On my desk, on my mind

On my desk this week,
it all looks fairly orderly, but my mind is not....I have so many things that I want/need to make at the moment that I can't concentrate!

This is what is on my list so far:

1. Another baby quilt for a friend - maybe this time in shades of neutral and green
2. A birthday gift for my other niece who turns 1 in two months time (but I have to plan ahead, because they live in the UK)
3. Little m's quilt, much talked and thought about, but not yet begun.....
4. Make some drawstring pouches from Heather Ross's Weekend Sewing book, for holding all those baby essentials that are driving me mad by getting lost in my own handbag
5. Make a bag from this tutorial on Oh, Fransson!
6. Start learning to crochet....I keep seeing gorgeous granny squares about the place, and i want desperately to be able to make them! I had an obsession with learning to crochet a while back, and tried to learn from books, it was a disaster. I blame it on being left handed.There was a lot of frustration, maybe even some tears...

But anyway, right now I'm just embroidering. Trying not to get distracted. Little m is having a rare, fairly lengthy afternoon nap, and I am enjoying the stillness in the house. Maybe this embroidery will be a square to put into the new baby quilt, or maybe not, I'll wait and see how it turns out.

And pop over to Kootoyoo to see more lovely creative spaces.

And for those who live in Melbourne, don't forget there's a sale on on Saturday at Patchwork on Central Park. (I have a birthday voucher just burning a hole in my pocket!)

Staying up late

I stayed up late again last night, to finish the birthday gift.


I think one of the only positive things about my husband being away on business at the moment, is that I can spend the evenings crafting, making a bit of a mess, spreading all of my things all over the couch and staying up too late, without having to justify myself. The other good thing is I can just skip dinner, and eat chocolate and drink wine instead. (Is that good or bad.....?)

My Creative Space

I'm in the middle of making a birthday gift for my niece this week.
A bird purse, which I've managed to finish,


and a matching applique bag, which I've only just started....



I haven't managed to do a lot else this week, just been busy busy busy with little m.

Pop over to kootoyoo to have a look at more creative spaces.

It's finished!

We had a lovely Easter break in Anglesea, by the beach.
Very lazy, very relaxing.
And beautiful weather, sunny days, cloudless skies and a cool autumn chill in the air, my absolute favourite kind of days. (I can't help it, I think it's the English in me, I just love cold weather!)


And little m got his first taste of life in the country. We showed him the ocean, koalas, and the kangaroos that were jumping just outside the front door, he soaked it all in.


And I managed to finish the baby quilt. Phew!


Mostly machine quilted, with a little bit of hand quilting too. I'm not sure if you're supposed to mix the two things together... but then I never follow the rules.....

My Creative Space

This is a little corner of my creative space this week.
The beginnings of some little pouches. I'm a bit obsessed with making these, you can never seem to have too many pouches, for housing all your little bits and pieces.


You can see more lovely creative spaces if you pop over here.

And over in another corner, are a couple of Easter bunnies. The little handmade felt mushroom bunny arrived in her own little egg home from Effunia this week, and I just love her. She'll be good company for my Christina Gordon toy bunny, as she is a little grumpy, being on her own she for such a long time.....



We're heading off to the beach for the Easter break with Little m. We live in the heart of the city, sometimes I think all he sees are people, trams and cars. So I can't wait to show him the ocean, trees, cockatoos and koalas, I think he'll get excited.

Have a good Easter everyone xx

Handmade presents

I've had a busy week making things. I decided at the beginning of the year that all gifts given this year would be handmade by me. I'm enjoying the challenge, and thinking of things to make. And I have to plan in advance (not something that comes naturally to me) so I have time to make them.
It was my husband's birthday this week, and I decided to make him a special print using my gocco. (My love affair with my gocco continues, though half way through printing we fell out and I wanted to smash it...all is forgiven now though. Phew.) All of the motifs have special, personal meaning to us both, and I was pleased with it in the end.


I think he liked it too.



And I have been having a frenzy cutting out fabric squares and embroidering for the baby quilt. It has to be completely finished and ready for the baby shower in less than two weeks. Aaaaarrgh!! (I told you planning was not something that comes naturally...)