my stuff & no sense

double pattern - mismatch your pattern with pattern

2012-02-19T13:01:00.001-08:00

the role model = julia sarr-jamois

a very new women's designer galleries

2012-02-18T08:10:00.001-08:00

here, looking like it might never happen

a tranquil moment of sunlit peace

the morning of opening.....

acres of gorgeous marble

the almost finished article.............

the genius balloon team

surely this is as good as a Prada shopfit?

The trend that is Toadstools

2012-02-18T07:40:00.001-08:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Clement Ave,Lambeth,United Kingdom

True shoe love never dies

2012-02-13T14:52:00.001-08:00

Once upon a time there was a young girl who only ever wore brogues
All winter and summer long, she wore only leather brogues
The girl loved them beyond all other shoes
Her mother despaired and tried to tempt her into girly sandals but the girl was having none of it
However over the years the girl grew up
Over the years, the girl moved away from her first love
Until, one day, the girl, now middle aged, had almost forgotten her overwhelming love of brogues
That is until she saw these..........

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a brand new love

2012-02-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

if a pair of correspondent shoes

met a pair of ghillie shoes

and they got together and produced some offspring,

then they might look a little like these Junya Watanabe shoes

that I love, love, LOVE!

S Luca ice cream

2012-01-28T12:14:00.001-08:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Campbell Rd,Longniddry,United Kingdom

Sunday sermon

2012-01-22T10:40:00.001-08:00

Today we went along to a school of life Sunday sermon, held in Conway hall, with Alain de Botton

Wisdom without doctrine, religion for atheists

It is a good way to start the year. I know it is a delayed start, but better late than never.

Alain de Botton kept us amused and engaged for just under an hour and the female choir Gaggle kept us in tune on the hymn at the end.

I love the sing along hymns at these sermons. My favourite by far was "True colours" sometime last year, but today's Jerusalem was a good choice. I looked at the lyrics in a new light whilst thinking of the film, chariots of fire.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Conway hall

Lulu magazine

2011-12-09T05:42:00.001-08:00

Mostly I feel like I should always be somewhere else, doing something else.

But occasionally there is a rare still moment when I feel I am in the right place at the right time and there is nowhere else, but right there and then.

One of those times is reading Lulu magazine.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Voltaire Rd,,United Kingdom

ALL

2011-12-05T12:55:00.001-08:00

The Guggenhiem's Maurizio Cattelan's "All" is a strangely moving experience. As they say, he is hailed as a tragic poet of our times, a humorist or a prankster.
He seems all that and more, a comic tragic poet.
This installation filled me with awe - in the spiralling journey around it, I could not but wonder at the comically dark soul of his thoughts, plus add to that, the feat of engineering that put all those pieces of art together hanging of a rig in the Guggenhiem atrium and you have something, dear readers that makes my heart sing.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Reasons to be happy

2011-12-05T12:30:00.001-08:00

Eight delightful cheering thoughts, actions or events to lighten up any December cold dark day
1. Berocca boosts (been living on one a day now for a couple of months)
2. My new furry lined duck boots from Asos
3. Going down the Carsten Holler slide in the New Museum in New York
4. A meal for 2 on the Gingerline in December
5. Alain de Botton's sunday sermon on Religion for Atheists at the School of Life in January
6. Jeanette Winterson's new(ish) biography waiting on my bedside table
7. Gilbert and George with their new Matatabi ball toys from Kiosk
8. Sequin antlered calico reindeer with gorgeous long eyelashes

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Clapham Manor St,Lambeth,United Kingdom

John Derian

2011-12-04T04:43:00.001-08:00

I can't believe I hadn't been to John Derian's amazing two stores in New Yorks lower east side before now.

Crowded to bursting with unique, gorgeous and very special Christmas gifts, like an Aladdin's cave of deliriously desirable items. I was overcome with longing and filled with a sense of sadness that neither my home or purse couldn't accommodate everything in the shop.

The range of dinosaur Xmas decorations was especially heart meltingly desirable. I longed for one of each.

The toadstool trend continues, now as a xmas decoration, it is a trend to be dissected in a later post.
Meanwhile my admiration for Mr Derian is limitless.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Paper bags

2011-12-04T04:09:00.001-08:00

What is it the gives paper chains and paper dolls an air of poignancy?
Maybe it is the sense of past celebrations, a now old fashioned decoration...
However here the idea is refreshed into a classic handbag shape

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Bowery,,United States

A slice of office life

2011-11-28T01:29:00.001-08:00

Pause, for 10 secs to take in the view.

