Here are some things I made for my shop udpate today- I was inspired by two old kimonos from my fabric stash. The first was a very old (and fallen-apart) silky one that I bought from an opshop about 10 years ago- I finally used up the last pieces to make a couple of small…

I've been harvesting rhubarb from the garden over the past week or so. I made a rhubarb and vanilla bean tart and the rest was stewed then eaten by the kids for breakfast. Next on my baking list is this amazing-looking rhubarb slice recipe. It was when I was chopping it this morning that I…

This is a little set I made for a friend's new grandson. I used this technique to applique a t-shirt with my 'climbing trees' printed fabric and sewed up some reversible slippers to match. Tidying up my cupboards the other day, I came across lots of old papers and have been employing them as gift-wrap.…

Poppies are popping all over the garden right now- those papery red ones with a crinkly sheen. I love them. I made a small folk-style painting and got it professionally printed into card sets to give to friends at Christmas time.  And speaking of Christmas, I made my first decoration of the year- a grey…

Full-moon light with rain allowed me to take photos late last night from the front door- I love that manuka tree but it is especially beautiful in the moonlight! Other good things from the last few days include a picnic rug with books set up permanently outside (at least, until the wet weather started) and…

Here are some things that I made for my etsy shop update today- inspired by the lily plants in my completely overgrown garden. One good thing about having lots of weeds- there's plenty of embroidery inspiration. But maybe I need to start spending some more time tidying up the garden beds before the riot of…

This embroidered pattern was inspired by a very tiny poppy growing from the crack in the pavement outside our house. (It should be open by tomorrow, I'm thinking- right now the closed bud measures about 2cms.) I started the design by scattering little poppies over card with watercolour paint, added some other flowers, wallpaper-style, then…

Thanks for joining in with the giveaway over the weekend. The random number selector chose Gracia so congratulations to you, G. Last week I found some old papers and books at my local recycling shop. There was a box with old sheet music, some maps and two books missing their covers and spines- one was…

After I wrote about this great cookbook here the other day, the publishers at Weldon Owen Publishing asked if I'd like to hold a giveaway on my blog for another shiny new copy for one of my readers.  I'd just baked some coconut macaroons (you can see them in my first photo above) and last…

I wasn't ready to put my Indian woodblock stamps away after this project from last week, and I had a lot of fun playing around with some old linens from my stash. I used the woodblocks and red ink to print some fine cotton lawn handkerchiefs I found as well as some old linen napkins.…