Sunday Stash #2

I have a few stashes to show after my trip out shopping this week. I'll start this week with the Liberty pile of bargains. Less than £10 in total for this pile of over 5 metres of the best Tana Lawn designs that money can buy :-)

Home & Gift

I keep forgetting that I'm exhibiting in 2 weeks (yep, Manda, 2 weeks) at Home & Gift. At least you'd think I had by the fact that I have done zero preparation both in terms of thinking about my stand (I have an extra side wall than at BCTF) and getting my Christmas Kits ready (yes, Christmas, you heard correctly).

The preview magazine came in the post yesterday and look who made it into the Intro North section? Yeah, little ol me!! Guess, I'd better go get ready.

Building Blocks

I'm at a loss as to what has actually been achieved this week. It's been one hellava week on so many different levels and there is alot of preparation going on for some exciting new projects in the pipeline. You know what it's like when you are preparing for something major? It takes time. There is alot of ground work to be done, alot of building blocks to be put in place. And all this is happening before you can actually see anything concrete. Well that is what has been going on here.

Hence no blogging for almost a week (how did THAT happen?). And almost no making for a week either.

Last night, armed with a shed load of new fabrics from a trip to a new venue with Manda (that will have to wait for another post!), I really couldn't rest until I'd cut a hole in one of them. I'd taken them apart, folded them neatly, compared and contrasted, but nothing was going to satisfy me until something had been made. And since I didn't have a great deal of time to make anything substantial and since I didn't want to use up unthoughtfully any of my new luscious buys, I opted for making another little pin cushion. A perfect quick project for using a splash of colour.

I've been enjoying making pincushions recently. This red one is another 'knock up in a spare moment to satisfy a making craving' item. I have to accept that there is a time to sew and a time to plan and prepare. And at the moment it's the latter. And the quicker I get on with it, the quicker I can let you know what I'm up to...

A coupla things...

I've been on this computer far too long today, but that can only be good news for you, can't it?

Why, you ask, should that make a difference to your life?

Well, first of all I had to clock in to see Christina's Friday Giveaway. Remember Christina? She did the fab piece on my cushion giveaway a couple of weeks ago. Today's is FAB. Go click here to find out all about it.

The second piece of good news (it's all about you, remember) is that I've been shuffling my wares about in the shop, uploading some fab new items (more about that next week) and created some new categories. If you click here, you can see .

I think it makes it easier to find what you are after. What do you reckon? Do you prefer it? Don't care? I'd love to know.

On that note, I'm off. My eyes need a break. I've got a busy (change that - I mean MAD) weekend ahead, so I'm going to switch off now and take 5. xx

Cool Summer Project

I just had to show you these, right here, right now. How cool are they? I mean, really?

I was about to shut down for the night, but had to tell you all about them because they are going to be the hit of the summer.

Click here to read all about them and follow the instructions to make a whole batch.

Don't say I never share! Have fun! x

Pretty as a Picture

In the theme of wanting to show you some of my new acquisitions to Blueberry Park, please give a warm welcome to Samantha Peare. Sam does the most exquisite embroidered items using recycled and vintage fabrics as much as possible.


Sam is inspired by nature and the art of nature illustration and her pieces have beautiful embroidered insects hiding in the patterns.

The fabrics themselves are tactile and rich and then with the added element of the embroidered creature, each item is unique and original.


I love the little purses and can imagine taking one out with a few essentials in on a night out. As for the clutch bags. They are super chic and will definitely be a show stopper.

The lavender birds are so cute and look so pretty hanging in all sorts of little hooks, nooks and crannies.

Sam is one clever lady.

Tag...I'm it...

I've been tagged! By the lovely Jess. Thanks, Jess :-)

Here are the rules:

1. Respond and rework: Answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, add more one question of your own.

2. Tag eight other people.

Here goes...............

What is your current obsession? Screen printed fabrics. I'm desperate to give this a go and really want to produce some of my own fabrics to work alongside what I do at BP.