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The circus is in town for Christmas

2011-11-26T11:52:00.001-08:00

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Surprise

2011-11-13T12:54:00.001-08:00

A gloriously handmade prop, lovingly crafted and beautifully made. She looks through her paper mâché eyes and smiles her Christmas smile at the secrets she holds.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:London,United Kingdom

Cath Kidson does good gift

2011-11-13T12:44:00.001-08:00

A tender hearted installation from the house of Cath Kidson, consisting of patchwork wooden reindeers toting trays of glorious stocking fillers and glossy red pegboard walls full of floral treats.

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Tomato time, the quiet moments

2011-11-12T07:20:00.001-08:00

A little on my mind lately yet contented and at rest by the act of filling a bowl with home grown tomatoes.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Chelsham Rd,Lambeth,United Kingdom

White Christmas

2011-11-06T06:26:00.000-08:00

An autumn day

2011-11-06T05:16:00.001-08:00

The last flowering of the garden

Last weeks pumpkins gone mouldy

Home grown tomatoes

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Location:Cato Rd,Lambeth,United Kingdom

My dad's 81st birthday

2011-11-05T15:04:00.001-07:00

My Dad's birthday wish was to walk on a beach with his family.
So off we went, to a windswept beach on the north coast of Northern Ireland

both of my lovely aged parents are now 81, that's 162 years they have between them.

my happy dad, in his slightly too short trousers

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Location:A beach on the north cost of Northern Ireland

I am your gift

2011-11-05T15:01:00.001-07:00

Cute idea from the clever folks at FC

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:French Connection

Orangeness, some lovely orange things

2011-11-05T14:47:00.001-07:00

an orange pumpkin in Clapham

An orange sunrise in Greece

An orange hosepipe made into a lamp

An orange soled pair of Jil Sander shoes

An orange Dahlia in Clapham

Known for his love of fluro orange, is Tom Dixon

An orange cake stand in Milan

Orange tent poles

Orange bobs in House of Fraser - courtesy of Mary Portas

Mary Portas's orange shoe boxes by Clarks

An orange tin arrow at Tom Dixon's Dock shop

Orange mushrooms at Mulberry's Gees Court shop

A teeny weeny orange polka dot bikini by Whistles

Orange tulips in Clapham

Orange bits on a Nike chair in NYC

Orange characters in a Selfridges window

Orange "fruit" on a palm tree in Corfu

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Corfu, Greece

An Irish weekend

2011-11-05T14:41:00.001-07:00

A place that lives up to expectations, that's this place.
We stayed in Ballylinny cottages, just outside Bushmills and we had perfect Irish weather, a lot of soft rain.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland

Halloween

2011-11-05T14:19:00.001-07:00

The day after Halloween, this was breakfast. It was yummy.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:London,United Kingdom

Frieze-ness love

2011-10-13T23:15:00.001-07:00

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Back to school time (again)

2011-10-01T08:12:00.003-07:00

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The Museum of Everything

2011-10-01T08:12:00.001-07:00

The Museum of Everything came to Selfridges this month and kinda took over in a suitably bonkers fashion.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Carriage Dr E,Wandsworth,United Kingdom

Monki

2011-10-01T08:09:00.001-07:00

From the house that gave the world Hennes, Cos and Cheap Monday, now here in the UK we have their new(ish) little sister brand, Monki.
Known to have a cult following since it launched in it's homeland, it is now available in Selfridges, London.
To kick off their UK launch, the brand did these cool/bonkers/brilliant windows

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House of Dereon

2011-09-16T15:20:00.001-07:00

So.....Beyonce is appearing somewhere in London this weekend!
And just launched exclusively at Selfridges for this weekend is House of Dereon.
Beyonce and Tina Knowles do fashion, come on down and check it out.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Selfridges, London

You do bag 2

2011-09-16T15:15:00.001-07:00

You do bag 1 was at Milan design week, now You do bag 2 is popping up at Selfridges this week for London Fashion Week.
Chose your fabrics and they run it thru the machine and hey presto you have a great new bag for £19.00!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Clapham High St,Lambeth,United Kingdom

a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square

2011-09-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

the famous Plane trees
reputedly the oldest trees in London
planted in 1789

read each one of the
dedicated benches

who doesn't walk through
the square
singing the song
"A nightgale sang in Berkeley Square"
in their heads?

