That was a rather nice weekend, wasn't it? The timing of all that beautiful sunshine could not have been any more spot on. Here in Leeds today it's all but disappeared, but when the weekends manage to be sun-drenched, who's complaining?

The sunshine has such an affect on people, doesn't it? On Friday, I was feeling on top of the world. I was doing the same old stuff - food shopping, cooking, working - but when the sun is shining on you while you do it you just feel so positive and happy.

And when it continues throughout the whole weekend, so you can actually enjoying the finer things in life - picnics here, coffee and/or vino on the deck, taking an hour out to read in the sun - really, for that time, life is good and all problems seem to momentarily fade away.

And don't you feel you have more energy in the sunshine too? (well, once you have managed to jog yourself from your hazy slumber) That certainly seems to be the case in this house anyway. Ever since we decorated - gulp, almost a year ago - we've been wanting to get a table in the hallway. I have to say, I have fleetingly looked over the last few months and whilst still haven't found anything in the budget that quite fits the bill, with our sun-induced get-up-and-go this weekend, we did a bit of furniture removing and now we have the old redundant desk in a new position. And I love it.

And whilst I am under no illusions that we will find the most perfect affordable piece to replace this old worn out desk any time soon, I am thoroughly enjoying walking by this version in the meantime.

Particularly with my fab new print by Mrs Eliot Books that arrived this weekend...

It's been a crazy few days. It's funny isolating a snippet of time and all that goes with it. I've had a fantastic few days at BCTF, partly as a result of meeting lots of wonderful cyber friends in the flesh and also as a result of the great response to my work.

There will be more about BCTF another time - when I've had chance to regroup and get my breath back.

In the meantime another very exciting thing happened during this period. I won a giveaway! Not just any giveaway but a giveaway by the uber talented Francesca, of Mrs Eliot Books. I've long since been a fan of Francesca's work and am so overjoyed at winning not one but TWO prints. And not just any old prints (not that I wouldn't be happy with any of them) but 2 prints

of my own choosing.

This in itself did pose a problem. Well, have you tried narrowing down these prints to just 2? I rest my case. This and this were on my initial short list but the two that won out in the end were these 2 right here. I love Francesca's use of collage mixed with her own drawings. She has such a great eye for patterns and illustration.

The 'I think your dress is very beautiful' print, above will fit perfectly in our hallway and how perfect is 'The knitting needles and the midnight sewing'? That is going to have pride of place above my sewing machine in my newly appointed studio. I can not wait to be staring endlessly up at it.

Thank you, Francesca for you very generous giveaway and being so darn talented to boot.