So here we are, almost at 2009. Wheeeee.
Goals etc: lose another 20 kg. Exercise everyday. Join (and USE !) the gym.
A bit down today, for no discernible reason - except that Mr Beloved is a long way away and I miss him, a LOT.
Happy New Year, all!
Eunju and Mum outside Glynburn Fabrics, Firle, Adelaide
Had a lovely time this morning playing in the local fabric heaven - Glynburn Fabrics. Their store is just a TREASURE cave! We found fabric to make Eunju her “Audrey” dress (she loves Audrey Hepburn’s style, and this dress pattern will look gorgeous on her)
New Look 6723
as worn by the Divine Audrey in “Sabrina”
And because I couldn’t resist: this wonderful heavy cotton in cream, red, orange and brown (I KNOW, not supposed to be my colours, but it’s just so FUN!)
Very Caity Fabric!
Also shown = some cream pre-made satin bias binding, because that makes the neckline and armhole finishing so quick…
So - just an final check of the tissue fit for Ju’s pattern (we did the FBA last night, and shortened the waist length) and a quick iron and we’re off!
it was MAD in Adelaide city today - duh, first day of post-Christmas sales will do that! I was very restrained (not least because virtually the only sizes left on the sales racks were 8s - even at my THINNEST, under 60kg, I need a 12!)
However, I did treat myself to a new book from my absolute favourite author/illustrator: Shaun Tan.
Shaun Tan is a genius....
Also grabbed a book for Mr Beloved (which I will also enjoy)
Not quite as nerdy as trainspotters....
And Ju tried on some lovely dresses and a gorgeous french lace silver sequinned bolero (but we can MAKE that , and it won’t be $799!! sorry, George Gross!)
And now we’re home again, eating the most GINORMOUS mangoes you’ve ever seen:
HYYYYUUUUUUGGE mangoes!
Right - nearly time for dog stick river. Tomorrow: markets and perhaps some dressmaking.
… so back at my house, we have only acquired full length mirrors quite recently. And I generally manage to avoid them by keeping them strategically filthy, so I can’t REALLY see myself in them, just a quick passing glance.
But here in my brother and sister-in-law’s house, the room I am staying in has MIRRORS.
The ubiquitous "shot in the mirror" picture
BIG mirrors. The kind you CANNOT AVOID.
Uggggh.
Naked Caity is NOT something even *I* want to witness first thing in the morning, let me tell you!
And I just got out the scales. NOT GOOD. *sigh* I didn’t think I had been over-eating, but obviously I was wrong. Thing is, I FEEL better. I can walk more - in fact, as soon as it’s a little bit cooler, Bidgee is taking me for a rousing game of Stick in River. I’m still tired all the time, but feeling a little bit stronger, y’know?
But the weight loss stuff needs to get back on track. SERIOUSLY. (Not that I’m going to be all prissy tomorrow - you should SEE the feast my lovely sister-in-law and Mum have been working on!)
My lovely sister-in-law, Eunju, peeling prawns for the feast
*sigh*
Well, time to stop moaning about it and go out and do some interval training with the dog. (In my interpretation, we walk for a bit, then run for a bit, then both stop and pant for a bit, then run for a bit….)
Later,
Caity the waddler
No pics yet - I keep forgetting to take my camera! So far a lovely time with family, it’s embarrassing how much sleep I need 
Went to Ikea today - oh, I LOVE Ikea!! Saw a bed that would be perfect - but mostly I’m in deep desperate LOVE with a their clever storage solutions. And this table and chairs set: Oh, to not have to eat dinner on my lap - really, that’s not too much to want from civilisation, is it?
Haven’t found the good fabric shops yet… but I did buy some cheap 100% cotton at Ikea for another version of the trapeze dress - $3.99 metre!
My brother and his family live in the inner east of Adelaide, which is very beautiful. lots of old stone houses, leafy trees, and the river just a short walk away. Bidgee the Border Collie takes me for a walk every day to play “Stick in river” - not a complex game, here are the rules:
Tell dog to find a stick! FIND A STICK!
Throw stick in river.
Dog dives fearlessly into river, retrieves, and races past you with the stick, dropping it anywhere from 20 to 50 metres away (this is the human exercising feature of the game)
Repeat until either a) too dark to see river, dog, or stick or
b) your arm falls off.
