April 18, 2016

Trans-seasoning..

We’re experiencing fluctuating weather again: Five days of t-shirts and shoes with no socks, followed by scarves, coats and snow in the north. It’s eclectic if nothing else. But there’s been enough blue to herald the slowly arriving summer and firmly entrench the season as ….transitional…which if one was truly honest probably covers most of the year and highlights the fact the transitional clothes are the workhorses of a wardrobe that pull together outfits come rain or shine.

Take the humble T: a vest in winter, a garment in the summer and a layer every other time – it seriously earns it’s place for a large dollop of love. Shame all of mine are in such a sorry state. But where to find the best?

I like that elusive fit – a low slung neckline with a bit of slub in the body – which has in previous years been notoriously hard to find. But not now – in fact there’s a rich crop of potentials just waiting to be scooped up. I checked out the Outnet – quality names without the same wallet squeeze – and was pleasantly surprised by the amount on offer, from this classic grey by AG Jeans..

To Splendid..(and they are)..

And more like this edible one by T by Alexander Wang..

And Majestic..

And Helmut Lang.

I’ll have them all in grey,white and black please..

Laters, Kate x

April 15, 2016

Floored x

There was no dispute over which flooring to choose for the new cellar: It’s sisal all the way.

It’s not only such a natural look with an ancient, timeless quality….

(It’s a floor covering that’s been used for centuries)

But it’s also that smell – the flooring equivalent of cedar wood – which feels so grounding and calming. Nostalgic almost.

I have The Husband off for a much needed days holiday today…so the lucky man is coming with me to browse samples and help make a final decision.

(If he chooses right we might just squeeze in a naughty lunch somewhere. Promises, promises..)

Laters, Kate x

April 14, 2016

Judith Scott x

This wasn’t the post I was going to write today, but I was looking through my Pinterest feed and these works of art caught my eye. There was something primal, something tangible that reached out.

Subtle yet charismatic. Sourced from the urge to create.

All made by one woman: Judith Scott.

And then I discovered her story.

Judith Scott and her twin sister Joyce were born on May 1 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio

Aged seven, because of her Downs Syndrome and profound deafness the decision was taken to send her to an asylum where she spent the next 35 years.

Then her sister Joyce then became her guardian, moved her to a care home near to her and enrolled her in the Creative Growth Art Centre in Oakland.

For two years she did nothing. And then she started winding thread.

And found the voice she’d never used.

(All pictures from Judith and Joyce Scott website (well worth looking at) and Pinterest)

Judith Scott died in 2005 at the age of 61 in the arms of her sister, but she remains a testament to the power of art, the strength of human nature and an epiphany to how disability can be a footnote.

Laters, Kate x

April 13, 2016

Mac and Tosh..

Parodying the great words of Truman Capote and Holly Golightly.. would you reach in the drawer there and hand me my purse as no girl should write this without lipstick…

And no girl should be out in London in the changeable month of April without a Macintosh (and preferably a vintage Burberry one)

In this fast spinning world of trends it remains the epitome of a timeless stalwart.

I so need one in my wardrobe – a need and a want. I think I spotted a rack of them (possibly not Burberry’s but who knows..) in Camden Lock when I went with the kids…but there was no time to forage..

Sigh. I’m thinking of the future and speaking of the past..which possibly defines the word ‘Classic’. Get me back to Camden..

Laters, Kate x

April 12, 2016

Some dreams are made of this..

The temperature is rising, the bluebells are out! And like the instinct of an awakening hibernating beast, the brain is coming alive with illicit thoughts of cloudless skies and barmy evenings and how best to harness those precious summer months.

More and more I’m dreaming of hammocks and swing beds.

That primitive allure of quiet self-indulgence: Peace, tranquility, old soft cotton and a damn fine book.

If our garden was huuuuge I’d go for one of these…beds on top..potential den beneath…broken bones a given…but just think of the fun!

This is probably more realistic – and I like the pagoda style..a bit more secretive and tucked away. Maybe with a curtain to block out nosey neighbours…and with a back support – I hate reading completely flat. It would eat the space…but in a rather wonderful way. The truth is we have an urban life: Our garden will never be a football pitch…so why pretend?

Laters Kate x

April 11, 2016

Easter x

(Bella Spring cleaning her room)

So how was Easter?? Not that it’s quite over here yet…kids go back to school tomorrow..but it’s been – needed to be – a quiet, simple time for us just gently shuffling to the waltz of life with two steps forward…three steps back.

