Thrifty Finds and Rainbows

There's a little coffee shop and thrift store just around the corner from my house. Although it's small, I've picked up quite a few useful bits and bobs simply because it's proximity makes it easy to swing by regularly.

Last week I struck lucky with a box of sewing supplies and for just two dollars I came away with a pile of zippers in many colors, a vintage metal and cork embroidery hoop and some old wooden bobbins. I have no idea what I might do with the latter but I find them so appealing, I'm sure they'll come in useful at some point.

I've been carefully rationing my stack of felt for a few months but with my small stock dwindling and in need of a specific color for a project on a deadline it was time to splurge on another order.

I treated myself to a mini rainbow from Benzie Bazaar. Their color selection is wonderful and the quality of the felt is excellent.  I wish I could remember to whom the credit is due but I'm grateful to the blogging world for opening my eyes to the alternatives to the craft felt in the chain stores.

Mother's Day Gardening Tote

I have a terrible head for dates so I often find British Mother's Day creeping up on me completely unawares. This year, for a change, I actually managed to get the date in my calendar far enough in advance to come up with a handmade present for my mam.

My mam has some pretty impressive gardening skills and grows all her own organic vegetables so I knew, with spring in the air, I wanted to create something with a gardening theme. Inspiration was sadly lacking until I spotted this fantastic new paper pieced pattern for a watering can by Amy at Made During Quiet Time. I started it that same afternoon and decided that I'd incorporate it into a practical tote bag.

I used the watering can block as an oversized pocket on the front and the bag itself is a slightly tweaked  version of my favorite tote tutorial. I picked up the fantastic veggie print fabric from Sew Fresh Fabrics a couple of months ago without a particular use in mind, but knowing that it would eventually shape itself into something for my mam.

Happy (British) Mother's Day mam!