Born to Shop

To my shame it's true. Money can go through my hands like water, no matter how many stern lectures I give myself. When I'm in a forgiving mood I tell myself it's just a reaction to all the years of budgeting when He Who Shall Not Be Named was small and seemingly unwilling to get himself a job. Some fool told him about child labour laws at a very early age and he seemed to think it was his given right to go to school and play with Lego in his spare time. You'd think a five year old would have had more ambition.
Now of course he can fund his own lager lifestyle and I, for the first time in 21 years, find curious little bits of paper in my purse that retailers seem keen to relieve me of. They in turn give me little packages of "important and necessary things" and I'm so grateful to them. Heaven forbid those little bits of paper should gather dust and interest!

Shoes of course are necessary & extremely important. I love these cute little "flatties" for work (although so far they haven't enjoyed being on my feet too much, leaving little blisters and ouchy parts. Seems a summer of wearing jandals & slip-ons will do that!)

Then of course there was the near fatal attack of the "girly-girls" when these two pink tops followed me home. Yes Gail. PINK! I feel like I'm channelling Barbie. What next? A skirt??

Yesterday of course was the Stitch & Craft Expo at Greenlane and yet another shopping opportunity. There was one little package which I'm dying to show you but as it's a special little something for Patty I guess I should maintain the element of surprise for her sake ... but its divine!! What I can show you is this wallhanging pattern which Robyn & I are going to attempt. The stall had one already made hanging and it was gorgeous and the pattern does say its for Beginners. Mmm, having read the instructions I feel there may be "beginners" and "beginners". Oh well, we're nothing if not daring and if all else fails there can never be enough dusters in the world!
The rest of the purchases were from the stamping stands - more inkpads and these cute little wooden flowers. There were some wooden maori-ish design alphabets too but I really couldn't decide whether they were elegant or kitch. Sometimes its a fine line isn't it! In the meantime they remain on the shelf.
We met up with our old friend Shelley too - she has started
her own business selling hand dyed fabrics here and had a couple of quilts up that were staggeringly beautiful. It's beyond me where she finds the time to do it all but then, when we all worked together, she was like a whirling dervish in the office. Faster than a speeding bullet - that was our Shel!
As we were leaving we met Mr Concrete the busker & I was left explaining to Robyn why he amused me so much. I'd been watching Merrick & Rosso (The B Team) the other night as they did their rant on the buskers the hated the most. To prove their point that the "statue buskers" were the biggest waste of space & energy they covered a store mannequin in concrete, propped it up on the street with a collection box in front and then filmed. Several hours later they collected their own Concrete Man & took him the pub to drink the $20 or so dollars he'd made proving their point that you didn't even have to be there to busk. I wonder if my particular Concrete Man considered he could have been at home watching tv & drinking a beer and still have made as much money? Too, he wouldn't have had to look like such a complete & utter prat. Well, it amused me.
Have a good one! I'm off to find the chardy.