Insprired by Nature

Nga mihi o te tau hau! Happy new year! So I have been on a tiki tour around Northland with my lovely whanau, catching up with aunties and cousins and soaking up our great outdoors. I have been collecting inspiration from Papatuanuku (Mother Earth) for my Oversew Fashion Awards project.
Unfortunately I have managed to put my back out again so I am hoping I can still get an outfit done. Ongoing issues with it which is very frustrating!

So here is some of my inspiration. Green features very strongly so once I am back, I think I will do some opshopping and see what greenery I can come up with 🌿

Have some sketches done too which I will share soon. Isn't Aotearoa Tino ataahua!

Kia Ora, Bula Vanaka, Talofa! Cafe 53 is opening this week

I am rather excited.  I work 20 hrs a wk for a youth trust in Aranui.  After 6yrs, they have finally got their community cafe off the ground.  This week it is open.  I thought it might be nice to add a splash of colour to the brand new leather couches..Cushions. From a mix of new fabric and some upcycled mens shirts...

lots of colour with an aotearoa/pasifika feel

man's shirt to cushion - and no need for a zip! yipeee!!!

The green cushion has a white shirt backing complete with pocket!

So there you have it - so easy and quick - and no need to insert a fiddley zip - just use the buttons on the front as the opening.  So why not freshen up your decor with a burst of summery fun - find some XL sized shirts and get sewing! :) 

father's day fun

lots of creativity happening at present - and fathers day was a great excuse - the kiddies and i made a list of daddies fav foods - one being carrot cake - then we came up with the idea of putting a bonfire on top of the cake with some marshmallows toasting around it...As it is one of our favourite family things to do, especially on the beach up at Kaikoura...We actually lit the candle and toasted the mini marshmallows! Yummy!

the flames are dried apricots and the wood is a flake bar

Tarn added some minifigures to represent us

opshopped books ready for daddy!

Daddy has been getting more into novels lately, so i came up with the idea of getting a pile of opshopped 50cent bargain action/political thrillers (Clive Custler, John Grisham etc) and gift wrapping them...

So after breakfast in bed, we took off to Taylors Mistake beach with a picnic of daddys fav foods, and had a fantastic time exploring, walking, playing on the playground, and paddling (although crazy wee gracie stripped off and had a chilly swim!)  Great, not so consumeristic way to celebrate Father's Day...

Easter Getaway to Okains Bay

The glorious weather continues, and camping with friends this Easter was the best way to enjoy it...

taking Gracie for a paddle around the estuary

heading out for a tiki tour in our sea kayak

my favourite thing to do this Easter!

hey! Where's my food?!?!

 The horse over the fence from our campsite got used to lots of lovely children feeding him...

Tarn helping decorate

balloons and streamers amongst the trees

Nia's 4th birthday celebrations

party picnic time!

 A gorgeous Easter holiday... :) J