Nickel Pickel

Goodbye, For Now...

2011-10-29T20:02:00.000+13:00

Well peeps, after much thought and consideration, I have decided to take an extended blogging holiday. Nickel Pickel is feeling like it has run it's course, in it's current capacity at least. I originally started blogging when I moved to Australia and found myself insanely homesick and wanting a way to share what I was up to with my friends and family back home. It then followed me around the world and now 3 years later I am back in NZ, and feeling like it's time for a change.

At this stage, my plan is to be blogging again in the New Year, hopefully with a little more direction then I have now, some new projects and with renewed energy. It might be here at Nickel Pickel, it might be somewhere completely new and fresh! Wait and see, but I promise to keep you posted.

Don't worry blog friends, I will still be lurking and randomly commenting on all your online goodness, but from Nickel Pickel, it's bye for now, and thanks for all your lovely, kind words and encouragement over the years!

x Nikki

Vintage Seaside

2011-10-18T08:57:00.000+13:00

'Vintage Seaside' pencil on vintage cotton

Music Love: Foster The People 'Houdini'

2011-10-18T08:00:00.000+13:00

Good vibes for a Tuesday!

Girls in Galoshes

2011-10-17T08:22:00.000+13:00

'Girls in Galoshes' - Pencil on board and linen

Easy Peasy Fudge Slice

2011-10-16T16:23:00.000+13:00

I am the sort of person that, when seen entering a kitchen, will often send an oven running in the opposite direction. I can't cook to save myself, so this recipe is SO up my alley. No cooking required!

First, crush up 1-2 packets of vanilla/wine/milk arrowroot biscuits, and put into a large bowl.

Then, gently melt on the stove; 1/2 cup sugar, 125g of butter and 1 tbsp cocoa. Remove from the heat, and mix in 1 egg, and 1 tsp of vanilla essence.

Poor that liquid goodness over the crushed biscuits and mix really really well, ensuring you taste test globs of it as you go... you know, to make sure it's completely mixed in and all...

Press the mixture into a flat(ish) baking tin, making sure it reaches all the corners.

In another small bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, 25g butter and a splash of boiling water. Mix to make icing, and slather it all over the top of the biscuits. IMPORTANT: Lick spoon/knife/spatula/spreading utensil and also the bowl afterwards.

Put the slice into the fridge for a couple of hours to set, then wollah! Remove, cut and EAT.

Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich

2011-10-16T10:46:00.000+13:00

I was never really aware of how essential sloppy weekend breakfast food was, until we lived in Canada. Things like 'Breakfast Sandwiches' and 'Breakfast Burritos' were completely foreign to me until I was working in a cafe on Salt Spring Island and having to make and serve them to customers! I slowly became accustomed to this greasy goodness, (my heart probably not so much), and now we have started a small tradition at home on Sundays - the ultimate breakfast sandwich. That's bacon, hashbrown, cheese, egg and tomato sauce, oozing out between two pieces of white toast. Oh yea!

Le Hammerhead

2011-10-12T10:12:00.000+13:00

I was so completely stuck for ideas at my last silversmith class this week - I needed to come up with something I could complete within my 3 hour time slot.What to do, what to do...I trawled through my blog for inspiration and, seeing as I've had sharks on the brain a bit lately... I made a hammerhead brooch, and I love it!

Hiding Out

2011-10-12T07:48:00.000+13:00

This was me on Sunday, hiding out under my cardigan, draped over my laptop to protect from the glare of the sun... oh, and some more new glasses! Raspberry red ones this time, just 'cos :p

International Outfit

2011-10-11T08:07:00.000+13:00

A friend noted briefly to me not so long ago, that sometimes if you want to put together a really great outfit, you need to dig deep into the back of your wardrobe and revive some of the old things that haven't seen the light of day for a while. I agree, that it's often the unexpected collaboration of items from various different seasons and styles that makes for something so much more fun then a quick all encompassing shopping spree at Glassons.

Well today, without this being my intention at all, I think I've well and truely put together an international outfit.

Black long sleeved top - 'Target' Australia, purchased around 2 years ago.
Black tights - 'Primark' London, purchased 12 months ago.
Cord skirt - Thrifted from 'Value Village' in Victoria, Canada, 18 months ago.
Vest/cardigan - Hand me down from my Mum (originally from 'Sussans', NZ) 3 years ago.
Belt - Naples, Italy, purchased 12 months ago.
Shoes - 'Glassons', NZ, purchased around 6 months ago.
Turquoise necklace - 'Grace Anchor Finery', Salt Spring Island, BC, purchased 12 months ago.

And that people, is a pretty mad example of holding on to things for yonks, trekking round the world with your wardrobe and wearing garments to the grim death!

Monday Music: Florence + The Machine 'What the Water Gave Me'

2011-10-10T07:39:00.000+13:00

One of my favourites for this new Monday morning. Enjoy!

Sunday Sun

2011-10-09T13:47:00.001+13:00

It's been pretty quiet in my world this week; the constant rain we've had lately has made me hunker down and semi hibernate. But then today? Be-eautiful. We've had painters around at our place for the last wee while, so I've staked out a spot on their scaffolding and that's me. Got my computer, got my guitar, got my coke and a soft spot to doze in the warm sun. Best Sunday in a long time. Hope it's glorious wherever you are too!

Belgian Biscuits

2011-10-01T14:58:00.000+13:00

Belgian Biscuits
Mix together 1 1/2 cups brown sugar with 250g softened butter and 1 egg.

Add 2 1/2 tsp mixed spice, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 3/4 cups flour and 1 tbsp baking powder. Mix all together, then add 1 more cup of flour.

Mix again to form a dough, tip out onto the bench.

Roll out to 5mm thick, cut out circles.

Bake at 180 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Spread half with jam, then sandwich them together.

