Day 265: Tuesday 19 January

I was given a gift last night. Something quite sensational and informative, sexy and educational, arty and crafty, denim and lace, country and rock’n’roll.

What is this incredible present? A book…

Somebody's Phd or just a denim fan? American Denim: A New Folk Art

Fattyboombsticks has been telling me, urging me to get into customising my denims. Get into it with a pair of scissors she says. Some of those jeans are horrible is another thing she says. After looking through this book I have been inspired. So many awesome approaches, although this book relies quite heavily on the appliqué/needle work styles.

Here’s a couple of examples that have inspired me at first read…

S'cuse the fingers, mind the bow-tie and the beard

Last year someone promised to make me a bow-tie. But did they? NO!!

A novel way to jazz up the interior of any denim jacket

Sexy lady cut-out looking sweet inside an appliquéd Levi’s jacket

Here’s one of my personal favorites, so inspirational…

Now THAT'S what I call a denim bikini

See HRH! This is what a denim bikini top SHOULD look like. I’m a gunna try and make me one. Off to the op shop I go…

And here’s today’s attire, especially modest after the spectacular images above…

Zombie style mango and yoghurt eating. Not sure I'm even alive in this photo

Top: Supre pale denim vest. Butchie dykie

Bottom: Spykar white jeans, wear’ em once and wash ’em

Accessory: To feminise this outfit I have chosen the Chanel handbag on loan all the way from Nettie in Melbourne. Nettie I never thanked you…

Day 254: Friday 8 January

Happy 40th Viv!!

Off to the exciting metropolis of Adelaide today to help Viv celebrate her milestone (millstone). But first I really do have to pull down some Christmas lights.

I packed away the crochet nativity scene the other day. Here are exciting photos of that activity…

Little baby Jesus safely wrapped up in denim swaddling

Mary without her denim veil but with a touch of Bethleham belly

As I was carefully packing the Holy Mother away I noticed an apparition on the back of her veil/hijab. Was it the face of God? Aaah, no. I think poor Mary has had the squirts. I didn’t wash her though, just put her in the plastic bag with all the others. Is that disrespectful?

Bearing gifts of frankinscense, denim and myhrrh

You will know him by his denim crown

Bored with all the craft? Well here’s my in-flight outfit, front and back view today just because…

Do I look like a model? Naah pose all you like, you're not model material

And from behind….

Lots of behind but not much arse

Top: I am really into the cheap denim now that I have discovered the Supre outlet store, nothing over $15! This pre-aged denim vest looks the works

Bottom: More cheap denim, both in price and label. JeansWest ‘Skinny’ jeans. What I like is how they sort of look like jeggings

Accessory: Lightfoot Studios loaner bag. High fashion not low. I have a funny story about Lightfoot Studios but I don’t think I should put it in writing…

See you all tomorrow with an exciting blog from Adelaide.

Day 200: Sunday 15 November

Another landmark has been reached in the Year of Denim: 200 days of triple denim wearing without a break or respite.

Is this a Guinness World Record? Somebody do the research! I can’t! I’m too busy breaking records!

It would be reasonable to think that I had something planned for this momentous occasion. But I don’t. I had intended to throw a double denim bbq but life got in the way. And that very same life means that today, rather than celebrating 200 days of denim, I am sorting through my possessions.

Not to worry. I still look gooooorgeous.

I don’t think I gave my new Mum-made vest enough of a plug yesterday so I am wearing it again, this time with a close-up so it can be seen in glorious detail…

Denim & dog vision by the glorious Cooks River. Pic: AK

Top: Mum-made black denim vest with red stitching. Sweet

Bottom: JeansWest black n bleached denim mini, also with red stitching, so now I’m wearing a twin set!

Accessory 1: Denim Birkenstocks, comfort AND style, although many would debate the ‘style’ part of that statement

Accessory 2: Mavi denim bag. I was too lazy to unpack it from yesterday

Vested interest in wearing this vest

Thanks Mum. Now let’s get on to making me a denim suit!

