House Tour - Eos's Light & Airy Swiss Family Home
Good morning to you! How was your weekend? Mine was surprisingly chilled-we normally use the weekend to hammer through everything we don't get done in the week, but this time we filled it with gardening, the farmer's market and enjoying the spring sunshine. And you?Today's post has been about a year in coming to these pages and I'm seriously happy to have my lovely friend Eos from Signora Aurora blog here today, sharing some beautiful images from her home in Switzerland. When I first asked if she'd like to be featured, she was living in Turin (I found her blog through my obsession with Italy) but then house moves and new babies got in the way of things, so it had to wait.Eos (which means "dawn" in Greek) is, much like her name, a vibrant, calming character. She puts so much love into everything, be it writing for her blog, painting and sketching or creating her family home. She's open and honest, just like her home-that's what I love about it. She also rents, which for me is a big thing. Until last April the last time I'd rented was as a student, so suddenly I was faced with the idea that there'd be too many restrictions to make our house feel like our home. What Eos has done with hers is the perfect example of how to make a rented space your own. I hope she inspires other renters out there too..."I’m Eos Koch, an artist, a graphic and webdesigner, a storyteller and seeker of light and beauty. I live with my husband, our two daughters and our three dogs in the French speaking part of Switzerland. We came here last summer and before we lived for five years in the north of Italy. I grew up in the rainy, German speaking part of Switzerland, but at heart I’m a little gipsy girl and love to not stick to one place.
We live on the fourth and highest floor on 130 qm with an additional big terrace of other 60 qm. As an artist and designer I work from home and this space serves us as a living and working space in one.
We're renting this apartment and for the moment it totally fits our needs. Having a home that feels like a protected and secure nest is so important. I love lots of light and searching for the perfect space to rent in, my biggest attention was on the light. Coming from sunny Italy to live in the Swiss mountains, the missing sun was the most difficult thing to leave behind. I even researched for how the sun is moves, where the sun comes up in the morning and where it sets in the evening.
There are some details, like the colour of our kitchen and the floor in there, that I don’t like, but making the best of it and making these parts blend in as much as I can helps me to accept them. After all it isn’t my home and we will be here for some time until we go decide to see more of the world.
This is my studio, I love it to be white and airy. There's a door that goes out to the terrace. Most of my furniture is from Ikea, mixed together with pieces from thrift stores and flea markets. I love to paint old things in white to make them all connect.
In my studio are lots of tables and big closets for all my fabrics, papers and other supplies.
A peek into the bathroom, some spring flowers and a vintage map from Italy out of a book I found at the flea market. I love pops of color as much as I love white.
The girls room is full of toys and games, there is a lot of colour and pink going on here.
I force them to only hold on to the things they really love or are very beautiful. Since we've already moved long distance twice, we had to simplify and it just feels so much better to not own too much clutter.
This is an older painting I made for my eldest daughter's birthday- I love to express with colour and am a believer that beautiful art can change the mood of a room and tells a story.
Light makes a room beautiful for me and these floral curtains diffuse the light a little bit and make the room shine. The high bed is perfect for the children's room, since my girls are still little they have a lot of space underneath.
I found my nightstand at a flea market, years and years ago. I love that it's a trunk and I can fit inside all my books inside so the bedroom stays tidy. Our bed is a very easy construction my husband and I made together. It is oversized, which means there is one double and one single mattress next to each other. I need space to sleep.
This is the view from our living space into the kitchen. To make a boring kitchen more playful and blend in I hung a white chandelier and brought in some white accessories.
The view from the other side, out of the kitchen into our dining area, where my husband and I work on most of our projects at the kitchen table. The rocking chair is a proud keepsake from my grandfather and is the perfect place to sit down in the afternoon, drink a coffee and swing back and forth.
My little four year old is with me all day and when I’m cooking she likes to cook delicious little things for us out of play dough.
My special ingredients are plants and flowers, they life into my white space. Too much white in a home can look clean and sterile, but plants help to bring a little bit of colour.
Our sofa area to drink coffee with friends, chat and have a good time. In the back is our entryway and on the right is our outside space which I love even more than a garden- I love to live high in the sky and have views.
Lots of space, to dance, build forts with my daughters, play and create. I love to fill our life and for this it is always good to have some empty space. This is where my inspiration comes from.
Lot of baskets all over with blankets for our dogs. I found this little yellow sideboard at the flea market and just painted it in white. The graphic print of the rose is a creation I made and printed myself.
Another nook to sketch, work and drink some coffee. The honeycomb balls I made by myself out of tissue paper, there are some good tutorials online to create your own.
My workplace and our space for dining. The table and corner bench is another keepsake from my grandfather, and to make him fit in I too painted it in white.
Big plants bring life into the space and they love to be near the window where there is a lot of light.
My love for chandeliers is easy to recognise, I especially love the old ones, but the mix of different styles makes the big picture more vivid.
I hope you enjoyed the little tour around my home. I love to surround us with beauty, this need comes from my belief that we have the control over our lives and how we want to feel. Creating a certain mood for our home helps us feel the way we want."
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I couldn't agree more! Thank you so very much for sharing your beautiful home with us Eos.If you'd like to follow Eos, check out the links below. She also has a beautiful new project that she's working to get off the ground, so if you love her work as much as I do, watch her project video to find out more.Would you like to give us a tour of your home? Perhaps you rent too and have found ways to make the space your own?
Decorate With Flowers - UK Book Blog Tour
I'm honoured to be hosting today's Decorate With Flowers book blog tour today and welcome to Curate & Display if you're stopping by for the first time. Today's post is quite a long one, so get the kettle on and settle in with a biccy or two...