Mix together 1 cup of icing sugar, 1 tbsp milk and 1 tsp butter and a dash of pink food colouring to make icing. Dollop on the tops.

Yum!

This recipe is basic - I don't muck around with colouring sugar granules etc for sprinkling on top, too much feffing around and not enough eating!

Flash Mob Proposal

2011-10-01T09:49:00.001+13:00

Let's have some lovin' on this lovely Saturday morning, by watching this. Dare you to not shed a little tear, it't so unbelievably sweet!

Brass Friday

2011-09-30T09:47:00.002+13:00

It's Friday! Hooray! And Wellington has well and truely turned it ON today, summer is coming...
I think for the first day since May I'm not wearing a thermal top, woot!

Last night I made some brass earrings to wear with my brass ring (seeing as this 'brass' thing is new territory for me). They are made of two triangles; one large one small, one in front of the ear one behind, and I love that it sort of looks like it's hooking right through my ear! I can't take full credit for the concept, I've been majorly inspired and madly pinning as of late, but I'm still pleased with them all the same!

In even more exciting news (hah! cos' new jewellery is always exciting, especially when I made it!) I have decided to 'invest' in myself and am now starting to put together my own set of silversmith equipment so that I can continue to make pieces at home once my course finishes next week - so excited!! This is a big step for me, as it is definitely not a cheap hobby, but I'm hoping that it's going to lead to future ventures. I've had so many awesome comments from people both in blog land and in my day to day life so I'm excited to see what's around the corner!

Batty

2011-09-29T16:05:00.002+13:00

Little bat earrings for a lovely blogging friend!

Colour Block It

2011-09-27T12:02:00.000+13:00

Trying my hand at colour blocking today - this outfit would be 100 times better if I owned a mustard colour cardi like this one! But oh well, navy will have to do...at least I managed an entire outfit with no black, go me!

It's also my first attempt at the 'stockings in open toed sandals' thing... it's always weirded me out a bit until now, but like I've been saying, I'm staying open minded!

Oh, cute wedges too, eh?

Starry Earred

2011-09-23T09:27:00.001+12:00

Last night's creation - little sterling silver star earrings!

Music Love: Little Dragon 'Ritual Union'

2011-09-22T08:31:00.001+12:00

Some musical goodness for the day. Enjoy!

Style Changer

2011-09-22T08:24:00.000+12:00

I'm covering a fair bit of ground in this post - first up - a little about my outfit today. This post should probably be titled something like 'What I Wore Thursday' except Thursday doesn't have the ring to it that Wednesday does, and obviously, I missed Wednesday...so meh!

I've been experimenting a bit more with my personal style lately, my style being that thing that I don't think I have one set version of. Just the same way I like a huge range of music, I like trying out different styles in fashion too, just depends how I feel! Today's outfit is a new combo for me - OK so it's made up of black, black and more black, but I dug out an old Supre singlet from the back of my closet that hasn't seen the light in over 3 years - and combined that with my bear claw necklace and new 'X' ring... I'm pretty happy! I'm going for comfort at work today as I've got a pile of upholstery sewing to get through, (using an industrial sewing machine in heels is a co-ordination nightmare!) so got the brogues on and a 'House of G' blazer. Noooice.

And yes the ring! It got a little bit of a patch extender put in the back of it last Thursday night, so it is finally wearable, hooray! I never wear brass, but this has grown on me a lot since I made it, so I'm thinking of making some earrings I can wear at the same time. I've been a silver/white gold girl since day dot, but, along with my explorations into clothing style lately, I'm feeling like changing it up a little. Cool huh?

Oh and on one more completely random note - you will see in the background of my mirror shot photo (taken at work) some styling in a visual merchandising context behind me, all done by moi. Just another area I'm having fun playing with a bit more these days. Maybe I should do a bit more posting about my V.M. work... another day perhaps...

Shark Doodles

2011-09-19T09:55:00.001+12:00

I've been doing some design work for my lovely fiance this weekend, and it involves drawing sharks. Lots and lots of sharks... [insert menacing 'Jaws' shark music here].

Hello, Big Rock

2011-09-16T07:52:00.000+12:00

Last night I finished my druzy ring. It's a monster!
I ended up setting it quite deep in the bezel as the stone itself is a really awkward and uneven shape.It's all finished, and though it's an absolute top heavy whoppa on my finger, I like it. Well, I think I like it because I made it, but it's perhaps not something I would buy for myself... it may grow on me some more!

New Zealand Jewellery Show: Little Sister Designs

2011-09-13T10:00:00.000+12:00

I went to the New Zealand Jewellery Show this weekend, and to be honest... I was kind of underwhelmed. The big glitzy jewellery companies had all the good display cases in the centre of the exhibition space, and there, with their shmoozy sales lines and fake laughs, they tried to sell me diamond rings and necklaces. I mean, really people. Do I look like someone who can afford to spend $40,000, just randomly, on a piece of bling that I'm never going to wear? I don't think so. I was THIS close to telling some of them to stick their shmancy sales pitches and jewels somewhere nasty. But I didn't. Bet my mum was glad of that! haha

What I did love, was all the smaller, boutique jewellery designers who were wedged into these tiny little aisles around the edges, in ways that made it practically impossible to see their stuff, and much cooler stuff I must add. So unfortunately, I missed a lot of it because I wasn't going to feff around waiting my turn to look at things.

BUT my favourite designer that I found was Little Sister Designs (L.S.D) by Charlotte Burkhart.I have a thing for bones and animal parts in my jewellery. Yup, maybe a little weird I know, but this chic's stuff was very cool. Some of it was a little too grim for me, (human teeth and hair in some pieces!) but I still appreciated it all the same, especially because it was different! So above are some of my favourite pieces...