But it’s been a hurrah for moral depravity – early on we lost all the electrical sockets upstairs due to a fault with our tumble dryer which took a while to track down…which meant no washer, no dryer..no phone..no alarm clocks..no computer. Such a shame. I personally saw it as proof of the after life and a neon message from above to say opt out: If you were a decorator, you’d have all day to paint. If you were a cleaner, you’d be left to remove 6 months of builder’s dust. If you were a nanny, that would be your job. If you were a writer, at least you’d have a job title. To do all four at once is quite frankly disgraceful and flashy…give up now. So I gave up blogging..

Progress after the builders has been made – the hall is now painted, the cellar is nearly done, but the house is still in great upheaval, mainly because rooms can’t be sorted until various cupboards are painted (which is a god forsaken task and takes time) and carpets are down (due end of April) at which point the spare room can be unpacked.

But actual Easter was delicious: 32 members of the family together at my brother and sister-in-laws for the long weekend. Pretty special. We have three big traditions: Decorating hard boiled eggs for the ‘best dressed egg’ competition.

Charlotte with her trophy! An egg hunt in the garden…

Followed by an egg race using newspaper thwackers to hit said eggs around a cunningly designed course, avoiding the moving obstacle of hungry dogs. Old, blind, Molly wasn’t such a issue…but Olly ran away with Charlie’s egg..there were tears..

All the cousins together..

The period also coincided with The Husband working ridiculous hours (back at 2..up at 6). For most people (read me) this would eventually result in a weeping, gelatinous heap in a far corner. He goes the other way – the insert for the cutlery drawer? sorted. A new recycling bin? found and ordered. Someone to pick up the backlog of washing and ironing after socket disaster? I let out an unprovoked shriek when they appeared at the door. The missing knob to the le cruset dish? We now have a new one. I’m thinking pace and recharge whilst he’s spinning faster and faster, I’m just Hoping I’ll be in a fit state to catch him when he falls…

And then I went to write this post..and discovered he had updated the whole computer ‘to make it run faster’..so much so it didn’t even recognise the printer..it took me twenty minutes to download the new software to get them speaking again. I went to add photos…and realised, before I could I would need to download my entire photo library again….The truth is I actually wrote this post last week…

Two steps forward…three steps back…

Laters, Kate x

March 23, 2016

Top design x

The children are on holiday which always make for an interesting dynamic: There’s the eternal conflict between my projects and their needs which sometimes overlap…but not always. The mornings are usually my time to write, organise and plan whilst they learn to squeeze every ounce from the fruit of boredom. Which sounds desirable, except Charlie, like a heat seeking missile has the unfailing knack of finding me just at the most concentration-needed moment. Yesterday I was writing a letter to Building Control (he’s here right now..spooky) and there he was at the study door. ‘No!’ I said, holding up my hand, ‘not a step further…do not say a word…you have to give me ten minutes.’

‘But Mummy…’

‘No..I have to get this done NOW. I cannot speak to you’

‘But Mummy…’

‘What part of no am I not making clear? I will not speak to you..yet you are forcing me to speak to you..so I am now getting cross and feeling like a hamster in a wheel because we’ve had thIS same conversation SO many times. Except now the hamster is dead..no no.I didn’t really say that – ignore me..it’s just I don’t want to formulate words to you, I want them for this – I need to sound like a rational human being. GO!’

‘But Mummy..I don’t want to speak to you..I want to look in this mirror and see how cool I look…’

Hole. Ground. Open up.

Todays project is a crossover and one for all of us….to tidy up Charlie’s room…which looks like a nuclear war zone. If I were Olga Kostina living in Kamarchaga in the Siberian Taiga his rubbish would probably provide the most wonderful creative outlet. Her work with 30,000 bottle tops is sheer genius.

Except I’m not.

Blood could be spilt.

Laters, Kate x

March 22, 2016

Wall Bling..

There are three large storage cupboards at the back of the underworld room – four if you count the boiler..

Would it be an utter extravagance to attempt to disguise them?

Hmmmmmmmmmmm….

Laters, Kate x

March 21, 2016

Progress x

It’s the painful part of the cellar renovation…painting all the bookcases. Probably more so than usual because they started off black…and they’re going..off black. The reason is the shelving is an Ikea Billy hack – using basic Ikea units to look more than the sum of their parts – and that requires a layer of camouflage paint.