Vintage Cushion Up-cycle

This is a project that I had been meaning to do for a while, nothing like procrastination to get projects done that you've been meaning to do for a while. Now my cushions were black (I'd gone through a black phase in our last house) and they looked too dark and dreary for our sunny, bright, lolly-coloured apartment :)

1) Firstly I unpicked the hem of the old cushion cover to use as a pattern, actually I cut it coz that sucker was tightly weaved and taking too long and I was going to chuck it out when the job was done anyway. Or you could make a pattern with the top square approx 68cm x 68cm and the longer piece that tucks in 68cm x 84cm, this would work for a standard european pillow (they make the best couch cushions, coz you can sit on them on the floor for movie nights, prop them up against the sofa for extra seating for lazy dinners or as a pillow for guests). Cut the two squares, I've used two vintage tablecloths that belonged to my Great Grandmother, Bena...then found co-ordinating vintage fabric from my stash for the back. The great thing about vintage tableclothes is that they are beautiful thick linen, so they'll last, it's also a great way to use peices of Barkcloth, coz the stuff is from curtains, strong and really unless you use it for curtains, what else can you do with it but admire it in a stash of vintage fabric :)

2) Hem around the edges of the cut fabic to stop it from fraying, you can use an overlocker, it would be quicker and easier. But I did it the "can't be bothered re-threading the black thread in the overlocker with white", and just did a straight stitch. Then put your fabric right sides together and pin it.

3) Sew around the edge leaving the flap part open for your cushion filler to go in...

4) Turn it back inside out to have the right sides facing outwards, does that make sense? ahhh so it looks like this...

5) Put the cushion filler back it...fold the flap over the cushion and tuck it inside and ta da!!!

Now you have a cushion using vintage tableclothes and "sit in your stash" vintage fabrics :)

This is the back of the blue one

And here's the pretty barkcloth of the pink one



Love them!

The little one is made out of a vintage hankerchief and vintage buttons, I'll show you how I made that one soon :)

Melbourne Lindy Exchange

So the blog hasn't been topped up for a while because I was frantically getting organised for MLX...and have been in Melbourne since last Tuesday and just got into Perth last night. We stayed right in the heart of the city on Flinder's Lane which was such a great spot to catch taxi's, trains and trams toanywhere in the city. Plus across the road was RetroStar and Button Mania, needless to say I have SOOO many pretty vintage buttons...the hat making from now on is well and truly well-stocked!!! The food in Melbourne was AMAZING and so well priced...the big breakfast which we ate each morning was $10...the same in Perth would be around the $20 mark...which was awesome because it allowed us to float around and spend the saved pennies on treasures, well that and the magnificent pear cider that they have on tap here! The venues were amazing, unlike Perth, alot of Melbournes old builing are still standing which makes for some stunning venues...the hangar night was actually held at an airport with a PLANE in it!!! The Swing Mafia Pub Crawl was great fun and meticulously organised...Perth crew almost got thrown out of the pub for being too loud, OFCOURSE! I got Buffalloed on a giant glass of cider so then had to down the whole thing...hence the cheering and yelling! I had a stall of hats on the last night and gathered Melbourne contacts throughout my days of scouring the shops, so all in all it was a fun and very productive trip.

The gals shopping

Stunning venues

Hangar Night...the hot Top Gun boys

Steve and the gorgeous Perth gals

Replicating the "End of the War" kiss

Ashliegh in Wonderland stall at the Y dance

The Blues Late Night

Lindy Bombing in the the city

Nicole snogging the graffiti

Madame Brussels

My new umbrella...it bucket-ed down, then it was sunny, then it was cold, then hot, then rainy, then flash flooding, then hot.


It was such a great trip with such an awesome bunch of people...will definitely be up for it next year!!!



Swinging at the Zoo

On Sunday we went to the zoo to dance to a big band for Grandparents Day.

Whao Nelly was it very warm for dancing even so early in the morning...then we had a wander and looked at the animals...btw springtime at the zoo makes for a rather R rated experience :)

Story of the day...in the lion enclosure there is two male lions and a lioness...the lioness makes her way over to the boys to get their attention she nuzzles in, the lion gets up and well, we'll say, "cracks onto" the other male lion...the lioness sulks off and sits by the window. Gives new meaning to "Pride" hehe!

 Channelling Mary Poppins...LOVE this new mini boater hat...my lovely sister Erin bought it for me.

 Dancing with Greg

 Hehe Jake fell asleep he was so exhausted...meanies!

 Chris and Sophie dancing in front of the HUGE stage

 Jon and I doing switches, you can see the swishing tail on my vintage dress

 The crew being shady :)

Jake and Leah swinging out

Nicole and Paul cranking the fancy moves

Kat and Shannan...sexy moves in fluro boardshorts haha!

Snappy Suspenders

Haven't done an outfit post in long time so I thought I'd show off my new FAVOURITE dance outfit. The suspenders are vintage and are the button-on ones to fit to the buttons that were already on my 1930's style "Cue" skirt that I bought from eBay. Cue have some gorgeous classic vintage designs, especially kick pleat skirts and Jackie O, 60's style swing coats...of which own many, of both :). Only thing is you have to go on eBay as these are all from past seasons...Cue has some gag-worthy 80's and 90's revival thing going on at the moment, blerk, so save your pennies and splurge second hand!

