My First Sewing Project

My first sewing project... 30 years ago.

Is That She-Ra's Crown?

    Here's the start of a new collection of dolls. The fabric pieces have been cut - took about a day to do. What you're seeing here is the doll hair pieces sewn together.

    When turned upside down these pieces remind me of She-Ra's crown. Do you see it too?

Image Source: Mutant Supermodel

    While I'm on the topic of She-Ra, I loved her when I was a little girl. In the eighties I had so many fabulous, cartoon icons to admire - it was a never ending rainbow festival of awesome.

Take Me Back, Thursday

Loved the music of the 80s. Here's my little throw back to my childhood era…

Jem-spiration

    After all these years Jem still has 'it'. In the mid 80s little boys played with GI Joe and Transformers. Little girls played with My Little Pony , Barbie and the slightly less known, yet so much more incredible - Jem [& the Holograms].
    It was a great deal to me when I received a Jem doll for Christmas. I was nine years of age. I loved that doll. So much so that I never actually parted with her or even the bits and pieces that came with her, including the merchandise poster.
    I used peruse the poster fantasising about all the Jem accessories I might collect for my doll. I also imagined wearing Jem's clothes when I grew up. Jem's clothes were incredibly stella and if I am to be honest, I still dream of wearing these clothes.

Oh Oh! It's Magic

Love the 80s.

Love The Cars.

Here's a little weekend 80s fix...

An 80s Treasure

    I am mad on the 80s. Those were my childhood years. And Hall and Oates music was a highlight of that period in my life. I especially like this song of theirs...

Rewind

I have been a bit buggered lately, so I haven't had a lot to say or do here.
I am still quite a bit tired, so I'll just share something old with you.


The above photo was taken at school by one of the teachers. Each student had to write a little something about themselves, and include an illustration to go with the summary. These little pieces were the result.
I am fairly close to certain that this is from Grade 2, which makes it 1986.


What were some of the hits of ‘86?

• Broken Wings (Mr Mister)
• How Will I Know (Whitney Houston)
• Addicted to Love (Robert Palmer)
• Papa Don't Preach (Madonna)
• Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel)
• Small Town (John Cougar Mellencamp)
• Walk This Way (Run DMC)
• Invisible Touch (Genesis)

Oh and the list could go one forever.


Sometimes I miss the 80s. It was an idyllic time for me and when it became ‘89, I felt a sadness that it was an end of an era.


Following is a clip from a loved 80s film — Electric Dreams.

Dance to the Disco

When I was a kid I loved to skate. It was a real treat going to the Saturday morning roller discos way back in 87. I used to go with three other kids — and their mum would take us.
There would be a morning class, for which I graduated through 3 levels.

We then spent the rest of the morning skating to the sounds of Michael Jackson, Billy Ocean, Kylie Minogue, Cheap Trick, Queen, you name it.
When a romantic song played the main lights would go out, and the effect lights kicked in, and the centrally located disco ball illuminated the room — it was pure magic.
There would also be a dance competition (with or without skates) to “Walk the Dinosaur”, “The Birdie Song”, and “Time Warp”. I once won a bag of Fantails.
Eventually though those days ended. I jumped on the inline skate bandwagon. But was sorely disappointed, as my old roller skating skills and tricks could not be applied to the inlines.
After a few years I wanted to return to the roller skates, but by then I was in my teen years and it felt like my 80s dream was finally over.
That was a fair while ago, and I have long heard that disco is dead. Yet today, a quick glance at google images I type in ‘disco’ or even ‘roller disco’, and discover that it hasn’t entirely bitten the dust. I suspect, for some of the people who lived it, there is still something that lives on in their hearts.
With a bit more research, I came across sites selling skates — brand new. There are dance clubs around the globe that still offer roller disco nights. And there are [gasp] roller derbies again on the rise.
For your pleasure I have created a list of music and movies that fit the roller disco theme. You can have a disco themed party — celebrate the 70s or 80s at your discretion. Or if you are like me you’ll just combine and enjoy it all.

