TYRONE'S NUMBER ONE FAN. LUCKY BUGGER.

 

 

2 O'clock in the morning finally comes and it's time to go home.

I feel old and weary.

 

These days instead of having a chuck I have a noice cup of Earl Grey  and a panadol before crashing into bed.

 

How things change.

 

 

Would I SNOG, MARRY or AVOID?????

 

Want to see more Rechords stuff? Want to buy some Rechords stuff? Want to hear some stuff?

 

Just go to their website:  http://www.therechords.com.au/

 

 

The Dressmaker movie premiere

 

Friday night myself and a few of the dames from the Brisbane Vintage Mafia hit Palace Centro Cinema in James St for the premiere of the movie The Dressmaker.

 

 

In the foyer was an exhibit from "Needlefruit Sewing Lounge" Paddington.

Needlefruit is a sewing lounge and haberdasher who offer classes for first timers and the skilled.

https://needlefruit.com.au/

 

It was so awesome to meet Christina from Needlefruit. I'm really going to have to get myself over to Paddington to suss out their shop because it looks and sounds incredible!!

 

 

Then it was time for the movie.  After a couple of hiccups from the projectionist it began.

 

I can't really say much about the actual storyline of the film because that would spoil it I think.
Woman goes back to the country town of her youth to find the answers to her past.

It's a strange film. Again, it's hard to explain without giving away the plot.
It starts like a slap stick comedy and through-out it felt like it could have been a stage play.
It was very exaggerated acting. Over the top.
Then in the second act the theme abruptly changes to a very macabre drama only to return to a bizarre black comedy in the third act.
It's a very DARK film.

BUT THE COSTUMES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH MY GOD THE COSTUMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

image taken from:  www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/the-dressmakers-author-rosalie-ham-charts-her-journey-from-rural-australia-to-red-carpet-20151002-gjznok.html

Absolutely divine. The BVM were in raptures of sighs and groans of exquisite delight. 
If you love fashion of the 1950s you will be in ecstasy watching this movie.
Simply stunning. Beautiful. Glorious. Gorgeous.
Stand out outfits for me were Tilly's navy & white golfing outfit WITH TEE HOLDERS (!) , the dress worn by the mayor's wife to the wedding with feathered cap and the wedding dress.
OH MY.



TOTAL MID-CENTURY HAUTE COUTURE PORN.

Judy Davis as the mother Molly was just fantastic and the absolute stand out for me.
I just LOVED her character.
Kate as Tilly was beautiful but I found her acting a bit flat.
Liam Hemsworth as Teddy was almost TOO attractive if that is possible. I mean seriously nobody is THAT good looking !!!!
Darcy Wilson who plays the young Tilly was amazing. What a great little actress.

There were plenty of 'laugh out loud' moments and also lots of "holy shit" moments too.

I'm interested to know how different it is to the book because it is a real mix of a genres.
Super light hearted and silly in parts and then suddenly very sombre and gruesome the next.

Vicki rating 7/10
 This is mainly for the set design and costuming which is simply spectacular.
************************************
NOW..... WHAT DID I WEAR?

I wore a light grey cotton day dress with pastel lemon yellow collar, buttons & pocket detail made from Vintage Vogue V9000. I love this pattern and this style of frock.

 

 

 

 

 

I found this image on Pinterest a while ago and it was my inspiration for the frock.

 

 

ANOTHER  GREAT NIGHT OUT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEWING MEET N GREET & FAT QUARTER FRENZY

HOWDY YAWL

 

Well what a fantastic weekend I've just had. 

 

I've been having a shit of a time mentally for the last week or so. I've been really overwhelmed with heaps of stuff going on and my brain threw up it's hands and went "fuck it".

What with my fundraiser, then my gorgeous sister came over to visit from 'merica (which was fantastic but very exhausting) and then I got the bull-shit lurgy followed by bronchitis.

All I've wanted to do is ...... NOTHING.

Not sew or watch TV or cook or move. Just get home from work & go to bed & sleep.

 

So my scheduled meet n greet luncheon for my Facebook sewing fanatic group THOSE DARN SEW N SEWS couldn't have come at a better time.

I tell ya there is nothing like setting your hair, whacking on a frock and some red lippie and spending a few hours talking shit with a bunch of dames to really inject a big ole shot of positivity back into your veins.

 

SELFIE !!!!!!!

