It's that time again...

Planning Bar Mitzvah Numero 2...

Apparently doing 1 isn't enough...

So here we are finding ourselves in pre-BM mayhem once again...

All the plans are in place and apart from all the clothes shopping (shame that) that will need to be done, the main thing left is the invites...

Queue yours truly.

I started printing them yesterday and true to form I have off cuts that I simply can't bear to throw.

I'm certain they are fit for nothing, apart from filling up your recycling bin, but I just can't bring myself to chuck them.

I thought some would make cute little book marks, some could be used to make paper chains, but quite frankly I am a bit overwhelmed with everything else going on that it won't be me doing that.

So...would you like them??

Just leave me a message with a way I can contact you to get them posted to you.

And don't worry...there will be plenty for everyone...these are just from the first 20 invites...I've another 80 to go...

I've been feeling a bit glum.

And let's face it the only way to get out of that one is to go fabric shopping.

Come on...we all do it...

I was reading Amy's blog this morning about this year's Trimmings Competition.

I adore Amy's fabrics (actually I aspire to be Amy) so what better way to lift me out of the doldrums but to purchase a trimmings pack and think happily about which selection I will get and what I will do with them.

Quite frankly to know they are coming is enough for right now.

Fancy joining me in the comp? (altho obviously the prize is mine) go right here and purchase one of your own...

I am sooo incredibly happy today.

As you know, I am a little bit in love with screen printing and really enjoy going to the studio to print down there. I have however been wanting to have the flexibility of being able to print at home. If someone orders something they generally don't want to have to wait a whole week (at the least, ahem, Reene...) before I can generally get down there again.

We are lucky enough to have an amazing space here and I have been wanting to convert a part of it to set myself up down here in the cellar ever since I started screen printing.

Because I was used to printing at the specialist studio, I had it in my head that I needed everything set up properly at home to manage to do it.

This week, because I wanted to get Reene's labels done and couldn't book to go into the studio, I decided it was a good opportunity to give it a try here. Bible in hand to check I had everything I needed, along with a trip to Homebase to get a decent hose spray so I could wash the screen out successfully afterwards (this was actually my biggest concern...I didn't want the screen being ruined because the paint would all dry on it) off I went...

I can not reiterate enough how goddamn easy it was here! I am excited beyond belief at the flexibility this will give me. Not only that, but it is so much easier printing on fabric on a cushioned surface than on a vacuum bed. I made a lot of mistakes at the studio with fabric slipping, but here it is fantastic.

All I need now is to get all my designs onto screens and I'll be set up good and proper.

This has revolutionalised my printing, I tell ya...

So, it's still half term round these parts, which equates to lots of people getting rather impatient with me and my enforced 2 week break from schedule.

I've been working on an order for almost 3 weeks now and all that was finally left was the labelling. When I was screen printing with Ruby last week I resisted doing it. It was her time.

I bloody well wish I had done it then tho!

I wouldn't have run into the problems I had today if I had at least started.

I turned up today with my prepared hand stamped signage all ready to quickly photocopy and get the screen prepared...a quick squidgee and hey, presto...

...or rather no!

The photocopier was broken.

Bad, bad timing.

I spent the next hour manually drawing out the necessary image, which had to then be done on acetate with the spottage added on top in order that the stamped labels didn't cause a blow out like this little detail on the flower below.

This was a surprise little extra for a certain someone who had hinted that perhaps I wanted to do something for her, (you know who you are...) but unfortunately that didn't work. Hopefully next time.

Because of the rather crude way of making my image ready for printing, it wasn't wholly successful. The dots came out rather patchy and I wasn't totally sure I'd be able to use any of them.

I carried on regardless because, quite frankly I have to get this order off this week and this may be an occasion where something is better than nothing.

And then, when I added them to my pieces, I actually quite liked how they looked.

A certain handmade quirkiness perhaps? Maybe?

There's something very lovely about having Me Time on the weekend...

...especially when it involves sewing and especially when it involves sewing at one of my favourite places.

