A peep into my life

this morning is a pretty dull winterish day in New Zealand, there are clouds everywhere outside and the air is a mild 12 degrees.

I'm sitting here typing with the half sewn facing of my bodice on my lap and an empty coffee cup beside me. My hair isn't brushed and it's 12:30pm, I haven't been up for long but it's the weekend and there's nearly no one in the house.
I've been exploring the wondrous invention of instagram... yes I got it yesterday, I'm a little behind on these social media things, I've still haven't got twitter but oh well.
This week has been pretty interesting I've started back again with my studying, the eleven human body systems and the basic structure of an atom being the main topics to remember.
I've also been slowly sewing my 1860s bodice and it's nearly done, however handsewing can take a long time.

Everything's been pretty slow lately but I know that it won't last for long, but it's nice while it lasts.

I've been reading Triumph by Carolyn Jessop, it's a memoir of the raids on a polygamous Mormon cult in the US, it's pretty eye opening and sad, as most cults tend to be, but there is a lot of interesting truths to be learnt from it about human nature.

So there's a little peep into my life...

(P.S my hair is now brushed, I'm not a total ragga-muffin ;) )

Making tea

A little adventure to making awesome tea...

So for the last couple of days I've been craving chai tea (no I'm not pregnant :P) just the smell, of its warm cinnamony spices reminds me of cozy fires and warmth, the perfect stuff for a freezing winter.
 Unfortunately I'm a bit of a coffee drinker and I always seemed to reach for the coffee jar as it seems a much more practical drink (seeing as I'm in the habit of being a night owl, I've not caught that love of sleep that most adults have) I've also heard too many stories about drinking loads of caffeine, so I've kind of put my craving off.
Not that that works for long... so this morning I decided to forgo my usual ritual and make a cup of nice warm chai tea, so I put the tea bag in and left it, and left it. five minutes past, ten minutes past but the colour in the cup hadn't really changed. I was a bit disappointed as I really like a good strong brew, but decided to put the milk in anyway as it might taste alright after all. However it was not so, the colour became a horrid milky white and when I took a sip, I was disgusted. There was no flavour, no taste, and it wasn't even warm anymore. So much for nice hot chai.
However I was still determined to have some chai tea so I went on pinterest and looked up a few recipes, and then I came on this one. It didn't look impossible and we didn't have any cardamon but I was desperate... so in went the spices and water (I put a little more spice in, just in case).. and the whole recipe was easy, just boil and steep for ten minutes, so not much watching either. One batch gives you enough for four drinks and you can refrigerate the liquid which is really handy. But what topped that was the taste, it was nice and warm and spicy, and if you fluffed up the milk it tasted *amazing* -waaay better than the brought stuff!
So if you're feeling like a flippin' amazing tea, just pop over to Live Simply and treat yourself :)

Making old new...

Quite awhile ago I had this idea for getting round the 'I have no clothes to wear' problem and I thought it was pretty inspiring so I thought I'd share it with you. It's quite a lot of fun as well!

Ok so for starters you're going to want take all of the clothes out of your drawer and lie them neatly on a flat surface (like a bed) Put them into four-five categories; tops, pants, skirts, sweat shirts etc.  You can get real fancy with this and put them in colours groups, length, style groups whatever.

Then grab one item of clothing (say a top) and move it over your the pants group, and try and find something that goes with it.

You might be surprised with some of the combinations. And once you've got something write it down (or take a photo) then try again, see if the top will go with anything else -does it look better with these jeans? or is there too much solid colour?

This is also a good way of seeing any colours that you have too much of (read black) and opens you up to different ways of dressing. It also helps you cull some stuff, because if it doesn't go with anything you might as well chuck it!

The next step is to accessorize, scarves are especially good as you they add pattern -something all stylists recommend.

Don't be afraid to try something new! Clothing looks very different on the wearer, and now that you've written it down it's only going to take a second to try it on. And if you don't like it that's fine, you now have plenty more options!

one of my favourite combinations

building an outfit

from the other night

finished result

and here's my littlest sister with her creation

So as you can see it's really easy and fun to do... you can even do it in little bits at a time! 

My dress addiction

 Seww... I've hinted a few times on here, that I have a bit of a sewing craze. But it's only really be hinted and I've never said why I sew, probably because I didn't think I could explain it without confusing/boring you all. Well anyway here goes...