I miss Mr Beloved A LOT, and have to speak on the phone to Constance J. Woodle each day, but I’m having a lovely time.
Here at Chez Beloved, we’re fighting a (losing) battle against these rotten little buggers:
!)@*(#&@*& PANTRY MOTH!!
They are EVERYWHERE. And it’s going to be very expensive to get rid of them - not because it’s an expensive process per se - just some pheromone based traps from the supermarket, and a good wipe down of everything - but because you have to THROW OUT EVERYTHING THAT MIGHT BE INFESTED.
Oh sure, some of the food can be frozen, that kills the blighters. Unfortunately, even though we have an insanely large fridge/freezer, there is NO space in the freezer section at all.
So MOST things - like flour, spices, rice, pasta, etc etc etc - basically anything not in a TIN (although I believe the moths are secretly breeding a mutant SUPERMOTH to even get around that difficulty) have to be tossed. *fume*
MOTHRA!
And the moths are, of course, in my sewing room as well. Which is why my grabbing the lidless can of this
Spray Starch
and attempting to spray it around the room -INSTEAD OF THIS
FLY SPRAY
was inevitable.
However, those moths have the CRISPEST, MOST CREASE FREE WINGS you ever saw…..
*headdesk*!!
Ok, just so we’re clear, I don’t mean THIS Pink -(tho I LOVE her!)
I mean THIS PINK!
Yep, I was bored at the hairdressers today - bored with being grey. So - if I’m going to colour my hair, I thought, why not COLOUR it?!
Pink! I like PINK!
And although the weight loss is still slowed waaaaaaaaay down, I’m feeling better about it and back to counting calories. I thought you needed to see me posing in front of our suburb’s emblem: the abandoned car surrounded by unmown lawn. CLASSIC!
AND - I had the NICEST thing happen to me today! You know I just ADORE our local fabric heaven, Gardam’s, right? Well, I went in to pick up a layby (pics to follow soon, I promise) only to have the lovely manager hand me an envelope and explain that it was a gift certificate from Mr and Mrs Gardam! YOU COULD HAVE KNOCKED ME OVER WITH A FEATHER!
Of course I spent it immediately on more yummy fabric, LOL! Seriously, their store has the best service and fabric - there were some young things in there today making choices for bridesmaid dresses and I promise you, these would NOT be “Bridesmaid Dresses” - you know, the ones that are so unspeakably awful that you look at the photos and cringe - no, these girls were playing with gorgeous silk chiffons over some luxe duchess satins - soooo pretty!
And now I must go and retrieve my new fabric from the washing machine - by the time Miss Constance and I get back from our walk, it will be ready to iron, cut out and sew - wheeeeeeeeeeee!! Another iteration of the fabulous trapeze dress from McCall’s 5583, this time in a rayon/poly/nylon blend that has an interesting (almost looks like velvet but it’s not) texture in black - prefect in case I get to go out some evening on holidays. And now I know that dress doesn’t need a zip, it’s even quicker to make.
… and yes, it was awful. Not because the psychiatrist was awful - she was actually helpful, and pleasant, and worth going on with in the new year - but because I have immense difficulty trying to dig through my memory about previous treatments etc. (Keep a record, you say? IF I COULD DO THAT SORT OF STUFF, I WOULDN’T NEED THE PSYCHIATRIST!!)
Then I ate according to my emotions and not my Eating Plan.
AGAIN.
Boysenberry Cream Cheese muffin.
Great choice, Caity: FIVE HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT CALORIES. TWENTY TWO POINT EIGHT GRAMS OF FAT.
In an Eating Plan that’s supposed to be 1100 calories and about 30grams of fat FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. Oh, well done, that girl.
There were plenty of other choices. I even had a gluten free muesli bar in my handbag.
*HEADDESK*
*HEADDESK*
*HEADDESK*
I can’t even talk about the rest of everything right now. I’m going to go lie in the (hot!) bedroom with my (stifling!) CPAP mask on and agonise about THE ENTIRE WORLD’S PROBLEMS for a few hours now.
Meh.