Glittery gorgeous Mui Mui

2011-09-05T02:59:00.001-07:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:London,United Kingdom

West Dean Festival

2011-08-29T07:55:00.001-07:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Chelsham Rd,Lambeth,United Kingdom

Mary Portas opens in House of Fraser

2011-08-16T23:25:00.001-07:00

This week, Mary opens her shop in the Oxford Street, london HoF!

Here is the window teaser.
Kinda doesn't tell you much. Unless you already know, having read Grazia this week.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Davies St,London,United Kingdom

that Sunday paella

2011-08-07T11:01:00.001-07:00

The very talented husband is cooking that Sunday paella that was promised with the purchases of yesterday.

It is looking uber tastysome!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Chelsham Rd,Lambeth,United Kingdom

the perfect marriage...

2011-08-07T08:18:00.000-07:00

Mui Mui and Hailee Steinfeld are so good together

I hope they stick together
for longer than other fashion marriages

satchels of desire

2011-08-07T06:57:00.000-07:00

A recent discovery,
the fantastic British brand Pokit do a great
contemporary satchel

it also comes in black and with all those internal pockets,
it has to be my next satchel
Pokit have a good web site
http://www.pokit.co.uk/

From those fantastic people at Brady
I had one of these as a school bag
when I was teenager,
it was my mum, not me
who was well ahead of her time,
that chose it

now... several decades later
and I have my third Brady bag
and I love it as I loved my school bag
the Brady large trout bag

Brady also have an excellent web sitehttp://www.bradybags.co.uk/

things to consider........

2011-08-07T06:22:00.000-07:00

Add caption

are these right?

Exactly how cool was Sophie Hulme's sequin parker
and should I have bought it, when I had the chance?

how much do I love, love, love
this Sophie Hulme printed shirt for Asos?

the Marni tote,
exactly how cool is this?

how desirable is this spotty Zara shirt, esp at only
£29.99?

how many of us wish, wish WISH we had these shoes?

how great was/is this Zara bag?

is this Zara coat still hip?

would my life be MORE complete if I had this?
from KIOSK KIOSK
http://kioskkiosk.com/c/81/Ongoing.html

a saturday out

2011-08-07T05:07:00.000-07:00

a lovely Saturday out was had
and here are all the ingredients.....

1. a bus to Ladbroke grove (the 452)

2. a lunch at Tom Dixon's Dock Kitchen

3. a bloody mary

4. a walk to R. Gracia and sons, the amazing Spanish deli

5. a purchase of our favourite (cannot make paella without it)...

El Aeroplano

6. another 452 bus ride, all the way home

7. now, Sunday night means Paella night!

A thing of great beauty

2011-08-06T01:23:00.001-07:00

I saw these gorgeous things a while ago now and I'm continually drawn back to their beauty.

Made by the uber talented Leslie Oschmann

Check them out at her website.....

http://www.swarmhome.com/index.html

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Chelsham Rd,Lambeth,United Kingdom

The email charter - join it now

2011-08-05T14:32:00.001-07:00

10 Rules to Reverse the Email Spiral from the fabulous and inspiring people at the email charter
http://emailcharter.org/

1. Respect Recipients' Time
This is the fundamental rule. As the message sender, the onus is on YOU to minimize the time your email will take to process. Even if it means taking more time at your end before sending.

2. Short or Slow is not Rude
Let's mutually agree to cut each other some slack. Given the email load we're all facing, it's OK if replies take a while coming and if they don't give detailed responses to all your questions. No one wants to come over as brusque, so please don't take it personally. We just want our lives back!

3. Celebrate Clarity
Start with a subject line that clearly labels the topic, and maybe includes a status category [Info], [Action], [Time Sens] [Low Priority]. Use crisp, muddle-free sentences. If the email has to be longer than five sentences, make sure the first provides the basic reason for writing. Avoid strange fonts and colors.

4. Quash Open-Ended Questions
It is asking a lot to send someone an email with four long paragraphs of turgid text followed by "Thoughts?". Even well-intended-but-open questions like "How can I help?" may not be that helpful. Email generosity requires simplifying, easy-to-answer questions. "Can I help best by a) calling b) visiting or c) staying right out of it?!"

