Some you'll know. Maybe some you won't. Hopefully all are delightful. Have a look at all of them here.
Rose Bakery - no website - glum
Hhhm, ceramics, eating, sleeping and making......
Thursday
Nothing at all to do with anything
but this was Lily approx six minutes ago....
sorry - very self indulgent.
Thoughts - In your neighbourhood...
There is a reason for the image above. Hands up who's moved to a different country, state, city, neighborhood or street? What is the scariest/most exciting part of it? Apart from the reason you moved there in the first place, it's probably that you won't know anyone. You won't know your neighbour, your corner shop, your butcher, well - your anything. When I was a child in the 70's, you knew everyone. All the children in the street played together. Our parents did talk over the fence. Rhubarb was swapped for runner beans. People had parties and the neighbours brought a 'plate'.
Now, it's become a little more difficult. However, becoming part of your neighbourhood can and will make the most enormous difference to your life. The simple pleasure of a two minute chat when you buy your milk, or send a parcel makes the day, well just a little better. I was determined to not just exist in London, but to make my corner - well - my corner. I'm thrilled that the below is now part of my daily routine.
A super cafe, where they make great coffee. Jason - one of the owners and I chat relentlessly about his desire to get another Australian Terrier - he's obsessed with mine. The chef and I chat about why we both enjoy living in London - I'm bringing him some burger rings back from NZ. They showed me the plans for their next cafe round the corner.
My local corner shop
She held Inside Out for me because it was the last one! I didn't even ask her to.
Bungle and his Dad
Bungle is a very very old mastiff. He's lumpy and is lost a lot of his fur, but he's still happy. His dad loves him dearly and when a woman commented yesterday how disgusting Bungle looked (true!) I couldn't help but let her have a verbal lashing. Bungles dad patted me on the arm, smiled and took Bungle home.
Our local. It comes with locals - John, the most erudite painter & decorator I've met. Jo, the manager. A delightful young man who knows how to run a pub. Maria, the lovely Brazilian barmaid and Mark - a super young guy who's trying to write a book. Ed's been out with him a few times to give him a bit of coaching. And then Di and Ivan - who have become our dear friends. Oh - and the food is fantastic. All this from going in for a drink one summers evening.
The lovely checkout lady who always asks how the family is and then whips out the latest pictures of her grandchild. She try's to get me on her checkout when she's working. Speed, but no haste.
There is many many more but this morning something happened that made me think really hard about how important it is to create a community for yourself. You don't have to join a group, take up yoga etc. You just have to engage with people.
Every morning as we walk down Northcote Road, Lily gets biscuits from Bob the florist, and his lovely ladies. They love her and she of course loves the treats. We always have a chat. But today, they gave me a bunch of Lily of the Valley. Just because, well, just because.
So wherever you live, talk to someone new today. Respect and engage with those that sell you things, talk to people with dogs, help someone with their pushchair. Simple things that reap a massive reward.
I've just dropped a card outside a new neighbours door. We met on the common last week and she's just moved here from Sydney. She doesn't know anyone. She seemed lovely, so this could be the start of something great.
Wednesday
Thought for the week
One of my hero's. His work, whether a building, a tapestry or a book, can and usually does reduce me to tears or makes my heart sing.
He was a wise, modern, and insightful gentleman.
These are our favourite things ( for this week! )
Well, I'm changing things a little bit on the blog. I don't enjoy blogs where people are just talking about themselves - but lo - what did I myself do...... so I've pulled myself together, got back on the horse and hopefully the below will be much more interesting. Here we go.....
Our favorite Artisan - Nicholas Jones
Sculptor, or dealer? As a lover of books, Nicholas chose books as his medium near the end of his sculpture degree. His passion for them is palpable. Folding, cutting and sculpting humble hardbacks into works of extraordinary beauty. Taking the history of each book and the idea that it has been discarded, found and then reborn into the above. Look on his website - and as the youngest in our family says - 'Prepare to be amazed'.
Our favourite exhibition - Céleste Boursier-Mougenot
Trained as a musician and composer, French artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot creates works by drawing on the rhythms of daily life to produce sound in unexpected ways. His installation at the Barbican takes the form of a walk-though aviary for a flock of zebra finches, furnished with electric guitars and other instruments and objects. As the birds go about their routine activities, perching on or feeding from the various pieces of equipment, they create a captivating, live soundscape.
I can't say 'Prepare to be amazed' again, can I?
Our Favourite Colour - Pantone 15-1157 TC
Inspired by this fantastic Mark Borthwick image, we bring you.....
An orange that will perk up your day (and the upcoming rainy weekend) without fail. It's not retro orange, it's filtered orange, late afternoon sunlight orange - good orange I like to call it. Game of frisbee anyone? I feel like putting on The Fresh Prince track 'Summertime".......
Pantone 15-1157 TC or CMYK 0/55/95/0
Our Favourite Place - Sir John Soane's Museum
Hands up who hasn't been - well that's ok. Hands up who hasn't heard of it????
The Museum was designed by one of Britain's greatest architects, Sir John Soane (1753-1837) and was his home as well as his private Museum. Soane designed this house to live in, but also as a setting for his antiquities and his works of art, every aspect of which reflects its creator's architectural ingenuity, imagination and love of beauty. Soanes collections - architectural fragments, Roman and Greek marbles, casts, paintings, sculpture and furniture - are still arranged today as they were at the time of his death in 1837.
After the death of his wife he lived here alone, constantly adding to and rearranging his collections. Having been deeply disappointed by his two sons, he determined to establish the house as a museum to which 'amateurs and students' should have access.
To leave something behind such as this would be immense. It's a question I ask myself - what is it that I will leave behind that will add to rather than take away from my part of the world.
Open Tuesday to Saturday only - 10am-5pm. It will rival your affections for the V & A.
Hopefully four things that have added to your day at least.
Tuesday
Summer Classes
Come and have some fun with one of my classes below. If you're lucky, I might bake!
QUILTING MASTER CLASS: CASSANDRA ELLIS – Recommended by Time Out
Join bespoke quilt maker Cassandra Ellis as she teaches you the essentials of improvisational design and free-form quilting. Book Now!
What people say: ‘The unthinkable has happened: quilts are cool. To celebrate the V&A's exhibition of British quilts, The Papered Parlour is putting on a series of master classes with hip quilt maker Cassandra Ellis’. Time Out, 1 April 2010
Monday
New cushions
We have some particularly delightful cushions in our store at the moment. Antique fabrics, hand-dyed velvets and hand-loomed cotton.... lovely.....
I may rest my head on one this evening whilst contemplating the three foot stack of un-read magazines........
Thursday
A little bit of press
One day you turn 40, and then the next day ( literally ), you get called hip..... Youth really is wasted on the young.......
A little bit of press this month from Time Out, Red and Selvedge. Super.....
