Busy Sewing Bee...My mojo must be back!?

 It was those Button Bouquets.... i swear! They got my mojo back and SUDDENLY i felt the need to sew.... En Masse!

 Piles and piles of lovely hearts. Pieced together from random 2" cotton strips in lots of crazy colourways.

 Finishing touches are scraps of trim - new and vintage.

And Buttons (of course)

 Stuffed to burst with Organic English Lavender.

I was asleep by the end of this!

 A Girlfriend asked me recently "is there Lavender in your bedroom?"

"Darling" replied i (i'm so theatrical) "Where isn't there Lavender in this house?"

I do, in fact, store my hewgggee bag of it IN the wardrobe so it gives off all that delicious fragrance into my cottons. (Clever me)

 These look so delicious all bundled together for photographs and hanging round the house.

I hang some in my wardrobe - and in my daughters.

One or Two in the bathroom.

A few on cupboard door handles...

 These are going into a *real* shop as this is where internet selling fails.

I don't feel the photos can do justice to the colours and the patchworky-ness...

and naturally NOT to the fragrance :)

 But i did list a few in Etsy PaperFish >>>>

and i sold one already so i was really pleased about that. I feel a bit 'shy' sometimes, selling stuff i've made.

How awkward of me when this is, essentially, my job!

So much lovely stuff to come...

Organic Cotton Stripe Ribbon... and work avoidance...

 Just the word ORGANIC makes me go all weak.

I swear, chocolate tastes better with the word 'organic' on the packet.

Bread has no fat or calories if it is 'organic bread'

I am a gooood person if i use organic cottons...

 Aaaah, the lies i tell myself.

The fact that these new cotton tapes are 'organic' is really just a PLUS, incase there are crafters who need / like to use very earth-friendly products or they are sewing with babies and children in mind.

I bought some because they are very pretty and have a vintage look and feel to them.

 http://www.lovepaperfish.com/ is selling them as a mixed bag of 3metres - 1 in each colour: sage green, periwinkle blue and a strawberry pink. yum-yum.

I have been keen to get a bit of sewing done, just so i can use them. I try to NEVER sell a craft product that i haven't used myself. I think then iam a more trustworthy retailer? you know, i know, what i sell is good etc....

 I made a bit fat quilted Lavender Heart and you can too, if you want.

I had scraps left over from a cushion. 2inch wide strips of cotton fabric.

You can sew them together to make up a block of fabric.

I then quilted this (actually the wadding is also Organic and made with Bamboo - it is gorgeous to work with ) i just did any random quilt pattern all over the top.

 My piece was big enough to slice in half - so i did - 'just like that' - no planning or thinking. Let's just freestyle this whole thing.

I cut out a paper heart as a template and cut around it on both pieces of quilted blocks.

 Go back to PHOTO.1. and you can see i added a few embellishments on top - scraps i had from previous failed projects plus 2 small strips of the organic cotton tape. Very nice.

I placed this finished heart block FACE DOWN on top of a very loose weave fabric.

Sewing machine around the edge and leave a 2inch gap.

Turn it inside out - so correct sides now facing out.

 I stuffed these big hearts mainly with lavender - and yes! it was organic lavender.

but i popped a little stuffing in also, to help keep it's shape.

Sew it up at the gap by hand.

I also used the Cotton Tape as the final hanging ribbon and fastened it in place with a big button.

Happy Lavender Heart Gift! with lots of organic elements.

And this sobering picture is really what i should ahve been doing today, rather than quilting Lavender Hearts....

 Do think again before you assume that selling crafty supplies is all fun and games.... those packets need a great deal doing to them before they can be ready for sale.

(I am waving happily to *my best girl J* as she knows SHE is helping me out with this large task)

ToodlePip Craft fans!

I am off to do some Half-Term stuff and pop into the Post Office en-route.

MAKE STUFF! it is good for your soul xxx

Cushion Making....

 I had a lovely crafty day last week, sewing up some cushions. I admit tha,t a few have been sitting in the cushion box for some weeks 'waiting' patiently for their final filling.

 This is a really large cushion made in log-cabin style patchwork and quilting.

It is a comission from a local lady who liked my work but wanted something BIGGER!

I tend to make smaller pieces as they sell better at Craft Fairs and are easier to ship internationally, so it was a real pleasure to go bigger with this cushion.

 I love adding all the details to my pieces. Appliqued trims and patches, the odd button, ribbon tags. I think this is what makes my work 'me' (however often we 'artists/ designers' are replicated.....)