Maybe I have rose-coloured memories of the original movie, but as I recall, it SPARKLED. Ok, the central character was a bit of a wuss, but still - it dripped FABULOUSNESS.
The new version? Hmmm. Occasional glints… but no dazzle.
That said, I did enjoy it. There were some great performances (Annette Bening! WHERE has she been for so long, hmmm?) And I loved recognizing lines and scenes (the child actress vs “Aunty Crystal” in the bath was almost (from my memory, anyway) identical to the Joan Crawford version) while laughing at some more modern takes (especially in the birthing room).
The cameos? OMG, THAT was Carrie Fisher? Eeek! And as usual, Joanna Gleason did NOT get anywhere near the screen time/lines that she deserved (Did you SEE her in The West Wing? And how about her utterly knockout performance in Sondheim’s Into the Woods waaaaaaaaay back in 1991? She was been underrated for so damn long!) Bette of course pretty much played Bette… Candice Bergen played… Candice Bergen; and Debra Messing played her entire supporting actress role as … well, Debra Messing.
The fashion? Well…after the opening montage of stylishly clad feet striding along 5th avenue, I kept hoping for more. Don’t even TALK to me about alleged fashion designer Mary Haines in those GHASTLY flat shoes (pre-transformation) - it was all I could do not to scream “Oh, honey, NO!” at the screen.
But her coat in the making up scene with Sylvia? UTTERLY FABULOUS! (of course, I can’t find a #$()@*_( picture..) Mary Haine’s designs? (by John Dunn) Ho hum.
Look, I didn’t expect the movie to time-travel. The original was of its time, and so is this movie. I love that this movie had great roles for some *ahem* “women of a certain age” (and - WHY don’t we see MORE of some of these people, huh, Hollywood? WHY? ) and I hope the run of “chick flicks for the menopausal” (plese, someone tell me there’s a catchier way to say that!) continues.
Gowns by Adrian...
As soon as I can get my hands on the original, though, I’m grabbing my BFF and maybe a coupla other friends, breaking out the air popped popcorn and bubbly, and enjoying it thoroughly.
Well, after yesterday’s debacle (of which more in a moment a post later) I feel the need for some girly mindlessness. So I’m off to see The Women with my BFF.
The ORIGINAL movie The Women (which, alas, I can’t find on DVD) is one of my all time favourite flicks. Joan Crawford as SuperBitch. Rosalind Russell being Rosalind Russell - that is, smart, sassy, and gorgeous. Gowns by Adrian. (swoooooooooon!)
Can the new one possibly stack up? We shall see…
I’m sooooooooo tired! I slept all day yesterday. And I mean ALL DAY - I woke up at 4 pm, still feeling tired. Today - made it up a WHOLE HALF HOUR EARLIER. Arrgh!
And I’m still tired. I’m getting to bed early (straight after The Bill last night, and probably even earlier tonight) - just … well, pain makes me tired. A lot.
So even though there are patterns cut and waiting, fabric washed and ready, and I’ve even unearthed the pressing ham… I’ve done NO SEWING.
Which means I still have NOTHING TO WEAR! Which wouldn’t be a problem if all I was planning on doing was staying home and sleeping but I am going ON HOLIDAYS in two weeks!
Ugh.
And I didn’t get to meet up with the lovely Brenda, who was in town for a family do. I also didn’t get to go out to the movies to see Australia, or to an afternoon tea with friends… bugger bugger bugger bugger!
Dentist tomorrow, the routine 6 monthly torture session - I’d much rather that than wait and discover horrible damage, but still - it’s … unpleasant.
Not much room for interesting blogging when all I do is SLEEP, dagnabbit!
… starting with a new therapist. I had my first appointment today.
Now just a firm twist to the RIGHT and....
I’ve seen a LOT of different doctors about my messy brain. I’m even seeing yet ANOTHER new one (psychiatrist - today’s was a psychologist) next week.
I am, however, hopeful. Not least because this new bloke makes sense. Which is not a given, in the head shrinking field. We shall see. Maybe I’m at a point now where I can actually address the issues.
Scary.
Here’s a novel concept (and pretty much the focus of this therapy): Anxiety is not inherently a Bad Thing.
I remain sceptical. But I can’t go on doing what I’m doing because IT’S NOT WORKING. So we shall see.
