Tagged: London
Sneaky Blinders..
The weather here in London is like a PMT suffering raging beast..blue skies one minute..a cascading torrent the next, whipped up by strong winds and mashed up leaves. Coats and shoes are being seriously put to the test and any well worn with holes of love are the equivalent of leaky boats. Some emergency purchasing is required – and I’m thinking black leather skaters..a nod to the summer but with strong foundations for the autumn storms.
The white soles also have a surprising appeal..I remember looking at the AW14 catwalks thinking white soles? hmmmmm..but the appeal has chrystalised…mi piace..
Of course, I’ll buy them……and next week we’ll have snow….
Laters, Kate x
Laid back Layering..
The cooler air of autumn is seeping into London. Rumour has it the heat could yet return, but the aroma of moist leaves and wet earth make the mind turn to thoughts of jeans and easy cover-ups.
It’s not that one wants to dive into thick winter layers..it’s more about wanting to embrace that transitional phase, pairing summer favourites with something slightly warmer: Jeans with sandals, shorts with jumpers. These Frame Denim jeans hit the spot – made in collaboration with Supermodel Karlie Kloss they have the perfect legs that never seem to end..a bit like the model herself…
Overlaid with a Chloe Cape as those darker evenings close in. The cape is going to be a key piece this winter…at £2445 a pop this one – probably the most iconic of them all – has all but sold out already. It’s easy to see the appeal: Throw over a summer dress now..or later, over a winter coat when the snow storms hit. But I look at it and can’t help thinking…it’s a fairly basic pattern – in fact it’s the basic pattern that adds to it’s appeal…curve the corners, bind the edges it can’t be that hard…and you’d have you’re own designer version for a fraction of the price…
Anyone game?
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
Silken Favours x
Victoria Murdoch is the independent, free-thinking spirit and designer behind the label Silken Favours, creating her own silk pieces from traditional pen & ink techniques.
Based in London and originally working everything by hand, she’s managed to combined her nostalgic sense of magic with fast, modern digital printing techniques to produce commercially priced work with that personal touch.
Humour with a delicateness to make you smile and lust.
Clever designs that speak to the heart with a shift in every mood and a requisite fair and lightness.
Sort of cute but still sly making it all so appealing..and endearing.
Silk is her canvas, but this is just the start – there’s more to come like insanely printed silk shirts. Imagine!
I can’t wait.
Laters, Kate x
A Day in The Life..
6.30 am alarm goes off. Children have been up for sometime like very large dancing elephant mice. Manage to put the inevitable off, listening to Radio 4 till 7.00, but I know it’s a busy day. Shower. Dress. Need to get a post up – thankfully written the day before – I’m out all morning. Re-check notes, address, battery in camera, put a wash in the machine, find oyster card, mediate a fight, oversee teeth cleaning, hair brushing, shoes on, school bags, ready to go…
8.00 Head out the door on the school run..there’s a fight over who shuts the door. I suggest that if I shut the door first they might not be able to get out..Charlie not happy with this logic.
8.50 Head to the train station. Notice my Vans have two nice holes in them. Damn Vans.
10.00 Meeting in Clerkenwell (Great part of London – history oozing from every corner) with the inspirational Matt Cooper, the driving force behind The Fableists – a seriously cool children’s clothing label, built to last and save the planet. What’s not to love? – but more in a future post.
11.00 Checking out the clothes and loving the fact I can buy stuff for Bella..and hand it on to Charlie.
11.30 Grab a quick coffee and phone a friend who’s recovering from an op. Do a quick email catch up. It’s a beautiful day in London. Head back on the tube via a supermarket shop for supper.
Makes me laugh.
1.00 Home. Realise I should’ve grabbed something for lunch as well. Have to make do with a hot cross bun, some cheese and blueberries..but at least the hot cross bun was made by my fair hands at Creative Coffee yesterday. Run round the house and do a quick tidy up.
1.30 Start to write. Always have to put pen to paper once a day otherwise it feels wrong. Set alarms on my phone so I don’t lose track of precious time. Check the blog but no time to reply to comments. Slack.
