with a little help from my friends...

it all started back in September when i was queen bee for bee a brit stingy flickr group...a fab bee filled with lovely british quilters.

i have never been in a bee before so i wasn't very sure what to expect or how it was all going to play out.

my first dilemma was what block to choose. the bee started in january and some peeps had already picked some blocks that i may have chosen so that was those out. some demanded a more cohesive palette, some were too large and some were just too fiddly.

i eventually decided on this hourglass block and requested low volume, 1930s, liberty, vintage type fabrics.

to be honest i wasn't entirely sure how it

was all going to pan out. when i create my quilts i spend forever picking fabrics moving them around until they don't jar in my eye anymore and remove any fabrics that just don't sit well. in the bee group we are all very different, have different styles, different fabrics to pull from and i was a little nervous with how this would work for me.

but apparently what i love most about this is that it is full of little jewels of fabrics that normally i don't get to see in my own work, from overtly pretty florals to more muted geometrics. every single block that arrived filled me with EEEEEEKS!

honestly they are a magical bunch this crew.

i'm not even sure you can tell how wonderfully everything gels here, but in the flesh it is all so alive. the bee group made about half the blocks and they all look stunning with the ones i made.

it's all been a great big success in my eyes and hopefully we'll do it all again next year. (i hope so because i have already picked my block...)

and if you want to see how everyone else's quilts turned out go and check out the group here. there are some stunners.

the only question that remains is...

how on earth shall i quilt this thing??

White Stuff is my number 1 shop of choice for everyday wear. I do probably over buy from there...preferably in the sale as it is quite pricey. That said, the quality is fantastic, the pieces so wearable and the attention to detail is just breathtaking.

And that's not just with the clothing...

White Stuff labels just get me every time.

This latest one on my recent purchase is case in point...

The retro design is just perfect. It goes without saying that the aqua/red combo is a winner in my book.

And would you take a look at the safety pin...

White Stuff pay attention to every aspect of design...no bog standard pin for them.

Something for the house

Yesterday ... or was it the day before now? I lose track ... it was Ladies Day. Today it is the turn of your home.

I've been coveting these beautiful cushions by Roddy & Ginger for aeons and finally they are here at Blueberry Park.

If you are a regularly reader, you know all about my soft spot for hand printed fabrics. And my soft spot for cushions. So it's hardly surprising that these were going to hit the spot.

Virginia, the talent behind this vintage inspired company, handprints stunning retro inspired designs onto linen or cotton using water based dyes.

I love the freshness and colours of her designs and never tire of gazing at them. Go check them out right here and tell me what you think. I know you'll feel the same way as I do.