Beautiful makes in paper and fabric

I created these items a few years ago. The decoupaged box is made of papier mache with Victorian-style decorations, cut from pretty wrapping paper.

The stationery box is made of papier mache with flower motifs decoupaged on its sides, top and three drawers. I cut the floral images from a pretty paper bag.

The tote is made from turquoise upholstery material with inserts of Chinese silk and vintage gold buttons from the swinging Sixties. Gold sequins create a glittering border for the inserts.

I'm still pondering what to make to sell online and considering that I have to post my items, the best option is to stick to fabric. Papier mache creations are fragile, time consuming and make your house smell of glue, paint and varnish.

100 uses for a plastic bag

Yes, I've been meaning to write a book with this mesmerising title. It would be very topical as all major supermarkets are trying to entice customers to recycle their plastic bags! The fact is that I've been recycling plastic bags for years now, although some of my uses might not be that orthodox. You might guess some of them: to store stuff in the freezer, to keep bread or a cake in an open tin fresh, to put shoes and dirty clothes in when I'm travelling, to carry my wet stuff after a swim, to put a dirty nappy in...

But there are other uses you might have not thought of, such as: to fill with cuttings from my garden to tip in the compost heap, to dispose of snails and slugs (which are eating my vegetables and flowers), to store compost and other stuff in the shed and to use as a head wrap when I'm dying my hair or doing some DIY.

I'm sure if I think hard there are other uses, but motherhood has softened my brain, so that's it folks. I'm open to suggestions, though!