All images from http://www.charlotteburkhart.com/#!

Music Love: Annah Mac 'Celia'

2011-09-10T10:18:00.002+12:00

Absolutely loving this new song from Annah Mac, woooo!

New York & the Week of September 11th

2011-09-06T19:44:00.001+12:00

It was exactly 12 months ago that I was in New York, enjoying some beautiful late summer weather with both old friends and new. Isn't it crazy how fast time flies!?

And of course as everybody knows, the end of this week marks 10 years since the September 11th tragedy, so I decided to post/re-post some photos from our 4 days in the Big Apple.

Music Love: Birdy - 'Skinny Love'

2011-09-05T15:25:00.001+12:00

Found this over at Petite Sabine, love! This girl is 14... yup 14. What was I doing when I was 14? Hmmm...doesn't bear thinking about!

Clogged

2011-09-05T09:21:00.001+12:00

I swore to myself I wouldn't get in on this; clogs will just be another go-around, come-around fashion fad like all others... but then I caved. I have clogs. ♥

A Successful 2AM Dress

2011-09-04T09:45:00.000+12:00

After Corey and I dragged ourselves home from a fire brigade 'do' at 2am this morning, (yes, we're complete nanas, that is very late for us...) I thought noooooo! I haven't taken photos of my dress in action! So here it is, in all it's 2am glory, (complete with plasters, hairbrush and cat's ass) and hence I'm not too concerned that you get a camera where my face should be, as it's probably not a pretty sight anyway. But you get the gist, I hope! Got quite a few lovely comments about it so successful outfit? Tick!

Coming Up... It's a Druzy!

2011-09-02T12:33:00.000+12:00

This is my next project - a ring using a piece of druzy. You can see I've started making the bezel already (piece of stirling silver to set the stone into) but it is still very much in the early stages, obviously! Looking forward to seeing how it turns out...

A Kiss on the Hand

2011-09-02T12:25:00.000+12:00

Finished product today - my brass 'X' ring. Mwah! Pretty pleased with how it's turned out, except that I can't model it properly for you as I made the ring part slightly too small for my fat fingers. I could probably get it on there, but getting it off? hmmm... probably not. FAIL! So until I make some amendments next week, you get the idea. It's a prototype, right!?

A Sewing Project

2011-08-31T12:40:00.000+12:00

Today I've been working on a dress that I've had the fabric for, for nearly 12 months. You know those projects? Yeah, one of those. I'm hoping this is going to turn out a little more 'retro vintage' then 'Grandma's tablecloth', but either way, I'm excited to finally be making something that I feel will probably get worn, unlike so many of the other projects I undertake!

My problem with things like this is that there is no sewing pattern in the world (well, it would seem...) that I can make and not have to alter to my shape. Maybe I'm lucky with my curves or whatever, but I always have to take it in a mile at the smallest part of my waist, which usually makes the rest of it sit in a really odd way. It also then means constant trying on, pinning, taking in, trying on, pinning, taking in... which I get so sick of!

Music Love: Lord Huron 'Mighty'

2011-08-30T15:09:00.000+12:00

Oh the wonders of the internet... remind me again what we used to do before we had the answer to every single question at our fingertips?

So you know this ad, well I really love the music in it, so of course I let my fingers do the typing and followed the link trail to this! The calypso/folk/pop music of Lord Huron. Now this is a very good example of my very eclectic music taste, but at the end of the day, it sounds like happy music to me, and that's what I love. Enjoy! (go to the 3.00 mark to hear the bit from the ad).

Jewellery Making - Work In Progress

2011-08-27T17:07:00.000+12:00

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend, Wellington has turned it ON today!
I've been working away on a new piece of jewellery, it's still a work in progress, so I should hopefully be able to share the finished product end of next week... fingers crossed...

For the Love (or Hate) of Water

2011-08-26T15:48:00.000+12:00

I'm on a two week mooch holiday at the moment - mooch in that I've taken time off work, not to go anywhere in particular, just to spend some time doing some 'me' things that I haven't felt the time or energy to do lately. I'm one week in, and one of my goals for my little break was to sort my body out a little bit. Not loose weight specifically, just give it a bit of a cleanse, and a rest from the crap I put into it.

So I'm eating a lot of fruit and veges, very little meat, and drinking tons of water.
That probably doesn't seem that full on to many of you but I am a terrible emotional eater, and I can't remember when I last made it through a day without eating 6 or 7 biscuits, a couple of muesli bars and a few bags of chips, alongside all the other stuff I was eating. That's every single day. Oh, and I NEVER drink water. I hate it. Don't care what you say, it does nothing for me, and apart from the occasional glass now and then, I pretty much steer clear of it. Until this week.

I have been drinking around 8-10 glasses of it every day, and I feel really really good. Like so good, I weighed myself this morning, and 5 days in I've lost 3 kilos. That wasn't my specific intention, but it's definitely a bonus! So this thing called water that I hate so much, that I'm constantly reading is the number one thing to consume, especially if you're trying to lose weight, well, it may have just found an unlikely friend in me.

Music Love: Bon Iver 'Holocene'

2011-08-24T07:14:00.000+12:00

Some music that makes my heart happy, found via Poppytalk earlier in the week.

Colouring Outside the Lines: Have You Seen My New Glasses?

2011-08-23T12:30:00.000+12:00

This, for me, really is a 'Colouring Outside the Lines' post. These are the first glasses I've ordered from Clearly Contacts during one of their free glasses promotions, so I figured I'd take the opportunity to buy a style that are completely 'out there'. I have secretly been harboring a desire to have glasses like this for quite some time, and I had these bookmarked for ages before the free offer came up and I bought them straight away!