 

 

Our meet n greet was at the beautiful Dragonfly Café at Eden Gardens at Carseldine.
You might remember this from my Floral Function I had there last year.
www.edengardens.com.au

As usual the food was delicious, the setting lovely & the company was awesome.

Thankfully, this time it was NOT stinking bloody hot & so we could all focus on nattering away about sewing, fabric and all manner of important girlie stuff.

 

 

It was just wonderful and really did my brain the world of good.  It was so cool to meet face to face some of the lovely ladies from FaceyBees.

Everybody looked lovely & most wore their own amazing sewing creations....

Talented bunch of shelias they are!

 

NOTE: Bree is pulling my shoulders back because of my shit posture.

 

The frock I wore was made by ME from quilting fabric I bought from a remnant sale at Make It Hobby and Craft at Boondall. It's a nice soft cotton with a print of buttons on it.  It is Butterick Pattern B5747.  It was a bit of a pain to make. The instructions are shit and a few steps are missing when you get to the waistband part (fucking handy).  I don't think I'll make it again. Not a fave of mine.

 



 

Butterick B5747



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Then it was Sunday. BATHURST SUNDAY.

 

I dropped my hubby at our friends The Hill's for a day of eating masses of nibbles, drinking piss, talking about Fords & Holdens and Lowndseeeeeeeeee and watching cars drive really fast around a track.

Not for me.

 

The fabulous Mz Katrina & Mz Kel & I headed into the convention centre to go to the Crafters & Quilters Fair. 

 

Now, I would rather stab myself in the face with a knitting needle than do scrapbooking or teddy bear making but I was hoping to find some incredible fabric to drool over.

Alas, those mad quilters only sell there fabric as infuriating FAT QUARTERS which are the most inconvient size. You can't even make a decent do-rag or turban out of them!

Speaking of turbans (see what I did there) we were able to make it in time to heckle.... I mean WATCH.... the luscious Mz Chrissy of the Lindy Charm school do her talks on Make Do & Mend and the fine art of tying a head turban.

 

 

Holy shit. I for one will totally be rocking the vintage turban look this summer when the heat is so unbearable it feels like my skin is going to peel off.

Just wack on a turban with an oversized hair flower (from Kat's Cadillac Vintage on Etsy of course...... www.etsy.com/shop/KatsCadillacVintage ) and Wallarrrrrrrrrrr !

Instant glamour !!!!!!

 

 

After a chat with Chrissy we headed over to the Singer area where Mz Lisa of Atomic Martini had a display for the upcoming movie "The Dressmaker". Oh sigh.  Those vintage singer machines were just beautiful.   A really lovely display.

 

 

I didn't buy any fabric as anything that wasn't a stupid fat quarter was about $20/metre! When you are sewing 1950s frocks you need a MINIMUM of 4 metres so too expensive.

I did buy some divine velvet fabric flowers and some little sewing type charms.

It was a nice day just getting done up & walking around with the ladies.  If we had any self esteem issues they were soon gone after being told by about a HUNDRED middle-ages ladies in Millars culottes how wonderful we look!

 

 

ALTHOUGH...... I almost got kicked out by a very angry looking quilting lady because I touched one of prize winning quilts. I was fondling it trying to work out how they did the puffy bits when this lady appeared VERY suddenly and barked "Don't TOUCH THE QUILTS!".

She was wearing a VERY official looking yellow sash which I think meant she was one of the "Protectors of the Holy Quilts".

YIKES. Oops.   Those quilting folk take their quilting VERRRRRY seriously.

I gotta tell ya. The quilting industry much be a multi-billion dollar industry. I have never SEEN so many incredibly passionate quilting ladies in my life.

To be honest, they were kind of scary.

===================================

 

The frock I wore is another from Le Maison de Martin. It is Simplicity Lisette 1419. I LOVE this pattern! It is easy to make. The instructions are simple. It has a back zip (always a winner). 

I just love the capped sleeves & peter pan collar...

and did I mention it has POCKETS!!!! POCKETS !!!!

If you are going to make it and are a 1950s era gal then don't forget to lengthen the skirt part!

When I bought the fabric I didn't take that into consideration and so didn't have enough for the bodice bit. (dickhead).

I will definitely be making more of this frock. It is great.

 

 

 

 

 

xoxoxoxoxoxxooxxo