I'd been looking forward to the cushion making workshop with Donna Wilson for what seemed like aeons. I can't even remember when I booked it, but after a tweeting with Katy and Helen sometime last year, whilst in the middle of Christmas mayhem, we booked on the course as something to look forward to at some point in the future.

And today, very excitedly, the future arrived.

In a beautiful light strewn first floor studio space was the lovely Donna Wilson and all her stunning felted wools.

We had a choice of sewing an appliqued green square cushion (I'll leave Katy, below, to tell you about that one) or, the one I chose, a cloud cushion with 3 raindrops.

The main pleasure of the workshop, besides seeing Katy and Helen and besides being Weekend Me Time, was working with Donna's gorgeous fabrics. The task was very basic...merely using Donna's template...but the result was just perfect...

...and as predicted, one little girl decided it was perfect for her...she's going to be sorely disappointed come bedtime when I grab it back.

As well as the workshop there was an exhibition with Donna's work. Katy and I went for a quick look around after the workshop.

It was as expected, a quirky show of Donna at her best, from the woollen arrows leading the way to the exhibition to the forest of creatures.

Her work is so unique and full of fun, with lots of humour at every turn.

Above and below are 2 of my favourite creatures in the forest.

All in all, a very lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon and here's to plenty more Me Time Weekends...or Any Times for that matter.

Sometimes Half Terms have a habit of working out just right. Sometimes they are a right pig's ear with all the juggling that they entail. Quite honestly I wasn't overly looking forward to this one (ok, dreading is a more accurate word) as Ruby was off this week and the boys next week, so not just one but 2 weeks of interruption and juggling.

However it has turned out to be one of the nicest Half Terms we have had in a long time. I think it has actually helped that the boys weren't around this week. Ruby and Noah love each other to death but bicker with the same intensity too, so often it's very wearing having them both around together.

Because I knew that Ruby was going to be around by herself I planned something for her every day, whether it was going to a friend's, having a friend here or us doing something for part of the day. I even took her to Build-a-Bear goddammit!

Being organised definitely helped with the guilt and juggling. Often, if work demands it, Ruby can be ignored for the day leaving the TV as her playmate or, worse, us both rubbing each other up the wrong way because I have to work and she, understandably, wants to play.

One such activity I had up my sleeve was to take her screen printing. Genius...win-win for both of us! Not that I was going to get any of mine done, but at least I was somewhere I enjoyed being, unlike the afore-mentioned B-a-B...

She absolutely loved it! Not only did she absolutely love it and was pretty good at it too, but she relished every little process, from the designing, to the preparing and cleaning her screen, to, of course, seeing her end results.

Well done, Ruby, you were an absolute star...let's do it again very soon!

**Amendment**:

Thank you SOOO much for all the interest in this quilt and requests for the pattern. I've tried to get it to all that requested but some don't have links to your email, so here is where you can purchase the pattern.

I would love to see your finished quilts so please do send me a pic or join my Flicker group Blueberry Park makes...and post it for all to see!

I've had a lovely weekend finishing my Hexie Quilt and thanks to all the Twitter advice of how to bind it...no binding, machine binding, or as most of the advice suggested, machine on front and hand stitching the back. I'm normally far too impatient for hand-stitiching, but am so pleased I did as, not only did this provide perfect Hustle viewing activity, but also really does finish a quilt off nicely.

For the backing I used Anna Maria Horner's Loulouthi Flannel, which is oh so, stunningly snuggly soft. It was test-run by Ruby who demanded PJs made out of it. I can't blame her much as they are just the softest. I hope you have some left Kate, as I think I need a pair too.

I have to say there a things about this quilt that I absolutely love. I love the mustard Lotta Echo fabric that I used to bind the quilt. I'm really glad I went for such a contrast and didn't play safe. I love the size of the hexies. I would definitely do that again. I love each and every one of the fabrics I chose, but something doesn't quite sing to me with it. Maybe it's one thing loving each fabric individually, but whether they gel sufficiently is another thing.

Meanwhile a little someone has decided that doesn't matter too much and is quite happy with it just as it is.