Peaches and Pink Pillows

Another few weeks have passed me by since I last posted. Firstly I finished my Interior decorating course, which I thoroughly enjoyed and whizzed through it faster than I anticipated.  I will only actually receive my Diploma once the monthly payments are completed, which is a few months away still. Not that I am rushing out to find a new career, it's just something I have wanted to do for a very long time and has given me plenty of knowledge in the field, to use in my own home and hopefully one day to earn some money too decorating for other people.

Now that Autumn is in the air and the fruit is being harvested I did some baking over the weekend. Having been given a large quantity of fresh peaches from my neighbours' tree I googled up this recipe for a healthy peach upside down cake, found on Sumi's blog: http://sumiskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/07/healthy-peach-upside-down-cake.html

Substituting granulated cane sugar for fruit sugar I was even able to have a piece myself, warm from the oven and it was delicious!

With my course completed I decided to give my Etsy shop another go. I do believe I have said that before, but this time I am determined to make a go of it. Having taken a year off while working at Wheaton's and then another long break as I concentrated on my studying and enjoying the summer months with my family it is about time to get back to the sewing machine. I have been making curtains for a friend recently so everything was set up and ready.

I had to come up with something that was flat enough to be posted from Canada as a 'light package' this means it has to be no deeper when packaged than 2cm. Not always easy to achieve, my poor birds and elephants have been squished into zip n'seal bags many times to achieve this dimension! The new trial run I decided on was 'Bunting' or otherwise known as a garland. A series of fabric flags to be strung up either indoors or out for Birthday parties, garden parties, weddings etc. Or to decorate a pretty bedroom. It was most likely a fluke, but I listed my first one pictured below and it sold the next day!

Now I am off to buy some more tape to finish another one in more of a Cath Kidston colour scheme this time, as opposed to the Rachel Ashwell style of the one sold.  My latest CK catalogue just arrived in the mail from the UK, so that will give me even more inspiration.

In my last post I briefly mentioned Amber's new camera. The one she has been saving up for over the past two years. The Canon Rebel T1i is her pride and joy and she loves it. She has been taking photos since the age of 12 and has a following on Deviant Art (link on the right). Of course with her sister Jemma living in the city, she is a little stuck for subjects to take pictures of, with people being her preferred medium to photograph. So apart from photos of herself and the odd family picnic snaps she has been a little starved of inspiration and subjects.

One project she had been wanting to try for a while was to use a painting I have in my bedroom as inspiration. The painting entitled 'The Pink Pillow' by the incredibly talented artist Francine Van Hove, I bought the print many years ago in England.

Amber asked if I would be her model for the first time, while she attempted to re-create the painting in a photo. I agreed to but only if I could do a less revealing pose than the original! 

It was a bit of fun I have to admit!