5. Slash Surplus cc's
cc's are like mating bunnies. For every recipient you add, you are dramatically multiplying total response time. Not to be done lightly! When there are multiple recipients, please don't default to 'Reply All'. Maybe you only need to cc a couple of people on the original thread. Or none.
6. Tighten the Thread
Some emails depend for their meaning on context. Which means it's usually right to include the thread being responded to. But it's rare that a thread should extend to more than 3 emails. Before sending, cut what's not relevant. Or consider making a phone call instead.

7. Attack Attachments
Don't use graphics files as logos or signatures that appear as attachments. Time is wasted trying to see if there's something to open. Even worse is sending text as an attachment when it could have been included in the body of the email.

8. Give these Gifts: EOM NNTR
If your email message can be expressed in half a dozen words, just put it in the subject line, followed by EOM (= End of Message). This saves the recipient having to actually open the message. Ending a note with "No need to respond" or NNTR, is a wonderful act of generosity. Many acronyms confuse as much as help, but these two are golden and deserve wide adoption.

9. Cut Contentless Responses
You don't need to reply to every email, especially not those that are themselves clear responses. An email saying "Thanks for your note. I'm in." does not need you to reply "Great." That just cost someone another 30 seconds.

10. Disconnect!
If we all agreed to spend less time doing email, we'd all get less email! Consider calendaring half-days at work where you can't go online. Or a commitment to email-free weekends. Or an 'auto-response' that references this charter. And don't forget to smell the roses.

Join up NOW

Location:Chelsham Rd,Lambeth,United Kingdom

How I feel today

2011-08-01T03:01:00.000-07:00

The silicon chip inside her head

Gets switched to overload

And nobody’s gonna go to school today

She’s gonna make them stay at home

And daddy doesn’t understand it

He always said she was good as gold

And he can see no reasons

'Cos there are no reasons

What reason do you need to be show-ow-ow-ow-own?

Tell me why

I don’t like Mondays

Tell me why

I don’t like Mondays

Tell me why

I don’t like Mondays

I wanna shoo-oo-woo-woo-woo-oot the whole day down

The Telex machine is kept so clean

And it types to a waiting world

And mother feels so shocked

Father’s world is rocked

And their thoughts turn to their own little girl

Sweet 16 ain’t that peachy keen

Now that ain’t so neat to admit defeat

They can see no reasons

'Cuz there are no reasons

What reasons do you need?

Oh Oh oh whoa whoa

Tell me why

I don’t like Mondays

Tell me why

I don’t like Mondays

Tell me why

I don’t like Mondays

I wanna shoo-oo-oo-woo-woo-oot

The whole day down, down, down, shoot it all down

And all the playing's stopped in the playground now

She wants to play with the toys a while

And school's out early and soon we'll be learning

And the lesson today is how to die

And then the bullhorn crackles

And the captain tackles

(With the problems of the how's and why's)

And he can see no reasons

'Cos there are no reasons

What reason do you need to die, die?

Oh Oh Oh

Tell me why

I don’t like Mondays

Tell me why

I don’t like Mondays

Tell me why

I don’t like

I don’t like (Tell me why)

I don’t like Mondays

Tell me why

I don’t like

I don’t like (Tell me why)

I don’t like Mondays

Tell me why

I don't like Mondays

I wanna shoo-oo-oo-woo-woo-woot the whole day down

The Boomtown rats - 1979
(I had the single, but it got knicked at a party)

cork love

2011-08-01T02:53:00.000-07:00

store by established and sons

wedges by MMK

stools by Vitra

chair by Jasper Morrison for Vitra

cork tiles by Wickes

I never thought I'd want cork anywhere in my home, but now I have a secret longing for it....
I grew up in a 1970's house, with parents that were both architects - the interior was almost all cork and cord, I thought it had put me off cork for life, but now I am considering cork flooring.
The old adage is right - we all turn into our parents eventually.
(they also are responsible for my passion for Marimekko prints)

This is not a bomb

2011-07-28T13:24:00.001-07:00

We had a funny moment with these device.
- initially we were all a little worried and then very amused.

This is not a bomb
By David Ter-Oganyan
Seen in the New Museum, NY

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Location:Chelsham Rd,Lambeth,United Kingdom

Denim dog days are here

2011-07-28T13:15:00.001-07:00

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Location:Slievemore Close,Lambeth,United Kingdom

As seen in NY.

