Category: 2016
Christmas Fair x
It sort of reached peak Christmas in the Bentley household at the end of last week – a festive mishmash of hosting meals for many, nights out and the culmination of 4 weeks of creative playdates with Bella and 4 friends to help produce stock to sell at the School Christmas Fair. The idea was simple – to show them the cost and effort it takes to turn raw ingerdients into real money.
But it played into my love as well – to me, sitting around a table making is what Christmas is all about.
We had an amazing amount and variety of stock. Spot the pompom Christmas puds? An excellent seller!
And we virtualy sold out – before costs, the girls made £395 on the day! Not to be sniffed at.
Damn. They might want to do it again…
Laters, Kate x
Minted x
It’s what you need when the temperature drops below freezing and the dark nights draw in…
Because Shrimps is the hot chocolate, woolly socks, slightly eccentric hygge of the winter fashion world.
(All pics Shrimp)
Distinctive and dotty with a taste for fun, it’s a bright, cuddly light.
Laters, Kate x
Deck the Halls..
Each Christmas there’s a delicious delight in unearthing the carefully collated christmas decs from across the years – the nursery school wonders, the vintage glitter, the Mexican gold…
There’s also a perverse joy in choosing the one decoration to buy to represent the current year and add to the ecletic mix.
(All pics Royal Doulton)
This year I’m going posh – Royal Doulton no less – and it’s this one just because she looks like my Bella.
Let it snow!
Laters, Kate x
The Blues x
Smoking x
Remember Granby? They haven’t stopped evolving since winning the Turner Prize last year. Even better, much of what they do totally feeds into the Future Candy trend – that perfect sweet spot of imperfection.
These are their unique ceramic tiles created by smoking in a BBQ for 12 hours with sawdust, newspaper and banana skins.
The effect is tantalising, like you’ve taken something light and let it go daaaaaark.
Thank goodness for moral depravity.
Laters, Kate x
Jewels x
Baby loves!
They are the pajamas you’ve always wanted to wear. Cotton, cut to a manly shape with prints so good they can’t be legal. In fact Desmond and Dempsey pjs have it all – and other than Mr Right naturalment, would make the perfect bed partner for Christmas morning.
Interestingly the men don’t have the same wild, intoxicating options: These are as funky as it gets. So you may want to do as Charlie and buy from the girls section – would make a change…
Laters, Kate x
Grounded x
Headboard (still undecided), side tables (sort of there) and now thoughts for a rug: Since the advent of wall to wall carpets the rug has shrunk in popularity yet it’s design prowess can’t be denied. It adds warmth, colour, texture and interest like the tail feathers of a particularly beautiful bird of paradise. A rug, like the one above, can pull together two different pieces of furniture by linking them together on a shared bit of floor.
(All pictures Pinterest)
Judging by these pictures, pink tones is the subconscious way to go…
Laters, Kate x
The Big Idea x
The passing of time is nothing more than the feeling we get as our brains shift and shunt sensory information into the holding chamber of memories. It’s a bit like trends – they push their way to the forefront..and disappear again. Although some like the modern kitchen with all it’s multiple matching cupboards has literally become like the expected signposts on a motorway – totally predictable. Except I think it’s changing.
It’s partly to do with the resurgence of the larder, and partly with the joy of glass: Because things behind glass are not messy my friend, but artistic.
Whatever it is, the big cupboard is making noise.
Size does matter.
Laters, Kate x
Clip Art x
Sometimes it’s the little things in life that make the biggest impact: Take the Tiny Homes movement sweeping across America quietly proving that small can mean freedom. They’re also icons of great design where every square inch counts.
This is a Tiny Home from Portland that just sings with love and clever details.
Just because it’s compact, doesn’t mean it has to be modern.
It puts a smile on your face.
Laters, Kate x














































































