Your $12 billion bill

Laughing? Don't, because you are paying it (and will be for a long time).

Could be that you are the taxpayer who who cannot afford to buy your own home - now , you are subsidising those who can, people who took the risk and failed.

We are talking about $12 billion bailout of leaky homes. I have been reading a blog from NZ blogger CACTUS KATE (http://asianinvasion2006.blogspot.com/) and she makes some great points:

Why are Councils (ie ratepayers) and the general taxpayer paying for the mistakes of those who bought homes from people who didn't do the job of developing or building properly? Shouldn't the civil courts take care of that and insurance companies? No, it is the likes of people who are purposefully not into property or deliberately paid more for good quality property that will be burdened with bailing out people who took a risk and lost (buying newly constructed homes).

May seem unfair but if I purchased $500,000 of shares and lost the lot, the taxpayer would never bail me out of that loss. Why is property any different? Move the burden of "leaky building syndrome" back on to the people who took the risk in the first place - the home owner. What does that say to future homeowners? Yes, it encourages them to take more risk. The homeowners should take legal action against Councils issuing the Code Compliance Certificates which should be backed by professional indemnity insurances and builders/developers with likewise. While it may seem unfair to burden the homeowner with this load, how fair is it that other taxpayers and ratepayers now have to stump up for something that they had no business with? The taxpayer has no share of the homeowners upside risk of the home gaining value -so why should they take the burden of the downside risk?

It amazes me that NZ taxpayers are not up in arms about this...I am furious about it!

Kiwiana tea towels :-)

Beautiful Kiwiana tea towels :-)

Continuing on the kitchen topic from my last post: in papers today, i saw a little piece on Kiwiana range from "House of Baddeck" (never heard of this label before..?)

The teatowels are absolutely gorgeous and feature pavlova, liquorice allsorts, tomato sauce... so cute!

I would actually frame these (in simple IKEA frames) or simply hang them in the kitchen using wood pegs. I might actually do this in my kitchen and post pics later...:-)

The range also includes cushion covers and aprons. It is available inSmith and Caughey's (who are actually having a big sale now!)

Also available online at CheckoutNZ: http://www.checkoutnz.co.nz/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CNZ&Category_Code=AUCK015

Retro kitchenware and retro kitchens

Campbell Live on TV3 featured retro kitchenware last night (found in Queenstown Salvation Army shop)!
:-)

It is so nice to see that the mainstream media is more open to secondhand/vintage lifestyle. It was also refreshing to see the presenter educating viewers about the difference between quality of retro (made in NZ or England) kitchenware and modern kitchenware mass produced in China , at lowest cost, in factories that probably have no consideration for environment, pollution, let alone the carbon footprint.

Here is the link -
http://www.3news.co.nz/TVShows/CampbellLive/Celebrity-chef-Richard-Till-talks-retro-bakeware/tabid/817/articleID/113709/cat/221/Default.aspx

The presenter was explaining how , for example, muffin trays made in 1950s/1950s in England or NZ were made to last, and to produce the best muffins ever! Their modern equivalents though, are not made to last, their materials are the cheapest: production cost comes before quality. And wait - retro muffin trays are avalable in charity shops for a few dollars!

It astounds me when i look at the terrible stuff available in stores here: plastic and ceramics, cheap crockery and cutlery from China, Taiwan etc. When you think about it, and take quality into consideration - they stop being cheap and start looking expensive. A cooking pot which chips after few months or a year, you throw it out, go to the Warehouse (yuck) and buy another one. I have cooking pots from 1950s and they are not chipped, are still perfect and will last for decades to come!

Even worse are cheap toasters and kettles made in the same places, and meant to last a few years before ending up in the rubbish. I have a friend who, i noticed, went trough 3 toasters since i knew her (2 years). She buys new, mass produced toaster and uses it until it dies. Then, she goes to the Warehouse, or Farmers, or another cheap store and buys another shiny and new toaster, which will meet the same fate eventually.

I have a Dualit toaster , that i paid NZ$450 for and i fully expect it to last another 20 years. While we were growing up, we had one Dualit toaster, and my parents still use it. I think it is 30+ years old. Just think about it! Imagine how much rubbish my parents did NOT throw in the landfill, by just purchasing ONE quality item!