3.00 Head off to collect the kids from school. Remember to take snacks otherwise I’ll have my arm eaten off. In the whole scheme of things this is only a little patch of green, but it’s one of my great joys walking through it every day.
4.00 Homework. A relatively quick affair today as I’ve promised them we’ll make use of the gorgeous weather (could be snowing next week knowing the UK) and head out to the Common again. We may live in a City, but we make use of what we have.
They insist on wearing their new t-shirts from The Fableists.
5.00 Picnic tea with hot chocolate. A must. It’s our second picnic of the week..a record this year. ANY year..in fact it’s the first year Charlie hasn’t been too knackered by this time of the day, after school, to do things like this. It’s always a balance with kids..doing things..over doing things and then taking the kick-back…
6.00 – 8.00 No time for photos. Just manic. Getting baths done. Hair. Teeth. Stories read. Trying to get ready to go out at the same time. Attempting to stop blood being spilt. Trying to catch up on the Blog. Trying to get everything together – uniforms laid out, bags packed by the door as I don’t want to do it at midnight. Sort the washing in the machine. Husband back at 8.00. I’m already late..run!
8.00 pm – Mums night out at a local Kareoke bar. Always good for a laugh! A fun night setting the world to rights with some great gals.
Get home close to midnight. Up at 3.30 am to give Bella some medicine to stop the Chinese water torture coughing.
Alarm goes off at 6.30 am…and because I was out morning and evening, there’s no post written…it’s also Book Club tonight..and we’re out to dinner tomorrow…honest to God, there’s no rest for the wicked…just crack on…and no run managed yesterday..must remedy that today…and do an internet food shop..and Bella’s gym today and I have hundreds of emails..and…and…write a list and set alarms on phone…and start..
Laters, Kate x
Moments in Time x
There’s one New Years Resolution I’ve slam dunked..I’ve embraced growing younger gracefully by going back to school.
Each week I’ve been studiously at my desk at Putney School of Art learning properly about Photography…and I’ve loved it.
It’s not that I didn’t like the photos I was taking..I just didn’t really know how I was doing it and whether I could do it better. A bit like our brains or computers, we now have these incredible beasts of cameras that we rarely take out of first gear..
Thinking about short term, long term, quality, light, composition…it’s such a peaceful place away from the clamour of family life and I have thoroughly appreciated the time to think of nothing else other than the moment.
Some of these photos were taken on a field trip we did as a class around the streets of London, others are from my beautiful nieces christening last weekend.
Watching for a photo is like waiting for little pockets of opportunity. Often I think – if only they’d look up. But then the sweet spot happens and it’s like the nectar of the Gods.
Is the process getting something right? Or does it go beyond that? All I know is that to break the rules, you first have to know them..and that learning as an adult is the best drug ever.
Laters, Kate x
Rain, Rain Go Away..
It’s dismal in London with driving rain, strong winds and the knowledge that we’re no longer in the land of fairy lights, pine cones and endless glitter. So I thought what better time than the New Year to break the diet fall off the wagon get even more depressed give me a facelift to give the Blog a facelift?
I’m liking the new size of pictures..
Means you can now see the clouds reflecting in this one.
And this tree.
This is our new pond on the Common. Has the ducks mighty confused.
The weather means the sky has been turning all sorts of colours.
At least we’ve all been safe at home, snuggled up – next week it’s back to the daily grind and the school run…weather please, please improve otherwise I’ll be investing in a fisherman’s sou’wester. And a boat.
Laters, Kate x
Just for Jackie! x
A virtual visit to my local!…The Lavish Habit in Balham – part of my slavish habit of the week to kick back a frothy cappuccino and crucify a croissant…their toasted coconut bread with maple syrup is honestly to die for…and not only good food – sit on a chair, like it? buy it! What could be better?
Laters, Kate x
Last of the Summer x
There’s been a ten degree temperature drop over night here in London and heavy rain is predicted…but there are still memories to savour as the back to school routine kicks into gear..
Laters, Kate x
The Work Behind
Last week we spent filming The Collection for an upcoming project..more on that later… 
The joy with a small, tight Company is you have full creative freedom, and the opportunity to try your hand at a variety of anything. A big thank you to Rudi, Nathalie, Caroline and Emily for all their help xxx
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 