grow your own

A trug of home-grown beans, greens and courgettes.  A gift from my sister, lovingly grown, simply cooked and tasted delicious!

hello

Many thanks to all who visited my stand at the trade show Top Drawer Autumn. 

It was a pleasure to see you again, hear your news and meet new customers too.

I'm pleased you appreciated my new designs and I look forward to making your cards!

glaucous blue

Wooden crates displaying air plants at RHS Hampton Court Flower Show last year.

Glaucous blue in colour, they're unusual in texture and form. Here they perch on a raku-fired lidded container handmade by ceramicist Kate Schuricht.

...and also displayed as "an underwater landscape" in a glass jar.    Flowers bring them to life, the pink anemones are from my mother's garden. 

top drawer autumn/winter

My next trade event is Top Drawer Autumn/Winter, Olympia, London.  I've been working into the twilight hours preparing to show new designs for Christmas, Love and Everyday.

I send as many handwritten invitations as possible, this year "T'is the Season for Giving" and I'm sending rather early Christmas cards...

stockholm

A dear friend sent me this parcel of joy recently.  A packaging souvenir from Stockholm in colours that brightened up my day...

and egg-white soap for a rosy glow!





feast

We had a family get together recently, my sister made this plate of kedgeree with home-grown beans and pullet eggs...

and the most delicious home-made plum and almond cake to follow!

jardin

Kaori and Gerlinde gave me this beautiful hand-tied posy today.

All the more memorable as the anemones, sedum and bronze coloured dahlias were lovingly grown and cut from their own gardens.

spot the dog

I've been making quite a few handmade cards... and poor little Sailor has been marooned in a sea of cardboard boxes!

bellocq

These painterly photographs from Bellocq Tea Atelier are so evocative and beautiful.

I'm looking forward to experiencing a cup of their hand-crafted blended tea.

yellow

Islands of vibrant Californian poppies in a local front garden.  I walk past this joyful splash of yellow most days and love the daring colour combination...

souvenir

My sister gave me this delicious souvenir from Lisbon today, a box of Pasteis de Belem.  Soft vanilla-scented custard held by ribbons of crisp pastry with a sachet of powdered sugar. 

I've missed this daily treat since I moved my studio from South London where there is a large Portugese community.  Since then I've been searching for the perfect recipe.  My homemade vanilla custard is passable (brightened with a little lemon zest) but the pastry has to be authentic, whether homemade/good quality puff or even filo it's no match for the real thing!

She also gave me this beautifully wrapped parcel of tinned sardines!

kempton

I bought an old ladder and beautifully textured coral at Kempton Park today.

The sunny weather brought out the crowds and it was lovely to spend the day with creative friends. 

Gerlinde, a generous and talented jeweller and Kaori, an inspiring ceramicist with an eye for detail. 

I also bought this glass pickle jar which is as big as Sailor!

manon

The curtain went down tonight on a dramatic performance of the ballet Manon, at The Royal Opera House.

The choreography was breathtaking and defied belief.  Tamara Rojo seemed to dance effortlessly partnered by Carlos Acosta.  The stage and costume design set the uneasy atmosphere of the story.  Dark, tarnished or tattered in an earthy to scarlet colour palette.  The principal dancers wore flourishes of intense colour and embellishment.

festival

Bunting at The Southbank Centre which is celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Festival of Britain.

I took an evening stroll along The Thames to see Miro at Tate Modern.