Am having problems these days finding time for anything creative, so I've decided to make myself do 30 minutes a day - that shouldn't be too hard! Anything where I'm looking at colour, texture, shape etc, which means most things are happening in my sketchbook but it's good background for something - eventually!

I have been following Maggie Grey's online lessons at http://www.d4daisy.com/maggiete.htm as I bought her latest book at the Knitting and Stitching Show. Here you can see my part-finished 'book'. I loved making the squirly design using a foam stencil and water soluble paper which was layered and dampened and then left overnight on top of the boiler before I could peel it off and stick it on the pelmet vilene. The lovely purply mauve colour came from gesso being put on the vilene quite thickly with salt sprinkled over and then painted with watered down Quink ink. Fantastic - I'd never have thought of it. Maggie comes up with some great tips.

Here's a close up (bit fuzzy, sorry).