2011-07-16T05:54:00.001-07:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Washington St,,United States

Lovin my NYC hotel

2011-07-16T05:31:00.001-07:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Bowery,,United States

The RA Summer Exhibition

2011-07-10T14:06:00.001-07:00

My brother has 2 paintings in the summer exhibition (if you are going, then they are numbers 485 and 504, both are hung in the Weston room, so check them out).

Yesterday, the entire Thompson family, in an uncharacteristic surge of family pride trooped into the the show together and spent sometime huddled together checking out his work and the competition.

I'm a big Cornelia Parker fan, and loved her Endless Sugar piece (except that it seemed someone had kicked it out of line and I had to resist the temptation to kneel down and try to fix it).
The reflections in the Jeff Koons piece out in the courtyard made me think it was transparent initially, not the bronze it turned out to be.
The Thompson's had a good time aided by a very long lunch.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Chelsham Rd,Lambeth,United Kingdom

Window boxes

2011-07-10T13:38:00.001-07:00

A happy home is one with a bay window of window boxes and here is mine, glowing with vibrant red geraniums. Combine that with pink hydrangea in the foreground and you have a happy blooming home indeed.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:London,United Kingdom

The pavilion

2011-07-09T04:50:00.001-07:00

We visited this years Serpentine pavilion yesterday, whilst it was a bit dark and a bit chilly we loved the black hessian texture and the indigo wash of the seating, plus the central planting gave me garden envy. So all in all, a good visit and well worth a trip..

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Serpentine gallery

Pink fluro heaven

2011-07-03T13:27:00.001-07:00

These shoes are straight from shoe heaven, a little taster to show us all what it is like on the other side, where all your shoe dreams come true.
Only yesterday, casually browsing a few of my favourite sites, did I come across them on sale at Net a Porter, they seemed to have been waiting for me, one last pair only in my size.
I ordered them in a daze, ignoring a mammoth delivery cost and they arrived today, preceded by a polite phone call confirming I would be at home and followed up by a man in a van proffering me the famous black carrier bag.

And look.......they come in black with a fluro orange sole
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Chelsham Rd,Lambeth,United Kingdom

Super furry animals

2011-07-01T16:10:00.001-07:00

Some lovely lovely bonkers things from a window installation near me.

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Location:Clapham Manor St,Lambeth,United Kingdom

Orangeness meets yellowness

2011-07-01T16:07:00.001-07:00

My beauteous Dahlia

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Location:Tradescant Rd,Lambeth,United Kingdom

A picnic in the park

2011-07-01T16:04:00.001-07:00

A picnic in the park on a sunny afternoon is always better than a full day at the office.

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Anyone for tennis?

2011-07-01T15:59:00.001-07:00

Nike do bespokeness in the Selfridges UltraLounge for Wimbledon fortnight. Come on down for some customised bespoke tennis whites.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A sign of distress

2011-06-30T23:39:00.001-07:00

Geniusly funny.
My mate Roger found this sticker in the loos.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:London,United Kingdom

New bonkers windows.

2011-06-24T14:04:00.001-07:00

Hot off the press, just launched today, brand new windows.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Oxford street, London

Manchester's Northern Quarter

2011-06-23T08:30:00.001-07:00

I had sometime on my hands today, so spent it having a little wander around Manchester's Northern Quarter and fell a little in love. The areas Victorian history means it is full of interesting buildings and beautiful brickwork.
It seems to be filling up with a good selection of cool and/or quirky shops, restaurants and bars.
It was so inspiring that it made me want to relocate there!
Long may this city centre regeneration continue.

This fish Market facade was where my college boyfriend based his final year project.

Long gone now, Batchers fabrics was THE destination for all my student fabric shoppings sprees, it was a seemingly limitless pool of wonderously assorted inspirational finds.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Elworth St,Sandbach,United Kingdom

Love letters straight to your wallet

2011-06-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love Tiffany's
new showcases at the moment.
They are so clever, witty
and straight to the point

such clever stuff
and it cannot have cost a lot!

Emily Pugh makes gorgeous things

2011-06-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

these wonderous paper growths are in
Selfridges Wonder Room right now
made by the talented and beautiful
Emily Pugh

beautifully crafted and textured
they are add wonder to the Wonder Room

Washed Up by Judith Clark

2011-06-16T01:04:00.000-07:00

Curated by Judith Clark, Washed Up
is part of the Selfridges Ocean Project
- it celebrates fashion's creative
debt to the ocean.

