New Colours

 I have some new colours in my Etsy Shop at the moment.

 I finally got round to taking photos and all the cropping and editing  that goes with it!  These new colours were a result of an order from a lovely customer who super kindly sent me the best product shot ever.

Thanks to Mindy from IvanandMary who, as well as making fab cushions, also makes these super cute belts for kids!

Wedding Special

 This time last week I was frantically getting ready for my darling, darling friend Dominique's wedding..or I should say, civil partnership.  My old college friend was marrying his Aussie boy Mr. Beaver.  I love them both and it was an absolutely fabulous wedding.

 

From the registry office in Islington, we took a champagne fuelled, double decker bus on an almost two hour trip to Teddington (right through the heart of London no less) for the most lavish of receptions I've been to in a long time! Dominque had cut his own confetti, made metres and metres of bunting, floor to ceiling drapes  and even two indoor gazebos for the kids. We had an amazing silhoutte artist cutting out our portraits and a cartoonist drawing hilarious renditions of smiling couples.

 

 

In contrast to all this magnificence I made this little cushion for them both for a bit of fun.  A hand cut print, that I might just make into a permanent screen, when I get the chance.  I printed it on to cotton/hemp which is a lovely eco fabric, similar to linen, but not so easy to get the creases out after I'd washed it!

I personalised it with a bit of machine embroidery on the side.

Thanks for a wonderful day Dom and Beaver! I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. x

Festival of Britain, great memories all round!

We've just spent a super day down at the Seaside, the South Bank version that is, enjoying the Festival of Britain anniversary celebrations.  Most of the time was spent lying about in the sand, which is the kind of thing  you do with a five year old!

 We went with friends and bumped into more friends and had a proper picnic!

The hand made bunting flapping in the wind added to the holiday spirit.  Apparently of record breaking length it was all made by the schools and community groups of Southend-on-Sea.

We did get the chance to walk around the fantastic roof garden on top of the Queen Elizabeth Hall.  I loved the painted beds of the 'allotment'.
On the lower level, Stanley was drawn to Ben Kelly's Enclosure, happy to climb up the dry stone walls again and again and again.

  I loved the contrast of all that urban concrete towering over this great little homage to the British countryside.

As we were on a mission to get to the beach, we only caught glimpses of many other things, including the giant Urban Fox, but I'm sure we'll be back to discover more very soon.

Dishoom is also joining in the festivities from May 13th, so it won't be a picnic next time, I'll be in there like a shot if I have my way!

 

The highlight of the day for me was flying down the wonderful, high speed Helter Skelter. It brought back many a fond memory of childhood days spent with the family in Clifton Park, Rotherham.  I couldn't resist showing this video of us being hurled out at the bottom!

 

It was also nice to discover that, Yorkshire lass and old family friend,
Clare Cumberlidge curated the Land areas plus a couple of the art installations. Thanks to Brenda (her lovely mum) for the tip off.  I haven't seen Clare for ages, but it's down to her that I ended up in London in the first place, twenty one years ago.  I took over her rented room in the attic of an amazing family house in Highbury for just £150 a month!  I ended up staying there for three years during my RCA days and had a ball.

Happy days!