Sewing Conundrums

I have two, no, three sewing issues at the moment. These buttons are not one of them.

I made them for Jasmine's dress to cover up where the poppers are. I used a little button covering kit I came across in a 100 Yen shop. Love those places.

My first conundrum is what to do with this.

It's a 12" block which I made for a 20" cushion cover - so I always knew it would need a border. So I made one but it's not long enough.

So do I make it longer, or do I make some little corner inserty patchwork thing? I'm starting to regret making it to be honest. The linen means it is always going to look crumpled. Bleh. Anyway, onward. Second conundrum is what to make with this:

Two different fabrics which have just arrived for the bloghop "She Who Sews". The print is much bigger than I'm used to so small patchwork designs aren't going to work. Something simple maybe? I dunno. It's just not talking to me. My third conundrum is what to make for the Sewing Room Swap. My partner has such wildly different tastes to me that I don't seem to have any fabric that suits her style. Do I simply use what I have or do I buy something especially? Tough, tough.

Simpler is something like this.

These are the first Basil seedlings from a grow-your-own kit I got Pooch for Christmas. So exciting! Almost as lovely to look at as the birthday tea container I gave Pooch yesterday.

It caught my eye amongst many others because it seems to be made from Silver Birch wood. I don't think I've ever seen anything made from that wood before and I used to love the trees when I was little. On my recent "exploring the neighbourhood" patrol (post to come tomorrow) I found a wonderful shop full of traditional tea and decorative things. I'll definitely be taking anyone who comes to visit there. As well as other things there were wrapping cloths in cat designs.

I was powerless to resist - and this is probably why my discontent with the cushion cover has come to a head - and think they would look beautiful incorporated into different things. This one says (approximately, according to Pooch, reading from top to bottom and right to left) "Everyday, happiness increases." Certainly, every day I visit a cat cafe, my happiness does increase!