I love... ornithology!

I simply couldn't resist this fabric, designed by... Edwyn Collins, from Orange Juice! 

In 2005 Edwyn suffered a severe cerebral haemorrhage that he took six months to recover from. As part of his rehabilitation he drew a bird a day, each of which has been used by the Liberty Fabrics Team in this remarkable print. The design created pays homage to Collins’ dedication, like a sketchbook on fabric complete with names of birds and dates when they were drawn.

Button pins set...

There are coming up in my shops, and aren't they good stocking stuffers? Talking of which, I've started making stockings... and hope to finish these soon!

A thrilling etsy purchase!

A little before my birthday I purchased this vintage watch from a very friendly seller, Sharon from DeliciousBling on etsy. I didn't really know what to really expect, as not all my online purchases were a success... Sometimes you open a package and feel a bit ... disappointed. But on this occasion, my jaws dropped... in delight! I'm so thrilled with this purchase, and now I can be on time too!

Appearing in my stores...

Golden yellow on green gingham

Preppy felt bows on cotton covered badges

Aren't these cute? The button badges are just over 3 cm (1 1/4") wide. Hand-making the bows was a little tricky at first. I tried smaller, but there were too bulky and too fiddly! I'm happy with this size, they "poke" out a little from the buttons but it's kind of quirky!

These badges are one of the first things I handcrafted since moving to Canada. My supplies only reached me in September, it took a bit of time to organise my flat and my studio space.

Since moving to Montreal, I found it difficult to find nice fabrics and gingham, so I'm using the bits and pieces I moved!

A perfect autumn scarf...

Cream tree of life silk scarf, Liberty London

Well, it's no secret that I'm fond of Liberty prints....  but this is a really nice scarf!  I love the rich autumnal colours, said to be inspired by English gardens in winter! It is described by Liberty as "photographed and hand painted flowers complimented by organic abstract patterns based on microscopic imagery of botanical plants"... Well, their prints are always special! 

In the shop...

and I'm quite pleased with this picture!

I'm getting more organised! I've inventoried all my stock, and I've started listing the purses I made but never got to list... So here is a Liberty print chain clutch, in glorious jewel tones, emerald, amber and touches of rubies...

Things I miss about Britain...

the creativity!

When I lived in London, I never had too far to go to be charmed by the creative spirit of others! 

Whilst I'm not obsessed with Grayson Perry's vases, I still admire his creative spirit and quite like the way "Claire" (his alter ego) dresses... It's mostly the granny look, but with nice quirks. 


This is  the dress he created for the Liberty National Treasures auction. The quilting on the bust is interesting, it reminds me of Jean-Paul Gauthier's bustier for Madonna... in a granny way! The dress is reversible, the circular quilting is more obvious in the dark lining, so I'm including both pictures. 


I was amused by the way he describes his design as the perfect mini-break dress: “As a transvestite, I have to pack for two people when travelling, so I hope this dress will solve my luggage space dilemma.” 

Getting back to work!

A beautiful poster by Lovely Designs

Since leaving London and heading to Montreal, Canada, I have not been doing much crafting or blogging! Or sewing either, as I didn't have any supplies until mid September! But now, I'm slowly getting back to work and my etsy shop has re-open.
The past few months have been very hectic! I'm trying to adjust to this new phase, and will write about my new lines, what I miss about Britain, and what inspires me!