Gone Fishing

I went here for a browse.

I made a purchase which was very nicely wrapped.

This is what I bought.

These prints are from the
Liberty Art Fabrics/V&A Shop
limited edition collection which were
produced to celebrate the V&A's
quilts exhibition.
.

At £11.50 per metre they are a little

less expensive than the classic Liberty print range.

See here for the full set.

Close-ups of the ones I bought:

I will attemtpt to sew some of this charming fabric 

into something requiring only straight-line machining.
(Rookie seamstress.) 

I will - of course - post the results of my efforts.

Clothes Care

I'm so glad I found you.

Note:

Quality control has been in touch. They say this post is 'lacklustre' - no colour and no punch. It is without any of the necessary qualities that would make it an arresting blog entry and also - apparently - I 'know too much' about clothes moths and could I please illustrate with more interesting pictures.

I say - project yourselves forward a few months, wait until the temperature drops and feel the pain of that moment when you reach for another layer to put on but then discover that those favourite sweaters/scarves/coats are no longer the complete and useful articles you presumed they'd be but a series of holes held together by the threads of said garments and merely a suggestion of what they once were.

Feel it.

And then whisper - 'next year I won't be caught out. Next year I'm going to store my woollens in a John Lewis lavender scented anti moth bag (or similar)'.

Then it won't hurt any longer.

Hope Is The Thing With Feathers

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.


by Emily Dickinson

Bermondsey Blooms

I was called outside by the sunshine.

Below are some photos I took of the delicate Forget-me-nots that have colonised the back garden. I'm happy to let these little fellows meander through the flower bed as they please. Forget-me-not is such a sweet sweet name for a flower that's associated with love and rememberance. 

There is a medieval legend which relates the tale of an armoured knight who was walking with his lady-love along the banks of a river. As he stooped to pick some flowers the knight tumbled into the water. Before drowning he threw the posy of flowers to his love and called out, "Forget me not." 

Note: 

Norfolk-based company Old Town - see and read this over at  'A Bloomsbury Life' - have used a pretty floral print called 'Bermondsey in Bloom' which looks like it could have been inspired by the delightful Forget-me-not.

Hmm. Wooden Footwear

I remember seeing someone manage fast walking in clogs. 

Wearing tights also. 

This was impressive. 

I can say no more.

On Prescription

Some new additions to the bookshelf perhaps?

No - I jest. This handsome quartet is in fact part of a range of chocolate from New Zealand confectioners Bloomsberry & Co. They look lovely don't you think?

Here's how I happened upon them. Whilst out doing an earnest stick-to-the-list-don't-deviate-we're-time-limited grocery shop, a moment of weakness drew me to the chocolate section. Your Honour, there had been absolutely no intention to purchase confectionary but on this occasion I was unable to resist the pretty colours. And the packaging. And the name. Emergency Chocolate - What a brilliant idea! It tickled me so much that I couldn't fight the compulsion to purchase. In the spirit of its medicinal look, and to make right my wrong, I will dispense said chocolate to the needy. Please do not judge me harshly.

Note:
Although chocolate season is supposed to be over - it isn't. That's because ice cream season can't officially begin until it gets a bit warmer. As temperatures in the UK have not yet reached Ben & Jerry's degrees centigrade, the consumption of aforementioned confectionary may continue until over-(h)eating forces vest/coat/cardi removal.

Taking a Moment

TWENTY BLESSINGS
adapted from the Celtic by Thomas A Clark

May the best hour of the day be yours.
May luck go with you from hill to sea.
May you stand against the prevailing wind.
May no forest intimidate you.
May you look out from your own eyes.
May near and far attend you.
May you bathe your face in the sun’s rays.
May you have milk, cream, substance.
May your actions be effective.
May your thoughts be affective.
May you will both the wild and the mild.
May you sing the lark from the sky.
May you place yourself in circumstance.
May you be surrounded by goldfinches.
May you pause among alders.
May your desire be infinite.
May what you touch be touched.
May the company be less for your leaving.
May you walk alone beneath the stars.
May your embers still glow in the morning.

via here

Added note: Family and friends who are dealing with big life events had been on my mind - hence the inclusion of this lovely verse.

Wrapping Up

February has hijacked May and it's blinkin' freezing. With that in mind here are a few sartorial suggestions modelled by Sindy.








Photos taken by Sensible Footwear at V&A Museum of Childhood

And Breathe

Do not adjust your set. Sensible Footwear will be returning shortly.

To Whom It May Concern

I love this.

Fun & Games

It was high fives all round as Eton and Oxford chums Boris Johnson and David Cameron had a meet-up and got down with the kids at a south London school yesterday to promote their proposed Olympics-style school sports competition.

“We all know that it would be good to have more competitive sport in our schools. I think sport is incredibly important for not just fitness, not just teamwork but also learning about winning and losing and taking part and being part of a team." Said Cameron.

There had been a suggestion that the inter schools competition would feature the famous Eton 'Wall' and 'Field' Games. However anyone who doesn't talk posh may find the rules difficult to understand.

Call Off The Search

A high profile parliamentarian who went missing more than three weeks ago at the start of the general election campaign has been found alive and well.

'George' (not his real name) was discovered unharmed but disorientated close to a former wallpaper factory on the outskirts of London.

He claims to have no memory of how he got there although it is believed he is a victim of what has become known as 'hushing'. This is described by experts as an 'effective method of removing and/or silencing unpopular or distracting elements of a party political effort'.

It is understood that George - along with a number of other MPs, many of them women - was abducted and then forced to carry out 'repetitive and belittling' acts involving high end stationery. These included lining envelopes with coloured tissue paper, applying silver gilt to the edges of correspondence notes and hand drawing feint rule into day-per-page diaries.

Police are still unclear as to who is behind the crime but urge anyone with information to come forward.

He's Playing Solitaire

Gordy - looks like you're flying solo now. 'Nuff said.