Patchwork & Peaches

I started piecing this bag a few weeks ago. At the time, I was just piecing together scraps that looked amazing together not really knowing what the end product would be. I noticed that it went perfectly with one of my cute Japanese tea fabrics. I decided it would become another bag so quickly moved onto piecing another panel and quilting both sides.

In my creative frenzy, I cut the bias strips aligned everything and sewed one side together- only realizing after that I had not only forgotten to add the lining fabric but I hadn't even chosen fabric for the lining yet... enter the SEAM RIPPER!

As I was taking photos of the OOPS bag, I thought I would also post a photo of my little window photo studio set-up. A lot of people have been asking me what kind of amazing camera I use. The truth is that my camera is a pathetic Casio Exilim which I love. It is only 3.2 MP and has problems taking photos of anything red or purple.

I take my photos on my kitchen table which is right up against the brightest window in the house. I set up white boards to reflect the light onto the shadowed sides of my objects which I have only started doing in the last few months after reading a lot of do-it-yourself photo studio sites. It also helps if you have been using the same camera for six years ;o) I looked back through my Flickr photos and realized that lots of my early photos were very dark but it really helps to find the perfect spot in your home and if that fails then you have to be an expert at Photoshop!

I always wonder if my photos look as good on other people's screens as they do on my own. I worry if my screen set up is totally different from everyone else's and maybe things that look orange and bright on mine might appear dark and brown, or flourescent on the "other side".

And what is a crafty blog in the Spring without some mention of gardens! I planted a rosebush against the front of my house last year. Well, This year it is 12 feet tall and has over 40 buds on it. A few weeks ago it was off to a really rough start with a bout of powdery mildew. I decided rather than applying litres of chemicals around my front windows that I would remove the most affected leaves and hope for the best. I figured that if it was going to die then it just wasn't the right spot for it. All signs of the mildew have vanished! I am so happy that it survived because it is much more amazing than I had remembered. It is a glorious peach colour and smells so much like peaches that I want to eat it!

Enjoy your afternoon tea & quilted crafts :o)