I love historical sewing. Why? I don't really know, I just want to create something fabulous, mending bores me and it's kinda hard to find the inspiration to make normal clothes -it just sounds too easy and plain. Victorian clothing is may favourite 'genre' of sewing and for some reason I just keep wanting to make a new dress.

How did this all start?
When I was younger and we had just started homeschooling I found out that a lot of Mum's friends had older daughters who would make amazing dresses. And these dresses were amazing, I was pretty sure one of them owned Cinderella's dress. Anyway these 'older daughters' would go down to Oamaru heritage week every year and go to balls and dress up in these beautiful gowns for a week. Me and my friend looked up to these girls and dreamed of having pretty gowns (we loved dress ups) and going around places in them. We couldn't wait till we were old enough to go Oamaru.
When we were about seven we started taking sewing lessons with one of the older daughters. My first project was a red tartan t-shirt and skirt, it was hardly princess material and I didn't wear it much but it was a start. After that I went on to make curtains, bags, skirt, a hoop skirt and other really basic stuff, but I just couldn't wait to start a 'real dress'. Naomi, my teacher was very patient and not hugely fussy which encouraged me to do better, and to take on bigger stuff, which eventually came.

My first Victorian dress, was a pale cream colour made out of old sheets and calico, and was made without a pattern. It was alright but not as good as I expected, the shoulders sat a bit funny but it was a start. I wore it to my first Oamaru back in 2010 (my friend and I had an amazing time) And I've worn it several times since, although I have adapted it a bit. It's not my favourite dress but I like it.

My second dress was a Regency dress (1800-1820) it was navy blue with a lace overlay, it was made for a friend's ball. Unfortunately I made the hem at the front too long (read tripping over half the time) and for some reason the dress didn't fit at the front. I've been meaning to fix it but it'll be a lot of work, maybe one day. But having said that I do like how it falls at the back.

The next year I made a blouse and skirt for Oamaru, the skirt being part of my third sewing expedition. This one was a lot more difficult than the last two, as I was undertaking it by myself without Naomi to guide me. It was two years in the making and I have posted a few pictures on here before, it is definitely my favourite, it still needs decorating, but I'm really happy with it (1870-1880)

And since then I've made lots of little sewing projects, and done a lot of research. Until these holidays when  I started on my next project, it is a late 1850s day dress in a dark burgundy colour, it might be a mourning dress, it might not. I'm hoping to get the bodice (top) done before the next semester.

And the most addicting thing about this is the piecing together, seeing the dress take shape not the sewing so much. Although I must admit I do geek-out a bit at the prettiness of the seams (yes, I know, I know my family doesn't understand me either) And the awkward thing is I just noticed that I make more often than I wear them, but I'm trying to change that.

In the meantime (lol) I also have a fifth dress in the making, it will be a mourning bustle dress (1870-1880) and it's inspired by this painting by Anders Zorn

pinterest

I know it's just a picture of a face, but that's just another start. It might be done in time for next years Oamaru -it might not. And for some reason I don't think this'll be my last dress cause yeah...dress addiction.

Classics

So right now seeing that I'm on holidays I have more of a chance to read, and I've kinda been taking it but I've been sewing mostly, yes I'm still a little overawed at how addicted I am to making dresses. Anyways the other day I borrowed a book from a friend called  Brave New World. Apparently it's a classic that was written in 1930 by Aldous Huxley. And being a classic it really makes you think, like really because it's about a corrupted society in which everyone is controlled by their leaders (like even to the point where some babies are given less oxygen so they are less smart than their peers.) But the creepiest thing is that some of the stuff he's written about is affecting our society today which wasn't happening nearly as much in 1930, like the addiction to pleasure and how anyone can sleep with anyone. I haven't finished it yet but I'd definitely recommend it.


I've also had the chance to listen to Pride and Prejudice, which is now on Spotify soo handy, as I can listen and sew at the same time. I'd forgotten how good it was! If you haven't read it you should, sure
it's in Regency English so it's a little hard to understand, but it's worth it.
 In fact part of the beauty of it is that every time you hear/read it it gets better, the insults get better and the personalities stronger. It just keeps revealing something new which I guess is what makes classic so special.
So this has inspired me to try reading some other classics even if they seem a little hard to read at first. I guess I learnt that history's best authors still have something to offer us, and a lot of wealth could be stored between those dry, dusty pages.


