threat of burning out...

 you may see me storming through work stuff this week at a rate equal to a hurricane. the kids break up on friday - well those that haven't yet broken up having had exams - so i can see my future work time rapidly diminishing.

all of that would be fine of course if i didn't actually have major projects on the go. this summer is going to be the biggest challenge yet. it's always a juggle, with me losing it most days, but with some tight deadlines early october 8 weeks with the kids kicking their heels, it is going to make it even more so.

so today, the start of the last proper week of work i've shot out of the blocks and been printing, sewing and ticking off the list.

i have a feeling i may burn myself out by the end of the week and need the 8 weeks to recover myself.

It seems this week that alot of us are making things from our scrap piles. Maybe it's a belated spring clean...trying to tidy up a bit. Or maybe it's wanting a piece of a favourite fabric that all we have is a tiny scrap, not big enough for anything substantial.

I bought these sunnies this week super duper cheap in the Gap sale. So super duper cheap they came without a case.

So there was an excuse if ever I've had one to throw one together. I'm obviously going to be using this alot. It's going to be in and out of my bag all summer long. I want something pretty when I do. So a quick dive into my scrap pile to find the most beautiful, treasured pieces that I had.

I love Cloud 9 fabrics and Aunty Cookie's, so I'm over the moon that I get to carry a piece of these around with me every day.

And despite the fact that my sister (how very dare she) said she would like one, but without that awful yellow *gasp*, I love the little ray of sunshine peaking out.

Remember my lovely purchases from the amazing Kayanna of Junecraft a couple of weeks ago? Well, carrying on with my theme of making something out of the huge pile off scraps I collect, I set to cut into them last night to make a picture for Ruby.

It's entitled "A stroll around the garden"

This fabric panel was absolutely perfect for this. Kayanna has screen-printed an array of different flowers that are just crying out to be patch-worked. Even that little sprinkling of dots is just too cute for words.

I had at first been thinking that some of the larger pieces would work beautifully as the centre of a log cabin design. Looks like I'm going to be needing more of these panels. A lot more.

(P.S. Thank you so much for your such positive feedback on the previous blogpost. I have to say, I was really pleased with how the picture came out and to have you all confirm that was just fab, thank you. And it will be going on the grey wall ;-)

As you have probably noticed I have enjoyed making this throw more than anything else that I have ever made. From the picking of the fabrics, to the quilting at the end and all the patchworking and embroidery imbetween.

Not one tiny bit was a chore. Maybe it was something to do with using my favourite fabrics. Maybe it was something to do with being a first, so no repeated processes again and again. Maybe it was the joy of doing something for us that will hopefully be treasured for years.

Maybe it is the beautiful feel of the cotton batting that I used (a big thank you to Manda and Kristy for guiding me to Doughty's). Honestly, words can not describe the feel of this quilt with this batting.

I'm so glad that I used up my precious Orla for the backing and thank you for all of you for advising me to do so. I had actually bought the fabric for a project for this room in mind, so I'm not sure why I dithered about it. I know it's on the back, which may seem a waste. But it makes it reversible doesn't it? You can probably tell I didn't quite have enough. Or maybe the linen trim at the top was always meant to be. I leave it to you to decide ;-)

I now fully understand why so many of you make quilts. And make some more. And some more after. I used to wonder how you can keep making them. And making them. But having had such a wonderful time making this I too am hooked and can't wait to cut up the fabric for the next one. Ruby has put her order in...I think there may be a bit of pink in that one...

Having said I was going to lay the quilt pieces down a while, we knew that wasn't going to last long. Not when it was the weekend and I had time to play. And sometimes you just have to let intuition take over. Heh, Kylie?!

I have to say I am very excited by this quilt. I just love the colour combination and love how the linen is working with it too.

I did however feel it needed 'lifting' with some embroidery on the linen. Sunday evening watching BAFTAs was perfect time to sit and hand sew with a big throw on my lap.

I'm still a little undecided about the backing fabric, but I am rather drawn to the Orla that I recently purchased. Not that I'm obsessed with Orla at the mo or anything. It's just that it will bring the whole scheme together...don't you think?

If one thing all this building work is allowing me, it's an excuse to make some accessories to go with all the rooms. We've lived with the revolting inherited decor for so long now, I'm just gagging to get going on making things. I'd avoided making much to fit in with the existing schemes. They obviously weren't staying, so it seemed a waste of time and fabric to make things to go with them.

Now it's all systems go! As you know I've been collecting fabrics for a while to use for these projects and last night I started playing with some of them, thinking of them for a throw for the living room. I am a little bit nervous, it is safe to say, that what is in my head may not quite come out right in a throw. I am fairly confident that the fabrics work well together. And I am even more confident that I like them. But will it have that snuggly wow factor that I want to achieve?

It does feel rather daunting to use such precious fabrics, only to muck it up. So having done a few strips last night, I think I'm going to take a back seat for a while. It's laying on my studio floor at the moment. I think I'll leave it there a while, walk past it every now and then, move it around a bit and take my time. The living room walls are still bare plaster, so there's really no rush.

Lucky lucky me! It was a question of being in the right place at the right time. I've just come back from dropping Noah at footy and having a quick warm cuppa before standing on the cold wet sidelines when I saw Aunty Cookie's tweet re her sale. Normally I miss these heads up, but not this time.

I am now the proud owner of these 2 amazing fabrics. I've used the yellow one before, so am over the moon to have some more of this in my collection. And the grey/blue one is going to be a perfect addition to my new scheme.

Can not wait for them to arrive! Thanks, for the alert, Shannon! And if you want to see if there's any left for you...head straight over to the amazing Aunty Cookie store right now...

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.

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!

Deer, deer

I've been wanting to make some cushions for our bedroom for ages. We are waiting to redecorate, but until we can manage it, I want to detract from the decor we inherited (yes, Manda, we didn't do this ourselves!)


I've been gathering a pile of fantastic fabrics recently and I wanted to use some of these. Not being able to decide between several of them I thought I'd see which ones went together. I am absolutely in love with the Social Climber fabric I bought from Saints and Pinners and also have been a bit obsessed with the Oh Deer sample I had been sent through from Shannon of Aunty Cookie. Fortunately, with a bit of coordinating blue stiching around the deers, I think these 2 compliment each other well.



Another favourite on the pile was pulled in as well. My delicious Icy Blue Honeycomb from Kei fabrics just finishes it all of nicely. (Or so I think!)

I decided to run the Social Climber round the back too. Maybe this was a bit extravagant, but for me it keeps it all alive, rather than just a plain linen. I used my gorgeous new linen to make the binding for the envelope opening.


I'm really pleased with the outcome of the cushion and can't wait to do something matching with the very tired large cushions it leans up against.