Here is a breathtakingly beautiful new book to inspire you, from the imaginings of two incredible stylists and close friends, Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring. There's no end to the talents that these two women share-both designers, creative directors, authors (this is Holly's third publication with Jacqui Small publishers) and mentors for bloggers everywhere, I admire them both very much. As one of Holly's Blogging Your Way students I also had the pleasure of meeting her in person at the launch of her last book, Decorate Workshop and she's just as exuberant in person as she is online!When Holly mentioned last year that she was working on a new book and this time with Leslie, I had one of those silly, excited moments to myself. Leslie first landed on my radar when she started writing and shooting her Color Me Pretty column for Holly's blog, Decor8. This was going to be good. There would be colour, pattern, a feast for the eyes and a craft element somewhere. I was right and I love it.Decorate With Flowers is a vibrant and fresh foray into creative floral styling at home, without the need for expensive vases and the complicated terminology. The simplicity of this book is a joy, there's no pressure to have a perfect selection of containers, rather to utilise what you have to hand to create something new with them. There are no hard and fast rules to this approach, dispelling the stuffiness that can accompany the more professional (and slightly scary) floristry books. With each turn of the page you can see the love that's gone into the making-Leslie's beautiful illustrations and photography, Holly's signature styling and conversational narrative. It's just too lovely.
We jump right into the basics-building a capsule tool kit, how to choose the best quality blooms, how to prep and keep them flowering for longer and what to consider when you're putting an arrangement together. Then we look at three step-by-step arrangements, detailing how to approach a tied posy, medium arrangement with "sass" and a larger, blowsy creation. Start small, work your way up.
The book is divided into eight chapters based on a style theme and introduced with a moodboard -'Market' really caught my eye, drawing inspiration from visits to local flower markets around the world with pops of colour and texture. It reminded me of the last time I came to Utrecht with the flower stalls along the canal. Each project is created and styled within a real home, taking care to pull inspiration from the surroundings so that the flowers work as both complimentary features and subtle accents. My personal favourite was a playful little wreath which hangs on a corner of blogger Bri Emery's bed. Cute and punchy!All the projects are simple, stylish and easy to achieve with step-by step shots to help you along the way. I loved these Liberty print flower pots-if you're familiar with Holly's style you'll know she loves a bit of Liberty print, so it was great to see she'd used it here.
So I had to try something out for myself because...well, how could I not? Flicking through, I fell head over heels for these gorgeous Graphic Stamped Bags. A simple white bag gives you carte blanche with your design and they hide the mechanics (because sometimes flowers just look better when you can't see the stems). You choose what to print with-be it a stamp and ink or a simple graphic pattern using pens or paint. They look amazing on the table as a sociable display (you can see over the top whilst you talk over dinner!) and you don't need to break into a sweat to make your own. Here's Holly and Leslie's beautiful creations for you to try your hand...
And here are mine. I already had an idea of the colour story in my head and I had a fruitful two minutes in my office whilst I pulled together some inspiration for a quick moodboard-I love the Imogen Heath Pink Rosa fabric with that sculptural honeycomb ball. Lots of texture. You can probably deduce that my story was of summer, warm sun, rich pinks and yellow against crisp white. And bees. Lots of bees.
The flowers were a mixture of supermarket staples (the chrysanthemums as the filler and spray roses) and specials from the florist-the beautiful pink and hot yellow ranunculus, my favourites. I set to work on some sketches for the stamps and carved up some lino board with a honeycomb and bee hive motif with metallic gold touches to complete them.
Arranging the flowers inside took a little bit of practice-choosing a glass with a wide neck really helped, then packing out with the filler flowers first before adding in the show-stoppers.
Congratulations ladies! I absolutely LOVE this book. It's given me a new found confidence with flowers and made me realise that "flower arranging" isn't as daunting as I thought it'd be as long as you enjoy it and create something from the heart. And I did.Decorate With Flowers is out on official UK release on March 21st 2014 and you can pre-order your copy here. For all other release dates and exclusive content, please visit the Decorate With Flowers website.Image Credits1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 Tiffany Grant-Riley2, 4, 5 Decorate with Flowers.
2013 Gift List - Graphic Girl
I absolutely love this time of year. The tree is up and smelling amazing, the salt dough wreath I made last year is hanging with pride on our front door and the living room is glowing magically with a liberal sprinkling of fairy lights. Thoughts are turning to last minute tasks, planning the menu for next week (I cannot wait to get baking!) and snapping up a few extra gifts before the big day. I admit that I am, yet again, rather late with my gift lists-for some reason I plan them with the best of intentions and then leave them to the very last minute, so I do apologise-perhaps next year I'll remember to give myself a kick up the backside in October!This collection of gifts have been geared towards a print and design savvy lady (or guy if you discount the earrings!) who loves bright and bold style and isn't afraid to show it off. I give you Graphic Girl!
1. I'm known for keeping wrapped up warm in the winter months, I've always got a scarf or shawl around my neck-even indoors. Absolutely LOVE this Bling Bling Brix silk scarf by Voxish Industries. It's a digitally printed masterpiece of "scratchy, worn paint textures adorned glitzy, sparkling vintage jewels." Want.2. Kangan Arora's (doesn't she have an amazing name?!) North Indian roots really shine through in her beautifully vibrant textiles. Inspired by her every day surroundings at home in India, from rickshaws to Bollywood posters, the results vibrate with excitement. Her fluro-bright, screen printed cushion makes for an ideal decorative pick-me-up.3. This pink, black and white graphic print would look fabulous in a simple black frame as shown on a white wall as part of a gallery in the same colour way. Who doesn't need a little love from time to time? Check out designer Luzelle van der Westhuisen's African and Scandinavian inspired designs here at Mengsel.4. Metallics are enjoying a (tasteful) design revival now and I'm relishing indulging my obsession for gold. Isn't this fragmented gold bone china mug by Petra Green just gorgeous? Launched in 2010, her lifestyle brand Room39 is founded upon the abstract, with a bold aesthetic and playful use of pattern.5. If like me you're renting right now and worry about the commitment of using colour and print in your home, invest in something like this woven woollen throw by Eleanor Pritchard Easterly at Heals. It gives a three dimensional quality and an instant injection of colour. It'd look great on our grey sofa, if I do say so myself...6. A print with a difference! Created by Danish illustrator Kristina Krogh for Ferm LIVING, this Butterfly print is all about texture, not only with the use of cold marble and stone but also the material it's printed on. Birch plywood.7. As the daughter of a goldsmith, I've spent a lot of time around some outrageously elaborate jewellery (packets of precious gems on the table was a normal occurrence) so when I choose pieces for myself, these days I prefer something simple and bold. In keeping with the current arrow trend I had to include these seriously cute Go Fetch arrow earrings from vintage accessory company Eclectic Eccentricity who breathe new life into worn out and unloved pieces. Stylish, simple and to the point, don't you think?So tell me, what's caught your eye here today and will it be going on your Christmas list?.
