Storm-damaged bathroom + eco-friendly party bags

This is the first chance I've had to blog for over a week, but at least we've managed to get quotes for our storm-damaged ceiling. Unfortunately, water also got behind the wall tiles, causing a bit of a dilemma, the details of which I won't bore you with as they'll only interest builders and tilers! To cut a long story short, we've decided to bring forward the bathroom replacement (originally planned for 2012). Can't say I'm sorry, as the current one, though only just over 5 years old and fitted just before we moved in, is ghastly - black wall tiles, cheap fittings (we've already had the loo repaired three times), poor workmanship, and badly planned (the door when only partly-opened bashes against the front of the basin). So, bathroom stores, here we come!

Miraculously, I did manage to get some sewing done last week - the fabric party or gift bags above. As I wanted them to be washable, reusable and durable, I decided on French (enclosed) seams and a double-hemmed opening (so no raw edges). I've set the satin ribbon in the back seam and triple-stitched for extra strength.

These bags are attractive gifts in their own right, I think - not only will children have reminders of wonderful parties long after they're over, but they'll be able to use them to keep their little treasures safe. I've found that adults too like these eco-friendly and green alternatives to plastic - I know of someone who filled one with lavender to scent the bedroom. Fab idea!

So if you're planning a party and eco-friendly is important to you, you can find 4-packs of these in my Folksy shop. I'll be adding more designs very shortly - unless, that is, we have any more natural disasters to cope with!