To quote Judith
- "The exhibition's landscape is created
from dead coral seized from illegal smugglers
at British customs and kept in the
Aquarium at London Zoo.
Now drained of it's colour, the coral
is a poignant reminder of the
destruction of the ocean's beauty
and life sustaining resources."

pictures courtesy of the talented Andrew Meredith for Selfridges
except this one....

Graduate fashion week

2011-06-08T22:38:00.001-07:00

Rory Longdon is a new fashion star
He had his moment in the sun last night and a golden shower all for him and his models. It was good. Let's hope he gets more moments just like that.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:London,United Kingdom

Hands

2011-06-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

I recently read.....

that the only visible parts of a women's body

that show her true age are her hands and her neck. Whether this is true or not was not, I have no idea.

But it made me think about how much I love a good pair of hands, but that begs the question - what constitutes a good pair hands?

For me it is interesting hands that look like they do real things, they can make things, comfort people, hands that have lived and have a story to tell

.. add to that a few good pieces of hand jewellery and you have a great pair of hands

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location: Clapham, London

Holiday colours

2011-05-28T14:44:00.001-07:00

A list of colours that add up to an all round excellent holiday......

A clear blue blue blue sky

An Acne tomato red jumper for chilly evenings when the suns gone down

A pink and a green lilo in a blue blue pool

A pair of Camper white shoes with yellow laces that match the yellow lines on the road

A new orange bikini from Whistles, bought just the day before we left

A pair of turquoise blue swimming shorts and a gorgeous husband to wear them

A black and white Katherine Hamnett, Selfridges Project Ocean T shirt

An tomato red lifebelt beside a blue pool

A set of blue painted toenails
A lovely and clever blue Jambox

A sun faded and sweat stained cap

Assorted suntan lotions in assorted shades of yellowey mustard containers

An assortment of black text that makes the contents of an amazing read, AHWOSG lived up to it's title.

A green bottle of red wine

A blue blue swimming pool

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Cala d'or, Mallorca,

Beachside coolness

2011-05-28T14:41:00.001-07:00

Just loved this simple use of really glossy white paint in a cafe on Es Trenc beach. I wonder if it will be as effective back in a garden in south London?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Es Trenc beach, Mallorca,

Very easy Vogue pattern circa 1976

2011-05-28T14:40:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I made up the date, it might not exactly from 1976, but I do remember my mum making my dad a dressing gown from this pattern, way back when, in the mists of time, when dressing gowns where little short things, about the length of Sparticus's tunic.

When Kev and I needed new dressing gowns, I looked no further than my mum's stash of old paper patterns and now we are both sporting very smart new kimono style dressing gowns, his in black and white checked gingham (very masculine) and mine in a pink silk I bought more than a decade ago.

I hasten to add that they are both the long/midi version length, not the little shortie one and that the sleeves keep getting caught on door handles, but that just makes me want to change our door handles, not our gorgeous new kimono style dressing gowns.

Location:Back home in Clapham,

Uniqlo ticks my boxes

2011-05-28T14:39:00.001-07:00

Let me count the ways I love this....
1. Great old style monitors
2. Fab use of neon
3. It's a collab with Antoni Alison and Uniqlo
4. I'm loving the use of the NOW word
5. Did I mention it was Uniqlo?

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Location:Oxford street, London, W1

Hand luggage

2011-05-21T04:28:00.001-07:00

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Location:Gatwick, North Terminal, Cafe Rouge, waiting for our flight

I love a nice crate, don't you?

2011-05-19T14:23:00.001-07:00

And this one is extra specially clever with a built in table football. Don't you love it?

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Rubber duck heels from Melissa

2011-05-14T10:32:00.001-07:00

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The prototype

The production

Location:As seen at Milan furniture fair

Tape heaven

2011-05-14T08:23:00.001-07:00

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Project ocean

2011-05-13T14:47:00.000-07:00

..... a bucking whale

.....some uber cool door stickers

http://www.selfridges.com/en/StaticPage/ProjectOcean/#/

Curiouser and curiouser

2011-05-13T14:23:00.000-07:00

Judith Clark strikes again
with a perfectly formed installation
in the Selfridges shoe galleries
showing some very strange items of footwear
all presented on a series of toile like shapes
representing the original wearer

Judith Clark's ways of thinking
and doing is a thing of
wonder
and
amazement

the most normal of the items
is this women's button up boot
from the 19th Century

a tiny chelsea boot for a bound foot
from the 19th Century

one item is a chelsea boot
for a sheep
also from the 19th century

and lastly
a magnificent pair
of clown shoes

these shoes rock

2011-05-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

the height of madness,
the sheer glorious madness
of these
perfectly bonkers
shoes,
courtesy of Prada

And now I'd like the clothes to go with them, please.