Creative Baby Christmas Gifts
Last week I asked my lovely readers on our Facebook page for some impetus to help me put together some gift guides for Christmas 2013. One of my readers, Jane, recently gave birth to a baby boy who'll be 9 wks at Christmas and she wanted something creative that he can keep.When I was waiting for Reuben's arrival I spent days bent over my sewing machine stitching a beautiful (if I do say so myself) quilt which he still loves now at the age of 3. Tabby is now 10 wks, I still haven't made her anything and boy do I feel guilty! So in searching for these gorgeous gifts I've found plenty of inspiration for her too. Some items can be bought all ready for you to put together yourself whilst others I've included to put creative ideas into your heads. Jane, I hope this has gone some way to inspire you too!
1. I absolutely love these sweet little mice snuggled into a tin! Download the PDF, make your own and try your best to give them away! Wee Mouse Tin House 2. This guy looks like a real keeper and a forever teddy for little one. Blabla Kids Bearegard The Wolf Cloth Doll3. I actually bought this Bird Family from SuperLiving for Tabby's first Christmas present-so I have done something! I'll display them in a box shelf on her wall above her cot and they're something she can treasure forever.4. The Foldable Tori Rocking Horse from Miniluu is ideal for small spaces and it's natural wood finish means that you could customise it yourself...if you want to.5. A beautiful gift you can stitch yourself for a first Christmas and prepare yourselves for those first steps next year- First Baby Shoes Kit, Nel a Ned6. These Mokkasin garlands are a simple and effective way to bring colour into your baby's room. I love the muted colour selection in these ones which have been over-locked in a contrasting colour and finished with a little bell.7. Another DIY craft kit is the delightfully tactile Tweedy Toots Owl by SewGirl at NOTHS. A great project for you and a perfect keepsake too..
How To Get The Best From Collaborative Shoots
Today, I thought I'd write a post aimed more towards newbies in the wedding industry or indeed anyone who designs their own product and is just beginning to build a portfolio. If you're embarking on this journey or updating your work you'll no doubt have a lot of networking and marketing to get stuck into. If your work is visual and relies on strong imagery (you might be a dress or textile designer or budding stylist even) then you'll be wanting beautifully shot and styled images to promote you on the pages of your website and, in effect, do a lot of the basic marketing for you. So, when your budget is zilch and you're cack handed with a camera, what are your options? Collaborative shoots can be a great way to achieve this and kill two birds with one stone-you network and build relationships with like-minded creatives within your circle and you should come away with a strong selection of images that everyone involved can use for their benefit. But, it's not always as cut and dry as that as I'll tell you from my own experience during six years as a wedding planner before I embarked on styling full time.
When I first started Grant-Riley Weddings back in 2007 I had nothing but a bunch of folio images from my days as a stage manager-no bride was going to look at these and envisage how I could bring the vision of her wedding day to life. I knew no one and technically I was "no one" and I had no weight to my name. So what did I do? I started contacting bridal designers, a venue and a photographer and pulled together my own shoot one beautiful autumnal day in Richmond, Surrey to come up with some images that I could use to demonstrate my style at the time. I really had to persuade some designers to lend their gowns to me, a complete stranger and the concept of inspiration shoots was quite unheard of then. I was even turned down by one, which makes me smile now when I think that I've since gone on to work with gowns designed by the likes of Ian Stuart, Sassi Holford and Matthew Williamson. Excuse me while I blow my trumpet. Twitter didn't exist so my job was harder when it came to hunting down contacts. I had no florist onboard as I felt very uncomfortable asking for their flowers and time for free, so I negotiated a deal for cut flowers with a local market trader and did them myself out of my own pocket. I ended up with chrysanthemums and purple statice as centrepieces and brassicas (boy do they smell!) as accents for place settings. Some of it worked, a lot of it didn't!On another occasion, I cancelled a photographer last minute because the weather was set to be a wash-out and quite rightly made her very upset because she'd cancelled a holiday to see family in Sweden for me. I ended up working with another photographer in the end, but we're still friends!
I'm hoping the following tips will guide you in the right direction and save you a lot of time in the long run so that you avoid the certain pitfalls that such shoots can create.1. Have A PurposeCollaborative "inspiration" shoots are ten a penny these days, particularly within the bridal industry. There are some exceptional examples of well devised, well executed work in which all parties involved have pulled together as a team and produced a clear, inspiring set of images. And then there are those that, well, don't. They might look perfectly pretty in every way but somehow underneath all this something's been lost in translation and the story or purpose has been lost leaving rather cloudy results. So how do you make yours stand out? My first piece of advice is to have a purpose. If it's the next season's collection of cushions you're shooting, don't waste time scouting for models to hold them- the cushions need to be the focus here. If you're focusing on a particular trend, then choose a few key elements in which to show it in action and don't become distracted with another. If it's a Downton Abbey inspired bridal shoot, don't be tempted to sneak a little 1950s in. It looks amateur. A simple concept is a strong one.2. Tailor Your ContentIf your ultimate goal is to have your images featured on a well known blog or printed in a national magazine for exposure then start by researching the aesthetic of where you're submitting your work. Is it a good match for you? For example, a DIY interiors test shoot might be better submitted to Mollie Makes than Good Housekeeping, or a dark, gothic inspired bridal shoot would suit Offbeat Bride or Rock n Roll Bride better than somewhere like Style Me Pretty.It's also a really good idea to think about the format you'll be shooting in-does the publication tend to prefer portrait over landscape? stand alone shots or duos? Are there certain colours they don't like to use?