It's so funny how when they first arrived, I put them on and completely freaked out - took them off and went and did something else for a while... but something was nagging at me and I went back and tried them on again and again and before I knew it I really loved them! They're a bit wacky I know, and Corey hates them, (who cares!?) but you know what? I wish I had the balls to wear things like this a lot more, because this is honestly what I feel like wearing all the time, I'm just always too scared to show it!

A Portrait of my Great Great Grandfather

2011-08-23T11:11:00.000+12:00

Music Love: Maroon 5 - 'Moves Like Jagger'

2011-08-16T19:53:00.001+12:00

My new turn up song - yup much to Corey's horror this involves me dancing around the living room like a spaz. Get amongst it!

Snow Food: Pumpkin Soup

2011-08-16T10:25:00.000+12:00

A day off work due to snow calls for some tummy warming food. Quickly fry up, boil and simmer some pumpkin, potato, carrot and onion with some chicken stock. Blend together once soft and then eat. Too easy!

Snow In Wellington

2011-08-14T17:19:00.002+12:00

My weekend has well and truely been made - snow in Wellington. That has happened only one other time in my 26.5 years... BLISS! Isn't it great how it doesn't take much at all to bring out the inner 'kid' in adults? All our neighbours, and I mean ALL of them, are out in their front yards having snow ball fights. Excellent!

Moustache Mania

2011-08-13T11:09:00.000+12:00

What do you get when you cross a rainy day with some 'Sculpey clay' and moi?

You get moustache mania!

Jeeps, sometimes I think being an idiot comes WAY too naturally to me...

*Yikes, enlarged thyroid anyone!!??

Cat Saturday

2011-08-13T10:13:00.000+12:00

Hi my name is Bahco (yes I was named after a brand of tools) and my favourite thing to do is sleep on and wrestle with my goat skin.... go figure! Have a lovely weekend peeps!

Music Love: Gotye - 'Somebody That I Used To Know'

2011-08-12T09:15:00.000+12:00

It's raining today... let's listen to some good music to make us feel a bit cheerier... yes?

Collaboration With A Faery

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

Been having fun over the last couple of weeks coming up with some ideas for FaerySarah's new blog header... She worked her magic with it and wollah! It's FaerySarah cartoon style!

Colouring Outside The Lines: Jewellery Making

2011-08-12T09:01:00.000+12:00

One of the self-identified problems that I have which is a cause for my creative frustration, is that I have so many amazing ideas of things I want to design and make, yet I have no clue how to go about it, so the idea gets shelved, and I get shittier.

Well, I decided to pull finger by educating myself and enrolling in a silversmith night course. And so off I trundled last night, and I had a fantastic time, learned SO many things and produced this! A ring! To anyone who's worked with stirling silver they probably look at this and think, 'Wow, that's about as beginner as it gets...' but I'm stoked!

Note to the universe: Why do I insist on choosing hobbies which cost ridiculous amounts of money?

A Weekend Project: Make A Bed

2011-06-26T17:22:00.000+12:00

Hello, did you have a nice weekend? What did you get up to? Oh ya know, bought a new king sized mattress, then realised we didn't have a king sized bed base, so, as you do, just made one. Yup. Made an entire bed base. Timber slat, upholstered side rails and headboard. I think that's what you get when you pair a builder with a designer. Minds set on a project and that's it. There's no stoppin' us.

Ellie Goulding & Lissie - Everywhere I Go

2011-06-20T08:09:00.000+12:00

Mmmm Monday music!

DIY Framed Photoboard

2011-06-04T17:39:00.000+12:00

Ever since Sarah at Bobbyrobin posted about her amazing DIY photoboards, I've been quietly harbouring my desire to make my own with all our holiday snaps. I'm talking, even before we'd been to half the places and taken the photos, I was planning on creating my own photoboards. Nuts much?

My photoboard ended up framed behind glass instead of being on canvas, after I got my sticky mits on an old picture frame that my parents didn't want anymore. I used the 'Poladroid' application that Sarah suggested to turn all my photos into polaroid style, and took them down to Harvey Norman to catch their 9 cents per print sale ($7.20 for all my prints? I'll take that thank you!).

I bought 2 sheets of matte board, and after an insane amount of measuring and sticking I got all the photos in place.

A very handy builder man who I also like to call my fiance helped me to cut the frame down a little, sand it, prime it and spray it black.

I finally got around to putting it all together this weekend and wollah!

VERY stoked with my photoboard!

A Race for Leukemia

2011-05-26T11:00:00.000+12:00

We spent the weekend in Auckland so that C could compete in the Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge - racing up the sky tower in full B.A. to raise money for the Leukemia & Blood Foundation. He did so well, I was so proud!
Dawwwwww...

Colouring Outside the Lines: I See Red

2011-05-26T08:55:00.000+12:00

There seems to be so little to blog about at the moment, but I thought I'd throw this in cos' I pushed the boundaries of my little zone of comfort today. Red tights and red lippy. Oh yeah. Reach for the sky Nikki. Hah!
Ever worn something outrageously bright and noticed how friggin' everybody looks at you while you're walking through the city? Hmmm, I just figured that one out... I have just discovered a good reason to stay tucked up in 'my zone'.

Ellie Goulding: 'Your Song'

2011-05-03T21:42:00.002+12:00

Yea yea, I know it was part of the Royal Wedding and all that jazz, but don't lie, you know you watched it. Either way, I love this version of Elton John's song, and I'm sharing it. So there!

A Mixed Bag

2011-05-03T17:06:00.000+12:00

Easter in 'Wanga-vegas'

2011-04-25T08:50:00.000+12:00

I've spent my Easter weekend visiting my Grandparents in the mighty 'Wanga-vegas' (Wanganui).

My Grandad is approaching 90, and he's fitter than me. We followed him round his orchard and garden - gathered eggs, fed the chooks, pruned the fruit trees and filled bags with lettuce, capsicum, corn, spring onion and zuchinni to take home. Yum! Hope you're enjoying your Easter weekend too!

