What Saturday is for...

Breakfast at one of my very favourite places, Fernandez and Wells, with one of my very favourite people, Deerylou...

Liberty for this beautiful tana lawn printed fabric and a selection of adorable cotton ribbon...

The Cloth House for some grey stripe linen and white check cotton...

For my first sewing project I'm planning to make a tote bag. Inspiration and patterns at the ready... wish me luck!

Peonies

Todays offering from Columbia Road Flower Market are these stunning large deep red Bordeaux and sweetly scented white English peonies.

Good things... #3

P started a new four foot square painting this week, and I asked him to take some pictures for me...

The ground colour is a light grey, and the first course of dots are a transparent olive green. I love being able to see Ps work at different stages. The first course is always beautiful and full of so many possibilities...

Good things... #2

On Thursday I received our new stationery from Sally's shim + sons beautiful shoppe.

For some time I have wanted to have some personalised stationery, and Sally's old school style record cards jumped right out at me. I kept looking at them, thinking about all the recent thank you notes, etc., which I would have loved to have written on them... Here they are, and I'm absolutely delighted with them. They couldn't be any more perfect!

Sally's little thank you package... could she be any more charming?

Good things... #1

On Monday I received my birthday present from P in the post. P decided that he wanted to give me a piece of jewellery. I had been thinking about a ring which I had seen a number of times in Margaret Howell, so decided to check it out again to make sure it was what I wanted. However, when we visited their store on Wigmore Street, the ring was gone... the range had been replaced with another selection of beautiful, understated jewellery. But I wanted the ring which now appeared to be unavailable... very typical me!

I thought about it for a few days and decided to call... and am so glad I did. They kindly put me in contact with the designer maker, Emma Craig. Hey presto...

The ring is a set of slim silver bands, and is a perfect fit (please excuse photo!).

Thank you P... and Emma. I love it!! x

Read Me...

P's current bed time reading is Grimm's Fairy Tales. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are best known to me for these tales, but in a much softer and child friendly version... This is a complete unabridged book, and the stories are unpolished compared with how I remember the adaptations read to me in childhood.

I'm really enjoying these dark, often harsh, stories in their original state... or at least, as much of them as I hear before falling asleep!

Sunday...

Tulips from Columbia Road...

Gingerbread and coffee at Leila's...

Make Moomintroll

Check out this book of fabulous Moomin paper figures from Japan... I think they'd be great fun to make!

shim + sons

Today, I ordered some personalised flats (02) by Sally over at shim + sons. Mr Postman cannot get here with them quick enough, let me tell you...

Fermob Bistro

The recent spell of hot and sunny weather has made me start to think about a new, bigger garden table. French company Fermob manufacture a fine selection... my eye is on a folding table from the Bistro range.

The original 'Simplex' patent was registered in 1889 by Edouard Leclerc, and todays replicas are still made to the same specification but with the addition of modern technology and range of colours and finishes. The simple sturdy design was a hit with the bistro owners of the time, because they could be easily put away at closing time and meant that they could avoid paying rent for fixed terraces.

Le Labo

I love the scent of my Le Labo Figue 15 candle... fig with blackcurrant... delicious!

Flowers, Leila's & Rob Ryan...

Columbia Road for white sweet peas and anemones...

Leila's on Calvert Avenue for breakfast...

Then, Tatty Devine on Brick Lane for a look at their jewellery and exhibition in collaboration with the wonderful Mister Rob Ryan...

Helena Rohner & Georg Jensen

This certainly isn't something I need, but I do love this stainless steel and porcelain tea set designed by Helena Rohner for Georg Jensen.

Helena's website is really worth a look, it has a great selection of images of her simple colourful jewellery and stylish homewares. Her inspiration is the humble egg. This simple but perfect form means that her work has a truly satisfying quality... at least I think so!

Dots

P spent today at his stutio painting, he also photographed some details of some of his paintings with his birthday present... a Nikon D80.

Good work boy!

Vintage Ladybird

I absolutely love my Vintage Ladybird Box for Girls which P gave me for my birthday... it's a wonderful addition to my children's book collection. The box contains six facsimile editions of children's books originally published between 1958 and 1972, including the titles 'Shopping With Mother' and 'In a Big Store'!

The boys set looks equally fun...

You can also purchase a number of prints via the website.

When I was little I had a copy of this version of the Princess and the Pea... it was my favourite book... aside from the story, I think it had a lot to do with the cover illustration.

Peonies

Yesterday we came home from Columbia Road with an armful of glorious scented white peonies...

More Ranunculus

The two bunches of ranunculus which we picked up at Columbia Road last Sunday look dreamy in todays dull light...

Rainy Friday

Started today with breakfast at the Rochelle School Canteen, which is located at Arnold Circus in Shoreditch.

And for Helen over at Orange You Lucky... here is a picture of my wedding present from P, platinum and diamond stud earrings by Kamilla Ruberg.

Birthday

Today has been full of favourite things... grey skies, fresh rain, thunder and lightning.

Presents from P...

• Totally nostalgic Vintage Ladybird Box for Girls
• Animus, an absolutely beautiful and curious moving picture book by artist Seonna Hong
• Third, the new album by Portishead... essential listening
• Flight of the Conchords complete first season... genius musical back-to-back viewing
• A bottle of my current favourite fragrance, Rose 31 by Le Labo

After my haircut, lunch at Story Deil, the best pizza in London... I had my usual, chorizo and pumpkin.

P also wants to get me some jewellery, so we made a visit to Wright and Teague to check out the Gala rings. I'm still thinking about it, as there is another ring which I am keen on at Margaret Howell...

Then we headed over to Dover Street Market and had some tea in the Rose Bakery...

It was then time for a trip west to Whole Foods Market on Kensington High Street in search of sea salted caramels, which was a complete chewy success. ..

Next up was a visit to the Serpentine Gallery to see the work of Maria Lassnig...

Lastly, dinner at St John in Smithfield. What a feast... rounded off with rhubarb ripple ice-cream, if you please!

I've had a super day!!