3. Trade Your SkillsJust because you can't afford to give anything with monetary value it doesn't mean you can't skill swap instead. This way you're demonstrating that you are serious about your craft and that you respect who you're working with. If you're a florist, offer your photographer and model (if you're using one) a free bouquet to the value of X amount or something to show willing. If you make a product, gift one of your cushions or prints instead. Working for free has become one of those situations that we're all too quick to accept because we feel we have to (hell, I've done it a LOT in the past for folio) but remember to try and ensure you're paid for your time in some form.
4. Schedule Your Time & DelegateIn the lead up to shoot day you'll be busy sourcing, planning and coordinating. Make sure that you give yourself enough time to pull everything together and don't forget to factor in the time it takes for collections and returns (in some cases I've spent several days doing this). Choose someone to manage the overall process-if you've instigated the project then it ought to be you. Communicate with your team. Is everyone else pulling their weight? Is everyone on the same page?Let's not forget scheduling your shooting time on the day itself. Ask yourself...• How long will it take you to dress and style each set up?• How many set ups do you have and realistically, how many shots would you like to walk away with?• Which order will you shoot in? I find it's best to start with the most complicated scenes first.• How long will it take for you to break down your set, tidy and leave the premises?Based on these answers you should be able to draw up a running order. It's best to be as flexible as you can to allow movement if for whatever reason you have to change plans-it could be that the light isn't what you expected and you need to wait or location, or perhaps a model bails on you and you need to double up a look on another.
5. Over-Plan & Be PreparedA good stylist always brings a lot of props and product on set, more than they're likely to get round to using, but having options is absolutely key. You might have a certain set-up in your mind or roughly sketched out, but once it's in situ something might not sit right. Having alternatives to swap around takes the pressure off and can be the difference between getting "the money shot" and something half baked. Try not to promise too much if you're borrowing items from other designers or makers, but if they're disappointed their product didn't get used, perhaps agree to write them a blog post or use something else in their collection another time. It's inevitable that you can't use everything and keep everyone happy, but you can show willing which encourages people to want to work with you again.
6. Distribution & Use of ImagesThis is an area you really need to discuss with your photographer before you start the project if you can. How soon can they edit the images after the shoot? Are they happy for their images to be used by everyone for their own folios? Do they have any other stipulations?Agree a realistic time frame in which the images can be made available to everyone for download. This is generally what the pay-off is for your team so don't leave everyone waiting for too long afterwards, but give your photographer enough time to edit comfortably-they'll be juggling this with paid clients' work too.Another area to note if you're trying to get featured is whether the publication have an exclusivity clause or grace period before your images can be used anywhere else-this includes your own blog. Be clear on this first because it can be the difference between getting featured and not.
7. Credit, credit, credit!It's after the event, your photographer has selected and edited your shots and they're ready to go. Congratulations! You're not quite done yet though. Now you need to get your credits done, thoroughly and correctly. If your shoot is being featured online and there's opportunity to, you need to make sure you credit everyone involved with a link to their website. Keep a list of featured product in each shot to include and don't forget your photographer too!If your images are going to print and it's just an image to two other than a full spread, it's not always possible to credit everyone, in which case the photographer is usually the only one you absolutely must highlight, unless of course the focus is on product too.So there we are. There is still heaps to discuss on this topic, but I wanted to keep it fairly precise and to the point for this post. I know that lots of you out there (some of whom I've worked with!) will have your own tips or opinions on this, so feel free to leave them in the comments below. I hope this has been a useful topic to cover and that it'll help you think twice and get the results you're aiming for before you head into the wild! A useful thing to remember, though, is that you'll learn more with every shoot that you do and you'll continue to do so-it's one of the things I love about the job!.
Mini Mi Boutique Is Doing It For The Kids
I think I've just made a new friend and I'm very much hoping the parents of Rochester let her stay because she's just opened Mini-Mi, a beautiful children's boutique on the high street. It. Is. Gorgeous.
For months now, the space once occupied by my favourite haberdashery, Hometown, has stood unloved and empty with quite a few traders concerned that it'd turn into another charity shop (Rochester is full of them in case you didn't know). So a few weeks back, whilst dragging my two children (I'm still getting used to saying the plural) around town to tire them out I was pleasantly surprised to see a brand spanking new boutique beaming at me from across the road. Reuben was first through the door and he immediately set to picking up and touching everything he could whilst I did my level best to avoid paying for breakages! Suffice to say, Mini Mi is just what a little town like ours needs. It's for small and big kids alike, boasts the best in Scandinavian and European children's design and provides us grown-ups with an alternative to the sometimes dreary mainstream option for clothing, toys and decor. No, I'm not being snobby at all but finding places like these in the Medway area is like hunting for a needle in a haystack. So "yay!" for Sarah Norris. Come and have a look round with me...
Hello Sarah! Tell us a bit about you...I'm an approaching 40 busy mum to two small girls, Daisy (5) and Poppy (almost 2), as well as step mum to 3 kids, two in their teens and one 21 year old - we don't all live together but our house is one hectic place pretty much all of the time. For the past 17 years I've been working in the fashion industry which I always loved and felt very fortunate to do a job where I looked forward to going to work. However, children came along and my life changed! I love anything that's a bit different - and that applies to my life in general!!
What inspired you to set up Mini-Mi?My job involved a lot of travelling around the country, early starts and home late, I was stressed from the time I went to bed the night before until the time I got home the following evening. I've always had an ambition to have my own shop but I thought it would be something way off in the future until an opportunity came my way that I simply could not let pass me by! I had always complained that although I live in a beautiful town, our high street does not meet my needs. With two small children I love to take a walk into town, get the girls some fresh air and do my shopping. However, every time there was a birthday or an event that needed a gift for I'd have to get in the car and head to a shopping centre. I thought that if I felt like that then I couldn't be the only one. I also needed a way out of the fashion industry, it's a dog eat dog world and since having my girls I always felt that if I slipped up someone would be there snapping at my heals to take my job, juggling work and kids is hard enough without that added pressure. I tested the market first by starting small and renting space in a friends shop, this experience was invaluable, I was lucky to have this opportunity to start small and keep my regular job going - It was a lot of work, two jobs, two kids but I'm so glad I did it now!!
