sophia langmead

love this idea from sophia langmead - memories in a box – could be meaningful or just pretty to look at;  nature in boxes is fun.

also love this simple idea of using these japanese sake boxes as salt and pepper chambers.

dog stroller

tash is a gentle oldish lady who needs a bit of help – we took her to the beach in her perfect dog stoller!  it means that we can get her to the beach and then she can pleasurably enjoy her stroll without feeling exhausted!

bounce back

i have a very dear friend Fran who has started an amazing project to help get ex offenders back to work;   somebody can be classed as an offender, by simply having a driving conviction, but this leaves them with a criminal record and thus difficulty in getting employment.  fran visits prisons and personally chooses those that she thinks that she can help and retrain with her particular scheme.  think about the high percentage of offenders who actually do wish to change their ways and get back into work, its difficult enough finding employment in todays’ climate without a record – bounce back offers support, training and gives back sef confidence – this  results in less returns to crime.

bounce back has produced a wide range of painters and decorators, some highly skilled, some that they have trained on their courses .  its a wonderful and passionate and selfless scheme that has indeed had wonderful results.

her motto  – “All labour that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence” Martin Luther King

for another dear friend

my heart weeps

his beauty is like a ray of sunshine that lit up the space around him

another day, another passing…… i tell myself life is a cycle, but its hard to realise…..

gentle art of stitching

just finished photographing jane brockets‘ next book, all about stitching – beautiful ideas from traditional japanese sashiko to simple cross stitch ideas.  whenever i work with jane, i go straight out to a haberdashery, buy lots of embroidery threads – in the hope of starting something new.  well at least it gets packed into my holiday bag of things to do when it rains…….

we shot in the wonderful atmospheric princelet street, apparently the location used in the new film-  great expectations.   going into those old georgian houses is very nostalgic and makes you wonder how life was in the 18C.   you can read all about life in spitalfields too .

vintage covered boxes

this wonderful collection of vintage chocolate boxes and stationary boxes makes a sculptural addition to a dull corner!  or if you are feeling creative, you could cover a few plain stationary boxes from somewhere like muji with vintage fabrics. you can find a collection of vintage fabrics from vintage fabric market   or when your favourite dress or top has finally given way, cut up and reuse to cover a box that keep your favourite mementos.   i have a bad habit of using old chocolate boxes to store cards, drawings and photos.

roddy and ginger

if you are looking for something fun and colorful, but still tasteful, to brighten up a chair in the corner of a room, or why not wallpaper one wall with their woodlog print paper, then the lovely prints from roddy & ginger could be the answer.  lovely muted colours, slightly 50′s vintage and woodcut in style – you cant but help love the cute owl!

dungeoness

if you  like going out for the day and seeing new places out of london, then a day trip down to Dungeoness is a fun day for all the family.  even in the winter, the perfect light, the fresh sea air and especially the beauty of Derek Jarmans’ natural garden make it a worth while visit.   as well as the fishermans’ cottages, lighthouse and odd architectural house, there is a steam train that the kids just love; and  you can get fish and chips lunch at the local Pilot Inn.  there is of course, the famous nuclear power station too.

happy new year to you all

well a new year dawns on us, its funny how and why we choose this particular date to resolve to do new intentions – i guess its natural to want to start afresh with anything new.  i just went to triyoga who are offering free yoga classes all day today, only to find that the one i was aiming to do today was already full – at least i got the half hour walk in!  so i am not the only mad one who got up deciding to stretch my body – all that sitting, eating and watching tv actually makes you feel like a slob.  i have actually joined a gym, starting tomorrow – in hope that by committing to something, it would make me go.  the kind of person i am, i hate waste, so if i go at least once a week, it will make the membership worth it.   we all need a push, and reaching a certain age, i have decided that a bit of cardio is what is needed in my life.  i love the yoga and pilates, but its the physical circulation that benefits the body and mind.  i actually tried a zumba class and enjoyed it so much, this has what spurned me to join – its fun, light and takes you back to your dancing days as a youth – try it, all the gyms now offer zumba classes- dont even think about what you look like, just lose your inhibitions and go for it – after 10 mins, i looked at the clock and wondered whether i had the energy to finish the full 45min.

so for 2012 i have lots of new intentions which i know by mid january will soon fade away, but at least you have thought about it.  once your children reach teens, you realise how fast life speeds away and that what is really important is your health, family and happiness.  so here are a few things that i will be bearing in mind….

generosity of thought

kindness of heart

patience of mind

selflessness in spirit

and specifically with my own family, calm not anger, praise not criticise, speak not shout

wishing you all a joyous and healthy 2012!

sewing and just about make anything courses

i bought a second hand sewing machine last year from our local shop chapmans  that specialises in hoover repair and sewing machines – its a 70′s bernina and they gave me 10 years guarantee on it too, just to reassure me that this machine will go on and on and is trustworthy.  at first it was something to help me quickly take up the kids hems, maude likes things so short these days, the boys need their trousers reinforcing in places and my poor bedding gets so worn out in places that i decided to repair and restore, rather than throw away.  i must admit, i was partly inspired by Jane Brocket and her recycling and sewing bug- she in fact buys everything that people have discarded and turns them into wonderful works of art.   i did discover a cute little vintage shop in didsbury, manchester though, that recycles vintage clothes and makes new clothes out of old fabrics – junkshop ,  in fact the little tartan dress that maude was wearing on xmas day was from that shop, at a fraction of top shop’s prices!  i notice that they also do sewing classes, which i will one day sign up for!  ray stitch is another recommended place for haberdashery, ribbons, fabrics  and sewing classes – looks lovely and there are a wide range of classes available from absolute beginners up – its a great gift idea to give to that person who has never sewn in their life!!   the make lounge also looks like a very interesting place – you can do a 3 hour workshop in embroidery, knit some gloves,  make your own candles in a tea cup, sew a tote bag – basically, anything you might want to ever buy, you can learn how to make yourself!!

so with your ever growing list of things to do in the new year, you can add sewing classes – it may never happen, but at least the intention was there!