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

North Creake Farmers market

This morning I got up early and went with a friend Mary Kemp to North Creake Farmers market. Mary was helping to launch the North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival.It was cold but sunny (well part of the morning was sunny) and I was amazed at the talent & enthusiasm I found there. I met my hero Tim Kinnaird the maker of macarons to die for. The loveliest bloke you could ever wish to meet. I bought some of his rhubarb & creme brulee .... well actually I can't remember what they're called but look at them!!! There were actually 4 of them for lunch tomorrow but hey there will only be three of us eating and I HAD to see what they tasted like. I was so inspired by the fresh produce that I decided my Easter Sunday lunch menu there and then. So... it's celeriac & roasted garlic soup followed by 8 hour lamb on a bed of fennel and onion (now with Mary's recommendation of a little bit of Marsala in the bottom of the dish), purple sprouting broccoli and roasted jerusalem artichokes.Thanks mary for a wonderful day in a very special part of the world.

Hil's chair

My darling friend Hilary came to visit over the weekend, she of the brilliant blog Earwig Sandwich
We had such a lovely time.
She brought a chair with her that she'd bought in a charity shop. Here it is cleaned up and waiting for its new cover.
We set to work.
Measure, measure, measure first.
Make sure it's all square.
My favourite bit always is making the piping.
and cutting out metres of it.
Hils had bought a small amount of great 50's vintage fabric in a black & white print but there wasn't much of it so we used some dark grey suiting as well with a bit of stretch in it that worked perfectly.
It was so nice to have company in the workroom. Especially someone so easily impressed with my skills.
She loved all the equipment especially my "Shnibbs".
It starts to take shape.
I love this photo. It looks like a still from 'Being John Malkovich' on floor 7 and a half.
Finally we're all done. The stretch of the dark grey suiting worked really well to give a tailored look.
and here it is in situ in Hilary's groovy pad. Doesn't it look great? Come ANY time Hils and bring any project you wish.