As you can tell, I've had a very productive week in the studio...and you are only getting to see half of it! Life is back to how it used to be. Time to work...there's something novel! No doubt something else will crop up to get in the way soon (yeah, like the long school summer holidays), but in the meantime I'm really enjoying getting creative.

I've been making a few of these pot holders as gifts lately and yesterday decided they'd be great for my Etsy shop. Obviously I still had my lovely Junecraft fabric on the work table from yesterday and whilst I was cutting for the "A Stroll in the Garden" picture, I already had in mind that I was going to use the pear and flower panel for some of these. Actually, I have a zillion projects in my head that these panels will be perfect for. I just love the repeating pattern of seeing a whole linear row of them. It pleases my mathematical brain ;-)

I backed the holders with a couple of fabrics that tied in the orange but gave more of a contrast too. I love the Ikea one on the right, with the sprinkling of orange spots.

They come as a pair and are available here. And if next week continues in the same vein, there'll be lots more by then in there too.

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 ;-)

If you wandered into my studio it would be fair for you to think I had been ransacked and invaded by the most violent of intruders. Unfortunately the only intruder around here is me.

I have to admit I have a very messy approach to my creativity. The pile you see below is off-cuts from projects. As I cut and sew I discard the pieces that are too big to be thrown, yet too small to be refolded and put back away.

There's a smaller pile that sits on my desk. These days, with my love of log cabins, this pile is full of strips. There is something quite therapeutic about this little pile. And they have obviously been inspiring me somewhat, because having stared at them for a few days, I realised they were the answer to some much needed wall art for our new bedroom.

I've never decorated in these colours before, so any art we previously had up somehow doesn't look great in this room. Not that a room has to look clinically coordinated. But you wouldn't want to see anything too clashing would you?

So I set to work with my precious off-cuts and in a very short time later had a new piece of art for the room. The question now is, do I put it on the wallpaper wall or bring it over to the other side of the room, on the grey?

I'm leaning towards the grey...I think...

That's impressive isn't it? Only last night I was tweeting about how I needed a pattern for a Flexi Frame Purse and would you now look?

I won't tell you that I have had the afore-mentioned Flexi Frames for almost a year and been wanting to make one ever since...

Moving on...

With the help of my lovely Twitter friends last night, guiding me to all sorts of wonderful patterns, I eventually settled on this one by Pink Penguin.

I know. Mine looks nothing like Pink Penguin's gorgeous Puffy Pouch. Whilst I love that one and in time will make that too, I really wanted something simpler and smaller for all my cards and lose change.

Over the years I have used all sorts of different purses and wallets and have found I prefer something small and compact. I used to transfer all my bits into something smaller if I downsized my handbag for an evening and found I would never have the right things with me later as a consequence of not transferring them back.

This size purse works for me. Easy to move from bag to bag. And after all, how much room does a credit card take?

Not only was it the first day back to work after school hols today, but the first day back to work with no major event looming.

Renovations completed (bar the searching for finishing touches), Bar Mitzvah been and gone. All that leaves is time to focus on work.

Consequently I was able to finish what I started yesterday and now Manolo is off to his new home, where I hope he'll be enthusiastically received.

By the way, did you guess the colour theme?? Manolo's Mum is Argentinian, so a light blue and white colour-ways, with a hint of black was requested ;-)

Personalised commissioned cushions are now available in my Etsy store.

I am very excited to be getting back to sewing projects.

I have a commission for a log cabin cushion for a new baby. A friend that was around over the BM weekend saw the ones I had done and asked if I would do one for her new nephew.

Obviously I am honoured to do so and was delighted that she loved them so much.

And so I set to work. One of my favourite parts of making the log cabins is picking out all the fabrics. She gave me the colour-ways she wanted...light blue and white with a touch of black. (Any ideas why??) I flicked through my piles of fabrics and made my selections.

It really wasn't very long later when it was all pieced together and quilted ready for the cushion back to be sewn in (I'm thinking linen - obviously...). The white strips on the picture above here, are ready and waiting for the name and date of birth to be embroidered on.

It's such a joy to be getting back to some sewing...and equally so to be doing more of my favourite new found pieces. I'm quite wondering if the novelty will ever wear off.

Time to get back to a bit of crafting...

I ordered some fab screen-printed fabric panels from the lovely and talented Kayanna of June Craft and what good timing for it to arrive this week, when I had time to luxuriate in new fabrics.

I haven't quite decided what I'll be doing with them yet. I've been too busy holding and stroking them. Besides you can't rush a good thing.

I'm thinking they'll work really beautifully in my new found love of Log Cabin pieces. I've just been commissioned to do a couple of cushions, but since they are both for boys, I don't think I'll use any on them. If anyone orders a girl one, they'll be lucky enough to get a little snippet of these in it.

Kayanna includes an extensive ideas sheet with each panel. One such idea is to simply frame the entire piece, maybe doing a little embroidery on them to enhance the patterns. I'm liking this idea ALOT.

I also ordered this gorgeous Long Dog Kit, which comes complete with a beautiful backing fabric and easy make up instructions. Kayanna and I are planning a little something to make thiskit available on Blueberry park, for all you British customers out there, so watch this space ;-)

Ooh, it feels good to be back to my fabric -based life...