Things I'm Lovin' Lately...

2011-04-09T16:05:00.000+12:00

Working on secret squirrel projects... more on those later!

Finally moving into our own place after 12 months (sorry Mum & Dad, I love you but space is good...!) which has the bonus of coming with a view like this! (That's Wellington harbour for those who might not know).

Getting all my stuff out of storage and surrounding myself with the things I love again!

Getting new dining chairs, woot!

This little jar of kaka feathers that my Dad collected just for me. Daawwww my Dad is the CUTEST!

Re-discovering drawings I did 2 years ago...

and drawings I did 20 years ago!

Feelin' proud as C trains and fundraises hard for the Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge in May, and having some fun coming up with t-shirt logos for the team. (Not that they got used, but still...!)

Getting my very own 'creating' room... there's my sewing machine, my computers, my printers, all my art supplies, my mannequin... yippeeeee! (That's all organised chaos people, don't judge!).

Lots of good vibes these last couple of weeks. What about you?

James Vincent McMorrow - Sparrow & the Wolf

2011-03-21T22:24:00.000+13:00

It's a funny time of the year I think. I don't know about you, but I haven't got a lot of uberly exciting stuff to blog about right now, life's kinda ticking along day by day, can't complain, but it's pretty quiet round here at the moment! Still, thought I'd share a new favourite song with you. Here you go!

Love in the Funniest Places

2011-03-15T07:15:00.001+13:00

While wandering back to the office yesterday after getting some lunch, I found myself walking behind a man who had unsuspectingly sat on a piece of red thread, and it was stuck to his bum forming the shape of a heart. It looked something like this. Unfortunate for him, quite possibly. Highly amusing for myself? Most definitely.

It's Time For A Joke

2011-03-06T12:39:00.000+13:00

What do you get when you cross a ton of scraps of silk curtaining, polyester upholstery fabric, linen, cotton duck, flocked velvet, solution dyed acrylic, macrosuede, pocket woven satin, a forever tunelling, burrowing cat and a seamstress with zero patience and little tolerance for pinning, tacking or measuring?

A majorly twisted, crooked fabric delight for said cat to play in.

Aggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

Italian Tale

2011-03-01T21:36:00.002+13:00

I just realised it's nearly been six months since we left Canada and headed off towards the lights and delights of Europe. Jeepers time flies!

One of my all time highlights was hiring a scooter in Sorrento and driving along the coast through Positano and finishing with an afternoon in the sun in Amalfi. Yeah, you know the bit in 'Under the Tuscan Sun' where Francesca goes looking for a replacement part for her chandelier and ends up in Positano with Marcello? That's what I'm talkin' about. The stuff of dreams. And I went there. Literally, with my hair blowing in the wind behind me on the back of a scooter, in the Italian sun. Ahhhh... !

Now for the cheese - my home-made vid of our scooter ride. Yes, some of you have probably seen this before, but oh it's good to reminisce isnt' it?

*Sorry just to be a real pain you need to be logged into facebook to watch this vid!

One from the Moleskine - Bunnies on the Brain

2011-03-01T19:08:00.000+13:00

Quilt Ahoy!

2011-02-27T17:34:00.000+13:00

Uh oh, I've well and truly turned a corner and fallen off the edge into the abyss that is madness. I'm going to attempt to make a quilt. Not a fan-dangled, fiddly, measured out, fat quarter thing - just some fabric scraps sewn together. But all this with my brain that jumps from project to project faster then I change my undies? Jeez. Sometimes I wonder why I set myself up for defeat. But honestly, blogging about it can only be the most likely way of giving me an incentive to see it through... holding myself accountable and all that stuff! Here goes...

Softie

2011-02-26T18:43:00.001+13:00

With all the tragic events unfolding in Christchurch this week, I've felt so guilty about heading off to work each day and seemingly acting as if nothing has happened. I've been coming home each night and found myself fixated to the tv screen, watching horror after horror pass before me. It's the most awful feeling isn't it? Feeling helpless really sucks! So I decided that I would just attempt to do my part in a small way - and I've made a little softie for the 'Softies for Christchurch' appeal. She's a cute wee bunny, a nice and simple pattern that I got from here. I don't have the patience or skills like some of you talented crafters out there! But it's a little something anyway.

*Tee hee look at his massive fluffy tush! A little out of proportion but oh well!

It's All Mine

2011-02-19T18:04:00.000+13:00

This is the Ngaio Rue 'Tart' pendant, and it's all mine! Lucky, lucky me.

If you are in Wellington you can find one of your very own right here, and if you're anywhere else she's selling them here!

Summer Lovin'

2011-02-19T17:35:00.000+13:00

This is my all time favourite time of year. And I've missed it while I've been overseas. Because no where can I find those glorious late summer sun baked afternoons like I do in NZ. It's always those small things that I hold close to my heart, just the tid bits that I find floating in a lazy Saturday afternoon. And because I'm back living with the 'rents for the time being, it's even better. It's like I've time travelled back to the days of being a little girl - when weekends seemed to arch on forever, filled with wonderful sights, smells and projects.

I love that I can always find Mum at some point during the day, saucing or stewing or baking in the kitchen, filling the house with glorious tastes and smells.

I love that the cats seem to feel the 'weekend' spirit too, and they repeatedly alternate between lazing in a sunny spot to cooling in the shade.

I love that the washing stays on the line until the last slithers of sunshine have slipped away, leaving the towels crisp and crunchy.

I love that my Dad is always outside; always watering, or always mowing... the smells of the cool water on the hot concrete driveway and the freshly mown lawn are to die for.

