Friday 26 June 2009

A coupla things...

I've been on this computer far too long today, but that can only be good news for you, can't it?

Why, you ask, should that make a difference to your life?

Well, first of all I had to clock in to see Christina's Friday Giveaway. Remember Christina? She did the fab piece on my cushion giveaway a couple of weeks ago. Today's is FAB. Go click here to find out all about it.

The second piece of good news (it's all about you, remember) is that I've been shuffling my wares about in the shop, uploading some fab new items (more about that next week) and created some new categories. If you click here, you can see .


I think it makes it easier to find what you are after. What do you reckon? Do you prefer it? Don't care? I'd love to know.
On that note, I'm off. My eyes need a break. I've got a busy (change that - I mean MAD) weekend ahead, so I'm going to switch off now and take 5. xx

Wednesday 24 June 2009

Cool Summer Project

I just had to show you these, right here, right now. How cool are they? I mean, really?

I was about to shut down for the night, but had to tell you all about them because they are going to be the hit of the summer.

Click here to read all about them and follow the instructions to make a whole batch.

Don't say I never share! Have fun! x

Pretty as a Picture


In the theme of wanting to show you some of my new acquisitions to Blueberry Park, please give a warm welcome to Samantha Peare. Sam does the most exquisite embroidered items using recycled and vintage fabrics as much as possible.


Sam is inspired by nature and the art of nature illustration and her pieces have beautiful embroidered insects hiding in the patterns.

The fabrics themselves are tactile and rich and then with the added element of the embroidered creature, each item is unique and original.


I love the little purses and can imagine taking one out with a few essentials in on a night out. As for the clutch bags. They are super chic and will definitely be a show stopper.

The lavender birds are so cute and look so pretty hanging in all sorts of little hooks, nooks and crannies.

Sam is one clever lady.

Tuesday 23 June 2009

Tag...I'm it...


I've been tagged! By the lovely Jess. Thanks, Jess :-)

Here are the rules:

1. Respond and rework: Answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, add more one question of your own.

2. Tag eight other people.

Here goes...............

What is your current obsession? Screen printed fabrics. I'm desperate to give this a go and really want to produce some of my own fabrics to work alongside what I do at BP.

Coffee or tea? That's a tricky one. Tea first thing in the morning. Coffee - a real one - any time during the day. Preferable as near to 11 as I can manage. Don't be anywhere near me if it's after that time and i haven't had my fix. You have been warned.

What’s for dinner? Ate early tonight with the kids. Pasta pesto, with steamed broccolli (they had cheesy sauce - home made, but blughhh)

What would you eat for your last meal? Something ultra tasty like goat's cheese with roasted veg on a bed of rocket - followed by a BIG creme brulee. Alternatively a big burger and chips :-)

What was the last thing you bought? A dress from White Stuff. Can't wait for it to arrive.

What are you listening to right now? Samuel singing in the shower!

What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe? I think it would have to be my previously bought White Stuff dress. It's onto it's 3rd summer and still gets compliments every time I wear it. I know they are on the pricey side for casual everyday clothes, but they wear and wash so well and their prints are fab.

What is your favourite ice cream flavour? Ben & Jerry's Phish Food - or my homemade lemon ice-cream.

What do you think of the person(s) who tagged you? She's great, fun, young and super talented.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Hmm, on a beautiful night like this I think I would have to say down the road for a stroll around the lake, followed by a glass of vino in the pub garden on the corner on the way home.

Which language do you want to learn? I'd love to recapture my schoolgirl French. We go to France most out of all the nearby countries and I'd love to be able to converse more readily.

What is your favourite colour? Duck Egg Blue, with a smattering of red :-)

What is your dream job? I'm doing my dream job. Be great when I start to get paid for it :-)

What is your worst habit? Most definitely procrastinating. I work well under pressure. Give me deadlines and I'm your gal. Tell me whenever, well, it just might be.

If you had £100 now, what would you spend it on? Fabric. Well, duh.

Do you admire anyone’s style? My French friend Mani has the most exquisite effortless style, both in her clothing and her home.

Describe your personal style? Relaxed, informal and easy. A little too relaxed and informal if you ask my Ma!

What are you going to do after this? Probably go and mooch about in my studio in the attic for a while.

What are your favourite movies? Dirty Dancing for girlie fun, Shawshank Redemption for unrivalled drama and Kung Fu Panda with the kids!

What is your favourite fruit? Blueberries, of course. With Mango a close second.

What inspires you? Fabric, fabric, fabric. The colours, the patterns, the feel.

What's your favourite book? Possession by A S Byatt, with Time Traveller's Wife and Poisonwood Bible pretty close behind.

