Kettle's Yard

Finally I manage to unlock the secret of Kettle's Yard, luck was on my side as it opened 30min's early and so I and one other had the place to ourselves for half an hour before the teeming hoards arrived.

The sun was shining which is when this place comes to life. Kettle's Yard is built on viewpoints and reflection and so I had the perfect hour to nail it. If you want to see the difference 3 years of trying makes look back here

This nearly did not happen, I had the camera I had the spare batteries, but somehow I failed to pick up a spare memory card and I have this really bad habit of not deleting photographs, instead stuck in cyber space were two folders of named photographs, naming the file negates their removal on the camera so I had once again to buy yet another memory card, which for some reason was then unreadable. My heart sank but it soon lifted when I managed to access them via another camera. When I need a place to escape I can now close my eyes and revisit this slice of heaven.

Hot in the city

I did not have quite the abundance of time I normally have on a Saturday, after dropping Leyla off I then went to take Kitty to Kings Cross to put her on a train to York, whilst sitting sharing a coffee I read the previous day's Evening Standard where there was a revue of a new exhibition at the Gagosian, literally just around the corner. It seemed churlish not to go especially because the space is massive and it is always brilliantly curated. The paintings are, as is often with Gagosian huge, many are wonderful, some less so, but it was worth the trip and as I had to run an errand for Emin I forwent the Nancy Spero again... Despite my best intentions, I just know I will end up missing it. On the way back to the bus stop I had a go at collecting some sartorial style, keeerhist people do move quickly when I am trying to focus! So first up 2 lovely ladies who could have been style by Ms de la Fressange herself.

Now I realise this one is not easy to see but I just loved the white shirt dress she was wearing with the stripy leggings.

More stripes which are slowly turning this city and others into an Op Art fest.

Layaers with red, I really want a nice denim skirt like this one.

Oh to be young and wearing sleeveless floral's again

Just how much more stylish could a cyclist be? This was taken in Cambridge, yes I went, all day Sunday, a truly better day I could not have picked, I schlepped around various colleges before hitting kettles Yard as the door opened, I finally cracked it, as you may see later. but I was able to catch some street shots too.

I love the proportions of this and the Orla Kiely bag too.

See what I mean? Stripes everywhere!

Moi of course in spots just to be perverse!

I am at work today and tomorrow so may get a chance to post a few more photographs from Cambridge, then I am away for a few weeks but I have managed to stock up on some post dated goodies so keep looking.

A miriad of reasons to start sewing again

My favourite neck line I would love this dress in black.

I found the Cloth Shop, now I have found pattern inspiration in abundance.

These patterns are a glimpse into the past and yet each and every one of them could be worn today with the right fabric. For me what sorts the wheat from the chaff is the ability to pattern cut and sadly for me I was chaff all the way. Bizarrely I could adapt a pattern, yet I could never design and cut a pattern from scratch.

The genius of some of the best designers is in the pattern cutting, just go and look at a piece of Rick Owens or Alexander Wang, not only is the fabric heavy and luxurious but the garment is perfectly constructed by a pattern cutting genius. Why I stopped sewing I don't know, I have a sewing machine and I do love to sew, I guess I need absolute uninterrupted peace to focus, something very thin on the ground in our house. But having seen the array of beauty in The Cloth House I am sorely tempted to dip a toe or two. Meanwhile I have chosen these beauties from this amazing website.

Imagine this in a wonderful navy spot silk crepe, or a very soft plaid.

This I love, I can imagine it in a thin glazed cotton with contrasting pockets.

Again very COS if you imagine this in a glazed black cotton.

This is perfect for chambray and would not look out of place in a fashion spread today.

Finally I could float around in this duster coat all day, no problem

Martien Mulder

I love the lightness of touch in these portraits and the composition too, you can see more of her work here

Monochrome Miffy takes a bow

I have some ideas for a new monikor to try out next week when there are less distractions around me, meanwhile here are the last outfits of this half term which has flown by, even now I can't quite take on board that I will be alone next week, although I am working for half of it, so I am down to only a couple of days to get through a litany of spring cleaning as well as trying to shed a few pounds that have surreptitiously crept on over the last few weeks, this will be achieved by walking the dog and attempting to ratchet up my gym work out which has become almost sedentary! On the far right my new 'boyfriend' jeans which may not be wholly flattering but sometimes it's nice to wear something a little less fitted. I am somehow trying to get to Cambridge on Sunday, yes I know I keep going, and yes I could go somewhere new, but I need my Kettles Yard fix and soon. To make it a challenge I am going to take my macro lens and if as predicted the sun is shining there is now better place to capture moving shadows than Kettle's Yard so fingers crossed. Saturday is same old same old, you know, but again the sun is out so maybe I could forgo the galleries and focus on some London style, we shall see.

Nicole Farhi

Now this is a room of ones own

I have scanned this beautiful photograph from last Sunday's Style magazine, it is of Nicole Farhi in her studio, which is almost identical to Barbara Hepworth's, what a wonderful place to play, and she looks stunning too.

I never feel she gets the attention she deserves in blogdom, whilst Margaret Howell is the doyenne of the English style Farhi rarely gets a look in, yet I promise you her shops are wonderful and had I the money I would shop in them, and yes, she does go up to chunky monkey size.

I guess I should come clean, that whole room of my own thing? Complete waste of bloody time, seriously I don't know what possesed me to think I could focus in that house when washing needs putting on, dishwashers need stacking, food needs cooking, the whole house needs tidying ,the garden needs attention, Kitty needs help with coursework and Leyla? Leyla is a full time job full stop.

So the room has sat and looked pretty and then? Nothing, nothing at all, I tried but you can take a horse to water but nothing of any value what so ever was produced. I have come to the conclusion that I can only work away from the house, that way I have no distractions and in fact working at work is easier in a windowless broom cupboard.

A Peace Treaty

No, not with Daisy but scarves! I have had a notion to top up my scarf collection for a while now, I found a wonderful dip dye wool & silk one in COS but I have hankered after a maroon silk spotted one for years. Can I find one? No, I decided that I may have greater success if I just look for the fabric, silly me, again wrong, no chance, and yes I did go in e-v-e-r-y single shop on Broadwick street, ALL of them, I tried to think out of the box, one shop had a lovely navy blue spotty fabric but since I wear a lot of blue I decided it was too much. There is a hidden gem of a fabric shop on Broadwick street called The Cloth Shop, it sells delicious linen's and calico's with the accent on vintage & ethnic fabrics. It has picked up the baton Liberty's dropped when they marginalised their trimming's section and I promise it is easy to loose an hour fingering the various pieces from the far east. Not for the first time do I regret not focusing my time at college printing scarves, because I could print exactly what I desire so easily with the right facilities. I have decided to cast my net wider and after Easter I am going to try some of the sari centers in Brick lane, after which I will make a choice. If money were no object this company make the most heavenly selection. A Peace Treaty

Of course my favourite shop Totokaelo stocks them too.