The thing is retro stuff is so available and affordable, but people are not into it...it is not 'fashionable' . It is sad that our young people feel that they should go to the Warehouse to outfit their kitchen with brand new , shiny and disposable utensils... I just looked at Trademe and they have an entire category on Retro kitchenware, with some amazing stuff!

Category is under Antiques&Collectables, Art Deco and Retro ,Kitchenware. I found amazing muffin trays, fondues sets, pots, gorgeous retro dinner sets silver plated cutlery...and all this for a few dollars ...

Some pics:

Yet another design triumph :-)

I customized two 1970s mahogany coffee tables by decoupaging the tops with Vogue patterns and fashion illustrations of mod girls. They turned out GORGEOUS and sold as soon as they were put up for sale (and had dozens of watchers!).
It is so nice to see that people appreciate one-off designer pieces! :-)
Some of the pics of the gorgeous tables...

Another design triumph :-)

I LOVE formica, especially the woodgrain one :-)

99% of people HATE it, but i think it is cool! If it is up to me, i would go back to the 1960s/1970s and live in cool homes of that era, surrounded by formica, cool mahogany sideboards, fully stocked vinyl-padded bars, outrageous lighting and punchy colors.

I have been noticing a lot of formica pieces in retro shops in Auckland and around, making a bit of a comback lately... (yey!). This is why I have decided to put one of my customized formica pieces for sale on TradeMe. It is the cutest little coffee table which i have customized by applying a sort of reverse stencil of a fantail on it.


I loved it for so long but i am running out of space so it was time for it to fly away to someone who will love it even more.

The auction was a blast - it had 80 watchers on it (I still cant believe this number!!!) and after a bit of a bidding war, sold at $165.


I think it is precious and worth way more, but it is wonderful to see other people appreciating these gorgeous pieces that are sturdy as anything, even though they are 40 years old. Not to mention that they were not made in China and that they will last another 40 years. :-)

I will be making another piece, similar to this one, as soon as i find time. It will be offered for sale on Trademe again, for those 79 people who have missed out ! :-) In the meantime, some more pics of a lovely coffee table:

My shop is ready ! :-)

Finally!!!!!! My shop is ready for all the eager customers who have been waiting for weeks! :-)

I have some AMAZING things: 1980s, 1970s, some gorgeous art deco and 1920s/1930s stuff, loads of 1950s dresses and jackets, hats, loads of shoes and lots of modern designer stuff. i have hundreds and hundreds of garments that i have got at estate sales all over the countly. I daresay this is a treasure trove :-) And, prices are waaaaay below retails, as the 'shop' is in my house in Torbay.

Some pics below:

Beautiful 1930s velvet coctail dress for sale on Trademe

Auction Number: 200544597

Absolutely gorgeous authentic black velvet dress in size 12! Price is very fair, considering this is an authentic dress. Would look AMAZING at the Auckland Cup parade, and also, you could wear this gorgeous dress later too: to the theatre or any formal occassion. If you are size 12- please have a look! Auction Number: 200544597

Love, Fatima

Auckland Cup parade - gorgeous dress for sale on TradeMe! (size 16)

Hello all-

just found this dress for sale on Trademe, in wearable size 16! It is gorgeous(the picture is not that good though, but i can just imagine this being worn with some beads and a feather headband!! ( I hope someone snaps this up. The best is that Monsoon has very good quality garments, and i am sure this would make a gorgeous coctail dress for later on... I have asked the seller to put the dimensions up btw.

Auction Number: 197520795

Louie and me in Saturday Herald :-)

Hello -

below is the page of the last Saturday Herald, which featured me and Louie! :-)

I must say we both look cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just click on the page to see it in bigger format:

Beautiful vintage style jewelry from "Wendy J" - NZ designer

Hello all:

me and Louie are in papers today! And i have to say, we both look very cute! :-) I will try to scan the article and post it here ...

