There's nothing else for it

Here in the UK it has rained all week. We've had the wettest April since records began. We were supposed to be going out walking today, but rain stopped play. So the girls came over here for tea and cake instead. As worst case scenarios go, it really wasn't that bad.

Tomatoes

I came across this idea for making small pots into which to plant seeds. The idea is that you don't have to take it out of the pot once it is ready, you just plant it and the newspaper biodegrades naturally. Here are our small tomato plants. Hopefully later on this summer we will have lots of juicy red tomatoes.

Gypsy Rose Lee in Life magazine

I just came across these photos courtesy of my young friend Darcie. Aren't they fantastic? The styling and the atmosphere of the time just come pouring out of the photos. I also really like the contrast between her stage persona and her real self as seen in the photos with her little boy and her husband.

Barbara Berrada

I am really struggling to decide which of these images from this litle shop I love the most. The Little Red Riding Hood caps, the Pierrot collars, the modern take on the lederhosen for kids, the party birds or the elephant ride with the man who doesn't realise he is dressed a bit like a clown.

This is all the work of one person. Respect is due.

All images copyright Barbara Berrada

For my friend Penny

My good friend Penny died exactly 3 years ago. When she was really ill, I used to go over and sit with her. She couldn't speak any longer, so we would just sit and watch videos on her laptop. This was one she introduced me to. My favourite dance routine ever.

There's no place like here - Luxton Lake

I have blogged before about the etsy series There's no place like here. Last time it was With love from Hannah. My other favourite film is this one about Tina Spangler's house at Luxton Lake.

A kitty cat and a spring border

Remember this little fella from last year? He came a-visiting again. He is just delightful and so friendly.

This border is beautiful all year round and it never looks the same twice. I get so much pleasure from seeing what they have put in it. It seems so altruistic of them because it is on the outside of their property where they don't even get to look at it. Want to know about the church in the background?

Caravan hotel

This looks like a place where the cool kids would go. It's a hotel in Berlin in which you sleep in caravans or little huts. The owners took over an old factory building and didn't want to ruin the space by subdividing it into small rooms. I like their creative solution.

Indian influences

After posting about the Anthropologie rickshaw, I have noticed that I have picked up a few Indian inspired bits and bobs recently.

I rarely go anywhere without my Ganesh bag and last week I bought a new maxi skirt in this elephant and peacock fabric. I've just read that Ganesh is revered as the Remover of Obstacles. So now I know who to go to. I might be able to keep him pretty busy.

Anthropologie

I loved this rickshaw shop display in Anthropologie I saw a few weeks ago.

They also had a wall of plants which was rather spectacular.

A gourmet treat, Rodda's cream

One of the ladies at work, who is a truly lovely human being, brought in some homemade scones she had whipped up. She brought jam and clotted cream to go with them. It was such a kind thing to do, and they tasted heavenly.

Here is the clotted cream tub. It was love at first sight. I found their website which is also a heavenly creation. You have to check out their recipes. I might try making scones myself, or a lemon cake, and the crab and parmesan tart sounds divine.

The right shade of turquoise

I picked up this little side table at the weekend. I'm a bit of a sucker for barley twist legs on furniture. It's a nice little bit of oak, but the top is actually ply wood, and that is how I am going to justify painting it.

The colour of choice is turquoise, but actually it's not that simple. Turquoise may well be the single colour most open to interpretation. It goes from a soft aquamarine all the way through to almost lapis lazuli.
I went to the paint shop and came back empty handed because I couldn't make up my mind. Here are my favourite examples from the internet.

Here's a little yellow table I painted this weekend. With the little gingham tablecloth, it really cheers up the hallway.

Picture 1, copyright Jasna Janekovic, Picture 2 copyright Dottie Angel

Yoshitomo Nara

Have you ever come across this artist?  I have a notebook with his images on it, which I love. Apart from the image on the front, I love the detail on the pages; there are some with lines and orange borders, some with graph paper and blue borders and some with dots and green borders. I like using it as a sketch book because it already feels like they've got you started. No big white pages to intimidate you here.

These paintings below really make me laugh because they capture so well that sensation of mulish stubbornness we all feel when someone is trying to force us to do something against our will, and which children show so obviously on their faces. I've chosen these pictures in particular because I love the little animal costumes they are wearing. That black cat is priceless.