How do you go about choosing and sourcing your stock for Mini-Mi?I am always looking out for new things, I take lots of photos and with my old job I was constantly in and out of fabulous shops so I was always picking up little ideas here and there. I wanted Mini Mi to have a unique feel and not just be 'another' shop. I buy my stock from all over the world, this season we've been to trade shows in Copenhagen and London, I also use Instagram to find suppliers, these tend to be based in the USA which is great as it's difficult to find these brands in the UK and my customers want something that is unique.
We stock beautifully made children's gifts and toys by Maileg from Denmark, another Danish brand which I love it called Sebra - I had to go to Denmark to place my order with this brand, it was so worth making the extra effort to get the correct stock, Sebra creates a massive impact in the shop. Traditional French toy brand Vilac, Radio Flyer trikes, Le Toy Van wooden toys, super cute Sonny Angels, Homewear by Rice and Littlephant, artwork by young Danish illustrator Carlslund (only UK stockist). On the clothing side we stock cool T's from American brand Prefresh (only UK stockist), new kids label Cute Graffiti, Bob & Blossom, Poppy, Joules, Minnetonka moccasins and in the summer our beloved Saltwater sandals!Why Rochester?I moved here 20 years ago when I started my Fashion degree at the Art college, I loved the area and never went back home!! Last year I assisted at my old art college helping the 1st year fashion students with their pattern cutting - it was lovely to be back, the 1st years were great!
You're clearly very keen on Scandinavian and European style, what is it that you love about it?I have always loved this look, its very elegant and refined. It's probably no coincidence that I've worked for Danish fashion brands for the last 10 years! I would frequently go to meetings in Copenhagen and have had to run to the departure gate as I've spent too long wandering around Illums Bolighus gazing at the homewares!My favourite brand changes daily but today its Sebra - I love the giant William and Lulu cushions!! They are amazing and make a real statement but still beautiful and understated.
What do you have planned for Mini-Mi in 2014?I've got some new brands coming in for SS14 which I'm really excited about! I also know that I have product areas that I can fulfil so I'm looking forward to January when the shows kick off again so I can go on the hunt for new product categories, as well as attending the childrenswear shows, next season we are planning to go to Paris to Maison & Objet - very exciting!!***Now that I have two very special babies arriving for friends and family in spring next year, it's just as well that I have Sarah on my doorstep. Just try and keep me away!
FEATURED! 91 Magazine Issue 7
And breathe...it's the weekend, which means time to kick back, relax and catch up on some reading over a long and leisurely breakfast. Ok, well, if you don't have kids and trips to Ikea to achieve without filing for divorce at the same time that is, but the good news is, there's a new issue of 91 Magazine to pour over and yes, it's glorious.I'm really rather excited to be able to finally share this gorgeous (if I do say so myself) home entertaining shoot I worked on for 91 Magazine's A/W issue with photographer and fellow lover of all things Italian, Michelle Young. We shot this in June if my memory serves me correctly in my home whilst I was six months pregnant- it was quite a picture to see me running up and down stairs, crawling under the table and hanging up black-out fabric over the windows. Needless to say, I struggled to walk the following day!Anyway, back to the piece. In an effort to move away from the stereotypical idea of winter entertaining (red and green, sparkles and tinsel) I wanted to create a look which drew inspiration entirely from nature, using natural, reusable or up-cycled materials wherever possible- linens, cotton, succulents etc. Most of the items you'll see in this feature have been sourced from a charity shop, revamped from my own prop store or taken from the garden...
I'm obsessed with copper at the moment, be it matt or highly polished and I loved the contemporary feel it created against the creased linen tablecloth and vintage Beryl Ware plates. Also included as part of the feature is a DIY wreath place setting which is extremely easy to achieve and will compliment your own winter tablescape.To see the rest of the feature and another beautifully inspiring edition, head over to issue 7 of 91 Magazine.What do you think of the crisp white with soft green and reflective copper?.
I Have Come Home
I have come home to my mother to slow down for a little while. Goodness knows I have needed this, with just five weeks of pregnancy left and a much awaited family wedding to celebrate in between, the time between now and "D-Day" grows ever shorter. There's still so much to prepare for but, perhaps as this is my second, I don't feel quite as frantic about it as before. It will all get done. Eventually. Last week nesting kicked in in the garden. I waited til dark, stripped to my underwear and spent a good hour weeding, pruning and watering in the balmy night air. Not a pretty picture but let me tell you it was heavenly. No one to see me or engage me in unnecessary bump chatter (I am huge and yes, thank you, I'm aware that I'm "all out front") and I could marvel at the stars and listen to our resident fox rustling in the bushes next door.And now a few days of pottering are in order for me and our son with family in Suffolk whilst my husband finishes painting our living space a clean, bright white.
I love to come home, always. Despite all my protestations as an angry teen to escape this place, I spent the rest of my twenties happily returning to it or trying to recreate a surrogate in our own home. The house is filled with a heady scent of lilies-my mother's favourites left over from her birthday, which stand majestically on the worn and battered kitchen table.There's always the slow and steady sound of a clock ticking in the house, quite mesmerising when the rest of the house is quiet and a faithful heartbeat when it's not. I can take my time here, there's no rush, no strict routine to cling to and I can enjoy my own company for a while. I got my hair cut for the first time in months and I already feel like a new person, not the pregnant frump I was before but the old Tiff who had a little style and a gorgeous wardrobe before comfort and practicality took over.