Although yesterday, with all the pecking through posessions, a rare fake denim item was unearthed. An item I thought I had flogged at a market months before the idea of YoD had germinated. Something so precious my regret at THINKING I had sold it was a bottomless well of remorse.

What IS it I hear the denim hordes and fashion frenzied ask???

A fake patchwork denim polyester OR crimpolene (either way mega nasty) short sleeved suit!!

If the humidity lifts between now and Christmas I’ll wear it.

Even though it is a suit somehow I don’t think it’s suitable office wear. It is super tempting to wear it to work because the office has air con, unlike the sweat box where I am blogging from. Has anyone tried wearing a polyester suit in 100% humidity? It ain’t gunna be pretty. But worse is it ain’t gunna smell pretty.

Day 193: Sunday 8 November

ALERT!!!

If you feel uncomfortable seeing me with not a lot on then do not read this blog. I promise no nudity, but I don’t promise good taste… back to the blog

Today was very drizzly and humid up at Mangrove Creek.

After yesterday’s mega exertion I was taking it pretty easy today. Just a quiet bit of pruning, a bit of a wander around, then resting, some more eating (and drinking) before packing up and heading back to Sydney.

When I got home I collapsed, before finally rousing myself to hit the blog.

Dog tired and the dog is too

Top: Fletcher Jeans jacket. I guiltily admit it was first time today I had worn a denim top… it was 5.30pm!!

Bottom: From where I’m sitting the ‘Love Your Denim’ jeans are disgustingly filthy with food, smoke and sweat

Accessory: Aaaah, my feet luxuriate in the comfort of the denim birkenstocks

If you look closely at the picture above you will see my head resting on something. Something denim, something in 3 parts, something long promised and threatened. Something I needed and finally received.

This denim-in-three-parts gift looks better from behind, IMHO

What do you think friends are for?

There are times I suspect the role of friends is to make fun of you, tease you, perhaps even humiliate you and laugh at you. Why else would a friend give me a denim thong?

I acknowledge the thong is well crafted but does anyone honestly think I’d be caught dead on Bondi Beach, or any other beach,  with 90% of my arse hanging out???

One of the other parts of this 3 part gift is a beautifully made pair of denim shorts, so useful, so cute.

The final part, which you can see from the picture above, is a denim bikini top.

Having spent my entire adolescence with scabs on my chest from where my bikini strings chafed I am not sure how frequently or for how long I can wear the denim bikini top.

It’s exquisitely made in an incredibly thick, inflexible, non-stretch denim. Just looking at it makes my nipples wince.

However I have promised a giver of the gift, that I will get a picture of me in this outfit, on my surfboard ASAP, scabs or not! Chafed or smooth, irritated or just plain uncomfortable, it’s the giving that counts and while it is provocative, this is one of the most thoughtful YOD gifts I have yet to recieve.

So thanks to all those who contributed: the unknown (to me) seamstress, Monsieur BB and of course HRH.

Day 185: Saturday 31 October

A very late blog update today. This is because I didn’t get out of my pyjamas until 3pm.

That karaoke sure can take it out of you. As you have no doubt noticed I am also a little hoarse today courtesy of karaoke.

For the record I think one of my favourite OMG moments last night was Trix’s rendition of Abba’s “Does your mother know” with a very punky chorus added by moi and my bro. Another overwhelmingly emotional highlight was a spine tingling duet of ‘Summer Lovin’ from MrPN and MsJS, and then there was the all hands on deck sing-along version of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Don’t Stop’.

Off to work soon, although you wouldn’t know it from my down played denim do.

Looking a little black under the eyes, t-shirt to match

Top: Going for a classic double denim look today with the casual over-the-shoulder Levi’s jacket

Bottom: The jacket combines seamlessly with vintage Levi’s flares, not visible from this extreme angle

Accessory: Hand crafted denim bag, gifted a few years ago from the White-Ramsay fashion label of LA

Now on to a little whinge.

