The finished product

The final product..a cushion cover. It didn't come out exactly as I imagined but that's because I didn't place the design correctly in the first place. I have a tendancy to go ahead without really thinking about the finished product, ignoring things like seams, extra fabric for zips, french seams etc! I like to do a french seam on a cushion cover if I'm selling it without an inner because there is nothing worse than buying a beautiful cover and finding untidy seams on the inside. Also the embroidery is pretty untidy on the wrong side so I added in an extra facing . All this fabric makes the seams quite thick and bulky but I'm not sure what the solution is... maybe an overlocker? Even better, find someone else to make up the cushion!

More feathers

The bug has bitten... I can't stop embroidering feathers! Instead of wasting my efforts, I'm making cards. I don't know about you but I never seem to have a card when I need one. I get so irritated with myself because I usually end up making something sloppy at the last minute. No more!

Embroidery

I was looking at my messy basket of embroidery thread the other day and was suddenly inspired to sew something. Then the beads caught my eye....

.. and this was the result!

I find this 'back stitch' ( Ithink that's what it's called) embroidery very theraputic and almost addictive. Once you start you just don't seem able to stop.

All I need to do now is complete the birds and make them into cushions.

I 've used a heavy linen ,which doesn't show up well in the photos, but looks great with the black, red and white.

Etsy Treasury

Thanks so much to LilMissS for including my bag in her Charlie Chaplin inspired

treasury.

Textures

Wonderful textures from the beaches of Mozambique!

The charming bedroom in our palm leaf beach house.

The rural communities are very poor and live off the coconut palms and the sea. The coconuts are used for food and the palm leaves for building houses. The hard wood of the stems for basic structures of houses and fences. Fresh fish and prawns are sold daily as well as fresh bread or 'pao'.

The palm leaves are woven together in the most intricate patterns. This was the wall of our seaside beach hut!

Holiday!

Our planned holiday to Porta Du Ouro fell through at the last minute and so we decided to go to Jeffs Palm Resort instead. We have been there before, it is quite a long way up the Mozambique coast, so the water should be warm and we are hoping for plenty of sunshine. This was the view from our bungalow on the previous stay. Looking forward to it!

2010 World Cup

Ready for the 2010 World Cup! We have our scarves....

We have our tickets! Seriously though, I'm not that interested in soccer, but do want to experience the 'once in a lifetime' World Cup and definately want to see the Green Point Stadium.