And the part I love the best that I return to religiously every sunny weekend day, is my afternoon nap. Back in the bedroom I spent my first 20 years in, I lie in my crumpled duvet as the sun pours in and the breeze whispers through the open windows. I soak in it. I drift away. It's truely the thing I love the most.

*Apologies for the poor photo quality, all snapped on my phone!

Girl Crush - 'Robyn'

2011-02-17T10:20:00.000+13:00

I have crushed on Robyn since 'Show Me Love' from waaaayy back in the day. Now I'm crushin' again. And I really really want to be in this video.

Happy Valentines Day - again!

2011-02-15T06:05:00.000+13:00

Maybe this post is for those in the world for whom it is still Valentines Day, because I just realised I had an even more appropriate photo then the one I posted yesterday! It's a love lock that we spotted (amongst thousands of others) on a bridge in Paris over the Seine. We struck these on famous bridges all over the world, but initially in Sydney, and at first we had no idea what the significance was until a friend clued us in.
Us kiwis, we must be so unromantic! Sheesh!

Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-14T09:39:00.000+13:00

Happy Valentines Day lovers... Mwah mwah!

Experi-Mental

2011-02-12T20:50:00.000+13:00

I've been experimenting with a slightly more abstracted style then I normally draw with. And then the paints came out. I hate painting. Only because I always feel I ruin my drawings once they're painted. Must practice some more. Practice, practice, practice...

Resolutions - Making Progress

2011-02-12T08:59:00.000+13:00

Remember how I said one of my 'resolutions' (if I have to call it that), is to get a bit more serious about my drawing and start an online shop? Well yesterday I took a major leap in that direction because I got a new toy.

After a lot of research and moollah, I am now the very excited new owner of a Canon Pixma Pro 9500 mark II printer, which in a nutshell means when it comes to getting top quality prints made of my drawings, I can do it myself instead of forking out squillions for someone else to do it. I have full control. Yusss! It has 10 pigment ink cartridges so the prints won't fade like regular home printer ink, and it's designed especially for photography and fine art printing, both A4 and A3. Yikes! Do I sound like a walking sales brochure much?

So here's to the start of my little enterprise. Just gotta pull finger and get some things drawn that are suitable for selling!

Ngaio Rue

2011-02-08T06:01:00.000+13:00

I consider myself super lucky to work where I do, but my job comes with some serious dangers.

We are first and foremost, an interior design office, but we also have a retail space which showcases tons of great kiwi design talent. And that's where I have to practice restraint every day.

Last week, we got a parcel in the mail from the talented Ngaio Rue. It was chock full of a collection of her beautiful hand tatted necklaces and earrings. I can't even begin to describe the detail in these, they're fantastic! And I have my eye on this one. It's my fav. I almost didn't want to put it out in the shop cos' I want it all to myself. I'd better not catch anyone attempting to buy it... look out!

Draw What You See, Not What You Know

2011-02-07T09:00:00.003+13:00

'Legs in bath, taps in reflection'

Many years ago, aged 8, while struggling to draw a paua shell, my art teacher said, 'Draw what you see, not what you know.' So yesterday, in the bath, I did just that.

Colouring Outside the Lines: All Things Bees

2011-02-06T14:29:00.001+13:00

As some of you may or may not know, my Dad is a bee guru. That's him there, doing what he loves to do best. Bee keep. I spent a lot of my childhood avoiding the back section of our yard for fear of bee-stings from his many beehives. And boy have my sisters and I had our share of those stings. Mum would always get grumpy at the bee poo all over the sheets on the washing line. Dad eventually caved and moved his hives off site, and now has them scattered all over various places in Wellington.

I've always had a love hate relationship with those bees. The idea of creating a scrumptious product in a very natural way has always been intriguing, but I've watched way too many horror films of killer bee swarms to warrant showing much more of an interest. When I was little I would go as far as helping Dad to spin the honey comb frames in the extractor machine to collect the honey, and that was about it.

A couple of months ago, Dad became interested in a new hiving method, called a top bar hive, as opposed to those multi coloured boxes that we see on rural roadsides around the place. This method encourages the bees to create their own comb, instead of using the man made wax comb provided by a beekeeper in a standard hive. The frames hang inside the hive in such a way that the comb is formed in a natural 'V' or teardrop shape - essentially letting the bees form it to whatever shape they would like! This idea is gaining massive popularity as more and more people are looking to find the most natural way of producing honey as possible, and by letting the bees create their own comb, it is a big step in that direction. It's really fascinating stuff!

So Dad has harnessed this interest, and set about building a top bar hive. Today his new bee colony moved in. I decided to harden up, step outside my comfort zone and follow along. And I lasted pretty well, standing only a couple of metres from the hive taking photos, until a bunch of bees decided I was more interesting then their new home, and began crawling down my neck. That's when I ran, arms flailing in the opposite direction. But I'm still determined to keep following Dad's progress, so there will be more to come in the future!

Things I'm Lovin' Lately...

2011-02-06T13:48:00.003+13:00

Growing tomatoes in pots outside... successfully, and getting to eat them!

Sales at Spotlight where I can get enough fabric to make 5 pieces of clothing for only $30! What to make, what to make!?

Walking into the family room to see this mess on the floor...

Only to find this hiding inside it...!

Finally getting around to making pillows out of the two fabric offcuts I've had knocking around for two and a half YEARS!

Beating a certain someone at bowling last night. Now that's a rare occurance, you gotta cherish these small moments!

So that's pretty much me for the week, I'm looking forward to reading your lists too!

Pickles and Peanut Butter

2011-01-30T08:48:00.000+13:00

'What the *** is that!?' I hear you cry. THAT, my fellow blogettes, is pickles and peanut butter on toast. The finest breakfast there is. How do I know? Because my Grandad got me hooked on it when I was a wee dot, and wise old Grandads know everything. End of story.

