Ooops

I know I haven't updated this blog in a while. I've been really busy sewing, ripping out stitches, and re-sewing all over again! At the moment I am working on a really cute dark denim tote bag with bright yellow gingham lining, with loads of pockets of course. I also recently finished a really large tote bag using lovely Irish linen and some Japanese fabric I bought from Matatabi at etsy. I've been trying to take photos of everything to put up here but my evil camera is really acting up, I hate it, so I haven't been able to photograph anything I've been working on.
I've also discovered the joy of making tissue covers, you know the little pouches to put mini handbag sized tissues into? I've made a few so far using Japanese fabrics and some linen leftovers. They're so pretty and of course functional as we prepare for autumn colds and flus. One of my aunts saw one I made for my mam and asked if I would make her one two, so I'm thrilled. I have 2 to give her, but I want to photo them before I lose them forever, but I can't photo them because of the evil camera....
It would be so great if I didn't have to work, then I could stay at home in front of the fire completing my sewing and embroidery projects as I listen to audio books, pure bliss. oh well.

Funky Brollies

As part of the whole 'summer rain' theme I've got going on here, I thought I'd mention the online umbrella boutique that is Umbrella Art. Umbrella Art is an English website that sells really pretty and unusual brollies. I'm so bored of looking around and seeing an ocean of black umbrellas held aloft by people dressed head to toe in black. Who says boring colours are the price we must pay for function? I truly believe functional objects can also be beautiful (think zakka). Anyway back to the brollies, Umbrella Art can supply you with a brolly printed in just about any image you care to mention, whether you're in to fine art, Elvis, chocolate, roses, butterflies, frogs, cars, or any combination! I think my favourite is the umbrella with the chocolates. Prices start at around € 24 for a mini umbrella and around € 30 for a large umbrella, surely a small price to pay to 'find sunshine for your rainy days'!

PataPri Prints

I'm really liking these bold graphic prints from PataPri at etsy. PataPri is graphic designer turned silk-screen printer Yuko Uemura originally from Tokyo, Japan, now living in Chicago. Yuko says she gets her inspiration for her print designs from the shapes and colours found in nature. Indeed many of her print designs feature trees, fruit, penguins and butterflies, as these photos here show. Yuko's shop mainly stocks tea towels, because as she says herself, 'everybody has a kitchen'. I particularly love the bright crispness of this bed linen set printed on high quality cotton.

Prices for Yuko's designs start at $ 14 for a tea towel and go up to $ 180 for the duvet set.