Togs, Swimmers, Bathers

Last year I bought myself some vintage one-piece togs off Modcloth.

 I thought the expense was worth having a pair of togs that covered everything yet still made me feel sexy.

They did the job perfectly and I wear them happily.

However....

I miss being able to wear a two-piece.

I'm only a size 10 AUS so you think I'd be fine

but like a lot of mothers out there my stomach is a mass of loose skin and bad stretchmarks that extend to above my bellybutton.

I wouldn't let that loose on the unsuspecting public and I'd feel so self-concious that I know I wouldn't enjoy wearing them.

So imagine my delight when I found out Modcloth does high-waisted bikinis.

For $90.

I could justify the cost for my first set of togs but for another set, just for vanities sake.....uh uh.

So my mind started twinkling.

I wonder, could I make my own?

I've made my own patterns in the past by using other items for reference.

Then as if it was meant to be, I recieved a Lincraft voucher as a thank you for coaching netball.

It was just enough for this gorgeous umbrella

and half a metre of Lycra and four red buttons.

There wasn't much to choose from at Lincraft, just bright purple, blue, pink, yellow and black.

So black it was.

And I did it!

I measured and sewed and adjusted and made these.

The bottoms have a high band and a front skirt with ruching.

I'm so happy.

Here's a photo of them on.

They feel awesome on and not a stretch mark in sight.

So even if I had to pay for the fabric and buttons,

all up it still only would have cost me $20.

You can't get cheap, crappy togs for that amount.

I'm sold!

Rock Around the Clock

Woo hoo!

 I just had my first Rock 'n' Roll dancing lesson

It was for freestyle rock 'n' roll which is where you learn different moves

but the dance isn't choreographed.

I learned the basics,

 the low spin,

the high spin,

the flick and half turn

and the 'under the arm twice'.

It's rather easy but looks really effective.

I love, love, love it.

I have no partner and had to dance with an instructor in his 60's but that was to my advantage because he knew what he was doing.

I can't wait for the next lesson.

Happy Days, here I come.

EAT

Have a look at my new sign!

Doesn't it just fit perfectly with the bunting?

I've had these wooden letters for nearly a year and rediscovered them recently whilst sorting through some crap, I mean, really valuable stuff, that I've had sitting in a basket for months.

I painted and papered, sanded and varnished them to replace the sign that you would have seen in the previous post.

The "Oh Holy Night" sign......

......that I forgot to take down last Christmas.

Does anyone else do that?

Pack everything away then realise you've missed something and you're just too darn lazy to do anything about it even though it just means standing on a chair and lifting it off the hook?

Umm, no, not me either.

Anyway, after choosing the perfect paper for the letters I realised that the colour of the 'T' was pale blue. Nearly the very same blue I was using for the walls.

In fact, I colour-matched that paper to half strength for the wall colour.

Oops!

When I eventually painted the kitchen, all you'd see of the sign would be EA.

Luckily, I had a blank, already painted board that I was going to use for a handpainted sign two years ago.

Yeah, I'm really good at getting around to things.

A sign that was going to say

"Dittmar - established 1998".

Well, obviously due to my newly single state a sign like that would be kinda awkward.

So, with a bit of sadness I must admit, I used it to mount the letters

and I'm really happy with the result.

The kitchen has been the site of a few happy dances lately.

First the pantry door,

then the bunting

and now this.

I love it when things come together.

A new kitchen curtain and bunting

Well, the title says it all really.

As usual, my inability to focus on completing just one thing has shone again.

Whilst on the ground and painting the white floors in the kitchen, I looked up and decided that I really didn't like the blue gingham curtain that was hanging on my kitchen window, and had been there for years since my 'primitive' decorating phase.

A new curtain had to be made and of course, it had to be white.

(Here's a hint for you, whenever I'm browsing through op shops and I see white sheets of fairly good quality or thickness, I snap them up.

I use them for slip covers, cushions, and of course, curtains.)

So out came the sewing machine and up went the curtain, adding instant lightness to the room.

I was very happy.

But it needed something more.

I make bunting for friends and to sell but realised that I didn't have any in my own house.What!?

So I raided my stash of vintage fabrics and made some bunting just for me.

Look at that delicious prettiness!

I love bunting, it is so cheery and festive and it's amazing how something so small can change the feel of a room.

Of course, looking at the photos you can see how horrible the paint is.

Well, that's in the process of being changed right now and my spare time is once again taken up with scrubbing walls, filling gaps and sanding to get them ready for the light blue that's to come.