I don't buy many 'novelty' fabrics - they're not really my thing, but occasionally I can't resist the general overall design so I buy them and worry about what to make with them later. I don't like to cut them up small because you lose the effect of the large pattern. So, I take them out, look at them fondly and put them back again. Until now. I came across this great tutorial from Bloom and Blossom via Sew Mama Sew and it's just what I've been looking for. So far I've made 5 notebook covers and I'm going to be making more - they are so quick and inexpensive to make and excellent for keeping by when you need an emergency gift or indeed just a gift for the sake of it. My Dad has earmarked the Landscape one for himself, DD has bagged the Bon Voyage one and my Mum likes the teacups. 
I made the notebook on the right in the picture above the same as the instructions - I didn't have any linen so I used a sort of linen-look instead. Now I could have said 'faux linen' if I'd wanted to. The word 'faux' always makes me laugh. When I was young we called man-made fur 'fake fur', then all of a sudden a few years ago it seemed to become 'faux fur'. Why? Does using the word 'faux' make it more up-market - it only means fake in French? What word do the French use? When my brother told me he had bought a 'faux fur throw' I nearly fell about laughing.
Some of you commented on the picture DH took of the buses in London. When I told him about the feedback (he does not read my blog), he said he had another picture. He goes up to London several times a month for work and happened to be there on the day of the State Opening of Parliament. Because all the roads were closed off there were huge traffic jams. He always has his camera with him and snapped this picture of a traffic jam composed entirely of London Buses on Waterloo Bridge.
