It’s funny what makes me happy these days, you wouldn’t believe… Last Sunday was my birthday and I opened a small package from my husband containing an embroidery foot for my sewing machine, then proceeded to cry with joy. Mad I know, but that’s how much I love what I’m doing right now and want to learn more. I was so excited I ordered a book by Poppy Treffry straight away and thanks to good old Amazon it arrived today, yippee! I’m hoping to develop my personalised house portraits by designing a machine embroidered sky for the background. Hopefully I’ll be able to get one done before my stall at Norden Farm on Saturday 3rd December, no pressure then!

I must say too that I was inspired last weekend when we visited a craft fair at South Hill Park in Bracknell where I met a young artist called Lucy Anne Harding. She works with her Dad on his milk round and sketches him and the doors they see on their way. Then she puts her drawings onto ceramics and machine embroiders them onto fabric to make the most gorgeous pictures. I love her style and the colours she uses; there’s a lot of talented people out there… better start reading that book!