Yesterday I managed a trip out to get crafting supplies, including some fabric paints for my hand-printing fabric projects.

First up on the project list was taking the pencil pouch idea a step further by personalising it.

Ruby has headed off to her friend Sadie's party today, so of course she was first on the list to get one of my new pouches.

Despite the fact that Ruby's response was "Mummy, I wish we could give my friends something other than crafty stuff for their birthdays. They aren't all like me and like it you know. Can't we give them something normal?"

I'm still wracking my brains to think what may be construed as normal, if a personalised pencil case and matching keyring isn't. I'm thinking Ruby was implying something pink and plastic. Or perhaps glittery and sparkly.

Either way, she did rapidly back it up with could I make her one.

And I'm pretty sure Sadie's Mummy will be more than happy with this pink and plastic, or silvery and glittery alternative.

First off, I have an apology for this post.

As beautiful as the photography was in yesterday's post, today's is the other extreme. Quite simply, some of these images are not pretty. Not helped by the colour paint I have been using.

But please bear with me, as I take you through my journey.

You all know of my love of hand-printed fabrics and my desire to do more screen printing and produce pieces of my own, but since access to screen printing is out of the question at the moment, I am looking at alternatives.

My Gocco printer is still not in full working order, due to the need for several accessories for it. So when I discovered Saints and Pinners were now stocking Freezer Paper I swiftly ordered some and have been sitting waiting patiently for it to arrive. I know that sounds like I have been waiting an inordinately long time, when in reality I think this has been less than 48 hours, thanks to the super efficient service Jo and Fran always provide. But considering my fabric producing journey started almost a year ago, this has been a long time for me.

So today I started experimenting with Freezer Paper Printing. The seedhead design that I used in my first screen print in the summer seemed a good place to start. I want to use hand-printed fabrics in lots of different ways and incorporate it my work with other fabrics too, so I'm starting with little patches that I can add to my work.

The Freezer Paper method is very simple to do. The paper has a shiny back and this sticks to fabric when ironed. Once you have cut out your design and ironed the paper on to your fabric, you stipple your chosen colour over. If you want to repeat the pattern reposition the paper and repeat as many times as you want.

Simples!

This really is a fantastically fun and easy way to print fabric and produce something really unique.

I am really enjoying experimenting with this and I promise the next photos I show you will be a little prettier than these...okay, A LOT!

I was really excited yesterday, on walking into Tescos to be faced with my bowls on the front cover of Country Living Magazine.

To be truthful, they aren't my bowls exactly, but belong to the talented Alison Campbell. I sourced these beautiful pieces from her at BCTF one year. I fell in love with them instantly and desperately wanted them for Blueberry Park.

They had Blueberry Park written all over them..."handmade with love in Britain oozing charm and individuality".

It makes my heart skip a beat when I come across something like this. And I get quite proud when the things I find are the things that other people enjoy too. So I do take a bit of personal pleasure in seeing something I have sourced in the pages of a magazine that I love.

And when they are on the front cover too...well, there's no stopping my excitement!

And what a beautiful feature to be part of. I think this feature would be my favourite in the whole magazine even if the bowls weren't in it.

I have a bit of a thing for seedheads. You've seen my screenprinting...you know what I'm talking about! It all looks so calm and inspirational. I love everything included in the feature.