Loud music, fireworks and other delights.......

I am a sucker for a stadium gig. "Too impersonal" folk say and I agree an intimate hall is great but a massive venue for music has all the visual stuff that I LOVE. I went and saw Coldplay last night (I know, not a very trendy band but we all have our guilty pleasures : ) ) and wow what a spectacle. Great lighting, pyrotechnics, plenty of surprises, a kiddie free 24 hours and a good sing-a-long. Perfect!

Chelsea Flower Show

Photograph by The Caravan Times

Did anyone else admire (and want) the Caravan Club garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show last week? The caravan, called Doris, was the focal point of the garden, created by Jo Thompson, for the West Sussex based Caravan Club to help celebrate its 105th anniversary. The 1950's aluminium caravan was used as a centre-piece and surrounded by pink and cream planting. I only saw it on the TV but WOW! I think a caravan in my garden would be FABULOUS. On a sunny day I could work in there, it could be a guest room or I could hide from my kids when they annoy me :) 

Jam jars, buttons and wire!

I made these tea light lanterns to hang in the garden.  My friend Anne thought up the idea and I couldn't wait to get home and have a go myself.

A summery song

I love the line in this tune "we were born with sun in our teeth and our our hair" (Best Coast are from California). A great song to listen to in the garden whilst relaxing on a deck chair with a glass of ice cold something. The UK is still sunny - hurray!

Sun at last.......

 ........... the view from my office today. Hello sunshine, thank goodness you are here at last!

Have you got yours yet?

It's starting to get a bit red, white and blue crazy here in the UK with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in a couple of weeks. I'm not really a great royalist, but I love any excuse for a party and loooooove bunting, celebration cake and all the commemorative paraphernalia.

Rest in peace Disco Queen

Music is GREAT Britain

Music is GREAT (download and DVD released on May 14th 2012) elevates some of the most memorable live British performances ever seen including David Bowie at Hammersmith Apollo, Radiohead at Glastonbury and Adele at The BRIT Awards. There are loads of great acts missing (The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Clash, Led Zeppelin for starters) but we are lucky here in Blighty, we have so much FANTASTIC music to choose from.  Even if your favs. are missing in this selection, all the profits from the downloads and DVD go to the Save the Children fund.  For more info follow this link. here

This cotton reel birdy has his beady eye on me!

Here is my latest purchase. Isn't he fab, I just couln't resist him? The beautifully made felt bird is filled with lavender and stands on a pencil in a vintage cotton reel. I bought him at a handmade and vintage fair on Saturday from the lovely Small Beans stand. If you want to buy one (or look at the many other beautiful things that Jane Charles has made) visit the Small Beans shop on Etsy here.

Gifts from afar

My friend bought us some fab. fridge magnets, some chocolate and wine back from South Africa. Hooray - thanks Anthea! Top Deck is great chocolate but why isn't it sold in the UK? It's made by a British brand and has the best combination of milk and white chocolate but why can't we buy it here? It's a mystery. PS: I have just realised I keep posting stuff about chocolate and cake - sorry!

Surtex

My lovely agent, Cinnamon Joe Studios, will be at Surtex in New York later this month representing me and other great designers. If you are there, pop along and say hi-de-hi. Print and Pattern have featured Cinnamon Joe today and some of my work too - HURRAY! To see it follow the link here.

Ice creams in the rain!

Yum - plus we got to see all these great "Buttons" characters together again. Buttons cones (from the UK chocolate manufacturer Cadbury's) are essential comfort food we reckon.

Wise words from a young mouth

My 11 year old daughter drew this last night, bless her. I hope she remembers this at school today!

Colour, glorious colour on a grey day..........

............it has stopped raining though : ) PS: The top photo is a necklace I made at craft club. Yes it is a very simple idea, buttons threaded on a chain, but this took me TWO hours to make! Sometimes the simplest things are the most difficult to create don't you think?