In other news: I’m off to tissue fit and try to make this:
McCalls 5664
The reviews have been mixed over on Pattern Review - I’m not sure how the engineering works, but it seems that if a garment wraps from the front to the back, then the front rides up. I have fabric for two versions: white with a red and white sash, and blue with a black sash.
And if I’m going to get it cut out tonight, I need to stop faffing about online and go do it!
Well, so much for His Lord High bloody Gastroenterologist saying I don’t have coeliac - three slices of sultana bread yesterday and I am bloated and miserable!
ARRRRRRRRGH!!!
Too sick to do much.
Talk to you all later.
3 new pairs!
Reddish/burgundy leather round toe slingbacks: $230 $40
Red patent leather, wood stacked heel, basket weave at toes: $239 $40
(One can never have too many red shoes!)
Black kid pointy toe quilted flats: $299 $40 (my concession to having to occasionally revert to flats. At least these are kind glam, with their nod to Chanel’s delish quilted flats…)
SCORE!! Should I go back tomorrow and get the pink sandals? Hmmmmm….
All from Arabella Shoe Boutique’s back room sale. Normally all I do at Arabella’s is leave nose prints on their windows… cos I can’t afford even to walk in the door!
Sue got the most fabbo pointy toe burgundy pumps for $20 - I mean, how could you POSSIBLY not get them at that price?
In other news… I now am the proud owner of a copy (in almost my size - will have to enlarge the waist, grrr) of this beauty:
Simplicity 4260; ©1953; Misses’ and Women’s One-Piece Dress: “Simple to Make” dress has short kimono sleeves and bodice underarm section for freedom of action. Concealed pockets in flared skirt are optional. View 1 buttons down entire front. Collar and cuffs are contrasting. View 2 has wide shaped neckline. sleeves open at outer edge. Buttons close dress to hipline with a pleat below closing. Saddle stitching trims the dress.
Simplicity 4260
The envelope for mine is really tattered, but the instructions are there and the pattern has been neatly cut. Which to do first - the super cute crisp white collar and cuffs (perhaps in a white pique if I can find some?) or the lovely shaped neckline with the shorter sleeves with slit? Oh decisions, decisions….
And in health news: the swelly belly isn’t going down. In fact, it’s getting worse. *sigh* Ultrasound of my liver tomorrow morning (cue Monty Python’s Meaning of Life Liver Donor Sketch running in my head…) and reverting to gluten free diet (even though the gastroenterologist swears up and down that I don’t have coeliac. Grrrr.)
And my fabulous primary health care doctor has made arrangements for me to see a psych about my OCD issues. Woot. I’m - thrilled? No really - it will be good to get some help. It’s just that - well, if it’s not one thing, it’s another - when will I be FIXED?! (can’t get the parts, you know, out of warranty…)
*sigh*
Oh - and thanks for those who were worried, but Toowoomba didn’t get the big storms that really hit Brisbane - as usual, the storm went around the hill. We only got some heavy rain for about 10 minutes and drizzle since then. Some suburbs in Brisbane were severely damaged. Our roof leaks in one or two small, manageable spots, but apart from that we’re fine.
Hoping to do some sewing tomorrow…
(Okay, I admit, I’m TRYING to let it go, but it still smarts!)
Had a lovely thing happen today as the TeaBot5000 and I were coming out of the town library. A lovely woman came up to me and said “Excuse me, are you Caityquilter?”
YES!!! We’ve been reading each other’s blogs for a while, and have quite congruent interests (quilting, reading, poodles, technology) and had yet to meet up - so she said “When I saw you standing there I thought that HAD to be you!”
We had a brief chat about the frustrations of dealing with technophobes, and the joy of meeting up (virtually and in person) with bloggist kindred spirits.
We’re going to meet up for a lunch soon.
Lunch, dahhhhlings!
*post abandoned as neighbout’s screaming child is getting TOO MUCH!! More later when my head has stopped exploding… Jebus may love the little children BUT I DON’T! Actually, it’s the parents I blame…*
Hmmmph!
Yep, again with the disgusting gross embarrassing oral thrush.
ARRRRRRRGH!!
