Dahlias, roses and fuchsias in Dad's autumn garden

At the end of last month we headed up to Norfolk and one of the things that struck me was how colourful Dad's garden was still. The dahlias, roses and fuchsias were putting on quite a show. They were the attention grabbers, but looking around more closely at the garden, there was more to it than these.

These fuchsias always remind me of dancers, not quite a ballerina but more a glitterless Strictly kind of ballgown, and it's easy to see why I needed to hold it up to get this shot. The leaves are starting to tarnish, but that just makes it more appealing. Like a dancer that's had a good time, or one that had done the rowing boat song. Yes, that's never a good idea is it?

In the greenhouse the Aloes were huge. Just look at them. I am the mum of these, all of them. Well apart from the babies at the front, Dad can be the mum of them as they arrived on his watch. But they're huge, clearly the Norfolk weather and the greenhouse work for them, I hope they've managed to survive the colder weather since then ok. 

Also in the greenhouse the purple oxalis was creeping out from under the staging. I regularly take cuttings for my greenhouse and it never does as well as this. I've a sneaky suspicion I'll be taking another cutting quite soon. And helping myself to some of the many burgundy heuchera's that have been potted on to see how they do.

The leeks were also thickening and no doubt there'll be a good crop. The beetroot Dad pulled up for me, I politely declined. The side you can see looks perfect, but underneath someone - or rather something - had got there first and it went straight onto the compost heap.

The mushrooms in the grass appeared overnight, and who knows what they might be. Knowing your mushrooms is a great skill to have, but not really something to take a chance on either. I think I'll stick to admiring the flowers. The nerines were still out and looking more swirly and curly than I remember.

And oops, this fuchsia came off in my hand. Thankfully there were plenty more, so I think I got away with it...

And just when you think the colour is done, you pop to the car and are reminded there's many more roses and dahlias in the front garden too.

We're in Norfolk soon for a couple of days and it'll be interesting to see how much difference a month makes. I'm hoping that some of the colour remains, but who knows. It's been feeling more wintery here and I know if I were a plant I'd be considering shutting down too. Heck, some days I feel like that as a human too!

Have a beautifully colourful day.

Popping into the Tusting pop-up in Brick Lane

One of the evenings I had in my busy blog week recently was a trip into London's East End to visit the Tusting pop-up shop in Brick Lane. Tusting, if you don't know, are a luxury leather goods family firm based in between Bedford and Northampton, in the heart of leather country.

And they have a wide range of bags and briefcases with many of them on display during my visit. There were classic briefcases to modern totes, clutches and satchels and some gorgeous luggage which I was very tempted by. I'd craftily arranged MOH to meet me there, so we could ostensibly go out for dinner. But, as I'd hoped, I was also able to point out some potential items that would make a good Christmas gift for me. I've learnt over the years that subtle doesn't work with MOH.

Statements like "this would make a nice Christmas present for me, wouldn't it?" work much better. And usually a week or so later, he'll remember and say did you really want that, and sometimes he surprises me without mentioning the item at all and then when I unwrap it I'm surprised. Often surprised he was listening, but it seems he hears more than he lets on...

So what would be on my Christmas list?

Well first up, it'd have to be their signature tote, the Kimbolton, in either the caramel or orange. And in case you're wondering the orange was much more vibrant than in my photo below. Very orange. And I did like that. 

KIMBOLTON LEATHER TOTE IN CARAMEL SADDLE

OR MAYBE IN HONEYDON ORANGE?

But when I saw this shades of pink tote, I was drawn to it. The colours are officially aubergine, blossom and rose, and it is gorgeously soft.  Plus what I quickly learnt was the Tusting approach to detail, just look at the interior.

ASHTON LEATHER TOTE SMALL IN AUBERGINE BLOSSOM AND ROSE

DETAILS IN THE INTERIOR

It was the pink though that held me back. I know, what is happening?  But I saw the tan, navy and cream colourway and realised these are much more my colours this autumn. I did well to put this one back on the display shelf. In fact the only thing stopping me was it's open top, I prefer to be able to protect the contents of my bag with either a zip or fold over flap (yes, that's a technical term!)

ASHTON LEATHER TOTE SMALL IN TAN, NAVY AND CREAM

But then I saw the Donna, and confusion reigned. It's a classic isn't it?

DONNA LEATHER HANDBAG IN CRIMSON RED

Or there was the luggage. Another classic both in design and colourways. The canvas and leather explorer holdalls would make travelling anywhere seem a luxury. We did have a discussion about size on these, I wasn't sure the medium one would be big enough and unsure if the large one would go in hand luggage, because there was no way I'd be putting these beauties in the hold. 

EXPLORER HOLDALL IN OLIVE CANVAS WITH TAN LEATHER

AND DETAILS

So with MOH suitably briefed, and tempted almost as much as me by the luggage, it was time to move on and time to ponder what might actually make it onto the purchase list for presents this Christmas. I'm curious though, do you have tactics for sharing what your other half might buy you?

