One week until WOW 2016

Soooo, just over a week now and the annual WOW trip will be occurring - and what a whirlwind it will be! This being my eighth time as a designer in the show, we decided that we didn't need more than the three nights there. Subsequent to that, we now have a very full dance card! We arrive on Wednesday afternoon, and pick up the much anticipated show programme before attending the Preview. Thursday is Designer Day, where from 8:30-5:30 we are entertained with a behind-the-scenes tour of the show at the venue, presentations from members of the WOW team, and an interactive WETA workshop experience. Quite what this means, I'm looking forward to finding out! Hoping to meet up with Matt afterwards for goats cheese pastry puffs with honey at Avida.......and wine, of course......

Friday morning, we start with brunch at the Australian Embassy, with the new instalment of Ambassadors, then move straight on to the Wellington waterfront for the unofficial Designer Forum, hosted by Matt and Svenja at Mac's Brewery! Normally a recovery affair full of beer and chips on a sunny Saturday morning after the big night, we now have to squeeze it in here, and be careful not to get too relaxed before the Awards Show; the Saturday morning is now claimed by a media brunch at the glorious Art Museum Hotel. From there we will go straight to the airport!! GAH!!

I wasn't going to make a special outfit , as I have so many now, but just last week Spotlight had a sale, and a fabric which I have been eying off for some time was on sale. Can you spot why I needed to get that?! I've graded up the pattern from my model-sized Tropicobana skirt design, and should be able to eliminate the zip, as I'm using stretch fabrics, so it shouldn't be such a nightmare to sew! With an off-the-shoulder top with a wide band of the sequin material, and a matching choker (and possibly a detachable black silk cape affair as well!), I'm thinking this could be a bit fab. Will require matching bow-tie for Matt. And possibly a new vest. What happened to not making anything?!!

I've also been working on more pieces for Wearable Expressions, as I can put in up to three for the one entry fee. Found a bag of silk zja-zjoozhga's (as we call them - circles of fabric distorted by stitching fishing line on) and pinned them together into this neckpiece. Painstakingly hand-stitched the pieces together with silk thread before hand-painting dye on. Having made these five or so years ago for Morphology exhibition pieces, I didn't realise until then that the fabric was rayon/silk (why I used this devoré-perfect fabric for this purpose  I will never know), and having used acid dye on it, the best colouration is on the back of the piece. Again, sigh......

Sunday we got up early, washed the two Studebakers, and headed off for the Redcliffe Festival, where we spent a very enjoyable day in the glorious weather. I took my usual activity pack, consisting of inspirational art book, novel, sketchbook and diary, but sans blanket - luckily this shortfall was taken care of by a bunch of bean bags in front of the delightful IndiElla, a divine musical duo. Here I camped for an hour or so, sorted my week and designed my WOW outfit, before repairing to the Ambassador Hotel for some refreshments with Mr & Mr Studebaker whilst watching the Miss Redcliffe Festival Pinup competition. I ventured over, then back to report to the boys, where I mentioned that 'the purple one was good', and the guy at the next table said 'excellent, that's my wife!'. Phew!! Also turned out he was an alpaca farmer of a small flock, so I gave him my card and said I might be interested in some fleece. Around this time, his wife headed off for some post-catwalk photos - in our Studebaker!! Altogether, a relaxing and surprisingly productive day all round!

The Purple one and friend