Posts from May 2019

Better than terry cloth

May 30, 2019

Doesn’t everybody own a barely there dressing gown and an aquamarine the size of the Ritz? Well, we should. It’s kind of a dream dressing gown. So pretty, that it begs to be worn out. As in to dinner, or the convenience store. Just imagine stepping out to buy some milk or a packet of Digestives in this traffic stopping ensemble.

pay it forward

May 30, 2019

In the pool today, a woman I see often but have never spoken to, paddled over to tell me that I have “a very pretty face.” As she said the words, I felt two urges; one to compliment her gold, metallic cap and jazzy goggles, and the other to say something funny, (it’s the swim cap, it gives me a facelift.) But I resisted doing either. Instead I flashed her my prettiest smile, grabbed hold of my flutter-board and swam on. I’m a big fan of compliments, singing praises, giving credit where credit is due. But I’m not great at receiving compliments. What always impresses me are people who simply say, “thankyou,” and carry on with their day, hopefully feeling a little lifted. And today, that’s just what I did. 

paper chase

May 28, 2019

I love to swim, and I love whimsical wallpaper almost as much. So imagine my joy when I happened upon a collection of cozzies with the look and feel of old English wallpaper. This one I see all over the walls of a quaint country cottage, and this one would look charming in its guest loo.

summer love

May 27, 2019

Every year, there comes a day that denotes the start of summer. For me, it’s not just that it’s warm or that I’m barefooted and that the lilacs are in bloom. It’s more than that. It’s a feeling. A feeling of fullness. Gratitude. Delight. One year, it fell on the Victoria Day long weekend, at a barbecue hosted by our friends Tamara and Kieran. I remember all of us gathered on their street well after dark, full of good food and laughter, watching the children as they whizzed up and down the pavement on bikes. We’d survived another winter, and this was our reward. Last year, it came late in May, in my mother-in-law’s garden as we celebrated the birthday of our niece. The children all fell into the grass, paper party hands on their heads, and as I snapped the photo of their goofy, sugary faces, I knew this was the day. Another year, my friend Hannah and I seized the sun and headed to the beach with four of our six children in tow. There was nothing remarkable about the day –– the children were more interested in the playground than the beach, and our east side meal couldn’t have been lousier –– but there was a feeling in the air that we all grabbed hold of. And that’s how yesterday felt, as my family walked home from dinner through Ramsden Park in the setting sunlight, all of us aware of, and grateful for the loveliness of the evening. “This is such a fun night,” my son said after a roly poly down a hill. You can’t plan for these days, or create them. They just happen. And it’s magic.

in the round

May 25, 2019

I just don’t know what could be more wonderful than a round room. Maybe fabulous textiles and walls the colour of sea foam green. I might consider painting the ceiling with a fresco of cherubs and clouds, (because, why not?) but really, this room is all kinds of lovely in my book.

tile story

May 25, 2019

Taking a shower is a highlight in my day. I stand there for well over twenty minutes thinking about very silly and significant matters, while piping hot water runs over me. Sometimes, a child of mine will interrupt my thoughts with questions or quibbles, but mostly,  it’s my time to be alone. Which is why the dream of a beautiful shower draws me in. If it’s where I go to cleanse and dream and put the world to rights, surely it should be artfully tiled.

i heart you

May 23, 2019

Have a look at Colombian jeweller, Daniela Salcedo‘s sweet collection of rings, earrings and hairpins. The amour ring would look cute on a pinky, and I love this I heart, I see pair of earrings. Hearts are a recurring motif, as are evil eyes. I haven’t worn hair clips since 1999, but this lot has me inspired.

portrait of a lady

May 22, 2019

I came across these charming portrait brooches today, and I want one! I love the colours and the detail in the embroidery. I picture three or four of them, lined up in a perspex box. I wonder if the artist, Cathy Cullis takes commissions. What a sweet gift these brooches would make.

espadrillos

May 21, 2019

My Mum bought me a pair of espadrilles last spring –– a Moroccan spin on the classic –– that I’ve worn over a thousand times. They’re still in pretty good nick, despite the miles they’ve walked. But I happened on this pair today, a perfect replacement for when the braids unravel. I love the sugary, Fauvist colours, and the delicate lines of each flower. From Marrakech to the south of France.

let’s polka

May 18, 2019

Polka dots, fanny packs and retro sneaks –– what’s not to love about this look? It could go anywhere. Well, almost anywhere. Swap the fanny pack for an Hermes belt, and the sneaks for stilettos, and you’re off the the ball.

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