So what books make you think? what books do you like?

(After writing this I found a post on writer's alley that explains this way better)




photos from pinterest

Changes

Hi everyone

In case you haven't noticed I haven't really been in the blogging world lately. Unfortunately life picks up and I don't really get time to sit down and write. I am currently doing a pre-health course and working as a cook (catering at a camp) as well as being a kitchen hand on the weekends. But now that it's end of semester and winter over here in New Zealand I'm going to try and post some more.
So that brings me to the next thing... what do you guys want me to write about? I realize that I have done a whole heap of inspirational/rants here in the past and I can't really keep writing them without repeating myself, which is a good thing I guess. So I was thinking of doing mostly sewing/writing/food posts as those are the ones I know the most but if there was anything else you can think of I'm open to suggestions.

Travel

Somebody said to me that 'kiwis have the travel bug, and they've got it bad'.
And I'd have to agree, I mean isn't it a little disturbing that hearing stories of other countries can make you feel deliriously happy? or that you go on blog loving for the first time in forever *stops to sing frozen, then resumes writing* just to look up travel blogs?
Well I am guilty of both.
I've never left New Zealand, true I've done my share of travelling around both islands, but I've never been over seas, I've never even been to Australia (where most kiwis visit, even though they say that they hate the Aussies) and anywhere else requires lots of money and lots of flight hours.So maybe that's why kiwis travel because they just can't cross the border into Germany, Canada or Zambia. But then there's people in water locked countries who barely even leave their birth place, anyway I don't understand them.
I want to go to Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. I want to see why people rave about french bread, or dutch cheese so much. I want to visit a real castle and drive on the right side of the road (yeah, apparently the left side of the road is the wrong side)  But until then I guess I'll just have to read travel blogs, and listen to amazing stories and dream that some day that'll be me.

(picture from pinterest)                                                        

Avoir du Style

Avoir du Style:  to have style

There's something I've been thinking out for a while; I haven't ever written about one of the loves of my life- Style and fashion. I've written about Modesty and Sewing, which are kind of related but I guess every time I thought what can I say, but then I guess I can just share a love rather than give advice. So here goes...

The art of wearing clothes is something that's always intrigued me…

Colour, pattern, texture, shape, all swirled into a mix, that can completely change a person’s mood, ‘age’ and how other people will respond and judge them.

Its like music, it’s so individual, to each person, the blending of material to express a unique soul, a flavour and taste that is so beautiful. I guess this is why I have so much of a problem with ‘fashion’, it doesn’t say anything about the person, it doesn’t speak; whereas a woman in a feminine dress with a cardigan and loads of tats does. And that’s not something I’d ever do but it doesn’t mean it’s still not beautiful.

                                                                  (pinterest)

And the pursuit of this beauty is something that intrigues me; working with the body, with its unique colourings, not against them. And sure the style world has lots of tricks on how to make your hips look bigger or smaller or whatever -there isn’t essentially anything wrong with that.

This is why I guess I’m so into modesty too, and against it at the same time. Because you learn of all the motivations for dressing, the fact that dressing sexy isn’t fishnets and corsets (wow did I just say that) some men find girls in oversize jackets hot. But men and clothes is a whole nuther topic.

So here is a little introduction to style. It was actually pretty hard to write because it’s such a diverse controversial topic. But how about you? What do you think about clothing and style?

Interesting Articles

 So I’m obviously not really in the blog world that much at the moment. But I thought I’d share with you some very thought provoking posts.

Myth vs Fact: 6 common myths about prostitution and the law

This is very sad and pretty graphic so proceed with caution, but definitely something that needs to be shared.

You Don’t Need To Plan A Book: Here’s What Works Better

The unorthodox way to write books, and if you don’t like planning (like me) it’s almost too good to believe.

Yes, Lily James, you shall go to the ball

How they made Cinderella’s dress in the new film Cinderella. I got to see it the other day and it’s really good. This article’s for all you crazy costumers out there.

Prior Attire

This is one of my all-time favorite sewing blogs, perfect inspiration to get you motivated, even if you don’t plan on making kokoshniks

A strange life

Christianity

How are we meant to live with a name so mangled? This religion that has a history so marked?

We are so human…

Atheism vs Christianity google an article on either and you’ll see ragged back lashing from either side. Except the Christians claim to love them, Christians say it, but don’t seem to show it.

Where is Jesus?

