Leanne Shawler, Artist

So this is the sampler I made for my Mum for Christmas. Thankfully, I had an extra few weeks before seeing her. So it started out as a review of my year (one thing of each month), and then I found this cute owl on etsy by Michelle Palmer , and bought this cute stitching template of a turtle by Charlotte Lyons (funds raised to help Gulf wildlife), and a cute mini fabric collage by Pam Garrison . I got things back on the rails, though, and then filled the gaps with flowers and stars.... My "suzi blu" La Sirena mermaid. (I took this before I was finished, so her mouth isn't there.) A lace scrap to symbolize my mori girl interest: From my November vacation: Charlotte's turtle: V is for the Young Victoria project from the start of last year.

I walk to the grocery store/supermarket to do the week's shopping and eventually my in-laws took pity on me and bought one of those carts. (It's only three blocks.) For a long time I wanted to make a cute liner for it, but as I keep saying, my sewing skills aren't that hot. They are apparently better than they used to be. Here's the cart before, with the reusable grocery bags. And here is after. This liner is 100% handsewn. The fabric is a portion of an old bedsheet that I'd discovered still in the chest of drawers (which you can glimpse behind the cart) after we'd brought the bedroom set home. I added a "lid" which I thought might do a better job than the dark grocery bags in reflecting heat. Of course I had to add a flower to it -- daisies, naturally. The center one is glittered. The brad holds the flower together and then the bottom two layers are sewn onto the edge of the liner lid. (which is the top hem of the bedsheet.) I found a bright yell...