AUTUMN

Well I have just signed on again after a bit of a summer break. I finished writing my book and headed to Edinburgh for a few days R+R at the Festival. What a great atmosphere. A real buzz in the air. I enjoyed a couple of interesting book talks - in particular one by Norman Drummond about his new book The Power of Three.  He offered many thought-provoking questions about purpose and service. It's some time since someone made me stop in my tracks like that. We're surrounded by so much noise it's difficult to hear. We can get so disconnected from things that matter and from what our true purpose is.

My small purpose last night was to make dinner for a couple of friends. I felt very inspired after seeing an excellent BBC1 programme earlier this week about how much food we waste in the UK. Perfectly good food chucked in the bins by us, the supermarkets and the farmers, either because it's passed its corporate-imposed sell-by date, or because it's deemed not perfect enough for our tastes. The programme featured top chefs rummaging in bins and rescuing doomed food for tasty creative purposes. It made me think about how I should appreciate the food I eat more and stop wasting it. My first impulse was to hold a little dinner party consisting of food we'd grown ourselves, but since my friend's allotment had succumbed to drought, I wasn't able to do that. So instead I made my own bread and used market-bought tomatoes to make bruschetta for the starter. That was followed by mushroom risotto, with the mushrooms from the local farmers' market and a salad made from lettuces I'd grown in the pots on my balcony.  The thing I'm most proud of though was my homemade plum ice-cream using plums from my neighbour's garden. I don't have an ice-cream maker so I did it the old-fashioned way beating the mixture two or three times during the freezing process. Boy were the results good! Having being scared off making my own ice-cream for years due to lack of gizmos, it was actually suprisingly easy. I have to admit rather shamefacedly however to being rescued by Tesco. I bought the first batch of cream from the farmers' market - organic rich gorgeousness, that was so solid, it completely separated on whisking. My virgin ice-cream attempt hanging in the balance, I ran up the road to Tesco for a pot of standard double cream so that I could continue. It worked a treat. That'll teach me to be holier-than-thou I thought! I'd love to attach a picture of my ice-cream, but we ate it all. So instead I'm attaching a picture of some beautiful rose-hips that my friend gave me when she arrived for dinner. I think they look lovely in this little empty yeast can.

FABULOUS FABRICATIONS

I had a brilliant time last week running my first Fabulous Fabrications workshop at the Kensington and Chelsea College in London. It was a great creative group, one came all the way from Milan! They all really "got it" and made some lovely things. I tried to inspire them with my ideas and designs for decorative collars, floral brooches, T-shirt hats, and my new Brogue shoe makeover. They are all stunning accessories, which I've designed to be super-straightforward to make, but really pack a punch with the results. I'm pleased to say they thoroughly enjoyed the workshop too - and I'm hoping it will be the springboard to other similar sessions. I just need a permanent venue! Any suggestions? Moreover it was a great chance for me to try out some of the projects from my new book CHIC ON A SHOESTRING which will be published in Spring by Kyle Cathie. I've kept it quiet till now - but yes - if all goes to plan, you'll be able to join in too. I'll keep you updated!

Yum Yum

My friend Iris who lives in Antwerp started a blog a few months ago about her and her sister's passion for, and adventures in, food. She recently went for the weekend to a fantastic place in Paris - a glass box of an aerie in which you can learn to cook the most amazing food. I so enjoyed reading about the two sisters' trip that I wanted you to read it too. You can find her blog on this link YUMMYBLOGSISTERS  and I think I can guarantee that you'll soon become followers. Iris's photos are drool-making too. Have a peek now for tips on Paris eateries and delicious French treats.

Glittering defeat!

OK - I admit defeat! I have been trying to make glitter shoes - but nothing I try will work properly. They look good - but the glitter won't last. I tried Copydex on the red shoe and then coated it with polyurethene varnish. The varnish did the job and coated the glitter well, but the Copydex peels off especially around the edges. The silver shoes I decided to ditch the Copydex and tried good old PVA glue - but it cracks and chips off, even before the varnish goes on top. I give up! Any ideas anyone? I need flexible durable glue - I think the varnish is good - but the glue useless. Agggh!

Apron Dresses

I did a hat party this weekend for a group of hens at the beautiful High Tea of Highgate in London. It's such an elegant teashop, and such fun to put on an event there. The teashop is run by Miss Worthington, who has impeccable taste in both cakes and clothes. Imagine my surprise when I turned up to do the workshop wearing almost exactly the same dress as she! We had both managed to get our hands on these fabulous 1950's cotton aprons which make perfect dresses. They seemed to be exactly the same design - floral fabric edged in bias binding with one single pocket. Mine was given to me by my lovely brother who spotted me trying it on at an apron exhibition in Edinburgh last year (yes indeed, an apron exhibition!) during the Festival. He bought it without me knowing and posted it to London for my Birthday. What a treasure. Miss Worthington acquired hers after finding it looking ever so lonely in the corner of a rather pricey antiques establishment. She managed to barter it down - et voila! Don't they make darling dresses?

The best of British

This weekend I was reminded of just how beautiful Britain can be when everything comes together at the right time. Obviously, the wonderful weather is a major component - it transforms even the most reticent amongst us and helps us to behave as though we were living in the South of France. I took part in the Open Gardens weekend in Wymeswold in Leicestershire at the invitation of a friend. It was a little slice of the English idyll. Thatched cottages, gardens bursting with beautiful blooms, children running around in mini-Boden, cream-teas, homemade james, blackbirds singing their hearts out, and that most traditional of traditions - Morris dancers. The sun shone, and meals were enjoyed outside along with a glass of wine as the day turned into balmy evening. I didn't want to be anywhere else, and I'm sure that those car-loads of Brits who head to the Mediterranean every summer would have been hard-pressed to match the simple pleasures of the stay-cation when the sun is smiling. My plastic-bottle flowers were a step too far for some of the less adventurous,  but the presence of the wonderful beekeeper next to my stall, showing off her hive and selling organic fruit and veg insured a steady flow of curious customers.

Summer

A big thankyou to all the friends who brought in their plastic bottles for me to turn into flowers. I'll be at the Wymeswold Open Gardens in Leicestershire this weekend (26th & 27th June) selling my flowers and talking hats! Do come along and say hello - it would be great to meet you. And if the weather stays fine - it should be a glorious couple of days.