Fortunately I recognised the symptoms and had a repeat of the prescription from last time. Still don’t know if the lozenges are supposed to be orange or lemon flavoured - they’re just yuk! I’ll have to try and get in to the doctors this week *sigh*
So anyway - I’m sewing. Or at least getting ready to cut out this:
Simplicity 3921 - I’m making view A, a simple little bolero top.
One side will be plain black cotton, the other black with little white dots - that way it will be reversible and coordinate with the next few things I’m making - and that’s the whole point of the Endless Combinations Contest over on Pattern Review.
The dress I wore for the cup lunch was piece 1 - so piece 2 has to go with that; then the next thing has to combine with either piece 1 or 2; then piece 3 has to combine with any of the previous ones… it’s a great way to make sure I’m not sewing “orphans”.
(And speaking of the cup outfit, I was thrilled to bits that two other blogs featured my hat - the original inspiration, “Outsapop Trashion“, and also “The Lazy Milliner“- wooooohoooooo! THAT’S what blogging’s all about, making connections!! The hat itself went un-noticed at the lunch, except by those on the same table. Next I’m going BIG or not going at all!)
I also cleared my fabric stash of a few pieces of fabric that were so very very autumn I couldn’t even use them as bottoms pieces or linings - fortunately they went to a good Autumn home!
Ow. My mouth and throat are really sore. Obviously I’m working at just the threshold between well and sick - the least bit of stress and overtiredness and BAM! Down I go.
Off to cut fabric now. Talk amongst yourselves.
Certain people at a group I won’t name but will no longer be associated with in any way need to read this:
Maybe this is even too advanced for them....
and stay the heck out of things they know nothing about.
ANGRY!!!!!
Simplicity 2981 again!
Proper post to follow - but I thought I’d show you The Dress - sewn yesterday!
Not bad, hey? The cotton was jsut a DREAM to work with - I will finish the Dress from Polyester Hell, but not just yet.
Do you like my hat?
I love hats!
My hat - made last night!
I was inspired to try the zipper roses by Outsapop Trashion - a Finnish girl who makes gorgeous stuff from zippers. I bought the shell (?base? the sinamay straw shape thingummy) at Spotlight; covered it with a double layer of black silk organza, and then used separating jacket zippers to make the roses. A few ribbon leaves and fripperies, some black veiling - ta da!!
Karen, Caity, and Sue at the lunch
And now I think I’ll just go have a little nap - the wine was lovely but now I’m REALLY TIRED!
Simplicity 2981 again
I am three-quarters of the way through the next version of The Dress. This time in black polyester fabric I bought for $5 a metre.
Now, sewing buddies - SPOT THE PROBLEM IN THAT SENTENCE.
Woven polyester fabric. Very PRETTY woven polyester fabric, black with little white spots. At a price I couldn’t resist.
Now, what are the three words we need to remember about polyester fabric, if I should EVER EVER EVER attempt to make anything else from this hellish material?
POLYESTER DOESN’T EASE.
(Also, it frays if you so much as look at it wrong. Into teeny weeny very pretty thread snarls that look just like guinea feathers, except are nowhere near as useful.)
(OMG! Just found a shop I could spend most of a lotto win at - Millinery Suppliers! WOOOOOOT! *wanders off singing “heaven… I’m in heaven…*)
AHEM! Back to the business at hand: I bought the fabric from HELL. Straight from Stan’s loom , I tell ya!
Which is why, at 7 pm on Sunday night, I’m just starting to cut out version THREE, in cotton (oh cotton, how I love you!). Remember I want to wear this on TUESDAY. And I have a hat to trim , too. Last time it took about 2 hours to cut (but that was horrible slippery fabric - oh yeah, I forgot to mention - polyester’s SLIPPERY! and I had to mark every piece carefully with right and wrong side, because there was a subtle but noticeable difference…)
Right. Back to it! Just promise me, dear readers, PROMISE ME, that if I so much as LOOK at el cheapo polyester woven fabric again, you will take me by the hand and repeat those three words: Polyester. Doesn’t. EASE!!
My Bestest Sewing Buddy, Sue, is having a giveaway on her blog- this fabbo issue of Burda World of Fashion Magazine!
Burda July 2008
Get over there before November 5 and answer her question, ok!