I am a 17 year old girl living in rural New Zealand.  A backwater compared to the rest of the world I’m sure. I spend most of my time studying and working, realizing that this what is expected of a middle class woman and that I’ll probably be doing one or the other for the rest of my life.

How does this all relate? I’m not sure; maybe it’s a young person who’s trying to point out what is wrong in the world, what’s wrong with her religion, and what’s mixed up in the fact that in the academic world my opinion is nothing. That my life must somehow be the same because I don’t have enough money for a P.H.D. the only thing that lets you have an opinion.

That because I am a ‘good Christian girl” nobody is ever going to want my advice, my help, or my words.  That because I've never been raped, tortured, attempted suicide or been beaten I can’t legitimately help in things I believe need it the most. That no prostitute is ever going to listen to me because I know nothing. And maybe things are meant to be that way. Maybe I’ll live my life, get a job, get a house, get married have kids and die in a rest home.   

Or maybe there is a God out there who is bigger than my circumstances, who say it doesn't have to be that way. That it could be a lot more adventurous, a lot more giving and a whole lot harder.

Or maybe I’m meant to wait in a pew until I get my calling thrust upon me.

I’m pretty sure the guy who said give yourself as living sacrifice didn't have passive waiting in mind. Not that waiting is a bad thing. But for me it’s never really worked.

I guess what I am saying to myself and every Christian out there is we have to do something real. Regardless of the fact that someday the world will end. Regardless of the fact that goodness and heaven are somehow linked.  We have to find it in ourselves to reach out for the good of ourselves and the good of the world.

Rant over

Whistful dreaming

Imagine setting off for distant lands. To where the wind howls sharply, and snow ices the ground for months. Where no food tastes the same. Where languages are different.
Where you can walk right over the border and be in a different world.

Imagine that...

I mean New Zealand is alright in itself, it's all I've ever known. But what's over that mountain? What's across that sea? Ah, wanderlust...just wait and see

Being DF

Week three. Yes it's been three weeks since I started the no milk, no butter life (no cheese or cream either) And I haven't even blogged any of it. Naughty me. Oh well here it is, the trials of being DF

I guess having a food allergy is like being Introverted, you are more comfortable eating at home (read you EAT at home) and aren't comfortable eating out.

Our culture just doesn't cater for people with allergies, and finally I've got to see this from both sides of the fence - the cook and the intolerant.

So what is it actually like? I think it's quite fun and challenging, I mean for me one breakfast is not the same as the next, vegan pancakes to porridge, egg to smoothie -frankly that's just because I can't quite face the idea of having cereal and rice milk, maybe next week.

You get to try all sorts of things like Hot chocolate rice milk, and DF chocolate. You get quite good at reading labels, and refusing food (which is quite an art believe me)

The first week was pretty hard, I couldn't help thinking of cream cheese, and dairy full puddings, it didn't help that two days after I started we got give lots of yummy food, half of it had dairy in it -funny how these things happen. I have to admit I cheated once or twice, I just got so fed up with being restricted. 

The second week was easier, I didn't feel like I was missing out, I found ways of getting round stuff. I started drinking tea again (coffee and rice milk don't mix) In fact I got up to drinking 4 cups a day - which is no recommended by the way.  But it is fun trying all the different flavours, I've found some favourites -like strawberry tea. And the nice thing is most people have it.

So here I am at week three, feeling as though I could actually live like this (until the next cheesecake drifts past) I don't miss milk, I don't miss butter, cheese (non fancy stuff) doesn't get to me anymore.  I can eat a white sauce made up with water and not bat an eyelid... don't ask about the amount of flavourings though.  It's funny how quickly your taste buds adapt.

The only thing I don't like about it as that I'm eating a lot more gluten, cause that's easy to whip up. Oh well I have another week to play with, and then comes the biggest test of all - finding a balance

Alternative Cooking

Lately the famous 'THM diet' has taken our community by storm...
It's a primarily weight loss diet, in which you separate your carbs from your fats, eat mainly carbs at one meal, then mainly fats at another. It's also sugar free and has limited gluten.

Attracted by the sugar free idea, Mum and I looked into it. Not that we need to lose weight, but both of us have several allergies, that this 'plan' could accommodate.  Anyway a couple of 'E' meals and 'S' meals later, I decided that it wasn't so much for me, I had a lot of air in my stomach, and would always be burping. Mum burps a lot when she is reacting to something, so I tried to find out what was wrong. Turns out that I might have been a bit extremist with my eating, after eating a few wheat crackers when I wasn't mean to, my tummy stopped complaining.
Now this isn't a THM critic report, I like many of the ideas in it, and I'm sure it works for many people, it just doesn't work for me.

