Category: Family life
End of the Week.. x
It’s been a pretty mad, bad week from the lows of a long dentist appointment (oh the joys of a periodontal clean due to impacted wisdom teeth..6 injections later..) various meetings and visits to the vet with a very stressed dog..to a fabulous Book Club night (the above is my reminder for the next one..)
And a wonderful day out at the Spirit of Summer with lovely mate Galliana. I will confess: we did initially think we’d got the wrong venue..and date..
My Wardrobe.com had a stand and I succumbed to this little number from new label Christophe Sauvat..it was the boho vibe and the pop of neon that sold it..(and the fact is was the last one left..)
Christophe Sauvat is one of those fascinating characters..He started in the 80’s designing clocks and watches..
Then moved to Brazil where he made and exported thread bracelets, selling over 8 million.
Before co-founding Antik Batik in Paris.
Now he’s in Portugal where he’s started his own label based on his love for the gypsy-style woman who still feels at home whether in London, Morocco or New York.
It has my heart.
The day/week ended with a Mum’s Night Out to ‘Supper in a Pear Tree’..a pop-up restaurant with a difference…Run by two sisters, Annabel and Charlotte Partridge the evening starts with a glass of wine and a Drawing Class around a nude model with supervision from Charlotte. We had NO idea it was going to be a rather fetching male model..there was much tittering and flexing of charcoal from behind our easels…
The evening finished with a three course supper cooked by Annabel..including foraged herbs and homemade sloe gin…
An event to remember…
Laters, Kate x
Done x
Baby it’s getting hot outside…but at least the patio is finished!
I LOVED doing the cobblestones – we incorporated stones we’d collected over the years from our holidays. I’d originally intended to polish them up – I’ve always fancied a proper stone polisher ever since I first saw them in the Science Museum as a child. But all these years later, I still haven’t got round to buying one..maybe underneath I’m concerned my house would be over run with hundreds shiny stones! It plays into my great love of Natural Art and the skill of embracing forms beyond – I remember years ago seeing a large, flat plate filled with a spiral of perfectly matching round stones in graduated shades of grey..I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen.
The magic really happens when they’re wet.
(Just a little side-note: The deadline for the Espadrille Competition is coming up – I’ve already have some amazing entries! But if you want to join the fun…time is starting to run out..)
So for the first time in many years I’ll actually be able to watch the Chelsea Flower Show (it’s just down the road) without feeling pangs of guilt. Now if only I could persuade the dog from digging up all the flowers……….
Laters, Kate x
Charlie’s Story..
Today is Charlie’s fifth birthday and running underneath his uncontained excitement and joy are my own feelings of relief and wonder. His birth represents the end of a close on ten year hard fought for battle to complete our little family.
It took us a long, long road to have our Bella (over 6 years, 7 miscarriages and after all that, she was an IVF baby) But when she arrived we were finally given the mantle ‘parents’. To have a second child would be the final icing – if there was any possibility I wanted her to have a companion, someone to spread and share the love, to be there with her when we became old, someone to love her like we did. 
When she reached 18 months nothing had happened pregnancy-wise (we had hoped her birth might kick things into gear again..I was sure I stopped falling pregnant because of the psychological kick-back of the losses) so we made plans and turned to IVF again. I still remember feeling like a fraudulent leper walking into the Infertility Clinic holding hands with my toddler. I desperately wanted to hang a sign around her neck saying ‘IVF baby – honestly, I’ve earnt her’.
The Gods were smiling – despite a small number of eggs yet again, all were good quality and the treatment worked first time. Much to our astonishment and delight I was pregnant with twins. We were ecstatic. Except it wasn’t meant to be. Despite being on the magic cocktail of drugs that gave us Bella (Heparin, aspirin and steroids) when we went for our next scan, there were no heartbeats. I’ll never forget the the nurse saying ‘This is so rare. It really shouldn’t happen to both, they’re in separate sacs.’ I had to go into hospital for a D&C. I remember they wanted me to take my wedding ring off. I refused saying they were taking enough and just to cover it with surgical tape.
I was so utterly devastated. It was one of the lowest points I can ever remember. You’d think we’d be used to it, but coming after Bella, it was such a body blow… IVF takes such time and emotional commitment – the whole process is so fraught with dangers and knock backs that it seems as if you’ve been pregnant for months rather than weeks. We really thought we’d cracked the miscarriage problem and had prayed we’d never, ever have to face the trauma of it ever again.