I think being allowed the chance to take a step back and re-evaluate life every once in a while is invaluable, especially as someone who doesn't like to mentally sit still for long (physically I'm too heavy and tired to move!!) my mind is always working over-time, pushing myself on to the next thing. I am my own worst enemy at times.I'm already planning ahead to the end of my sort-of maternity leave (because it doesn't really exist when you're self-employed!) and to new and exciting projects and shoots towards the end of the year. I've been in so much denial these past eight months, to the point at which I found myself on the phone to Kitchens & Bathrooms magazine for an assistant stylist job for some shopping pages at six months gone. What was I thinking?! Really, I ought to be focusing on how we'll all settle in as a family of four and try to get my head around being a mother to a three year old and a newborn. What I want to be doing though, is painting the house from top to bottom, up-cycling some worn bits of furniture we have that I can't let go of just yet and baking like a demon. One thing at a time Tiff.
I'd love to know-how do you recharge your batteries? Is it something you reserve for your holiday or do you try to do it more regularly? Is there somewhere in particular you like to go?.
Amalfi Inspired Lemon & Thyme Biscuits
Sometimes the most spontaneous of ideas turn out to be the best, and this super quick and instantly gratifying recipe is certainly no exception. With our recent spell of beautiful hot weather affording us the luxury of "alfresco dining" for every family meal this week, my thoughts have once again turned to Italy. Amalfi in particular, where we spent our honeymoon very nearly five years ago this summer is a region abundant in the most glorious lemons I have ever tasted, bigger than the size of your fist and beautifully imperfect in shape. We arrived late on a balmy night, newly married, exhausted and dehydrated to our apartment greeted by the most incredible lemon tiramisu we've ever tasted, made by the land lady to welcome us. Heaven only knows how much it was needed! Happy memories...Given that I'm now in no fit state to travel so far (32 weeks now) with a small handful of left over lemons in the fruit bowl (not from Amalfi I might add) and feeling peckish for a sweet treat, I decided to bake these zesty little lemon and thyme biscuits to transport me back there instead. If you want me, I'll be on the terrace overlooking the sea...Time: 15mins prep, 15mins to bakeIngredients:125g butter (I used salted as this was what I had to hand)125g caster sugar250g plain flour1.5 tsp baking powderThe zest of two lemonsA handful of fresh thyme, finely choppedX1 medium egg yolkApprox. X1 tablespoon double cream or milkMethod:Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees/160 degrees fan oven/gas mark 4.Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in the lemon zest, chopped thyme and egg yolk, then sieve in the flour and baking powder.Bring your mixture together until it forms a dry dough, then add your double cream or milk until it combines. The dough should just about pull together, it doesn't want to be wet.Roll pieces of the dough into conker sized balls roughly an inch apart, then gently press the top of each with a fork to lightly flatten. Pop them into the oven for around 15 minutes or until lightly golden on top. They should be slightly soft in the centre when you remove them from the oven onto a cooling rack, but they'll dry out nicely once cooled and should have a perfect crunch to them with a slightly softer middle.
Pretty much as close to La Dolce Vita as you're gonna get.Enjoy!.
On Life So Far...
Well, I'm back from the land that time forgot! Life has been pretty involved over the past few weeks, from trying to sort through the remainder of stacked boxes in the garage (admittedly most of those are my props and crockery) sofa shopping (a near impossible task it would seem) and finishing up a couple of summer shoots, so I thought I'd drop in and have a little catch-up...Belonging
We really feel like we're a part of something here in our brand new Rochester neighbourhood. Suddenly it doesn't seem so alien to chat to a neighbour over the fence or wave as you pull into the driveway. Given that we never really had that relationship with our previous neighbours of eleven years it's actually a really nice feeling. Everyone know everyone's business...and that's ok!One afternoon before Reuben's nap we set to work baking these incredibly moreish chocolate and cranberry cookies as gifts for the neighbours to thank them for making us feel so welcome. Of course, I added my own touches, wrapping them in greaseproof paper and tying them with baker's twine and a little tag before waddling my pregnant backside off for door-to-door deliveries. It wasn't much, but I think the gesture made all the difference. Oh...and did I mention how good they were?Find the recipe in Tessa Kiros' 'Apples For Jam'.Food Styling
I relish the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables available to us in summer and, as pretentious as it sounds, I make a big deal out of visiting the local green grocer on our high street once a week to see what's good to eat and of course, shoot. Given that I'm more comfortable in the styling of props (they're pretty predictable to work with) I'm pushing myself to experiment a little more with food and still life-these flat peaches were just calling out to me!
Tomorrow is Rochester's Kentish cherry festival which I'm extremely excited about given that they are my current pregnancy craving. I mixed these up with some blueberries-they lend themselves beautifully to the camera in both their shape and variety in colour, don't you think? It's a real joy to experiment and push my skills in this house, the light is excellent regardless of the weather!A Need For Soft Green
A few weeks back we managed to escape to Ikea for a couple of hours sans Reuben to pick up a few essentials. Our worn out crockery had had its day and I'd ear-marked the beautiful 'Strosa' soft green stoneware bowls and plates to brighten up our new kitchen cupboards. I'm constantly drawn to this soft green which reminds of the popular kitchen colours of the 1930s and 40s, typically seen side by side of with light yellow. Having got them home I discovered a few more items already in that similar shade of green including the 1940s Berylware plates I recently used for an upcoming shoot for 91 Magazine, and the mixing bowl I picked up from a charity shop and always use for my baking. Perhaps I have a little problem?!Dyeing The Natural Way
I picked up some Dylon fabric paints recently to try out for a mini DIY project coming up soon, but they got me thinking about ways in which I could harness natural dyes already available in my spice rack and garden. There's a wealth of hidden magic to try, including onion skins and marigolds (who knew?!) I grabbed a hank of acrylic and wool mix yarn and set to work dyeing it in a pan of boiling hot turmeric water. Whilst I was aware the dye might not take so well to the synthetic acrylic I was pleasantly pleased with the results and knitted some up to add to my beekeeper's quilt.If you'd like to learn more about working with natural dyes, check out my Dyes & Pigments board on Pinterest and have a go!Learning To Relax
I'm due in all of 9 weeks now and I'm still struggling to put my feet up and relax, particularly with a very active two year old boy. My mind is constantly ticking over and whilst that part of me is raring to go, my body most definitely isn't! I'm officially "off the circuit" for work now until later in the year and it's really difficult to turn down interesting styling jobs, particularly at this time of year when there's a busy schedule to partake in. I'm constantly aware of the possible back-lash it might have for me to turn work down so much now, but I have to remind myself that these opportunities will still be there when I come back and really, no one wants an 8 month pregnant stylist on set for a ten hour day who can't lug the heavy boxes or climb the stairs!For now, I'm putting my feet up, enjoying my family and these little creative projects that come along from time to time.See you soon :).
