A year "going left"

Since my year observing Greenwich Park and getting to know my walk to work in more detail (see: This was was my year in Greenwich Park) I've been looking for what could be my next "observation project." I thought something would present itself and it kind of has, but there were a few contenders along the way. I contemplated switching the whole park for just the Flower Garden, or maybe a spot on the river.

But somehow, neither felt right. And then last week, one lunchtime, suddenly I knew. I could spend the year "going left."

I know that doesn't make sense, but let me explain. Where I work in Greenwich almost every time I leave my office I turn right to head into the centre of Greenwich, but there is so much more in the area. And especially going left out of the office instead. 

And so, for the next year I'm going to share my year "going left." 

I'm not quite sure what it'll bring, and it may be something different each month, but I think it could be fun. It may not work, but I hope it does.  So at the start of every month I'll share my going left adventures, starting with a great new cafe that's recently reopened.

I popped in for lunch one day and had eggs florentine, I learnt as they've only recently reopened they're just serving breakfasts, but with an extensive breakfast menu that's not a problem. In fact, it felt like a bit of a win.  And there was green stuff too.

While I waited for it to arrive I couldn't help check out the decor. And it was then that my idea started to form.

I love the decor, these lights are throughout the cafe which give it a homely feel.

Tea arrives in a mug, with milk on a board and with somewhere to put your tea bag, so that's good. The mix of materials and colours work and are carried through into the serving ware, all give it a modern feel I think.

Flowers too - and you can't go wrong with sunflowers - i've also spotted a large vase of lilies too. 

THE NEUTRALS ARE LIFTED WITH A POP OF YELLOW FROM THE SUNFLOWERS

To test out my theory and if it was a good spot for lunch, I tried it out the next day too.  This time opting for avocado and poached eggs on toast with some bacon on the side. Again it was good, but I think I preferred the eggs florentine.  Realising I couldn't make this cafe my observation project, because it was likely to morph into "how many eggs could I eat in a year" I used my time there to contemplate if there was enough of interest to spend the year going left.

I think there is - and I'm sure the cafe will feature again - and it's a good project for me too, as it's right on my office doorstep and over the next few months I plan to share you just how varied and vibrant - and in places undiscovered - this part of Greenwich is.

And I won't be keeping an egg tally...

3D pumpkins, geometric baubles and the cutest ghost

Today I'm sharing the printables for the halloween and Christmas crafts from my visit to Fellowes in Doncaster last week. But before we get to those, don't you think pom poms raise your spirits in much the same way that bunting does?  I mean, anything adorned with pom poms (or bunting) has to be good doesn't it?

Exactly, so imagine how pleasing it was to be presented with this sight on arrival. And even better, soon after there was a great cup of tea and some pretty fantastic cakes. And of course the crafting and good company.

Photo credit: Fellowes

If you don't know much about Fellowes, they're celebrating a 100 years this year and the Banker's Boxes originated with them. They often provide the original kind for film sets and such like. But they also have a huge range of office equipment, and our tool of choice for the day was the laminator.

And what a clever thing it is. Addictive too, I found myself looking around the room for more things to laminate, and I've some ideas to try over the coming weeks, but first onto those printables.

Photo credit: Fellowes

Halloween Bunting

You can download the printables to make your own Halloween Bunting from the Fellowes Ideas Centre.

First up was the Halloween bunting, with hardly very scary ghosts, black cats, pumpkins, a magic tree (not the magic money tree sort sadly), bats and a witches hat to choose from.  The ghosts threaded onto twine against a black wall looked super effective, and you can choose which motifs you opt for.

The big debate, is of course whether to cut out first and then laminate, or to laminate and cut out after.  If you want to use your bunting outside then cut out first as the laminator will seal the edges and keep them watertight for longer. If you're limited on the number of pouches you have then cut out first to make effective use of your pouch space, or laminate the whole sheet and cut out afterwards.  As a novice laminator that's the approach I took, but either way works.