Do you collect something? Just the usual fabric, ribbons, buttons... Oh and trays. I have a thing for trays. Little ones that you can just fit your cafetiere, mug, jug of warm frothy milk and a little treat on the side :-)

If you could change your name to anything, what would you call yourself? That's a tricky one. I don't particularly like my name but never really thought what I'd like to be called instead. Maybe Rachel, Rebecca, Sarah, Kate. Or something a bit more funky like Mimi, Suki...

What is your favourite smell? Clean fresh sheets, dried outside on the line.

What are you most proud of? My children

How many times do you press the snooze button before you get up? I don't. It's on Matthew's side of the bed. He does maybe once. We set it for as late as possible anyway, so even pressing it once is asking for trouble.

Cats or dogs? Definitely dogs. I'm allergic to cats so that's a no no. I'd love a dog, but him indoors isn't keen and is going to take some winning over.

What’s your biggest fashion mistake? A yellow t-shirt top and matching skirt. Yikes. That even hurts to admit! To make it worse I was about 14lbs overweight

What is your guilty TV pleasure? I don't really watch much TV, but will stop everything for Desperate Housewives.

What are you reading currently? The Great Gatsby - it's for my Book Club. Loving it.

What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was very little a Hairdresser and then for as long as I can remember a PE teacher, which I was, until sense hit in and I discarded it for the love of crafting :-)

What is your biggest regret? Not persuing my love of design and arts earlier. And being brave enough to live in Aus when given the opportunity. Still, no regrets is the name of the game and other amazing things wouldn't have happened if I'd done either of those.

Thanks for reading. Hope it's been fun and look forward to reading about YOU!





Dee Beale

Little Brown Rabbit

Saidos da Concha


Draw, glue, glitter, make

Magpie and Me

I want to show you some gorgeous brooches that I have in Blueberry Park at the moment. They are designed by the talented Sue Maulin, of Magpie & Me. Sue makes delightful products that make lovely presents or treats for yourself. Or with the end of term coming they'd make beautiful thank you gifts for teachers.

I love the way these brooches look in a mulitude of places. Brighten up a cardi, an old bag, hat or even a scarf with one.

The leather that Sue uses is so soft and has that scrummy leather aroma. She makes some in plain colours and then some that have a silver pattern stamped on to one of the layers.

Coupled with the layered shell buttons and coordinating bead in the middle, Sue's brooches are a huge hit with BP customers. Go take a look. I think you'll like them :-)

Monday 22 June 2009

Saved by the Post

Since I'm still knee deep in Bar Mitzvah mode, weekends are completely taken up with the celebrations and leaving no time for anything else. And whilst this has been fantastic - sharing very special moments with some very close friends - I really wanted to post today, but since I had nothing new to show or tell you, I honestly didn't know what to post about.


And then the post came. The lovely post. The unbelievably gorgeous post. Only a couple of days ago I saw this beautiful fabric scrap pack of exquisite prints from Danielle from Of Paper and Thread. I love Danielle's prints and in true Aussie style are exquisite in design, as well as fresh and striking in colour. So I think there was a nano second between seeing the packs and having them popped in my basket and paid for!
And not much more than a nano second later, they have made their way across from the other side of the world to right here in my hands. As usual they are even better in real life. Let's face it, they are pretty gorgeous on the screen , but go order some, see for yourself, you won't be disappointed, you'll want to sit and stroke them all day. Hmm. I just might...

Friday 19 June 2009

For the love of chickens

It seems like I've started something here. Ruby wasn't satisfied with just a brooch. Oh no. We needed a keyring as well.

But I think she might be on to something here.

Wednesday 17 June 2009

Shoulda known

I just knew I wouldn't get away without making Ruby a brooch once she'd seen mine.

Cute tho, isn't it? (If you cast your eyes away from the hand-me-down Bratz PJs that is)

A little birdy

Anybody would think I had so much time on my hands, that I could quickly knock up a little brooch to go on my nice, new, white, but empty looking cardigan, as I was heading out to meet my lovely friend Roz for a birthday coffee (hers not mine).

Well apparently I do, because I did!

I'm quite pleased with it. What do you think? I was aided greatly by my little stash of gorgeous Aunty Cookie samples that were just crying out to be used in some shape or form. And don't worry, these will be available very very soon. Just as soon as I have sorted out the tricky question of importing.

I obviously didn't have quite enough time because, if I had, Roz would have got one too!

Off to sunnier climes

Thanks to the lovely Christina and the Giveaway she hosted, this little guy is off to LA. Well done to Janelle and hope you'll both be very happy :-)

A very big thank you to Christina for hosting the Giveaway and an even bigger thank you to all of you for taking the time to enter AND for all the amazing things you have said.

And if you didn't win and you meant what you said, you can always buy one from here :-)

Tuesday 16 June 2009

An order in the making

You'll be pleased to know the notebook thing is working. This morning I opened up my little 'to do' book to see what treats were in store today.

After sorting out a few necessary domestic chores, I cracked on with an order for one of my lovely stockists, of a couple of Personalised Pictures.

