Fashion as art....

Last week my sister Linda and I went into Auckland to have a look around and to reminisce about the places where we hung out when we were in our twenties. Quite honestly we were not expecting to see a lot of places still in business, but it was nice to look at the buildings where we worked, the fact that they are still standing was pretty amazing.

And of course, it was a good opportunity to window shop, we had a great time looking at the latest in Summer fashion and in particular the shoes and handbags, a particular favourite of mine. One of the things that struck me was how the window displays in the stores are works of art, and how fashion just keeps on going around in circles...

At the Louis Vuitton store there was a window display by the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, she is famous for her artwork with dots..

Isn't that little handbag just the cutest.....  I was too scared to go in and check out the price

A few shops away from the Louis Vuitton store is this cute little shoe shop, a well known New Zealand brand , Andrea Bianni, their window display reminded me of the 60's and 70's, but with a bit more bling. Check out the heels on these babies...

 The shoes below were all the rage in the 70's, not too much of a difference is there? How about you, did you have a pair of these in your wardrobe?

Angela xx

Saturday Beach Find..

This morning we decided to take a walk along the beach, not unusual for us for a Saturday morning, I like to take the camera and see what is going on. The weather overnight has been very windy, coming in from the west blowing on shore and making for a cold and blustery walk.

We had only been walking  a few minutes when we came across a Seal pup, lying on the water's edge, not looking very well at all. When we got home we called the Department of Conservation and they told us that there had been numerous calls from the public along the west coast stretch of beaches of Auckland reporting sightings of stranded Seal pups. They were doing their best to get to them all, but realistically they said they were unsure if the pup would survive.  Poor wee thing, Mother Nature sucks sometimes.

The wind was moving the sand down the beach making sand waves ..

Angela xx

Quilt & Craft Show..

My sister Linda is visiting us this week from Brisbane, Australia. Linda is a fantastic hand knitter, as well as being the co-owner of Threads and More in Brisbane. She was very keen to go down to Hamilton to catch up with some suppliers who were exhibiting at the Quilt  & Craft Show.

 I am a lover of fabrics, and do a bit of sewing myself. But I'm afraid that the thought of all those quilts was a daunting prospect. I am in total 'awe' of quilters, or for that matter any form of fabric work.

The quilts on display were true works of art, and some were more like paintings. Here are a few pics I took of some of them I'm sure that you'll agree they are amazing...

This is a small section of a quilt  by an Australian quilter. The theme of this quilt was Aboriginal art, all of the dots are hand stitched, the colours are stunning.

Looking more like a painting than a quilt, this is just gorgeous..

This quilt is based on a Japanese theme..

The subject for this is The World, I love the black & white effect, the photo does not do this justice, there are words of peace and a dove embroidered onto the quilt..... 

All I have to say to all of you out there in blogland who are quilters, a big 'hats off' to you all, what a talented , patient bunch of people you are.

Angela xx 

Reflections...

Spring in New Zealand is usually a very wet season, and over the past few weeks it has been no different. Not far from our house there is this property that has a large field in the front with a lovely stand of trees. Through the Spring the field becomes a bit of a lake, and on a nice day the reflections are just lovely.

Last Saturday on the way home from the beach we stopped so that I could take some shots....
Enjoy.

Angela xx

Magnificent Magnolia.....

Spring is now here, the trees are sprouting green leaves, blossoms are out and the Magnolias are all out and are stunning.

This year the trees are loaded with blossoms, and they seem to me to be pinker and larger than last year.
These images were taken at the Botanical Gardens....

Angela xx

Wednesday is 'Hump Day'....

It's now all downhill until the weekend...

Fine weather, sunshine for one whole day, no rain people....

If this continues there will be no muddy floors from a certain dog that doesn't know how to wipe his feet...

No using the dryer to get the clothes dry, we will be able to hang them out on the line and bring them in  all dry...

We could have some lovely days to walk at the beach, days like last Saturday when the sun came out for a short while...

Looking up at the top of the cliff, using my telescopic lens, check out the little bird in the air..

And don't forget, that after Wednesday there is Thursday, aka 'Friday Eve'

Angela xx

'Chill' it's Friday and it's Spring...

Have a great Friday everyone, and a wonderful weekend ahead. Thought I would share these with you.

and it's Spring. At long last, after weeks of rain we have had two days in a row of dry, warm weather and overnight the blossoms have arrived.

There is a lovely old villa on the way to work that every Spring looks stunning. I stopped on my way home to snap a few shots.

Angela xx

A day in the city....

I love going into the city, I love people watching, and checking out what is going on down on the waterfront.  Last weekend Phil had to go to work, so we decided to take the train, and while he worked, I took the camera and took a few pics....

Playing the ukelele and taking a stroll through the city..

Down at the waterfront....

Great way to park your bicycle.....

Tug boat coming into the wharf..


Have a great week every one Angela xx

What happened to July?

I can't believe that it is August already. Where the heck did July go to. I haven't even put as many posts up as I normally would.

My job, selling advertising, is tough. Clients are very careful where they are spending their advertising dollars, and this makes it very difficult.  This week all I keep on thinking about is the weekend.... feeling a bit like this...

This month was my MIL,  Nan's birthday, one of the firsts since she passed away last Christmas, it was a difficult day for us all, but especially for Phil and Pop who I know were struggling .

