City and country birthday-s

One of my favourite places in the whole world is the V & A museum, and with the opportunity of doing "Something-nice-for-your-birthday" I decided ... hang the expense, I'm going on a London day out and that's that.

My buddy Cath and I decided we would go to see the Ballgown exhibition that's opened there recently.

We had a picnic in the central courtyard.

The exhibition was amazing. This was my favourite dress by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, completely covered in feathers.

Can you imagine how long this took to put together?
The display was pretty spectacular too. These photos are from this website.
And a brilliant blog here about the exhibition from a nine year old's point of view.

This complete marvel wasn't in the show but is one of my all time favourite works of art by Alexander McQeen, which I've been researching for this post

and this complete folly from his Savage beauty collection.

The show is spectacular but the regular exhibition that's on in the fashion section is just as good if not better. After soaking up satin and sparkle, it was out and about in London, the biggest smoke.

There were Union Jacks' everywhere for the forthcoming Jubilee.

A wonderful dinner at a very authentic mexican restaurant.

with a whole wall of chillie sauce bottles.

Then it was back home. Happily to a countryside that is bursting with spring. It's as if someone has poured cream over all the hedges

........ and sprinkled it over the fields
The weather has been spectacular lately and every lane and field is thrilling with flowers and birdsong.
My wonderful friends Kate & David have been having me over for dinner regularly on a Wednesday night ever since Ricardo died and I so look forward to it. Kate is a great cook and has usually whipped up some amazing feast with a miraculous icecream as well. One night it was pink grapefruit & 25 year old sherry. SENSATIONAL. I absolutely love the drive over to their house at twilight. It goes through the magical village and fields of Quidenham where there is a local tradition that Queen Boudica is buried. Past the round towered Church and on past this beautiful field. One evening in twilight I saw a girl riding a white horse bareback through this field and have wondered ever since if I dreamt it.

Here they are taking me on a guided tour of flowers in their garden. Complete with pink champagne.

Humphrey got in on the act too and was a delight as he showed me the smaller more unobtrusive flowers that some might call weeds.

Finally as a curtain closer here is a photo of the bouquet that came, perfectly timed for my birthday from my big sister. The smell of those peonies is incredible.

Thank you one and all for a most excellent birthday week.

Inspect a morse

This week has been one full of different and amazing jobs.

My friends Rod and Sheila are wonderful gold, silversmith and enamelers and they had an incredible piece to make for a Bishop. 

The clasp that runs across the front of a cope is called a Morse and it was the morse that Sheila & Rod were making. It had to be attached to the cope that was originally made by Juliet Hemingray. Little old me got the job. 

The original morse had to be unpicked and new hooks attached to link the new one on securely. Rod had cleverly made some silver hooks for me to attach but it was nerve wracking work dealing with such heirlooms.

 You can see here, the finished item with its garnets and enamelled plaques. Beautiful work. You can just make out some of Rod's chasing of shells and wheat.

In other news, I was asked to make some tiny cushions filled with rice from some of my beautiful kimono fabric to act as rests or supports for a 500  year old sword for a client who does aikido. 

I sometimes add a scent to the cushions I make, especially if they are for something so precious. These tiny cushions with birds flying across them smelled of Bergamot as it is helpful for grief and bereavement and the man who owns the sword had recently lost his father. 

If that makes you a little sad, here are some photos for you of what's happening in the garden of late. Spring has indeed sprung.

These next ones aren't actually from my garden but are from the botanical gardens in Cambridge

Sophie Grigson comes to Harling!

I don't know if I've ever actually stated on the blog that I used to be a cook many moons ago in Melbourne for 10 years or so (here and here as well as lots more NOT so salubrious). I loved it but the 'Hospitality' industry can be less than hospitable some times & I was relieved to become just a home cook again and a cushion maker for a living (a career that I can do sitting down AND from working from home.)

I love reading cook books though and one of my favourite cook books at the moment is one that my friend Clarissa gave me for Christmas called 'Spices' by Sophie Grigson and so it was with great pleasure that I discovered that Sophie is coming to little old East Harling.

My friend Mary Kemp is putting on a Cookery Demonstration & Supper with Sophie Grigson entitled 'Spice Up Your Spring!'

The details are as follows
4pm Sunday 22th April, 2012
Hill House Farm, East Harling, South Norfolk
Cost £75
Here's the sales pitch from Mary.....
Watch Sophie prepare delicious drinks, snacks and supper using recipes from her latest book. Find out which spices best complement the foods of the season and keep us in good health. Listen to spicy tales from Sophie inspired by her travels around the world.

To find out more, or to book a space please contact Mary Kemp on
Tel: 01953 717670 Email: kemp@fast-mail.net

It should be an amazing evening and will fill up fast so ring or email Mary to book your place. I look forward to seeing you there.