Holding a glass of ouzo the day of the mirror
The following month we headed to Greece to get away from everything and have a holiday. And then something truly incredible happened: I fell pregnant naturally – and literally knew straight away. But how could I? I gave myself a strong talking to in the bathroom mirror – stop grasping at straws, don’t ruin the holiday for the others, stop dreaming, your cycle’s up the creek, move on – Whenever I’d been pregnant (Sooooo many times before) I’d feel sick after one sip of alcohol..but look, I could still drink ouzo… The first weekend after we got back to the UK we travelled to see the in-laws. I was handed a glass of white wine…and I knew it was true.
(Photo by the wonderful Alexandra Joseph)
It was such a bitter sweet time…I hadn’t fallen naturally pregnant in over five years…the joy of hope..the trauma of fearing the worst again. I went back on the drugs as soon as I could..and then it was a matter of waiting. All I can say is that to reach 12 weeks the seconds ticked by like hours..
(Photo by Alexandra Joseph)
But Charlie was meant to be – though he didn’t make it easy..I had notches on my umbilical cord so I remained on daily heparin injections until my 30th week – I looked like a regular abuser. Then I got pre-eclampsia so he was finally delivered 2 weeks early by C-Section at what seemed a tiny five and a half pounds..but he was with us, he was alive – he was an absolute little miracle.
And now to see us as a family together, you’d never know..you’d just think..my….they’re lucky…
(Photo by Alexandra Joseph)
And we are.
Laters, Kate x
A Stitch in Time..
(one side – flowery with geometric)
Beautiful bed linen lifts me away from the world and gives my soul one more colour. My most favourite, treasured set came from my Grandmother and I used to sleep in it as a child when we stayed at her beautiful thatched cottage in the country. Now, even though it is faded and getting worn away, Charlie sleeps in it which is an utter joy because it represents a living link to the past.
(The other side geometric)
But part of the love is not only the nostalgic memories and how soft the sheets are, but the design is just so edible and clever: The pillows, the duvet – even the fitted sheet and the sheet – have the choice of 2 contrasting patterns, one on each side: one flowery, one geometric. What’s always amazed me is that the sheets are one printed piece of fabric yet when you look you never see the other pattern coming through, even now when they’re decades old. And the two sides compliment and work together so fantastically allowing endless combinations and configurations. I’ve never found anything like them…until recently.
A Company – The Secret Linen store – has just started offering sheets and duvets that are reversible. And there’s more..
They’ve used a single off-white warp throughout making every piece feel as though it’s from the same family, so even though each design can have a totally different look, it can all be mix and matched together to create you’re own aesthetic.
And they send out free samples so you can see what you’re getting and check colours..
Also the prices..they’re aiming for great designs and GREAT prices…from £30 for a double duvet? I likey.
But possibly most exciting of all for me (see previous post) THERE’S A SIZE LABEL WOVEN INSIDE!!
Yaaaaaaaaaaaay!! At LAST!!!
Maybe I can finally retire my beloved set before it falls to shreds…….and turn it into a quilt so it can continue giving joy and memories for generations to come.
Anyone know a good quilt maker??!
Laters, Kate x
Time x
Time is the universal equaliser the world over and remains the one thing that money can’t buy. It’s an arbitrary beast – running slow at Doctor’s appointments, running away on holidays and moments of wonder. Which means despite it being a mathematical unit it has a hidden, nebulous, time warp quality and, given half the chance, it is a thief.
I was originally a Professional Violinist but the one thing I truly hated was practising – repetitive, robotic and boring. I soon learnt that if I practised intelligently I considerably reduce the monotony – and it’s this discipline I’ve taken into my day to day life: Cut down the grisly bits to the least time possible and use the time left over to breathe.
The truth is generally we start the day with a list of things we need to accomplish, we start working through it and before we know it the day is gone and the list has barely been dented. The next day more stuff piles up and we’re permanently lugging around a constant burden of responsibility and expectation that never ends.
So I have 2 Golden Rules and a System – (it’s not Rocket Science, it won’t work for everyone, but it works for me.)
The Golden Rules:
1. ‘Things’ take less time than you think.
2. The ‘Things’ should never dictate time it takes to do them.
The System:
1. Write down a list of EVERYTHING. Then write a list of what you need to get done this week, prioritise for the day if needs be, but then divide the rest of the list over the rest of the week: The moral of the story is long lists never, ever work – divide and conquer and you stand a chance.
2. Give each job 15 minutes – and it is here in the objectivity of technology where the truth lies – SET AN ALARM (honest to God the time remains constant) (I use my phone) for 15 minutes. When it goes off, move onto the next job, re-set the alarm and start again…in the great scheme of things it’s a pee in the ocean: The accumulative effect packs a punch.
3. Need to tidy the house? Set the alarm for 5 minutes or 10 minutes for each room – you’ll be amazed at how much you can get done. The rest of the time is now YOURS.