Photo credit: Fellowes

I was drawn to the cats - no surprises there - and as I was cutting out my second one, inspiration struck and I went a bit off piste, and aided and abetted by Maggie from Red Ted Art who was leading the crafting session, quickly created a 3D pumpkin. It is really cute - it's about hand-size - so will be a good addition to any halloween decorations, or table setting.

LUCKY BLACK CATS, AND POM POMS!

MY OFF PISTE 3D PUMPKIN

While we're not big Halloween celebraters here, I think this technique is one I'll use again.

Geometric Christmas baubles

You can download the printables to colour your own geometric Christmas baubles from the Fellowes Ideas Centre.

These were my favourite item of the day. Armed with brightly coloured felt pens I set about creating bold geometric patterns and once again experienced how mindful colouring, crafting and chatting can be. You'll notice I've coloured over the lines, and that's on purpose, and so my colour will be up to the line I cut, which meant my cutting didn't have to be quite so precise. There is method to my madness (at times).

In fact I enjoyed creating these so much I pulled out another sheet and created a second colourway, and once they were together they all seemed to just 'go'

I've punched a hole in the "bauble top" and threaded twine through that so they're easy to hang. These might end up on our tree, or if I make several more I may just have another use for them. But Christmas is months away yet (and yes I know it'll be here before I know it) but even so I'm going to ponder my creativity some more, and hopefully find time to pull out my felt tips at least once more.  And if that creative idea takes shape you can be sure to read about it here.

If these aren't the crafts for you do head over to the Fellowes Ideas Centre, as they've some fab ideas there and whether you're coming at these from a mindful perspective or a rainy day activity for the kids, I'm sure you'll find something there to spark your inspiration.

This is a collaborative post, but all views and opinions, cutting out and colouring in are my own.

Roses and quite a change in dad's garden

We were in Norfolk this weekend and it's the first time I got to see dad's garden and many of the changes he's been making. And there's been quite a few which means his garden looks quite different but will be easier to maintain. With the amount of conifers and bushes he's removed it hasn't can't have been an easy task and even though a chainsaw was involved - and I'm sure enjoyed - I do wish he'd taken things a bit slower. 

Some of the larger climbing rose bushes have also gone, but plenty remain and were still in flower for our visit. I think he pretty much has every colour going though, with plenty of pink, quite a few yellow and some orange and peach creeping in too.

It wasn't just the flowers providing colour, just look at this (most likely a) phormium. With the sun on it, the colour is just fantastic.

There's still some growing space, but not as much, and the growing space is closest to the kitchen, which makes a lot of sense. The apple tree, like ours on the allotment, was laden with fruit.

The big change in dad's garden is some of the smaller beds have been removed and grass seed - and grass - has replaced them. The beds that held the large conifers have also been reduced in size with grass replacing space there too. 

And it's growing well.  There's plenty of birds in dad's garden, hence the netting in the photo above. But look in the photo below and see how luscious it's quickly become.

There's still more roses though.

And a pile of stones. We have a lot of stones in our garden, so perhaps dad's competing. Although his stones have a prettier Norfolk hue than ours do.  I think I know the plan for these, but I'll save that just in case I'm wrong.

Lupins also do well in dad's garden and throughout his garden the flowers are just about still there, but it's clear to see they're already set on providing plenty of seeds for next year.

And a final rose. This one with a story. It's a standard rose in the front garden and it was large and a mesh of branches. Dad was considering replacing it but I managed to persuade him to try pruning it first. I'm not sure he was convinced, but he gave it a go. It's at an awkward height and was tricky to get in and under to find the green stems, so with nothing to lose it was dug up, trimmed more easily and put back, just as if nothing had happened.

It's obviously not the textbook way to prune roses, but it seems to be happy and it appears quite happy, with new leaves and even some flowers, which just goes to show plants can be hardier than we expect them to be!