My hero, Mrs Prada. She is beyond.

I'm overcome by a sudden longing for these...

2011-05-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

Store by Established and Sons
(I know they're not new,
but it's been a slow burn kinda longing)

I'm not sure why but
especially the yellow...
I want to design
my kitchen around this/inspired by this...

Project Ocean, 2 days to launch

2011-05-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

store front is looking good
just need to get the lights on tonight
and it will be good to go

shades of pink

2011-05-08T15:10:00.000-07:00

from dusky to neon, it gladdens my heart

a small obsession with crockery

2011-05-08T14:47:00.000-07:00

blue, blue, how I love you..

oh.... Astier de Vilatte,
how I long for you

unglazed shades of pink, what's not too love?

Dirt: The filthy reality of everyday life at the Wellcome Collection

2011-05-08T14:33:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for an interactive anything at the moment
and this one's a stunner
at the Wellcome Collection by
rAndom international

here is "reflex 13" -
as it should be photographed

http://www.random-international.com/reflex-installation-wellcome-trust-london-2011/

Susan Collis, Waltzer Wooden broom, 2007

- this at first appears to be a

well used wooden broom

but closer inspection reveals

the paint drips and splatters

to be carefully inlaid

mother of pearl, coral,

fresh water and cultured pearls,

white opal, and diamond.

a bloody great exhibition -
it defies your expectations and provokes your mind
- def go see it

paper cuts

2011-05-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

paper prettyness
paper cleverness

are 3d printers the future?

2011-05-08T14:04:00.000-07:00

are these the future?
will we, in the future all own one
and just be able to
download patterns to print
our own everything?

the red, white and blue fest continues

2011-05-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

By Paola Navone - Eu/phoria chair

I saw this at Milan design week and
love, love, loved it..
it inspired me into actually
liking red white and blue together
which before now,
I'd always thought it too
corney a colour scheme.

signs of life and death

2011-05-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

do this...

2011-05-08T12:54:00.001-07:00

don't do this

2011-05-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

No more fish in the sea?

2011-05-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

this is serious stuff folks - the plight of our Oceans
We all need to act now
So here Selfridges is, taking action now
The teaser launched today..and
the main event launches on Weds 11th May

http://www.selfridges.com/en/StaticPage/ProjectOcean

The ocean is a source of food, a place for recreation, and its beauty has inspired countless artists.
But, it’s under threat – from over-fishing and poor fishing practices.

From 11 May – 12 June 2011, Selfridges is partnering with more than 20 environmental and conservation groups to celebrate the beauty of the ocean, highlight the issue of over-fishing, help us all understand the threats to the ocean and make positive choices about the right fish to buy and eat.

more belated royal wedding fever reporting

2011-05-05T15:09:00.000-07:00

I loved this little explosion of
red white and blue
in the Selfridges
Cookshop

Holywood follies

2011-05-05T15:06:00.001-07:00

the mount

the church

the town house

by Timothy Shutter
the pillars show the development of Holywood
over the centuries
educational .....and pretty

belated reporting on royal wedding window dressing fever

2011-05-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

good old John Lewis came up trumps
with this window last week
- beautifully composed and right on the button
...they are clever

rear of the year

2011-05-05T14:50:00.001-07:00

and the award goes to........

How can anyone not love Hamish Bowles?

2011-05-05T14:45:00.000-07:00

Just look at him..
he is a thing of beauty, taste, wit and wimsy
The "Hamishsphere" is a wonder
I believe this was his Met ball outfit,
shot outside Barneys
and not by me, sorry to say

Bethan Laura Wood

2011-04-20T04:14:00.000-07:00

Bethan Laura Wood's "totem" lamps
are things of great beauty
Hand blown plexi-glass,
a limited series of 4 were on show during
Milan design week

the above table is not her normal style - this
was for Wallpaper's Handmade installation
they asked her to be a bit more "wallpapery"