It also works to create boundaries for the Creative side too – My great love is that absolute joy-zone where’s no effort and you’re transported away from the world. Given the chance I’d be permanently on my happy-dappy planet – except nothing practical would ever get done and my house and all those contained within it would fall to rack and ruin. By using an alarm and setting a limit (30 minutes – 45 minutes?) I give myself permission to ignore everything else for that period of time and just be. I can safely zone out. And come back home again.
What it does mean is that jobs don’t necessarily get finished (although you’d be surprised how much does – there’s an automatic sense of focus that comes from dictating a specific period of time) – but take my light, the patio, the shirt..not finished..but, given time, they will be..and now I’m controlling them instead of them controlling me..and bit by bit you find great riches in those small steps..It’s about both squeezing the most from everything..and taking that time to smell the roses..
Laters, Kate x
Go Ape! x
We’ve been soaking up the joys of Hampshire spending a delightful Easter with relatives, eating and drinking far too much with lovely people we haven’t seen for a long time which is what life should be about. On the last day we dragged ourselves away from the festivities to meet up with good friends to ‘Go Ape’ in the New Forest trees…
Aged between 4 and 7 our kids were impressively fearless…
Tackling high-wire tracks with gusto that had many adults swaying with pure terror..
The end reward was a huge zip line..(Charlie was NOT convinced it was a wise idea the first time round – he was persuaded by the staff to give it a go..loved it – and went back for more!)
Sometimes you only realise how high they all were when you see the little things down below..
(Photo by Filip)
(This photo by Filip)
Serious fun for all the family!
Except with every Yin there’s alway a Yan…like returning home to the joys of sorting the holiday laundry and getting everything ready for back-to-school ..this is what my Barometer of Life looks like today…
Pay back…
Laters, Kate x
Doings…
The light (as discussed here and here) is coming on. I suspect my top shade is too big..but I just can’t stop! I love the way each shade eats up the shade below and covers the gap between them. At the moment they’re loosely hooked together – on the plus side it means they can be unhooked with the greatest of ease. On the downside you have to be careful to find the central point to keep them straight and balanced..and the slightest knock…..they all come crashing down…The window is open now and they do move most beautifully in the breeze.
We’ve also been having the most wonderful weather in London (long may it last and much deserved) so Bella, Charlie and I have been re-claiming the garden from winter. Utter madness, but I’ve wanted to extend our patio for ages…I managed to dig out over fifty bags of soil hashtag-who-needs-a-gym? I’m dying to know whether I can actually do it…I want to add some inlaid cobbles as well..time will tell – and I fully accept I’m nuts, but I really believe getting your hands dirty is part of the joy of life.
I’ve ordered my espadrilles (2 pairs) for the Competition..ideas are bubbling – just a matter of which ones to choose..and I’ve had another little creative project on the side based on a Dries Van Noten shirt I fell in lust with…but I think I’ll save that for another post! Only a week of the Easter Holidays left to get it all done…no pressure!
Laters, Kate x
Espadrille Competition!
Calling all fashionista’s (particularly those with a young child within) for our inaugural Pimp Your Kicks Design Competition! this is your chance to play, glue, dye, make..bake! accessorise and bling-o-rize a classic pair of espadrilles into a thing of beauty worthy of a street style photo shot (See here for more inspiration – seriously – the only limit is your imagination!)
The details:
- Sign up below and send a photo of your finished shoes to contactkatebentley@gmail.com by midnight gmt on Friday 23 May
- The winner will be announced on Monday 26 May with pictures of all the entries (can’t wait!)
- You can enter as many pairs as you wish..and high heeled espadrilles also accepted.
- There will be an external judge and a little prize for the winner..
I’m off to scout the internet for the cheapest pair of espadrilles I can find…and if I can find children’s sizes Bella and Charlie will be entering too!!
Laters, Kate x
Linking to NY! x
I know..cryptic eh? But New York is five hours behind…. And we have a little adventure to go on before the magic happens!
Laters, (At say..2.00?!) Kate x
Introducing the kids to Anarchy..
On Saturday we headed into Trafalgar Square to witness the Flash Mob International Pillow Fight. Even the street performers were prepared…
It was a rather delicious event..the Police weren’t happy. Boris had done his best to call the whole thing off…but to take action against a pillow fight? It would be like aligning with Putin…
Have I shrunk?
The power is strong with this one..
Charlie telling Darth Vadar he loves him..
We then headed up to Oxford Street and couldn’t help notice the speed of the Jeremy Scott rip-offs…
Our destination?….a Victorian men’s toilet..
Now converted into a supercool cafe called ‘The Attendant’ complete with table-urinals and handwarmers.
At the exit was a writing wall..
So Bella added Graffiti to the days lessons of life…
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 