Lots of fabrics excite me and new fabric lines are being released all the time but only every now and then is there a line that is so wow that I can not wait for it to come out.

Lotta Jansdotter's Echo range fell into that category, as does Lu Summers' debut range that I am so excited about seeing.

Another ahead of the game line that I have been really eager to get my hands on is this debut range by Parson Gray, or David Butler (esteemed husband of Amy) may seem more familiar.

As soon as it was out in the UK last week I had some ordered and received and it does not disappoint in the slightest.

Not only are the colours so crisp and fresh but the designs are just what I like to see in a fabric. The simple geometric patterns give enough interest without being busily overpowering.

I was pretty good and just picked 4 fat quarters just to get a feel for the range, but I think I'll be purchasing the rest of the range very soon.

Fancy a set for yourself? Go check it out here...

The printing at home continues with Triangle Mania in Wedgwood...

The fact that I can be doing something else in between screens drying and thus trialling new colours and prints is giving me more pleasure than you can imagine.

Actually, take that back, you probably can imagine.

Still, doing just that yesterday, made me so very happy.

There was even some sunshine to get the fabrics wafting gently in the breeze.

One such thing I managed to do in between the prints was to upload a few peg bags onto my Etsy Sample Shop...perfect now that it's almost hanging out weather.

And here's the other thing that's going on this week...it's my birthday week and obviously every birthday deserves a celebration.

I'm not sure what celebrations my family have in store for me (I'm not building up my hopes...) but I have one in store for you...

...a week long special on my fabrics...3 for 2 on any of the fabrics available in store!

And since I am so much more flexible about what I print and when I print them I can pretty much print a colour for you even if it isn't in the shop, so come celebrate my birthday with me and make use of my 3 for 2 birthday offer...it's right here.

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.