How Does Your {Indoor} Garden Grow?
I'm on a mission over the next few months to bring more of the garden indoors. There are so many harsh lines and empty corners in our new home and, whilst it's definitely not my aim to fill every space with clutter, I do yearn for a little vibrant greenery to soften things up a little. Whilst sourcing plants for a shoot next month, I caught the bug big time. Can you tell?I have a gorgeously simple DIY hanging garden to share with you at the end of the week which is beautifully contained and it got me thinking about other ways to introduce little contained gardens in the home. Mainly terrariums. Considered to be rather "trendy" these days, filled with all manner of succulents, cacti and other low maintenance plants they seem to be the thing to have right now. They don't need regular watering, feeding or pruning and can be left to their own devices to flourish on a windowsill (N.B check growing advice before you do this as some plants love light more than others!)
Growing up we would always have the odd, quirky succulent plant about the house and I'm no stranger to them, so it was really lovely when I got to bring them in as a key plant for a client's wedding decor last year- in fact I ended up bringing quite a few home with me. It does make me laugh though to discover that since their rise in favour it's become almost impossible to find these in their usual habitats at bake sales, car boots and charity shops-they were unfashionable for so long and now everyone wants them!My absolute favourite gardening store, Terrain, has unfortunately yet to make it to Europe, but given that its sister stores Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters are already a much loved brand here in the UK I doubt it'll be long before its arrival. That's my explanation for breaking my "won't feature anything outside of Europe" rule today. If you don't know Terrain, then welcome -it's a breath of fresh air for all modern gardeners with beautiful collections of gardening paraphernalia, dressed up in the typically fresh, delicate style of its sister stores. It's a real treasure trove to explore and there's so much to love, but for today, in keeping with my indoor garden theme, I've chosen to share my 'Top 7 Terrain Terrariums'...
1. Dome Specimen Cloche | 2. Edwardian Case Terrarium | 3. Open Bubble Terrarium | 4. Cylinder Terrarium | 5. Pedestal Terrarium | 6. Weathered Basin Terrarium | 7. Tidewater TerrariumFancy starting your own mini garden? It really couldn't be simpler (or cheaper for that matter). Here's a few tips:• Glass works really well to display the details of your plants-don't assume you need to have a specially produced terrarium for this, a vase or bowl will work just as well.• Most mainstream garden centres sell a variety of terrarium plants for as little as 99p for a young sapling so you can stock up and watch them grow.• A layer of stones or pebbles on the bottom of the terrarium allows for drainage which is very important. Try not to over water your plants or they'll start to rot.• Add a variety of textures for your plants to grow into such as stones, worn glass pebbles, compost and sand. It also looks great layered through the glass.I hope you feel inspired to go forth and create your own indoor gardens and I look forward to showing the results of what I'll do with mine once they've had their moment in front of the camera in a few weeks!.
A Small Office Tour - Just A Little Corner
Morning. Sleep well? I thought I'd start the day gently with a milky decaf and a little insight into my new office space, sharing a little corner of it with you. Over the past few days in between trips to the supermarket and hunting for nurseries for our son (a whole different ballgame here) I've managed to pick my way through the boxes and slowly unpack my office. I'll say it again. My office. You have no idea how good it feels to say that, given that I'd gone from having a corner of a room in our two-up-two down, to working on the sofa/dining table once our son was born. I planned entire weddings that way and it wasn't conducive to anything remotely organised...although I did it. Now I have an entire room. I can fill it with whatever I want. I can swing the cat if I feel like it (and I wouldn't really) but it is such a creatively liberating experience to finally be here.
I discovered this beautiful old bureau in our local charity shop a few years ago and, although it was partly my sewing cupboard, it was also needed to store some very ugly DVDs for some time, so being able to lovingly display all my fabrics, linens and sewing paraphernalia is just really exciting. I'm rediscovering things I forgot I had be it from past shoots, projects or events and I treasure them even more now.
The flip-side to up sizing a home is that you suddenly discover how much furniture you lack-slightly frustrating when you have all this "stuff" you had stored in the loft for years needing a home but nowhere as yet to put it! So, I'm only sharing this small corner of my space with you today because if I took any shots behind me you'd see a mess...so give me some time and I'll post a full reveal.
As an impatient person I'm not too practised at waiting but I'm enjoying relaxing into the space and letting it reveal itself, how I use it and thus how I choose to decorate it. I'm going to live with it for a little while and carry on adding to my Pinterest board for inspiration until I feel ready. I'm pretty sure that crisp white will be the order of the day on the walls though, with colour brought in with accessories, perhaps a little rug?
My next project will be to revamp my boring pine desk -thanks to everyone who voted on the colour on Facebook and Instagram. I'll reveal the winner in a DIY as soon as I can get out in some dry weather and get started!Hope you enjoyed exploring this morning. What's your creative space like?.