Skirt-Cue (eBay)

Suspenders- Diamond Aps Recycling Boutique-8 Wray Ave Fremantle (it has one shop for men and another for women, beside one another, very cool!)

Shoes- Bleyer dance shoes

Hat- Ashliegh in Wonderland...ofcourse :)

Close up of my hat...

It's navy, red and white...LOVE!



Ashliegh in Wonderland Photo Shoot

AAAAAHHHHH!!!!! I am ecstatic!

Today I had a stall at the Retro Market today which was fun and I met lots of really lovely people...my hats are getting a great response and I love hearing everyone's feedback so I know what to get stuck into for the coming weeks, one lovely lass spoke of her wedding theme and wanted a custom bouquet and bridemaid's headbands...without revealing too much of her plans, it sounds like her "big day" will be so quirky and awesome...I LOVE a non-traditional wedding, it excites me to bits!!! But as much as I love the stalls, phwoar I was tired, I slumped into my little "sofa-y computer-nook" for some much needed veg-ing, clicked on Facebook and....

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Squealed with delight!!! The very lovely Dabs of Dabelyn Photography had already put up some "Sneak Peek" photos of our shoot. To say I'm thrilled to no end is entirely an understatement...there is now way to describe how I feel seeing these turn out SO well. Apart from being utterly exhausted from the 16 hour days preparing, leading up to the shoot...there's a magnitude of pride looking at all my work and a huge door of possibility opening because is all seems real now! Lauren and Nicole were just so much fun and awesome, rocking up dolled to the nines, half their wardrobe in arms and ready to be pretty (and silly)!
We gave a wedding in Hyde Park and anyone driving down Vincent street a peep show as we swapped and changed between frocks co-ordinating with a giant box full of hats! It was great fun! I know that most designers don't get in on the action when it comes to promo shoots, but F it, it's my label! :)

Be sure to check out the rest of the pics and click the "like" button on Facebook Dabelyn Photography and also Ashliegh in Wonderland if you haven't already to see updates.

Vintage Vamps and Vixens

Here we are performing the Big Apple at the Vintage Vamps and Vixens Market at the Fremantle Town Hall. I've pinched this photo from VVV organiser Delilah of Winifred and Bance  for two reasons, One because we didn't take any photos on the day, plus it's a great shot, I just love the big swirl of my red skirt! hehe. We had a ball performing on stage. The next VVV Market will in May next year, I can't wait! There were stall holders from all the best vintage stores in Perth, and LOADS of what I call "pretty vintage"...as in 50's prom dresses and parasoles, vanity cases, 40's sunglasses, brooches! SWOON! The stuff you usually have to dig (or travel) for! :) Next year I'm going to get onto getting a stall this time, the atmosphere was fantastic! :)

Eating Good Stuff and Fitting Nanny's Dresses

So for a little while now we've been eating "Paleo" style. Which means no wheat, legumes, dairy, rice, preservatives or sugar. In a nutshell the theory is that our bodies have only ever evolved to the point where they can digest the findings of a hunter/ gatherer lifestyle, not the "faux foods" that we put in our bodies that cause it to well, be unhealthy or at least on run at its optimum level. So far it's been awesome. We both have A LOT more energy, sleep better, are relaxed or deal with stress (both physically and mentally) with great results. AND the other day when I walked past Hungry Jacks (or Burger King depending on where you're from) the smell that used to make me want a chicken burger so badly I could sell my soul...made me want to be sick! Hooray! Good body! :)
Now we decided to do this based on Tim Ferris's blog post...http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2010/09/19/paleo-diet-solution/#comment_list
and we did some more research of our own.
It was to be an experiment but we both feel so good...Mr in Wonderland has achieved better performance in the gym, I lost 5kgs in just over the first week and don't retain water, plus PMS mood swings, GONE! and this is just the beginning...I think it will be staying :)

The food takes some thought but it is really yummy, lots of fruit and veg...I think fruit is under-rated in the "lollies of nature" department! I made strawberry sorbet that was to-die-for, stuffed chicken with basil off our bush and almonds, made salad dressings with tahini, lime and and mustard...oh-so good! We've eaten LOTS of eggs, plus eggs hold together all sorts of vege concoctions :) Coconut has been interesting, we ate a concoction of "coconut veges" which Mr in Wonderland said was like a "Vege Summer Roll" hehe but wow was it tasty! We've just had to get creative and it has been fun. When you go shopping and have to read the labels, it makes you realise how much crap is in everything, it's kind of scary to think of how much your poor liver has to work through before it even gets to doing it's "proper job".

Here's my first "Almond Milk" creation, 1 cup almonds to three parts water and then you sift it...it's yummy and VERY good in chai!

It tastes like almonds, funnily enough, but it's creamy and milky, much like cows milk. Plus you can cook with it too.

And I can also fit into my Great Grandmother's dresses that were passed on to me. The blue one has only ever fit after I had been sick for a week and even then only just, the brown one has never been able to be zipped up. My Nanny Bena was very little. I still think I'm a bit bigger than she was in the boob and butt department, but luckily the dresses are a little forgiving...Check this out..........................

Cool huh! Pretty chuffed about that! Especially as Ashliegh in Wonderland will have a 50's styled photo shoot next week, VERY excited! I've been sewing some 50's skirts and preparing and performing at the Vintage Vixens and Vamps Market...I'll show you once there's pictures in rotation as I didn't take any :( So yeah that's sorta life up to date. I'll show you the cool stuff soon!! :)