Bunting, bunting, bunting

Those of you who know me will already be aware that I love bunting. Directions to my house usually end with the advice "Ours is the only house in the street with bunting". The thing is, I put it up for a special occasion and then it doesn't seem worth taking it down, because after all there'll be another birthday along soon, or a party or, well wouldn't you know it, it's Christmas and we'll need the bunting up then.....and now it's just grey winter and it would be too sad to take it down just when we need a bit of colour in our lives, and anyway it'll be the Little Helper's birthday next month. Before you know it it's been up for a year, and well, frankly, it just makes our house easier to find, and I'm rubbish at giving directions.

So, I've had this idea in my head for weeks for making bunting with a difference. I've spent ages trying to figure out if it would work, then designing patterns, cutting out, finding the time to make it and finally putting it all together today surrounded by three over-excited children, all of whom, by the way, covet this for their bedrooms.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out - I love the colours and the buttons, the proportions seem right. I like the way the vehicles sway slightly with any movement or breeze like they're revving up at the lights. I've got so many more ideas along these lines, I just need more felt and buttons....

Shopping list inspiration

Such a great start to the week! My lovely print-making course has started again: it's just two and a half hours on a Monday morning when I'm probably at my lowest ebb when it comes to inspiration, but it really gets the week going.

Today, there we were, six of us escaping for a short while the ritual of school runs, shopping lists and broken hoovers, feeling slightly guilty that we were enjoying ourselves in the cramped, untidy metalwork room of our local community college, when we all probably had ten more worthy, less self-indulgent things we should be doing. The pressure was on - new paper, new inks, even new students, but I felt the burden of the backlog of undone post-Christmas chores - I still haven't been to the bottle bank (too embarrassed), I haven't rung up about the hoover warranty, and I really should have been at the supermarket. And bingo, inspiration! So much worrying about the shopping and I produced a whole trolley-load of vegetables.

Red cabbage. Citrus fruit (above). And artichokes...


OK, so they weren't really on my shopping list, but they're such a lovely shape, and I was so pleased with how they turned out as I'm not very good at drawing so I need a good, bold shape to use.

I'm not the only one using vegetables for inspiration. The wonderful Pippin Designs has created this quirky brooch:

And next week, maybe I'll use a different aisle for inspiration. Maybe the cleaning aisle, as on this fabulous apron by Iris+Lily Handmade:

Anything to put off the actual shopping!

Seeing stars

So this is what I've been up to today - stars in my eyes. Who knows where inspiration comes from? Am I all red, white, blue and stars because of Obama-mania? Am I starry-eyed because of the Golden Globes (don't even mention Kate Winslet to me)? Or could it be the telescope my eldest son was given for Christmas? Actually it's something for the Little Helper's bedroom. I will let you know when it is finished.

New supplies, new blog

This morning found me hopping from foot to foot waiting for the postman. The reason? Kirstyfish's blog yesterday showed her heading off to the post office with a bag full of parcels, and one of them was for me!! The joy of receiving parcels is incomparable. I delayed the moment of unwrapping - two loads of washing, a bit of filing, emptying the dishwasher - and then, the joy! It was like Christmas all over again - parcels within parcels, excitement, colour...

Here's my little helper enjoying himself too. I have great hopes for him as a craft lover...

Now, before I stumbled across KirstyFish's shop I didn't really get buttons, other than their basic keeping-things-closed function. But then in my first order, this savvy seller enclosed a few freebies, and PING! Lightbulb moment. Buttons are great! Shape, colour, texture, fun! So here are the buttons that arrived in my order today, and in their lovely new tin:

So, lovely buttons, felt balls, felt. Now I have to get down to work and turn the felt into something. Hmmm. Have to wait until the Little Helper is busy elsewhere. Can't wait though.