The moment I clapped eyes on this Dries Van Noten shirt it sang my song.  I loved it’s bold stance that still seamlessly fitted with it’s gold baroque inspired partner.

Initially I thought the design was printed – but no, it’s all embroidered aka creole style, which in my view makes it a little slice of heaven.  At £590 I can understand and appreciate it’s steep price and in my minds eye I can already see it walking through my wardrobe marrying all kinds of jeans, skirts and culottes with absolute aplomb, until I fear at the school gates instead of ‘Bella’s-Mum’ or Charlie’s-Mum’ I’d be known as ‘Shirt-Girl’.  I cross my fingers tightly it’ll be in the Summer Sales with a wonderful, purse-happy reduction.  Until then there’s another route and I’ve been compelled to try and make a patterned shirt of my own.  I found an old cream number ripe and ready for the re-cycling bin to experiment on (it’s not cotton but a sort of modern chiffon) and with a bog standard black permanent marker pen and embroidery ring I set to work..

It’s incredibly therapeutic – there’s no right or wrong, you just do…and it organically grows..it’s not finished yet, but i’ll post a pic of it when it is.

I realise it seems as if I don’t stop – and the truth is I probably don’t.  But a lot of the work I do as a mum is ‘invisible’ – expected and to a certain extent, taken for granted.  By making time for my ‘projects’ I see something tangible created in front of my eyes…and the joy of that is worth it’s weight in gold – I sincerely believe it’s food for the soul.  One of these days I’ll write a post about how I manage my time (I do have a system – I have to) …I just need to find the time to write it…!

Laters, Kate x