Can you feel that?

I can. Change is in the air.

You might have noticed I've been blogging a little less this month; granted because the last few weeks I've been recovering from the flu, and helping M do the same.

But I'm okay with this change of pace. Because it means I am sewing more. And reading, and exercising, and a few other non-computer based activities.

I welcome the change and have no doubt it will slowly be reflected in the content on August Street. The truth is I'm finding it tough keeping up with some of my regular blogging games such as 'eye spy' and 'my creative space' so I've decided to take a little break from these for a while. I'm also desperate to play around with the layout of my blog, and I began by adding some of my favourite (clothes) sewing blogs and fashion/media resources in the sidebar... but again, not a priority.

Focus is the flavour of the month. And my focus is sewing.

The coat pattern is well and truly on it's way - there's so much work to do and I'm going to need every ounce of spare time that doesn't involve working or general living to get it together. The bonus is that my little creative brain is thriving right now!


Pattern pieces have been altered (I have a slight sway back - who knew?), new pattern pieces have been created for the lining, the fabric has been cut, and this week I'm cutting out the lining fabric and interfacing, and doing the tailor's tacks (to mark all the symbols from the pattern onto the fabric).

And tonight, in keeping with the theme of course, I'm finally going to see Coco Avant (Before) Chanel.

I took a friend's advice today and spent a couple of hours in a local coffee shop with the morning paper, alone.

People do this every day but I have never felt the need to. Why perch myself solo in a noisy, crowded place with my Sunday reading material when I have a comfy sofa and a scenic view at home?

I guess I just had the urge.

And it was a strange experience. I loved being physically removed from my domestic haven, and from the guilty feeling that I should be doing something more productive than sitting on my backside reading.

And the constant shock of the store's coffee machine only metres away drove me a little bit crazy, but I managed to zone out after a few minutes and rather enjoyed my mocha-latte and my own company. I quickly moved on from the Sunday Age to a couple of magazines I couldn't help buying on the way (incredibly glad I did...). A couple of hours crept by, but I didn't notice.


Next door A&R had a sale on...


...as did Valley Girl a few stores down. Perhaps my morning's experiment was laced with a hidden agenda?


Have you ever taken a friend's advice and tried something that seemed a little out of your comfort zone?

There I was, innocently minding my own business in one of the most beautiful places on earth - a small town in New Zealand's South Island called Te Anau (pronounced: tea-ah-now)...


...when suddenly I had an ice-cream craving.

And thus I discovered the Memphis Meltdown Big Bikkie.


The warning on the back of the wrapper says it all:


I posted these pics to fulfill a promise to a fellow choc-aholic (yes you, Nellie). Probably a good thing I can't find these ice-creams in Oz.

Thanks to dream sequins who led me to bobbin talk I eventually landed in the world of Frei Designs.


This is the work of Chicago designer Annie Novotny who's description of her own work and inspiration is pure poetry.

Her clothing "supports healthy labor practices and environmental sustainability". She also has a blog: adventures in sustainable design.


In contrast, the soft palette of her Spring 2009 collection:

Loves:

the quiet
the sky-scraping gum trees
the open stage for pink and orange sunsets
the sound of farm animals on neighbour's properties
the uninhabited dirt tracks to walk the pups
the not-too distant ocean
the lack of crowds
the slowness
the closer proximity to mother nature

Not much to hate really. Oh wait, there's that somewhat unusual level of skill shown by country drivers... people don't drive fast enough to warrant speed signs in these parts. And they don't believe in using signals of any sort. I don't care so much on the weekends when I've had the chance to re-acclimatise, but coming home from work at nights, I need to prepare myself at the town's borders and drop the pace a notch or two ("Slow down Jen, you're in the country now!")

I have very few dislikes about my semi-rural hometown, but I still despair at the lengthy traveling distances to entertain the desires of my alter-ego – to Melbourne city, outer suburburban cafe strips, the variety of multicultural eats, fabric and craft stores, art-house cinema, decent magazine and bookstores...

Years ago when I worked in the city I had instant lunch-hour access to all of these things. Now it is a rare and completely pre-planned event on a spare weekend. Thank god for the visual feast our blogs provide - I can still feel in the loop, if only on a virtual level.

Despite this, I would never give up living this new rural lifestyle... never.


Thx to the lovely and always entertaining Ellieboo for this week's theme.
Check out bugandpop for the complete list of players.

I've lifted myself off the couch for a moment to get my J.A.M. posted, but it remains picture-free today unfortunately.

It has me. I am sick: unwell, ill, flu-like. But I cannot let this taint the entire month of June, there has been some wonderful moments in there too.

Watching... The Duchess (ooh-ahh... ye olde world and costume heaven!), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (quirky, visually tasty), Take the Lead (an older dance flick with leading man Antonio Banderas), also catching up on Lipstick Jungle and SYTYCD USA (Dance).

Reading... latest Frankie, Vogue and The Notebook. The silver lining to being ill: my magazine addiction is fulfilled.

Spending... moments outside in the winter's sun, the warmth of it as comforting as a sweet cup of tea.

Drinking... hot water with lemon and honey.

Making... a steam inhalation of boiling water with 2 drops each of eucalyptus and tea tree to keep my head clear.

Resting... a whole lot. I do expect to have crystal-clear skin and shiny hair after all this rest you know!

Missing... reading my ever-expanding list of blogs; also why I haven't been commenting much on Yours. So be prepared for an onslaught of comments on older posts next week!

Hoping... to resume regular posting by the end of the week.

Keep well all!

Anne Hathaway looks spectacular as the White Queen in Tim Burton's remake of Alice in Wonderland.


Johnny Depp looks... well, orange. And reminiscent of Willy Wonka, no? Take a look here if you dare.

We'll have to wait until March next year for this release. Sigh.

Wow, if only all of my ingredients were this happy.


Some low GI goodness baked on a gloomy Sunday... now these make me smile.

I was thrilled to choose this week's theme (and I hope you all enjoyed it) which prompted me to finally swing by a certain place from the past and take this image:

Years ago, an old friend and I were walking down her street, August Street, and we were deep in conversation about wanting to make our own clothes. We were going to start small - with aprons. While we were walking, I looked up towards her street sign and a little spark of inspiration hit me. I distinctly remember saying to her: "August Street. Now that would be the perfect name for my sewing label". And we giggled off into the sunset with big hopes and fabric dreams.

We did go on to make aprons, but as life has it we wandered down our own creative paths. The last few years of blogging have re-ignited my desire for dressmaking and the birth of the August Street blog has helped steer my in the right direction.

Enough of that seriousness, here's another bunch of signs that have caught my eye...

From New Zealand:

I have some other pics to show from this little adventure... lots of yummy costumes.

I just liked the vintage plate and hinge on this door.

We're all a little loco at times, no?

And these two from Central Australia:


Aussie slang for Ladies and Gents.


This sign cracked me up. Would you be walking around backwards with a video camera in hand? No, didn't think so... but apparently some people do.

And I leave you now with this sign, because we all need our own space to play in:



Visit bugandpop to see all the players.

A wise man once said:

Keep the printer drawer open if you do not want the beast to devour your Chanel images.

A second wise man said:

Remember to change the toner or your pictures will be saturated in magenta and black (unless goth is the look you're going for...)

And a third wise man, much wiser than all the rest, said:

Waste neither bad printing nor Nuttelex containers; recycle whenever possible.

I took the wise guy's advice. Another storage container for sewing implements. You can never have too much storage in a sewing room.

And then I remembered this film is coming out on Thursday:




Get thee to a cinema, quick.