I love doing these pictures. They come together quite effortlessly and enjoyably and before you know it, they are framed...

wrapped...
and ready to go.

Job done. Wonder what I can tick off tomorrow.

Monday 15 June 2009

No excuses

I definitely suffer from being very scatty with my organistion. If the phone rings, I will literally pull to hand the nearest scrap of paper to write the message on, whether it's an order I'm taking down, or something my Mum tells me I need to remember to do (oh, yes, I still get alot of that!) The trouble with this method, or lack of, is that I obviously cannot trust the sccrap of paper to relay and action the said message. And the trouble with this is that in an attempt to not forget anything important, everything gets stored in my brain. And the trouble with this is that my brain gets crammed full and I constantly feel under pressure with so much to do and musn't forget any of it.

It's not as if I am adverse to having notebooks or the like. I love stationery. You would in fact be correct in suggesting I have a compulsion towards having to buy it.

In an attempt to be both more organised and use some of the (plenty of) notebooks that I currently possess, I have taken it on board to be clearer and neater with my organisation.

I now have 3 notebooks on the go. Ones that stay together (because you can bet the one you need is the one you leave elsewhere when the phone rings. I now carry these around when I move from floor to floor in the house. One is for lists. Daily lists. Work lists. Birthday reminders. Kids lists. It's obviously quite full.

The next is for ideas. Take Away Craft Kit ideas. Picture ideas. Card ideas. Any new creative ideas.
My final one is my Stockists bible. Who are my stockists. Who I'd like to be. Who has contacted me.I'm now feeling very virtuous in my organisation and I agree that I may be going from the extreme of being a tad lackadaisical to a tad anal, but I think this will work. Not in terms of getting more done. I'm not that naive! I'll just know what I'm not achieving. It'll be there clear as day. And besides. If I'm using the notebooks, surely at some point they will run out. And I'll need to buy more. I'm not daft :-)

All that's left now is to actually get my butt into gear and do some of the items listed.

Friday 12 June 2009

Down & Out Chic


I discovered Christina's beautiful blog a couple of weeks ago when the lovely Sabine had a link to it. Whatever is good enough for Sabine is good enough for me, so I headed straight over to check it out.

And I was hooked. Christina is so stylish and has such an engaging way of just drawing you right in. She has a varied range of goodies to share, everyone as fab as the next.

I left a comment to say hi and immediately Christina got back to me and asked if I'd be interested in her featuring Blueberry Park. Obviously it took a long time to think about it. A nano-second later I replied!

I'm really thrilled to be featured on Christina's blog and honoured to be this week's giveaway. If you don't already know her blog, go take a look around. Take a coffee with you. You'll be there for quite a while.

Thursday 11 June 2009

Here come the girls

It's been a while since I did the boys' cushions that I recently designed and have been waiting for time to do the girls'. It's quite strange because I normally find girls' ideas come much more easily. But of late I've been struggling with ideas for the girls that work for me. I'm not entirely sure why that is. Whilst there are alot more images and designs you can work with for the girls, it is actually the more striking, graphic designs that work for boys.

It could be because i'm not actually a very good artist. All the images that I thought about using, I just couldn't get quite right when I tried to draw them out. Certainly not at this larger scale. I can get away with the simplicity in my little sized card designs, but on a bigger scale, they just didn't quite work.

I am however pretty pleased with the three that i finished up with. I've got some non-animal varieties that I'm lining up for series 2, but in the meantime enjoy the little creatures that have evolved here.

At the moment they are only available from my Etsy site. But if you like the look of them, watch this space, as any day now I'll be directing you to a gorgeous blog that is doing a Giveaway for your favourite...

Wednesday 10 June 2009

Milestones

Life is a bit crazy at the moment. Do I say that a lot? I feel like I say that alot. When life is particularly crazy - like now - it overshadows what has come before. But really, thankfully, our lives are so full that it's always the same. Just crazy for a different reason.

This wave of craziness is due to celebrating, back-to-back, 4 friends' Bar Mitzvahs. Every weekend in June is taken up with the celebrations. It's even more poignant as this time next year we will be celebrating Samuel's. You know when you reach certain milestones you can't really believe you are there? Your children are old enough. You are old enough! Whether it's first steps, first day of school. But Bar Mitzvah? My son? Me?

It's a very exciting, emotional time and I must admit that last weekend, at the first of our 4, I felt very emotional indeed at the thought of this time next year. I used to feel a mixture of delight at seeing my children reach their milestones, as well as sadness of times passed. Now I love seeing them grow into the young people they are becoming and the thought of important milestones as Bar Mitzvahs is what it is all about.

This post didn't start off being about this. I had to rename it half way through! I was merely going to tell you about my new stash of fabric that my lovely auntie from USA brought with her when she came over for a family Bar Mitzvah last weekend! As I said. Life - crazy.