My friend Lindy gave me a classic grey jacket it was probably a part of a suit trouser gone missing. She found it in an op-shop and was going to give it to one of her daughters Liana to use for an outfit come fascinator and other accessories. She paid $ 2 for the jacket. That was the bargain of the day I dare say! I graciously received the jacket not knowing what to do with it my first thought was to pass it on to someone else as grey is not my colour. You want to know why? Grey is a colour squashed in between black and white. I can’t wear any of those colours. Black drains me of energy; white makes me feel pale and slack! Grey makes me depressed. Now that we are at it I can’t even wear denim very likely as my mother use to say:”Blue suits any fool”. Grey represents conformity, … [Read more...] about The Inside Out Jacket
recycling
Meet Zaw May San Win
I don’t know why but I am drawn to op shops. I started roaming op shops when I was in my twenties many years ago like my friends were roaming the streets making it hard for little old ladies to feel safe while window shopping after sunset. In Denmark where I lived at that time the op shops were more like antique shops. It was like entering Aladdin’s Cave with old dresses embellished with beads and gemstones. There were piles of ancient Chinese coins thousands of necklaces and other jewellery. Embroidery yarns and sewing cotton. Wooden flowers and I just love Sunflowers. Carved ivory stolen from majestic elephants, stuffed animals by the millions, gold and silver candelabras, sparkling diamonds. The place was full of magic carpets on which you sit and fly to exotic places you only dream … [Read more...] about Meet Zaw May San Win
A Creative Writer’s Travel Guide
Travelling the world is a serious business. You stuff your backpack with all different guide books, road maps, maps of the world more glossy Phrase booklets you might think you need until your are loaded to the eyeballs. However you never seem to have the right directions anyway on how to get lost in a hurry. Many a time I find travel books a bit boring and those with the glossy pictures of all the fancy places you can go visit doesn’t appeal to me. It is too upmarket and the places are crowded as this is where all the readers go. Some travellers follow the travel guides to the fingertip. Some travellers won’t even enter a restaurant if it is not mentioned in Lonely Planet, The Rough Guide, Eyewitness Travel Guide or on Trip Advisor etc. Now with such a critical view of the travel … [Read more...] about A Creative Writer’s Travel Guide
My Crocodile Wrap
Last time we went to Alice Springs was in winter time to take part in the Alice Springs Beanie Festival. Knowing it was going to be a cold experience I knew I needed some woollen clothing and definitely a beanie and some leg warmers. I intended to knit the leg warmers out of my hand spun wool and alpaca but as we all know time flies like blow flies. So departure date arrived and I still had no beanie or leg warmers. We left sunny warm Mareeba not caring much about the cold desert far away. We did not travel far and I was reminded about the frosty nights in Alice when I ogled at the weather forecast on the internet and saw that Alice was sitting on 0 degrees at day break. I knew that I had to get my act together. No good coming to Alice Springs blue legs and frost damaged knees and … [Read more...] about My Crocodile Wrap
My collection of hats
Every man and his dog need a hat. Have you ever thought about how a hat can change your image in a split second? Also every hat feels different and so do you when you wear it. I have been roaming around the local op-shops and was quite amazed with what I found in the head dress department. After a while you grow out of your old hats. They need a touch up and a dash of sea salt from the Baltic world or even from Svalbard in the Arctic Ocean. Get the knitting needles going, scissors and fabric scrap from your stash. Go to your local dump or have a look in your own rubbish bin for recyclable stuff. Put it all together and before you can count to 217 you have a master piece in your hands. My hat collection turned into a brand new collection of Wonky Vessels. Wonky Vessels Gallery Wonky … [Read more...] about My collection of hats