In the meantime, I was just looking at Tatty Devine jewerly again, and wondered whether we have anyone doing similar stuff in NZ. I actually own a gorgeous piece from Wendy J, jewelry designer from Welsford. It is a laser cut and printed pendant of a girl feeding swans. Picture on top. I wear it all the time and get so many comments on it! I have found this designer on TradeMe. I can say with confidence that her pieces are not sloppy DIY, oh no! They are perfectly finished and gorgeous. I bought the necklace last year, but have just logged in to see whether she had any other pieces for sale and she does! I have to say, pieces are gorgeous, just check out the "Keep Calm and Carry on" pendant below!!! SO COOL. This slogan was commissioned in 1939 by the British Ministry of Information to send a message of reassurance to the people from King George VI ( hence the crown ), that everything was being done in the time of war, and " Keep Calm". They were printed on posters and tea towles. A message just as relevant today!The pendants are made from black and white laser cut Perspex combined in a layering technique to give the framed look.The images are laser engraved " into" the white perspex and filled with black metallic pigment, so that they can not be "rubbed off"!It measures 4.75 cm in length and 3.2 cm across and will come on a 62 cm long chain with thick silver plating made to last ! Wendy can shorten this if you prefer a shorter chain She also has these as brooches , so check out my other listings. All her pieces come in organza bags for safe keeping when not being worn (this makes them perfect gifts).
























And the best part, prices are so good, honestly, I think that she should be charging 5 times more, for the quality is superb, and craftmanship flawless.
Do check out her stuff for sale on Trademe here: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?member=1337997

Love, Fatima

Auckland Cup parade - shoes on Trademe!!!

hello all-

just have been browsing Trademe and found absolutely gerogeous and completely flapper-ish red leather heels by SABEN (NZ designer)! Just check them out (not the best picture, but you will get an idea). These would look AMAZING on the Auckland Cup parade, when incorporated in the right outfot. Now, they are red -all you need is a red hat (or any hat with red flowers or accents), red wrist gloves and say , long neutral color (black, white, nude, brown) dress and you would look great!!!!!!! These are size 7 and auction number is 195786481. The best part about these is that they are from SABEN (NZ designer) and you can wear them after the event too, they are gorgeous and would look great with a number of looks! Price is VERY good, as in shops these would be over $250. Hope someone snaps these up!

New stuff for sale on TradeMe

I have been good and put some new vintage garments for sale on TradeMe. My favourite is this AMAZING 1970s dress on the left.

I mean, where do i start?! It is too amazing for words!

It has got a tie-dye pattern, which is so in this season. Check out the cool pockets, bodice construction and cute ties. Not to mention the silhouette...

It is dressmaker-made.

It is a size 10 and too small for me :-(

so it is for sale. Auction Number: 195771083.

What really impresses me is that garments like this one are 30+ years old, and they still look perfect. No fading, no weak seams, no bald patches, no pils, nothing...

So now, I cant resist having a little New Years' rant :-) :

Compare this to chain-store garments from today...you are lucky to get one season wear out of them, they are made of inferior fabric, using inferior methods, simplest (cheapest to make) patterns, there is no advanced construction to speak pff (they just use lycra and rely on that for fit) and God only knows what sort of place they were made at,and how much pollution and garbage was created in the process of making them.

Sometimes I go into those stores to see the current trends and what amazes me is that people actually buy this garbage!!!! I mean in Glassons, Supre, Millers (OMG!) , Farmers, even Max and Portmans and any store in St Lukes Mall (shudder!) . I don't know where to start: inferior construction, mass production which makes everybody look the same, polyester everywhere (yuck!), lowest quality which will ensure that after few months or one season MAXIMUM , that garment will end up in trash. And that is exactly what we need, more trash and more stuff in the landfills. And the worst: "Made in China " tags! I have nothing against China as a country, but we all know how things are produced over there: uncontrolled pollution, child labor, unethical workplaces...where do i start? I won't even try. :-(

In case you are wondering, I wear stuff made by NZ designers :WORLD, KILT(amazing designer from Palmerston North) , ZAMBESI (all made in NZ). Apart from this, vintage stuff from 1930s to 1990s (from dresses to coats to vintage furs). Shoes mostly from Marc Jacobs and Costume National and Melissa (recycled rubber), or vintage again :-)

Anyway -enough with the rant! I don't mean to preach and appear all prim and proper, but my God, the retail sales have set the new record this Boxing day sales :-( I would bet anything that at least 50% of everthing bought is chinese made junk :-(