Shake it to make it

Hello lovely people

Firstly, let me apologise for being a slack blogger.  Actually, I never like reading the apologies from blogland, as I tend to be impatient to read real content, being a..."get to the good stuff why don't you?" .. type of gal.  However, I know I have been more quiet than I would like to be so I do apologise for long silences.

This time of year is particularly tiring as we come to the end of a long string of events. Goodwood Revival  last weekend was the last outdoor show and for that I am glad, as it is getting just a bit nippy for camping.  I am however, proficient at wriggling into two sleeping bags.  Ha ha!  It is like Houdini in reverse.

pic from here

But that is not all that is taking up valuable energy as Mr Wolf's family and one of my manufacturers is based in Christchuch, New Zealand, where they have been shaking it all about for a bit too long now.  I do have to say, NZ'ers are kind of used to earthquakes, a bit like Londoners are used to slow tubes, and Australians are used to...um...living with scarey spiders/crocodiles/jellyfish/snakes that could KILL you. Never-the-less, it has been earthquakes on a big, frightening scale, and a lot more than something to chit chat about over your morning cuppa

Thankfully, as far as I am aware, no one has been killed by the large earthquakes they have had and that is due to the exceptionally clever NZ Building code. Well done building code!

I thought you might be interested in the fact that the NZ Building code is very good because it was developed after the Napier earthquake of 1931. Napier was a gorgeous, sunny coastal resort in the North Island, and in 1931 it was pretty much flattened by a massive quake.

image source here.

images sourced here

256 people did loose their lives and families were homeless. From the wreckage, architects and engineers could work out why some buildings (or parts of buildings) remained, and why some fell instantly. Hence our strict building code. Our dwellings are now designed to wiggle and twist, and, if they need to fail, they will do so in a way not to crush the inhabitants.

Chubby wiggling and twisting, source here

Just like London after the blitz, the little town re-built itself in the fashion of the time, and Napier is now Art deco central.

Spirit of Napier fountain, source: here

Masonic Hotel, source here

Rothmans Building, source here

Ellison and Duncan building, source here.

Delightful eh?

If you ever fancy a visit, Napier now has two Art Deco weekends a year, run by the Art Deco Trust.

Napier had a happy ending after a ghastly 10 days of shakes.  Poor Christchurch is now going through something akin to working the hula hoop after knocking back a bottle of bubbles while on a boat, without the hoop or the boat or the fizz. Not too much fun.  Just keep going guys. All fingers crossed it will be over soon.

Shona x

Well Hello!

I have had a protracted silence at this end only because I have been on a bit of a whirlwind roller coaster ride, with lots of travelling, events and photo shoots to manage, combined with a horrid cough that, while I soldiered on, threatened to KILL Mr Wolf. As we all know Man Flu is deadly.  

On top of that the car, our purple work horse, is on its last legs and had me stranded for 2.5 hours one cold and stormy night because it stopped, like, HAVING GEARS! Arrgghh! Ok ok, it wasn't THAT bad, as after all, I had a buddy with me, Big Pete (you might have danced with him) and the pub was just around the corner...and we got to ride in a tow truck.

Anyhoo, we are starting to recover and I have lots to catch you up on, so hopefully I will get through some of them this week.  For now I just want to remind Brit based vintage lovers about the Goodwood Revival this coming weekend. 

John and I in matching outfits (fluke) by our matching car (imaginary)

There is nothing else like it in the WORLD, where you can see vintage motorcars racing each other. The whole site is built up to be pre 1966 (the year that cars are deemed "classic"). A lot of people put in some effort to dress up, usually from 1930s - 1960s and some purposely match their cars! (You can see we had to "borrow" some matching cars!)

Mr Wolf with dream car

besides the dressing up and dancing (our fave combo), there are great bands, lots of roving comedy acts, lots of great things to look at, buy and consume.

Sheri about to get cuffed and clobbered

We used to go even before we ran the stall and 2005 was I think, my favourite year (probably because we were not working - so no surprise there!). These pics are from then, with our good friends Sheri and John.  

Some of the dancing, including Tony and Jackie from Rye Bal Swing

Mike Sanchez and the Extraordinaires

If you do come, you can go all out with the outfit, if you choose to. Because of the "racing" element a bit of extra finery doesn't look out of place.  You can see that we are in the full get-up, and loving every minute of it. My hat is actually sporting yellow buttons I sewed on, because I wanted a polka-dot look!

always a bit of a tart!

If you do go, come and see us. We have our pitch by Gate 14 and would love to see you!

Shona x