Real and Faux

I mixed it up on this one. Real stitching on scrap paper with my mini sewing machine that conks out every 2 minutes and black ink 'stitching' for when the sewing machine does precisely that. You'd never know most of my designs are out of necessity, would you...?

I need to pack now. Heading to Edinburgh soon for a week and I can't wait to laugh at the Fringe comedy, soak in the atmosphere (and no doubt, rain) and see family. See you on the flipside!

A week in Instagram

And Snapster and Snapseed (my two go-to photo apps before Intagramming - yes I'm the iPhone crazy who spends at least 5 minutes on each photo).

A colourful collection of quilts, quiffs, cards, cupcakes and some naughty purchases... I almost feel like I won those amazing leopard-print high tops. I went into town for craft supplies and spotted them in the window. It wouldn't hurt to try them on - in both colourways, right? (There's grey with snakeskin print, too!). In walks an American tourist asking for the same ones in the same size. Being a diddy size 3, and having worked in shoe shops at Uni, I expected them to only have one size 3 in each style.

I could see how this was going to go.

The assistant wandered out and gave the American the grey shoes to try on first. Slighty put out, I got my competitve shopper head on and dived in to try the tan ones waiting for her on the till. Had a quick walk around in them, and spotted the American eyeing up my feet. So I took them off and bought them.

Eek! So bold! But I had to have them! Low and behold, they were the only ones left. Sorry lady! You need to be faster than that if you're shopping near me. Now, no more this month. Promise.

Festival of Quilts 2012

Or, 'FOQ' as we've been calling it in the office. As in, "yes, I had a foqing awesome time at the show."

Get to Birmingham NEC this weekend if you can to catch it. I found it absolutely fascinating and very inspiring indeed. And of course, fabric and buttons were purchased! Will share my bargains with you soon.

Lots of love for The Eternal Maker and The Button Company. Absolutely love Anna and the team! Could've spent a day just umming and aahing over their fabric and embellishments.

It all inspired me so much that I'm planning on asking my auntie if she'd like to teach me how to quilt at some point. Maybe I could take a week off to watch her. She's amazing with bags, buttons and beads. So many skills get lost down the generations. Ask your elders everyone!

More from the month of April

I had a revelation of sorts with my Project Life album.

I love what I've done so far, but since I'm feeling the pressure of being 4 months behind I'm thinking: Get it done up to June and have it just be a 6-month thing. The album's fit to burst anyway. Then chums, I shall do a summer book to cover my adventures with Mollie Makes (through WOMAD, Anthropologie and Liberty etc), the Olympics and my upcoming trips to Edinburgh and Cyprus with this instead:

My Smash Book. It's been sitting on the shelf for a while now. Time to break it free. I need something quick and easy for these busy summer months - especially since work has ramped up lately. I'm really excited to change formats!

Have you filled one of these out yet? I love how nostalgic they are. I used to fill old school scrapbooks to the brim as a kid.

More from my April:

 

I had a lot of love for my April. Next up for that month is a wedding and a ton of photographs... May sift through that lot tonight. Going to the Festival of Quilts tomorrow in Birmingham - any of you coming along?

In the name of Balance...

I bought this awesome right side/wrong side notebook from the equally awesome Hello Lucky at the equally awesome Found, just down the road from me.

And finished my prompt for August.

And now I'm off to spend some time looking at hot air balloons in Bristol with my brother and his family, then cry at the Olympic Closing Ceremony. So sad it's over but roll on the Paralympics! Hope you're having a fab weekend.

One Little Word catch up

All caught up (if you pretend we're still in July).

This month is for picture-taking. My favourite!

Photo Story: Me & London (and that sporting event)

Growing up in North Cornwall, an hour away from the nearest decent train station, and a further four hours from London Paddington, the capital was always a far away place I only saw on telly. My mum once took me up for the day so I could see a Howard Hodgkin exhibition for my A-Level art project (a very fond memory) and the thought that I could get there and back in a ten-hour-round-trip amazed me. I could be in London by lunchtime! Even as a recent graduate spending most of my time around Shad Thames, the place was still other-wordly and magical to me.

And everytime I go there I get that same thrill, even though it's every two months or so and usually for work. I don't want to live there (Bath's too lovely, thanks). I'd simply rather remain a spellbound tourist in awe of the architecture, history, culture and ceremony. Last weekend I spent a fantastic couple of days in London that I'll never forget, thanks to my boyfriend's canny organisation and Olympic ticket-buying skills. This is what I saw.

 

Stitching on Paper

I've been so all-consumed with the Olympics this weekend (London was amazing! Pictures to follow), it totally slipped my mind to tell you about a cool class my crafty friend Clair Rigby is running, called Stitching on Paper.

Clair's been busy compiling free prompts, hints and inspiration for ways to add stitchy goodness to your cards and scrapbook layouts and I was pleased to contribute a design to the prompt earlier this weekend: Stitching by Hand.

I hope you'll go and take a look at all the gorgeous sewing on show.

Here's my finished hand-stitched take on some of the techniques covered in the class. You can find tons more over at Clair's. Enjoy!

It's a bit gappy at the right-hand side because I made this into an envelope page to keep all the invitations, cards and cute wedding-related stuff inside. Straight into the Project Life album with this one!