Thanks for your nice comments on my last post. I'm excited to share the book's arrival with you all. And really appreciate the warm welcome you're giving it. I drew a winner randomly for the giveaway- and it was Sally M. (I've emailed you, Sally.) Thanks for entering the giveaway, everyone. In other news, I…

It's pretty exciting to be able to offer a giveaway for my new book, Sweet and Simple Handmade. It's published by Stash Books (C&T Publishing) and should be available in most countries right now. If you can't find it, please ask your local bookshop to order it in. Otherwise, you can order it directly from…

Happy Mother's Day, dear readers. I love my Mum, love being a Mum myself and I also enjoy the sweet cards and notes made by my own children on MD each year. Although it's nice getting those anytime, really. But I've always thought it an exclusive day, and the greeting-card marketing of it never sits…

Hello dear readers, happy Friday again! This wallpaper-style print was part of the design process for this fabric, and my friend Karuna helped me make digital files and repeats of my paintings. So today's pattern is a bit of cheat really- I found it in an old scrapbook, just waiting to be scanned. It makes…

I was asked by the lovely Anissa to write a seasonal tutorial for her workplace blog: East West Organics, in Auckland. It's one of those shops I wish I lived closer to: it stocks all manner of organic produce and products, as well as plant seedlings, crafts and books.  Here in New Zealand we love…

A bunch of bright flowers from my sister inspired a stitching session last week. I love the look of bright coloured threads on grey linen and I found both dark and light grey in my linen basket, so I got to work. The result was these little botanical portraits- each one different and fastened to…

This pattern is a day late- yesterday got busy- and was actually inspired by a video game Arlo and I played at this brilliant exhibition last week – (it was our third time there- it's finished now sadly). I simply can't remember the name of the game- but it featured a desolate landscape and flurries…

Second week of the school holidays here, and so far we've been drawing and eating. For the past year or so, I've not spent the school holidays at home with the kids, so I'm treasuring this mooching-around time. Arlo is always drawing these days. Mainly medieval scenes complete with castles and knights, but I liked…

I knitted this hat recently- it is a more successful version of this attempt (my knitting skill/patience is limited these days!) It was useful on the ferry trip we took last week and will no doubt be well worn this winter. The pattern is one I'd meaning to try for ages- Beatrice Hat by Hadley…