We had the most beautiful sunshine over the weekend. I wandered around the house with my camera and tried to capture it, here are a few glimpses. I think I'm focusing on light, but when I look at the photos, it seems I was paying attention to different textiles- colour + pattern. Thanks for entering…

I ordered some new copies of my book, Sweet & Simple Handmade, and would like to offer one up to a reader. Would you like to win your own copy, or one for a friend? Just leave a comment on this post, or over on the facebook page, and i'll enter your name in the…

A favourite winter bake: simple lemon cake (from last July- recipe and post here.) And a lemon-cream top I sewed for Keira in 2011, as it turns out- I wondered when it was because she put it on for a family dinner on the weekend and it has become very short! Time to pass down…

Today I'm writing over here at Anissa's place, about a favourite possession. Thanks for inviting me, A! Happy new week, dear readers.  

I found a beautiful new cookbook at the library this week: Isa Does It, which features everyday vegan recipes. I'm not vegan but like the idea of eating less animal products, and this book is very inspiring to me. Isa Chandra Moskowitz, of Post Punk Kitchen fame, has been writing cookbooks since 2005. This one…

Two finished projects from this week: a project bag from some great woven cotton in a minty-green shade, and a drum lightshade, in mint and cream striped cotton. I had a lot of fun making the lightshade and it's now in Arlo's bedroom because that's where it was most needed. He helped choose the fabric…

We celebrated Arlo's eleventh birthday over the weekend. Eleven!  X X X X x x x x X X X X x x x x X X X X  p.s. Thanks for entering the printing book giveaway. Anna drew a winner – congratulations Glenys.

I'm guest-posting today about free-form embroidery over at The Craft Sessions blog. Will you follow me there? Also, there's still a little time to enter this giveaway, if you haven't already.  Hope the sun is shining where you are. 

I came across some beautiful old fabrics in a second-hand shop recently. They provided the inspiration I needed to spend some time at the sewing machine, putting their best parts to use. And updating my usually-neglected etsy shop. I love turning unwanted things into new, useful things. And old fabrics feature the best colours, don't…

Here's a scarf to match the cloudy weather: hand-printed at both ends with Xs of various sizes. I was going for a hand-drawn, random look (conveniently..) so I carved quite a large printing block with the shapes and stamped it on this grey cotton scarf ($1 at the op-shop- hooray!) This particular op-shop trip was…