Japanese maple leaves

 Every now and then I dip into the drawing challenges set by @ellolovey on Instagram. I really enjoyed creating this challenge a while ago which was 'maple'. I decided to use Japanese maple leaves as my inspiration and created a selection of stylised leaves in a rich colour palette. It looks great as a repeat pattern and is now available to buy by-the-metre in my Spoonflower shop.

Each leaf contains at least two tones of the same colour and includes simple pattern detail.

This print looks great on a scatter cushion, available in various sizes in my Spoonflower shop.

It also looks great on a throw which can be bought on minky fabric or on performance velvet, which really brings out the colour of the leaves.

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Fabric Friday

For this Friday's fabric choice, I decided to carry on the maple leaf theme and selected a beautiful kimono piece that I have in my collection. It is made from a very fine silk and has a simple design of green maple leaves and branches on a cream ground. I love the freshness of the colour and the simplicity of the design, mixed with a pretty, soft watercolour effect in the background.

Japanese maple trees are considered a symbol of grace and are associated with peace, serenity and calm. I need some of that! 

A while ago I used some of this kimono fabric to make a clutch bag and teamed it with a matching green Japanese obi fabric. It has a deep teal cotton lining to compliment the outside. My favourite part of making my bags is choosing which combinations of fabrics to use. The lining fabric is just as important as the outer fabric and I love to add a flash of colour to the inside. The teal colour was a perfect match.

You can find the clutch bag in my store here.