A Little of Northland, a Refashion

I have been slacking in the blogging department as of late - but it's summer here and there is so much to do. 
I have been back at my sewing machine a little too, when it gets too hot to do anything outside it is a good respite.
So here is a little of what I have been up to...
Firstly, one example of why I am away from the computer - a rock pool at the river mouth, accessible at low tide as the sea washes it clean twice a day.

 After kayaking there and back - 30 minutes each way with the tide - we came home with enough mussels for two meals, and had a lovely picnic lunch out.

Next, our band has just played at "Picnic in the Paddock" - organised by a Northland musician/farmer. It was a lovely day, with about 200 people turning up to listen to a variety of musicians. Everyone took picnic dinners, bottles of wine, sat on hay bales under gazebos or umbrellas. 
I had planned to wear something that was black and white, but Derek suggested  "be a bit more colourful". I'm not sure if he was sorry after he saw what I came up with. I found three pairs of colourful pants, which I have tapered appropriately as they made me look like SpongeBob Squarepants, being vertically challenged. There are lots of instructions via the internet on how to do this.
They are all good quality labels which I got for a song. 
I will just put the green pair on today as I need someone at home to help take some decent after photos - but I thought they turned out pretty good.
The before photo doesn't do true justice to the atrocious emerald green these pants were, but they got a dye job in cobalt blue, which has improved them.

Before dye job and tapering.

The singlet top was also a conversion, from a tee shirt. I've decided standard round tee shirt necklines don't suit me, but I liked the graphic. 

And there I am wearing them (and playing tambourine if you wonder what I am doing)

To finish off, a couple of shots from Northland of the kind of things Derek and I love when we go travelling around...tumble-down buildings and public artworks.

Shack at Hihi

The bike fence at Mangonui - just because