Disco (& Roller Disco) Film Marathon 

• Roller Boogie (1979) 
• Thank God It’s Friday (1978) 
• Saturday Night Fever (1977) 
• The Last Days of Disco (1998) 
• Studio 54 (1998) 

70s Disco Music Mix

• Don’t Leave Me This Way (Thelma Houston) 
• I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor) 
• You Make Me Feel Mighty Real (Sylvester) 
• Dance Dance Dance (Chic) 
• Stayin Alive (Bee Gees) 
• Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood (Santa Esmeralda) 
• You Sexy Thing (Hot Chocolate) 
• Hot Stuff (Donna Summer) 
• Disco Duck (Rick Dees) 
• I Love the Nightlife (Alicia Bridges) 

80s Roller Disco Music Mix 

• Don’t Be Cruel (Cheap Trick) 
• Thriller (Michael Jackson) 
• Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen) 
• Nutbush City Limits (Tina Turner) 
• The Time of My Life (Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes) 
• The Birdie Song (The Tweets) 
• Time Warp (Rocky Horror cast) 
• Walk the Dinosaur (Was, Not Was) 
• When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going (Billy Ocean) 
• Rockin Robin (Michael Jackson) 
• The Loco-Motion (Kylie Minogue) 
• Hungry Eyes (Eric Carmen) 
• Ghostbusters (Ray Parker Jr) 

Oh, My Stars!

Looky, looky, what I just pulled out of a time tunnel…

These badges date back to the last century and the 80s no less. Carbon testing estimates it to be 1987.


There you have it — I grew up in the 80s. While most people tend to be nostalgic for their teen years, I tear up over a much earlier stage in life — ages 6-10.


Back in the 80s I loved skating, and it was such a treat visiting the skating rink, which on Saturday hosted a family roller disco. Those were the days.

The Top Ten Toys

When I was a little girl (in the eighties!) I loved, loved, loved my toys and tried very hard to take good care of them. I would go through phases of which toy was my favorite, but at the end of the day I think they all got equal time.

I even have memories of taking new toys to bed with me. Once my eyes adjusted to the light I would just start playing with my toy. I never was one for shutting down at night. No! No! Bedtime for me equalled thinking time.

So here is a list of the top ten toys from my childhood:

1. Jem paperdoll book (From Jem & the Holograms - this kept be amused until I was able to have a three dimensional version)

2. Chuckles (GI Joe - embracing my inner tomboy)

3. Strawberry Shortcake

4. Rocker Barbie (Of Barbie & the Rockers)

5. Elkie (Hot Looks doll)

6. Sparkler (My Little Pony)

7. Grasshopper (RC car - again embracing my inner tomboy)

8. Charlotte Garry (Cabbage Patch Kids doll - my adopted daughter)

9. Glow in the Dark Barbie (She glowed! Well actually it was her clothes, but still, very cool.)

10. Crystal Barbie (My first ever Barbie!)

I've Still Got Punky Power

When I was a child I simply loved, loved, loved the Punky Brewster telly series.

In point of fact I wanted to be Punky. Once when I got a Punky Brewster show bag from the Ekka I wore the accessories that came in the bag in the hopes of looking like her. The accessories included multi-coloured shoelaces, and sun bobbles for the hair. I also owned a singlet with words on the front declaring "I've got punky power!"

My adoration of Punky also extended to dreaming of having a bedroom painted like hers and having my own tree house. Alas none of these interior decorating and architectural projects ever took place. However I do wish to see the fantasy lived out through DIY projects for my daughter's bedroom. Over the years I would like to see her room develop into a wonderfully colourful environment that is out of this world.

Sometimes I consider buying online a retro Punky Brewster doll which was produced in the mid eighties. Though it is one of those things that I keep putting off and just thinking about.