Pop, FIL, has had a knee replacement and at 88yrs old has managed pretty well both with the op and with his recovery. He will be in hospital recuperating for at least 5 weeks, and I know that he will miss his little home and his routine.

My Saturdays have been busy taking photos of the team that are training for the World Cup in Taekwon-do in England in October.  I am really enjoying this experience.. the photos are then uploaded onto the Taekwon-do website for everyone to view, which is  really exciting, especially when I see the number of people who view them.

The weather is very mixed, mostly lots of rain, and cold, with very few fine days.

But having said that, the signs of Spring are here. Lambs are being born, Daffodils are blooming, blossoms are out and the Magnolia are looking stunning. Hopefully the weather behaves itself..

I am looking forward to a warm and sunny August.


Have a great weekend , Angela xx

Sunset Coast - Waiuku , Auckland, New Zealand

The area where we live is known as the Sunset Coast. We are West facing which means that when the weather is clear and sunny we get to experience the most stunning sunsets.

Tonight on the way home from work, I captured these images, looking down at the beach and estuary. Although Winter has not gone completely, there is a definite switch in the feel of the atmosphere, Spring is nearly upon us.

Hope you enjoy these shots...

Angela xx

Angela ...... You are what you eat!!!

I haven't been feeling all that great over the past few months. Extremely tired, bitchy, uninspired, headaches continaully, dragging my feet, thirsty beyond belief, always peeing ( probably because I was so thirsty) I thought.
Anyway, it was time to go to the doctor and find out what was going on.

I couldn't even remember when the last time was that I went to the Dr, as it turns out it was 2009. Oops...

So off I went, and had my WOF done ( Warrant of Fitness). Blood pressure  - perfect
Heart - perfect   lungs - still there and working well   weight - I had put on 1kg in three years, but the Doc gave me a bit of a frown and a finger wag at my BMI.
Yeah, yeah yeah, I'm sorry but the last time I lost weight and got down to my BMI I looked like one of those poor people from those 3rd world countries. So I am not convinced about the BMI.

I walk at least 5 days out of 7 for at least 50 mins, and I thought that I ate healthily.

Anyway, one blood test later I get a call from the nurse to tell me that I am Glucose Intolerant, or in her words borderline Diabetic.   Me!!! I asked her if she had the right person and then she said to me:

  "Angela you are what you eat"   Man did that piss me off, I'm the one in my family who is always making sure that we eat correctly, or so I thought.

Anyway the nurse sent me a booklet on Diabetes and eating healthy.

This is the sort of food I love to eat, all year around.. so where was I going wrong?

When I got the booklet, I checked out the food plate, and realised that perhaps we were eating a bit too much pasta and rice and not enough of the other vegetables.
So , we have started a big rethink on what we eat, more fresh seasonal vegetables, ( half the plate) a 1/4 of the plate of protein and a 1/4 of carbs.

The results over the past two weeks have been amazing. Within the first three days the headache went, as did the thirst. After 5 days my energy levels are so high I feel 10 years younger.

We have cut out the health bars, muesli bars and replaced them with unsalted nuts such as walnuts, almonds, peanuts. But only in very small amounts.

Free range eggs ( which I get from a lady at work), free range chicken, and more fish.

A lot less rice and pasta, potatoes and kumara ( sweet potato)  only in small amounts.

So, where was I going wrong?

 I am a huge fruit eater, especially bananas and apples. Some fruit is high in carbohydrate and of course sugar.
Flavoured yoghurts, and of course those Muesli bars, a few too many gingernut biscuits and perhaps the 3 o'clock chocolate craving was wrong on so many levels.

I have realised that this is a life style choice I have to make now,  and hopefully I will keep on to the plan, although I am sure that it will be ok to have a few treats every now and then as long as it is in small amounts.

Everything in moderation is the way to go.

As a closing statement, I would also like to add that I still think that they have the wrong person. Another check up in 3 months will tell me how I am doing, although just my extra energy and lack of other symptoms is a sure sign that I am on the right track.

Angela xx

Signs of an early Spring.....

Today I had the day off from work and decided to take a drive to the Botanic Gardens. I haven't been back there since early Autumn. I wasn't sure what I would find, and was pleasantly surprised to see some signs of early Spring....  Enjoy!

Angela xx

Wintery Wednesday..

While all of you in the Northern Hemisphere are enjoying a very hot and in some cases a very wet Summer, we here in New Zealand have had days of heavy frosts and intense cold. Not that I mind the frosty cold, the days are just stunning without a cloud in the sky and plenty of sunshine.
I made the most of the weekend frost and ran to the cemetary up the road where I knew there would be some 'frosty' shots to be had.

Hope you all enjoy this selection for my Wintery Wednesday...

This poor little insect looks like he has frozen to death.....

Angela xx

Have a great weekend..

Hope it is full of fun, joy and not a worry to be had. Just like this little fella who was down at the beach last weekend.

 He was having a great time chasing his owner, who was riding his motorbike along the beach.


Angela xx

Snap It - Cold + Wintery Wednesday

I have combined the meme Snap It and my Wintery Wednesday post this week. I found this leaf at the park, covered in frost.



Check out the other participants over at faith, hope and a whole lotta love below..


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