Anyway one of the things I learnt from it was how to cook without flour, by grinding up coconut flakes and rolled oats. So I began experimenting, next thing I was making almond milk and substituting constantly. We also have a Vegan staying at our place at the moment which is also stretching my cooking skills, but I'm loving it, I would never have found out how delicious cauliflower sauce is, or how scrumptious vegan pancakes are. It's so liberating going into the kitchen and being able to make delicious vegan food without even realising it!

Vegan Pancakes              
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour (use coconut or nut flour for GF)
2 tsp Baking p.
1 tsp Guar-gum (probably optional, it basically thickens)
1 banana, or any amount of fruit
cinnamon (optional)
vanilla
3 tspns sugar (or nativa)
1 tspn salt
1 Tbls margarine (optional)
Rice milk (or any nut milk, or regular milk)

Mix dry ingredients together, then add the wet ones. This mixture is meant to be quite thick, but you may need more liquid. Cook in a pan like regular pancakes.


This recipe is pretty flexible as you can see, I mean, I added my leftover smoothie the other day and it tasted really good. Also I've found if you add an egg or two it makes the thinnest, fastest cooking pancakes ever. This also tastes really good with whipped coconut cream and cooked apple.  It's also really filling, you only need three before you're stuffed -and I don't get full easily.

P.S I'm going to try DF soon, which will be an adventure for this white-sauce loving girl, I'll try post some of my recipes.
-Tiffany

Sewing patternless

Yup I'm doing it! I'm trying my hand at designing a jacket for the winter. A little scary, but awesome  -I can make whatever I like, with in the constraints of the material of course.
The jacket isn't completely patternless, I did start off with a 'base', remember this?

Well I'm basing it off this, because I want it to have some flair, not like an ordinary jacket. Plus it's the only jacket pattern we have (last I checked) So after lots of researching to decide just exactly what style I wanted, and lots of astronaut looking sketches

 I decided just to start, so I cut out the pattern in a large size (to leave room for draping etc) joined some of the pattern pieces together, as I didn't want the white biby thing that is in the above picture. I sewed a mock up in calico and spent ages in the mirror trying to pin it to fit. Then I decided to cut it in half so that I could add more length, cause as you can just see it didn't come down over my hips. So last night I added a strip and sewed it in between, like this (excuse the phone pictures)

(The right side is the top half by the way)

from the outside it looks more like this:

As you can see it's only half of it, and the bottom picture has the top on the left side instead.

Now I am starting to unpick the vertical seam so that I can cut it out on in the material (hence the lifeless half pictures) 

The material

And that's as far as I've gotten, I'm hoping to have finished unpicking today and get onto the real thing, and eventually the decorating (really looking forward to that part :D )

But I still have to design the hood, collar, and sleeves yet so hopefully it all goes smoothly :)
It'll probably be dystopian/post apocalyptic in style, using lots of zippers and old buttons for character :) This blog is definitely turning into a sewing/writing one.

-Tiffany 

Updating the last update

Oh wow! Excuse my terrible blog posting - the last real post was a new years one!! Oh dear, so much for wanting to post more :/

So what have I done lately? Got my licence, school work and contemplated sewing again :) My favourite place to haunt at the moment is the dreamstress (she runs a challenge to make a historical costume once a fortnight ) dreaming about getting some costume done in a fortnight so that I can make something. Well it's only been dreaming as I haven't got the patterns or material to pretend to start :/
Although I have started fixing a bodice of on my Regency dress that I made years ago -the bodice length is way too short, and on a Regency dress that looks hideous. Got so far but don't know if I have any material left -lol.
But even if I had a costume I don't know where I would wear it -Costumer problem #1. So I was thinking of making some undergarments, something that would go underneath the stuff I have. But corsets are kinda out of the question as I don't have half the material, although I have drafted a elizabethan pattern :P
Today we went through the linen cupboards and Mum gave me a few sheets, so now I have lots of ideas buzzing round my head, mostly including part silk table cloths. Ah oh well.

Anyway I have to have lunch, hopefully I get round to posting again soon :/