Coffee or tea? That's a tricky one. Tea first thing in the morning. Coffee - a real one - any time during the day. Preferable as near to 11 as I can manage. Don't be anywhere near me if it's after that time and i haven't had my fix. You have been warned.

What’s for dinner? Ate early tonight with the kids. Pasta pesto, with steamed broccolli (they had cheesy sauce - home made, but blughhh)

What would you eat for your last meal? Something ultra tasty like goat's cheese with roasted veg on a bed of rocket - followed by a BIG creme brulee. Alternatively a big burger and chips :-)

What was the last thing you bought? A dress from White Stuff. Can't wait for it to arrive.

What are you listening to right now? Samuel singing in the shower!

What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe? I think it would have to be my previously bought White Stuff dress. It's onto it's 3rd summer and still gets compliments every time I wear it. I know they are on the pricey side for casual everyday clothes, but they wear and wash so well and their prints are fab.

What is your favourite ice cream flavour? Ben & Jerry's Phish Food - or my homemade lemon ice-cream.

What do you think of the person(s) who tagged you? She's great, fun, young and super talented.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Hmm, on a beautiful night like this I think I would have to say down the road for a stroll around the lake, followed by a glass of vino in the pub garden on the corner on the way home.

Which language do you want to learn? I'd love to recapture my schoolgirl French. We go to France most out of all the nearby countries and I'd love to be able to converse more readily.

What is your favourite colour? Duck Egg Blue, with a smattering of red :-)

What is your dream job? I'm doing my dream job. Be great when I start to get paid for it :-)

What is your worst habit? Most definitely procrastinating. I work well under pressure. Give me deadlines and I'm your gal. Tell me whenever, well, it just might be.

If you had £100 now, what would you spend it on? Fabric. Well, duh.

Do you admire anyone’s style? My French friend Mani has the most exquisite effortless style, both in her clothing and her home.

Describe your personal style? Relaxed, informal and easy. A little too relaxed and informal if you ask my Ma!

What are you going to do after this? Probably go and mooch about in my studio in the attic for a while.

What are your favourite movies? Dirty Dancing for girlie fun, Shawshank Redemption for unrivalled drama and Kung Fu Panda with the kids!

What is your favourite fruit? Blueberries, of course. With Mango a close second.

What inspires you? Fabric, fabric, fabric. The colours, the patterns, the feel.

What's your favourite book? Possession by A S Byatt, with Time Traveller's Wife and Poisonwood Bible pretty close behind.

Do you collect something? Just the usual fabric, ribbons, buttons... Oh and trays. I have a thing for trays. Little ones that you can just fit your cafetiere, mug, jug of warm frothy milk and a little treat on the side :-)

If you could change your name to anything, what would you call yourself? That's a tricky one. I don't particularly like my name but never really thought what I'd like to be called instead. Maybe Rachel, Rebecca, Sarah, Kate. Or something a bit more funky like Mimi, Suki...

What is your favourite smell? Clean fresh sheets, dried outside on the line.

What are you most proud of? My children

How many times do you press the snooze button before you get up? I don't. It's on Matthew's side of the bed. He does maybe once. We set it for as late as possible anyway, so even pressing it once is asking for trouble.

Cats or dogs? Definitely dogs. I'm allergic to cats so that's a no no. I'd love a dog, but him indoors isn't keen and is going to take some winning over.

What’s your biggest fashion mistake? A yellow t-shirt top and matching skirt. Yikes. That even hurts to admit! To make it worse I was about 14lbs overweight

What is your guilty TV pleasure? I don't really watch much TV, but will stop everything for Desperate Housewives.

What are you reading currently? The Great Gatsby - it's for my Book Club. Loving it.

What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was very little a Hairdresser and then for as long as I can remember a PE teacher, which I was, until sense hit in and I discarded it for the love of crafting :-)

What is your biggest regret? Not persuing my love of design and arts earlier. And being brave enough to live in Aus when given the opportunity. Still, no regrets is the name of the game and other amazing things wouldn't have happened if I'd done either of those.

Thanks for reading. Hope it's been fun and look forward to reading about YOU!

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Saidos da Concha

Draw, glue, glitter, make