Things I'm Lovin' This Weekend...

2011-01-23T12:06:00.003+13:00

A print arrived for me all the way from Edinburgh. Thanks Susie Wright and Oddities Streetwear!

Summery music by Eliza Doolittle...

Fluffy monsters hiding in... rubbish bins...

Cute boys and their new buzz cuts that I just want to run my hands across all day!

Pikelet making lessons from my mama... mmmmm...

What about you, lovelies?

P.S. I've just joined in on PaisleyJade's 'Things I'm Loving...' post section, check it all out here!

Janine Wareham Illustration

2011-01-18T19:52:00.000+13:00

How much fun is this doodle slash piece of amazing artwork? It's kinda like all those times when you were supposed to be listening to the teacher back in school but you just ended up doodling all up the side of your refill, only, this is SO much better. Nice! Janine Wareham, catch her here.

Girl Crush: Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers

2011-01-16T01:00:00.000+13:00

I'm a little bit in love right now...

I Just Coloured Outside the Lines: Dinosaur Tootsies

2011-01-15T08:40:00.001+13:00

Today I have coloured outside the lines in two respects.

Firstly, I manned up (woman-ed up?) and painted my toenails in my yellow nail polish. (Hearing sarcastic 'oohs and aahs' from the sidelines) ... Yes I know people, it's baby steps OK!?

I'm a bit on the fence with the outcome - in some lights it looks like I have dinosaur toenails, in others more like I've just removed layers and layers of old nail polish and not put any more on. Hah! ewww!
But outside it's not too bad, it's growing on me.

The other bold move I made today was actually putting photos of my hory feet on the internet for the world to see. There is nothing elegant about my feet, and trying to photograph my feet in a flattering way has proven pretty impossible this morning and confirmed what everyone tells me - that I have weird stubby toes, curled up pinkies and some bad jandal tan lines. There, I said what you were all thinking so now it's not uncomfortable haha!

I'm stepping out and heading off to work shortly, in my open toed sandals, ready to rock my dinosaur tootsies. But I think I'll draw the line at painting my fingernails too.

The Lost & Forgotten - part 2

2011-01-13T09:53:00.001+13:00

Would ya look at that, another one that slipped through the memory cracks!

The Lost & Forgotten

2011-01-13T09:44:00.000+13:00

I recently found this drawing of mine from a few years back - for some reason I'd scanned it onto the computer at work, then of course buggered off overseas and forgotten all about it. I do love my sketchy, free-hand bird drawings, but gimme a ruler and I can have lots of fun too!

Sorry if it's a bit fuzzy, I no longer have the original, who knows where that ended up!

New Header

2011-01-13T09:24:00.000+13:00

Jeepers, blogging does nothing for controlling my extreme, unhealthy habit of procrastination.
Anyone else have trouble refraining from 'tweaking' all the time and making new headers!? Yikes!

I Just Coloured Outside The Lines! : The Plan

2011-01-12T08:14:00.000+13:00

Sarah at BobbyRobin has gotten into the spirit of 'getting out of the comfort zone' and created a button for anyone interested in joining us on the way! Check out her first super example of 'colouring outside the lines', and please feel free to hop over there and grab a button for your own page too!

Great idea Sarah, thank you!

Well, I'm planning on it...!

Yellow, I Love You

2011-01-12T07:56:00.000+13:00

Dear garishly bright yellow nail polish. I loved you from the moment I saw you. So in a moment of madness, I brought you home with me. You know, I really do still love you, it's just that now you terrify me too. I just don't know if we're compatible; you in your 'super and ultra brilliance' and me in my... 'wussiness'...

While The Sun Shines

2011-01-10T18:53:00.000+13:00

I had big plans to head back into work today, (though we don't officially start back until tomorrow) ... however I peeked my head out from under the covers at 5.30 this morning to see the beginnings of a super glorious day and I thought, nah! So instead my sister and I decided to muck around with the camera down the back of our house.

It's funny how you spend ages trying to get 'nice' photos, and then your favourites often tend to be the 'in betweens' and the 'out-takes'.

It's All About Me

2011-01-06T07:43:00.001+13:00

As I mentioned in my last post, one of my goals for the year is to work on my self confidence. To step out of my comfort zone a little and for goodness sake, stop freaking out about what other people think ALL the time.

Because I will admit now, that I am actually a very shy person. I avoid social situations because they're just all a bit too scary. I don't like trying out new activitites because I freak that I might suck at them. I don't dress or act the way I want to all the time because I stress about what others will think. I am reluctant to set up the little online shop of my drawings that I have wanted to in so long, because what if no one buys anything!?

People who know me well might think this all sounds a bit strange, because with my family in particular, I'm probably the loudest, crudest and craziest amongst us. But that's a little different. Even here on my blog, my 'voice' is a lot more like I want to be in the 'real world', but it isn't. Not always anyway.

So there we go, it's out there. I know there are some other fairies around who sometimes feel like they're in the same boat, so I say hey, let's make it a goal for the year to work on it. I'm going to try my best to update monthly on what I've been doing to get out of 'that zone', even if it's just little things.
Let's see how it goes!

Yeah x3

2011-01-05T19:30:00.002+13:00

In the spirit of one of my top most 'resolutions' - to step out of my comfort zone and not worry so much what other people think - I am posting this. I don't agree at all with some of the stupid things Chris Brown has done in the past, but JEEPERS this guy is talented, and if I could dance like that... well, I wouldn't be doing what I do today, and probably not here either. So there. I love this song. It just makes me want to dance and dance and dance. Woot!

New Days & Birthdays

2011-01-04T15:46:00.000+13:00

Hello 2011, just like that you're underway and I realise all those resolutions that I was mulling over haven't been put into action yet (though I don't like to call them resolutions because that word screams to me 'final, definite, commited goals' and that freaks me out). More on the 'R' words soon.

