save the date

I've been making handmade invitations to top drawer spring 15th-17th September at Earls Court. 

If you're visiting the show, I'll have new designs to show you on stand B5.  I hope to meet you!

A few of my handmade cards. 

Frosted flowers and berries. 

Merry Christmas! 

portrait of a lady

Sian Keegan makes these irresistable pet portraits to commission using recycled and vintage fabrics. 

Above is Skip a wire-haired Fox Terrier

Cigar a Jack Russell

Penny the Airedale

Dotty and Zucker

and Frank...  I would love a handmade portrait of little Sailor!

silver and gold

Goldsmiths Fair sparkled last night with work by talented designer-makers.  Held at historic Goldsmiths Hall, the fair is an opportunity to purchase jewellery, sculptural silver and commission new work. 

The Chrysanthemum Brooch above is by Kayo Saito

I was intrigued by this silver inkwell with pools of text by Jonathan Mathew Boyd 

and enjoyed the story-telling in one-off pieces by Barbara Christie

Gerlinde Huth displayed her textural and sculptural jewellery

and the sculptures by Carol Mather were so intricate and expressive.  I'm fond of this tired little salt-carrier! 

The show is on until October 9th with new exhibitors in week two.

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.