As I was catching the train into the city last night I happened to pick up Friday’s MX. Reading reading reading and I came across this little slice of vox pop…

Everyone's entitled to their opinions, except when it comes to dissing denim

Well! Mr Steffan (with a double F!!! WTF!!). If you’d seen how incredible I looked last night in my “leggings that look like jeans with the fake stitching” I am certain you would have an about face in your misconceived anti-denim prejudice. Don’t knock fake denim leggings ’till you’ve tried ’em. That’s all I’ll say Mr Double eFFan.

Day 181: Tuesday 27 October

I have denim plans today. More so then usual. Proactive creative denim plans.

I’m going over to Mum’s to make a denim jacket, maybe even a suit.

Mum can sew. I can’t. Mum understands a sewing pattern. I can’t. Mum’s got patience. I don’t. Mum’s got loads of patterns. I have three.

Grey days are good days for sewing... I imagine

Top: I didn’t think I’d get another chance to wear this lovely donated South Seas Bubble C0. denim bomber jacket

Bottom: They are new (to me), they are black, they are Gap jeans. Too long of course

Accessory: Denim no name shoulder bag/ carry-all

Day 169: Thursday 15 October

Happy birthday bro. Still young at 41.

Early rise again, but I decided to eat breakfast instead of taking my photo this morning. So I’ve missed the sunrise. I’m not going on about my health today because, as it was pointed out to me in a comment posted yesterday, nobody likes sick people.

So I’m seizing the day, not like in a seizure sustained through head trauma, but like in grabbing it with both hands and wrestling it into submission while wearing my new safety denim multi-sport glamour helmet. So there.

Seizing my yoga mat with both hands as the day dawns

Top: The Letter branded denim jacket, made in Turkey btw

Bottom: Donated red Just Jeans stretch denims

Accessory 1: The handcrafted denim yoga mat cover

Accessory 2: Mavi tiny denim bag

Accessory 3, yes count them THREE accessories: Denim belt

Day 154: Wednesday 30 September

Once again the blog is a little late in getting off the ground due to illness.

Although I’m still very husky I do feel a little perkier today. I can imagine leaving the house and doing stuff, and who knows, I might actually LEAVE the house and Do stuff. Maybe even a visit to a charity organisation as it’s been a pretty lean couple of weeks on the new denim front.

With the YoD half way mark approaching I need to reinvigorate my wardrobe, maybe get into some handicrafts and sewing, do a bit of vernacular denim fashion rather than relying on what the shops have.

I gaze into the future, or is it the past?

Top: MSK denim vest

Bottom: Just Jeans flared jeans, too long of course

Accessory: Dark denim cap to match the vest

Day 151: Sunday 27 September

I’m blogging in bed and I don’t think I’ll be getting up any time soon.

However this does give me the opportunity of showing off my awesome denim doona cover, photo courtesy of AK.

Soft focus bed shot

Top, Bottom and Accessory: Mayfield’s Lifeline supplied this denim doona cover. Who is the handicraft genius who dreamt up this incredible piece of manchester? Who are you? Where are you? Why did you make this thing?

Day 131: Monday 7 September 2009

Another day, another late blog. Oh well.

As late as ‘it’ (the blog) is today’s picture brings to light  one of Newcastle’s anonymous yet incredible handi-craft talents. Whoever made this amazing piece of manchester deserves to win a major art prize. I’m not sure which prize is the most appropriate, but if I could make anything near as spectacular and gorgeous I’d put the jelly wax aside for good.

Me & cat casually blogging on my new hand crafted denim doona cover

Top: Older than me (nearly) denim shirt

Bottom: Younger than me in so many ways, Industrie jeans

Accessory: Can you see it? It blends in with the bedspread… under my elbow Mavi/ chavi denim bag

I have had many probing questions about my Year of Denim night attire. Now I can sleep in the nude (my preferred state in bed) in a top, bottom and accessory in the form of this amazing Newcastle charity shop find (thanks to the eagle eyes of HRH). Yes! Somebody has sewn a doona cover from a bunch of old jeans. In some places the have sewn on extra pockets to create visual interest, and boy am I interested! Here’s a better view of the bed spread…

An awesome spectacular vision of denim homeware