* With thanks to Tusting for the invite to view their range.

Making my own neon sign

Last Thursday after work I headed into Greenwich Market to the Makers & Friends pop up shop for a craft class, co-hosted with London Craft Club. And a craft class with a difference, as I was going to make my own neon-style sign. Yes, I know. How cool is that. I'll tell you, it's very cool and I really had no idea what to expect.

In front of me where the materials I'd need to start my sign. I'd already thought about potential designs and while I knew there'd be some templates available to choose from on the night, I hankered after some neon lettering. Ever since we started to think about redecorating, yes  all the way back to 2013, I'd wanted an "eat" sign next to the table.  I also wanted letters to spell "cook" in the kitchen and I decoupaged my own, but the eat was - or has been - sadly lacking.

And while Becci, the instructor and soon-to-be-kit-releaser from EllBie Co, said lettering was more complicated and unlikely to be completed in an evening, she did say it was entirely possible. I was umming and ahhing but decided nothing ventured nothing gained and decided to stick with my eat.

And while Becci, the instructor and soon-to-be-kit-releaser, said lettering was more complicated and unlikely to be completed in an evening, she did say it was entirely possible. I was umming and ahhing but decided nothing ventured nothing gained and decided to stick with my eat.

Then came my first challenge. To draw my design. In front of me was an A3 piece of paper, and the heart on the back was for it I changed my mind and chickened out and decided to go for something simpler. It was hard to draw the lettering so large, and that's without tackling the trickiest part of the t. But with some perseverance it was starting to look how I'd hoped.

For the cross of the t, I needed to do it in one fluid movement, hence the trickiness. I decided to approach it more in a flower shaped design and to squeeze it into shape as I went. With my design mostly there, I took the aluminum wire and bent that into shape, sticking it to the paper and mostly to the design using masking tape.

As you can see the t was starting to look less petal shaped and more t-like, thanks to the pliers.  I was rather pleased with myself and ready to move to the next phase.

And next was the neon bit. Well actually electroluminescent wire. As you've probably already worked out I chose blue, but there's also a pink version. And I know some of you will be shocked by that, but I think blue will go better with our decor, so it's a small sacrifice. I'd rather we used this, because I was already convinced this was going to be a fun addition to our decor. 

The magic in this step is invisible thread. I was pleased though that I had a navy skirt on is it meant that there was no hiding place for it on my lap. Well, once I round the end of the new reel anyway. That proved problematic for more than just me, so I didn't feel quite so bad. The electroluminescent wire is tied to the aluminium wire using the thread in a series of knots. And for mine, they're almost every two centimetres, so that's a lot of knotting, and that's why I didn't get to finish my design on the night.

It was a lot of knotting and to start with I was all fingers and thumbs. But my fingers (and thumbs) soon got the hang of the movement and it wasn't long before it was almost second nature. And actually quite calming and therapeutic as often crafts can be, especially when they're going well. I could quite easily see how Becci says she manages to do this while sitting in front of the TV. I'm not quite at that level of comfortableness with it, but it's not unattainable.

While I didn't get the whole design knotted, I did get through my trickiest letter and skipped ahead to the next step, and that's securing the knots. And for that we used the craft staple of PVA glue. I was keen to secure my knots so all of my good work didn't, quite literally, come undone on the way home. 

And for that it was covering the knots and both wires in glue. I think I might have been a little too liberal with mine, but as PVA glue dries clear once I'd smoothed it out a bit, it was going to be fine. The glue will also bind both wires together and give the form a little, well more rigidity. And while it looks messy in the photo above I've since trimmed the ends of my knots and it's hard to see where they are. 

But what I, and everyone else in the class, was keen to see was how our designs would look in the dark. So with the battery packs attached, out when the lights and on cue we turned on our neon artwork. 

Pretty impressive, huh?

A look down the table and you can see I wasn't the only one impressed with my evening's work. Next to me there was a sign of "joy" - wasn't it right that we were seated together? - and there were many more off-piste and off-template designs that evening.

So I left with my eat sign safely tucked away in a pizza box - I loved the idea of this - and clutching the instructions and invisible thread so I can make progress at home. Of course, I haven't yet, but I will. We're off to Norfolk in a week or two and I know that my eat is coming with me then.

And when it's done I'll work out the next bit, on how to get it where I want it to be. You can make your sign so it hangs on the wall or so it's part of a frame and neither really appeal to me as I'd much prefer to have it freestanding. I know that won't be possible because it is just the thickness of a wire, but I'm trying to invent some kind of stand in my head to make it work. I've a plan - and hopefully a cunning one - and if that works, I'll reveal all when I show you my completed sign.

But in the meantime I've got some knotting to do...

* Thanks to the London Craft Club and Makers and Friends for inviting me along to try my hand at a new craft, and to Becci from EllBie Co for being a patient instructor. I had a great evening and think you would love it too.