Today is also my 26th birthday, and adding to the freaking out front a little, I am suddenly aware of all the things I want to have done by the time I'm 30 and how many of those things just haven't happened yet! But I'll get there. Patience, patience.

It used to be a bit of 'a thing' that my family would go berry picking most summers around this time of year, so today I've chosen that as my birthday outing. Mmm raspberry goodness, tastes even better when you've picked them yourself.

See Ya in 2011

2010-12-22T17:50:00.000+13:00

Image by Small from http://www.flickr.com/photos/small/148002047/

See ya peeps, I'm off to the Marlborough Sounds for Christmas - no internet, no phone, no roads, just chillin'. Mint.
Catch you in the New Year, happy Christmas everyone!

Emiliana Torrini - Jungle Drum

2010-12-20T15:40:00.000+13:00

Try and not wiggle your ass to this!

Glitteratti

2010-12-19T16:14:00.000+13:00

There's nothing like whipping out the glitter and glue as if you're 10 years old again and proceeding to make a sparklified mess, oh and if you're lucky, a glittery chrissy card too. My only problem however, still seems to be the issue of not knowing when enough is enough...

Boing Boing Weeee

2010-12-15T18:12:00.000+13:00

Not So Secret Santa

2010-12-12T12:18:00.000+13:00

...and I've also been working on a little something for my Secret Santa pressie...

2011 Calendar

2010-12-10T20:40:00.000+13:00

Lately I've been working on this little calendar...

A Tunic

2010-12-03T17:55:00.000+13:00

I hate the word tunic, but I guess it kind of describes the loose fitting dress/top that I made last night.
I used the most basic of basic patterns to whip it up, and it's perfect for wearing over leggings which pretty much sums up my summer wardrobe mantra.

I love the subtle pattern on the fabric which you can see best when the light shines through it.
This piece of fabric came out of my 'stash' that was in storage - what a brilliant day that was when I rescued it from the garage!

Why Who

2010-11-26T17:32:00.000+13:00

Dear Santa,

If you could bring me just one thing this year, it would be a pair of shoes by 'Why Who'.
I want them so bad it hurts. Like, ouch.

Please Santa, it would rock my world. Promise.

Love Nikki

Theirs & Mine

2010-11-22T18:35:00.000+13:00

One of the upsides/downsides of being a poor, mega thrifty (stingy), creative type, is that I tend to look at everything I love and think, 'that's cool, but I don't want to pay fifty gajillion dollars for it, I bet I could make it for cheaper...'.

It's not that I don't appreciate other people's fantastic ideas, or the work that goes into producing them, but because I'm so used to not being able to afford any of the things I want, I seek to create my own version.

(Please note here, that I make sure I don't rip off and copy other people's designs only to swan around claiming them to be my own. 9 times out of 10 I'm talking about clothes I see in stores and quite generic items, all of which I keep for myself!)

So, here is my perfect example.

Theirs...

From Rocket St. George

Mine...

When All Else Fails...

2010-11-05T15:27:00.000+13:00

(ie. there is absolutely nothing going on in your life that you can think to blog about...) - buy new shoes, get a haircut, and share that.

Ta daaa!

The Keeper of the Patterns

2010-10-15T09:10:00.000+13:00

Still not a lot of creating going on around here, I'm just getting back into the groove of that thing called 'work'!
But I did go to have a scrounge through my mum's box of patterns this morning to find this. Look at that cute, fluffy face. My sister's cat should be 'the face' of 'My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes', she seriously tries to sleep in anything! So I left her to it - creating can wait a little longer.

I'm Baaaa-aacck!

2010-10-06T22:10:00.001+13:00

Wow what a way to finish off blogging about my trip around the world with a fizzle! Sorry everyone. World's most consistent blogger? FAIL.

But in bigger news - after 2 years of gallivanting around the world I'm HOME, like, New Zealand home! Which makes me very excited because it means getting my mits stuck into my boxes of 'creative goodies' in our storage unit. It means eventually having a steady income for the first time in a year so that I can go and buy MORE creative goodies.
It means that just maybe I can start to turn this blog into what I think I always intended it to be - a little more about me and my creations and a little less about the randomness in my life. OK who am I kidding, it will absolutely still be about the randomness, but perhaps a little more balanced.

It's gonna take me a little while to get on my feet and get some sort of order and regular blogging going on around here, but I'm looking forward to what's on the horizon!

Plus I'm really enjoying just being with my family and friends again and sinking back into the Wellington pace of things. Oh and making my way through the 3000+ unread entries on my google reader. Aggghh!

Bear with me peeps, things should get good around here, just wait and see...

Is It Really Bad...

2010-09-27T04:37:00.001+13:00

Is it really bad that I kinda can't stand the thought of taking another single photo of an 'architectural marvel' or 'historical monument' or 'priceless sculpture'? So much so that I just end up doing this whenever the camera comes out in that direction?

Does that make me a naughty, disinterested designer? Would my old interior architecture lecturers hang their heads in dismay?

Oh Woops... Catch Up

2010-09-26T03:56:00.000+13:00

Oh geez, everything's going by so fast!

It's involved a bit of this...

Some of this...

And then lots of this!

Mmmmm gelato.... soooo goooooood.....

Home in ten days! Exciting!
Then it's back to the real world, the design world, and maybe some serious blogging... or maybe not. We'll see.

The Red Door Gallery

2010-09-13T02:28:00.000+12:00

I found a little store on Victoria Street in Edinburgh, that made my heart go 'weeeeeeee!'. It's called The Red Door Gallery and it is filled to the brim with all sorts of lovely homewares, artwork and other design nick nacks and goodies. See their blog here!