The New Neighbourhood - Finding Our Feet
Well, I'm still alive! We made it! Three days of DIY house moving (and boy was it exhausting, especially with this growing bump) and we're settling in nicely. I'd thought that weekend was going to be really emotional from the viewpoint of leaving our home of over ten years and starting anew but actually I don't miss the place at all. I have space here. And light. Lots of light!The first few days have been like a reawakening for all of us here, on our first morning in Rochester I took our son for a stroll into the town and was greeted and smiled at by people we passed in the street. The students at Kings School coming out of the cathedral after morning service were polite and considerate as they passed us on the pavement. Our neighbours actually introduced themselves and welcomed us first. It all felt rather like being in a musical, cheesy as it sounds. So I suppose you could say that my expectations have changed since moving just 20 minutes up the road. Thank goodness we did it.
Over the bank holiday weekend Rochester welcomed its annual Sweeps Festival to town, a tradition steeped in history and folklore in which around 60,000 visitors and local morris dancing groups flock in their droves, faces blacked out as a nod to the chimney sweeps, clothed in their finery to dance and celebrate the May Day weekend. The fair set up camp outside in the castle gardens for the three days where live music played and kids got sick from the sweets and rides...
Eccentric characters were in abundance and were admired, the town was absolutely buzzing. Having come from a shut down commuter town where you kept yourself to yourself it really brought home to us what we've been missing. Community.
Rochester is in full bloom at the moment, whether it's the cherry and magnolia blossoms outside the cathedral or inside the Six Poor Traveller's House courtyard garden (my new favourite retreat to escape the chaos). There is colour and texture everywhere.
We finally discovered how to reach the Saxon Shoreway too. It's in Lower Upnor, just down from the castle. Upnor in itself is the most stunning little village but here you can walk the shoreline for quite some way at low tide. With the sun and a warm afternoon on our side, we stopped for a cool drink in the local pub and meandered along, enjoying the sound of the water.
Hope you enjoyed this first little insight into our new neighbourhood. I'll be getting on with some 'Before & After' tours of the house once we're settled in but with the next few weeks packed with work for shoots you'll have to be a little patient in the meantime ;)Have a lovely weekend, whatever you're up to!.
A Soft Submission
With a rare day of sunshine yesterday I decided to be spontaneous and indulge in some bread making, in my opinion one of the most therapeutic things you can do. With just two weeks before moving day and a house groaning with packed cardboard boxes I relished the act of kneading some dough into a soft submission and with it the stress, if only for a short while. I'm sure you can empathise that with the effects of this unrelenting winter it's been darn near impossible to feel inspired. I was tired of moping around, feeling sorry for myself. I'd even wondered if I'd ever get my "mojo" back again, so I was somewhat relieved to feel it returning yesterday. Long may it last, please!
One recipe for sweet bread I turn to time and time again is Babka/Pulla/Kringle-a bread made with sugar, butter, cinnamon and or cardamom. There are several variations on this theme depending on where in Europe you find it but the method is much the same. My favourite is the Babka from food writer Tessa Kiros' 'Falling Cloudberries' but given that I'd already boxed it away I plumped for an Estonian Kringle instead via 'Just Love Cookin' ' blog.With the dough rising beautifully in the airing cupboard we headed out for a walk to blow the cobwebs away before returning home tired and revitalised. I so looked forward to building up and braiding the dough ready for its thirty minute bake and afterwards I sat on the kitchen step with my son to watch it swell and caramelise in the oven. A little piece of heaven.
I realised with a tinge of sadness that this sweet little indulgence would most likely be the last thing I bake in our oven before we leave it for the new owners. I was 21 when I moved in with my now husband and in those eight years this oven has seen all manner of dishes and delights , from numerous wedding and birthday cakes, to moussakas and baklavas. Like a constant companion it's never let me down and I know it as if it were an extension of me. Bit of an odd way to talk about an inanimate object, but let's just say I'll miss it a great deal.On the 26th we'll begin a new chapter in our new home, which as its rented will present a whole new set of decorative challenges but I wholeheartedly look forward to sharing this adventure with you. There'll be so much to do before this new baby arrives but with each day that passes I can feel my inspiration returning which can only be a good thing.See you on the other side. X{Check out more recipes like this}Chocolate Babka ~ Smitten KitchenBraided Cardamom Bread (Pulla) ~ SaveurPulla ~ Pure Vegetarian...and if you can't be bothered to bake your own but want to savour the flavour anyway, get down to Fabrique, a gorgeous Swedish bakery in Hoxton..
Coming Out Of Hibernation...
Gosh. Just about two month since my last blog post. Are you wondering where I've been? Most likely not if you've better things to do with your time, but let's just say I've been really very unwell and pretty much bed/sofa-bound for much of the time. I certainly haven't flaked from the world of blogging, got bored or disinterested-I love the community we have here and hearing from you over on our Facebook page and Twitter, but it was so all-consuming that it was easier for me to put everything aside (including work) and concentrate on the job in hand. Getting myself better.So what was going on? Here's a clue...
Yep. I've been growing another human being (and the last for us after this experience!) as the uncontrollable all day morning sickness I've had almost landed me in hospital-I couldn't keep anything down and I can honestly say it was the most miserable two months of my life, bar none.My husband was incredible, transforming into some sort of domestic god working full-time upstairs in our office, looking after me and our two year old son as well as doing all the housework, food shopping and catering. We live quite far from any family support and most of our friends work full time in the city so there was no chance of any outside help, we were literally on our own. And the work I had to turn down? It was pretty soul destroying too as I'd been offered the chance to style for a cook book, something at the very top of my goal list. And just when you'd think things couldn't get much worse, we lost the house we were buying...and so there we were, stuck without a home to move into and a very lovely, patient buyer waiting. You literally couldn't write this stuff.BUT (because this post really wasn't supposed to be a miserable bag of poo on a dreary Monday morning) we are expecting a healthy little 'Squirt' in early September and we're very excited to start a new chapter of parenting with two little Rileys. I'm also feeling a great deal better than I was a few weeks back and am trying hard to find my creative blogging mojo again, because it's what I love to do.So there we are, that's where I've been. If you've contacted me via email and I've not yet replied, I'm getting round to you, promise. And in the meantime, thanks for hanging in there and waiting!How ARE you all?!.