It's fair to say Washi tape has the looks, but does it have any substance? You know what we say about all looks...

It's all very well possessing some of this pretty stuff, but what are we going to do with it?

I wanted to share some of my favourite images from around the web of fab things people have made with washi tape just to illustrate quite what a wonder product it is.

From simple but effective greetings cards to prettying up your keyboard, washi tape certainly has an amazing repertoire of uses. It is such a stunning decorative item, in so many available designs that no crafter should be without a few rolls. Not that I have shares in Washi tape (blimey, I wish I did) but I really think you all need some. If you are still not convinced, go check out the zillion other examples on Pinterest of stunning uses that clever people have come up with and THEN tell me you still don't need any.

Question is...what are you going to make first?

1. sweet notecard

2. decorative homewares

3. mini bunting

4. fab brooch

5. coolest keyboard

6. pretty pegs

7. cocktail sticks

8. more pretty bunting

9. neon noticeboard

I know I may be a little late to the party, but I have yet another addiction - Washi tapes.

I decided last week that I needed something to jolly up my orders. I've had a little change over from my long-time use of turquoise tissue paper to white. Don't ask me why. It was one of those split decisions at the wholesaler checkout.

So now more decisions were needed...what colour tape should i get?

To be fair, anything was going to go with white tissue, but have you seen how many washi tapes there are out there?

The first must have was this cross stitch effect red on white tape. I just love it.

And this red dot, below, was rather irresistible too.

I can't tell you how much I love washi tapes, but those of you that know my addictive personality will have a pretty good idea quite how much.

I was mightily tempted by this pair...maybe a refreshing addition in the spring.

Have you fallen to the charms of Washi tapes yet?

Thank you all for your invaluable feedback on the European Pouches. I really do appreciate it. And I think it is fair to say that the stripes win out. Even Matthew, who normally has an opinion all of his own was in agreement with you all!
So it is only fitting that the winner should be in agreement too...
RANDOM.ORG
Min: Max:
Result:
65:
Congratulations Julia! Please get in touch with where you want your pouch sending.

This is my last full child-free week until November 7. How crazy is that? With the way the Jewish festivals have fallen this year, Ruby, being at a Jewish school, breaks up on Wednesday for 10 days. She goes back the day the boys break up for 2 weeks...yes, 2 WEEKS!!

Of course I am panicking just a tad about the stock I have committed to get to stockists by end of October, knowing I have just 4 more child-free work days before then.

But I am also panicking a little about other commitments I have made, like this Flickr Pillow Swap. As usual I got off to a flying start, but as usual if the project doesn't get completed in that time, it tends to sit to one side when other things jump the queue. I hate letting people down and as pictures were being posted about completed pillows I glanced to my half-finished one in one corner of the studio. So last night, as I was spurred on by something - guilt, most probably - I finished the pillow. I had so many more plans for this pillow that time wouldn't allow but hopefully my partner will love it and won't think there is anything missing... I've also included a few nice surprises to soften the blow.

You'd think I would learn and not commit myself to any further challenges on my time...but oh no, I've just signed up for this...

p.s. thank you for all your advice on fabrics for the European Pouches...I really appreciate it...and if you haven't done so already, you've got until tomorrow to give me your opinion and enter my giveaway x

Giveaway time!!...

...in exchange for a little advice please.

I've been working on a new design today at the screen printing workshop.

I have had a request from one of my stockists for some more male oriented pouches and hopefully this design fits the bill.

However I got a little print happy on a variety of fabrics and now I'm at a loss as to which work best...

...and that my lovely readers is where you come in.

In exchange for a spot of advice as to which fabric you think works best, your comment will be entered into a draw to win a pouch made up in that fabric.

Do you like the striped or checked shirting?

Do you like the Klona plains in red, blue or grey?

Or is your favourite my signature linen?

I really would value your opinion on this, so just leave a comment and I'll enter you in the draw, which will take place at the end of the week. Please make sure you leave a contact email so I can let you know if you have won.

Thanks and good luck ;-)

It was the Reetsweet Fair at the Leeds Corn Exchange today...

You know what they say...Location,Location, Location...

...and this sure is one of the best locations for a fair that I have ever been to.

The Corn Exchange has had a revamp in recent years and it really is a stunning building.

It hosts one of my favourite restaurants in Leeds, occupying the whole of the ground floor and with views up to the entire building, it really is a beauty of a place.

Consequently, it lends itself as a craft fair venue. It's such a beautiful setting for visitors to wander around and what better place is there for exhibitors to show off their wares?

To be honest, I have done better fairs in terms of sales. I have been places with a better footfall. That aside and for all the reasons above it was a good fair.

I met some great people, particularly one lovely lady that announced excitedly "I know you, I read your blog!" She was very excited to see my things in the flesh and couldn't resist one of my new totes here below.

And to be quite honest, that's one of the things I love about what I do and why no fair is ever a dud fair.

I don't know about you but I rarely make something for me or the home because I want to. There's normally a zillion other things that NEED doing.

It's more a case of "oh my g-d, I need THIS and I need it NOW!"

(I really should have taken a before shot to illustrate EXACTLY how much I needed to.)

It's Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, starting tonight and I have 24 for dinner...hence a lot of table cloths needed ironing. The makeshift ironing board cover that I put on a month ago (because the old one split) was not doing the job with ironing super-sized cloths, a tricky job at the best of times.

So with shopping still to do, lots of dinner still to make, not to mention the rearranging of the house to seat the aforementioned 24 people, I set to making a new ironing board cover. I know I could have just grabbed everything and gone to iron them at Mum's - hell, she'd have probably offered to iron them for me if I had - but no, I had to have a new ironing board cover and NOW!

Have you ever made an ironing board cover?

It's one of those really gratifying projects. It's pretty quick to do and with a little consultation of this tutorial, the whole thing was done in way less than half an hour...far less time than it would have taken me to take the whole lot over to Mum's in the first place.

And what's more, now I have a pretty - and functional - ironing board.

One day I will sit and make something for us because I WANT to...