 I must confess at buying these handmade crocheted flowers as an embellishment for my pieces. I have no time or talents for this. I love the detail they add and how a flat faced cushion becomes touchable / tactile. Most senses are stimualated in these designs

Tactile exteriors coupled with the fact that these cushions are packed with:

LAVENDER (for relaxation)

CHAMOMILE (for sweet dreams)

DRIED HOPS (for restful sleep)

 I just feel i can never photograph these to their true potential. Maybe because internet selling relies on just one sense - you can't sniff these or hold them in your hand, like you can at a Craft Fair or in a shop.

 They are primarily made to put on your bed (hence the herbal stuffing)

but they are equally at home on a dining chair or a sofa.

And, of course, choosing between all the delicious fabrics available is probably my favourite task.

Linens and unbleached cottons V bright crisp quilting cottons?

There is room for a little of everything x

It's a risky business....

mmmm.......... ......sniff.....

.....tea.....

.....sniff......

........?

Death by Lavender.....

Matroyshka Pillow Gift Set...

In the shop
Nice for grown-up girls in shades of Teal and Plum. And this Lavender stuffed Pillow comes with a smaller lavender Matroyshka - to make a little set.

I can't resist.

I can't stop making them!

Fabric joy x the Matroyshka fabric i have on order to make a GIANT fllor cushion with too :)

Sweet Scented Fabric goodness...

I have been a busy little Bee...
I spend so many months working on Christmas, that January sees all my creative explosions at once! Spring = newness and i am feeling fresh with ideas. I can put Christmas to one side for a few months and play with my fabric supplies that seem to gradually multiple on the groaning shelves.
These are my latest collection of Sweet scented Pillows. Gorgeous fabrics sewn and stuffed with: Organic lavender & Hops. Both dried flowers are said to promote restfulness and aid sleep.

As always, i started off making one for me and one for the SmallFish... then i wanted to give my Nanna one as she is unwell... then i really wanted to sell a few in a local craft gallery, and so the story escalates.

I love the indulgence of playing with all the fabric patterns and colours and finding a combination that strikes me.

I am mad about Lavender too and i always sleep with a lavender pillow next to my own bed pillows. I find it so comforting and relaxing. Also because this is Organic Lavender - not to be mistaken with nasty chemical lavender 'scent'... which is far from pleasant.

I remember being quite in-love once *sigh* and being given a lovely lavender stuffed cushion on Valentine Day and i thought it was a thoughtful gift and a change from the predictable. Maybe that's why i find these pillows so heart warming.

I have some more, much bigger pieces of the wonderful SUMMERSVILLE fabric in fuscia and in plum. i think it is beautiful and so does everybody else who've seen it so far! The first pillow i sold in the local gallery was a Summersville fabric (she has that magic quality)

I have been using some vintage style lace along the edges and sweet ribbon tags to embellish.

And... if all that sewing and playing, listing and selling, isn't bombus enough for you, i made a large cushion for my TV room - in yummy Teal leaf fabric with a fuscia pink back (and button detail)....

And SmallFish chose THIS fabric below for her own *new* bed cushion. It clashes horribly with her beautiful bedroom - but Mumma made it for her and she loves it :) I appliqued the felt circles to the butterfly wings, to add a bit of interest and also a red pom-pom trim.

If i ever made room in my life for sleep, i would find one of my own Scented pillows sitting and waiting for me.

Stuck for Mothers Day or Valentines? Don't buy these pillows, then i can keep them all for myself and my friends xxx

More Cute-ness *sigh*

Oh the joy....
i have had such a nice time making these new "PinPuffs". What is it about them that makes me so satisfied? I like their 'littleness' and their oblong / sqaure-ish shape.
And i like the lace detailing with the ribbon tag "sewing story".

I like using lots of different fabrics and mixing them up with contrasting coloured tags and backing fabrics.

I sooooo love this *new* SUMMERSVILLE sweetheart fabric - (i have made large cushions from this too...to be continued)

It's the detail... look at that darling little birdie at the bottom! i never realised i was so very girlie...

Again, using fabric from SUMMERSVILLE with an appliqued Matroyshka.

There is so much variety and brightness.

Of course, there is also the lavender... i am *stoned* sat here in my little studio. Overcome with the fragrant fumes of organic lavender :)

So, yes! i am more than happy with all this new cuteness coming from the PaperFish studio this past week. I suppose i am enjoying NOT thinking about Christmas (for a change)

P.s *must not eat that amazing chocolate cake that i baked last night... must remember that fat thighs are not happy thighs...must think of New Year diet.... must not even wipe my finger round the edge of cake to sneak some icing*