A cook and HER vegetable patch

Do you have grand plans for 2010? When we moved to this house 6 years ago, I was elated at the prospect of having a patch of green to call my own. I had never owned a garden before but had watched both of my parents nurture and mold every plot we had as I grew up.  Flowers, shrubs, herbs and vegetables were all harvested with pride from our soil in every house we ever lived in.
I am not a patient person , I am impulsive and impetuous. Gardening has taught me to think of the big picture, to look at the long term plan. That patch of flower bed where I didn't clear the scutch grass properly, chortles at me every year as I break my back puling up clump after clump, knowing that in 3 weeks I will be in the exact same spot doing the same thing again .......... time to move perennials, clear the plot and start again.  
I have grown vegetables and fruits for 5 of the last 6 years. I had a hotch potch vegetable plot at the back of the house but last year after some building work and a spring of intense pregnancy where I couldn't physically bend over, the veg garden suffered terribly, well actually fatally.
What with climbing frames, trampolines , flower borders and patios there is little room left to build the veg garden I dream of.
So, with trepedation and much enthusiasm we have rented this plot adjoining our land from the Farmer.

The plot is roughly 50ft x 20ft (measured very scientifically by walking along the wall and counting my footsteps). 

I have grand plans...........

For christmas I received Nigel Slater's new book "A cook and his vegetable patch"

He describes how he turns this 12m long London back garden

into this

spring

summer

Autumn

Winter

He moved into this House on the eve of the Millenium so this was a long process, but the result gives him fresh Vegetables , Flowers and Herbs and this place to sit and enjoy them, when English weather permits.

all images from A cook and his vegetable patch 

I do dream of box hedging like Nigel's, I love the reference to grandeur but in this modest space. There are some drawbacks though,

Price: box hedging is very expensive,

Time: it is very slow growing so to buy small plugs and wait could mean 5-6 years before you see what Nigel has achieved and thirdly and probably most importantly

Snails: the box hedging is the perfect hideout for these little pests who will turn your bright green dreams of fresh salads into tears of empty plates, they can raze a large patch of greens to the ground overnight. From experience I know the fight against slugs and snails for an organic gardener in Ireland is top of the list of problems so anything to help and encourage them is to be avoided. 

So my next preference is wicker. like Monty Don, my go to gardener.

 

 

I do still miss his weekly Obsever articles.

His book The Complete Gardener, is a must have for all novice horticulturists.

Yes whicker borders with brick paths............. maybe a long way off.

For now the priorities are fencing our patch off to keep out hungry animals, clearing the land and planning the layout. We are also thinking of chickens.

In which case I shall be buying this book

"Counting my Chickens and other home thoughts" by The Duchess of Devonshire, not really a handbook on keeping chickens as a collection of articles and anecdotes by this eccentric and inspiring lady.

Yes and I shall dress as she does in a full ballgown to feed them. x

I'll keep you updated.

Axel Geis

I often feel like packing in the world of Fashion ............. I dream of cooking, gardening, painting or travelling, then I will see something and a feeling will overwhelm me and I cannot rest until I have retreated to the studio to begin work on a new dress, jacket, headpiece or whatever it is that bubbling  up inside.
That is how I felt when I saw these images on Nomenus quarterly

 

 

all images nomenusquarterly

There is a subtle elegance and timelessness to them. The ladies look confident and yet somehow also vulnerable.

The colour palettes in these two are sublime 

 

 

 images from myartspace

To read an intersting and witty interview with Berlin based Axel Geis go to myartspace

Tag I'm it

I was honoured to be tagged by the ever inspirational Errant Aesthete, a daily source of insight and delight.
How it works
I must divulge 10 things about myself
I must Tag 7 other blogs

So, here goes.....

Chinese embroidered panel from Marla Mallet

1.
I grew up on the grounds of A Museum of Oriental Art and Textiles, where my Father worked. I am sure seeing these ancient works of Art daily, inspired my love and obsession with textiles and is what lead me to study this at Art College.

 

2.
I love to cook and in particular to bake, I read cookbooks like most people read a novel.
I make bread, cakes or cookies almost every other day, but am also partial to chutneys, Roast dinners and curries. I see it as my therapy!

3.

I am very stubborn. This can be an asset but I am trying to learn that sometimes it's good thing to back down. .............. I'm working on it.

image via FLICKR freeparking's photostream

4.
I am mother to 3 very energetic little boys, 2 dogs and 1 cat, so if I am not posting here I am probably changing a nappy, making a ham sandwhich, helping with homework, putting a child to bed, feeding a dog or taking a nap. ............. that is if I am not working.

 5.
One of the most magical experiences of my life was a moonlit horse ride around the Pyramids at Giza, when my parents were living in Cairo.  It all almost went pear shaped when one of the Horses bolted with my younger brother, then 8 yrs old, luckily an Egyptian Olympic showjumper was one of our riding compatriots and he rode to the rescue.

Lalique cuff via Diamonds and Rhubarb

6.
In another life I would have been a Jewelry designer.

painting by me 2002

7.
I have exhibited my paintings in New York, and although I haven't picked up a brush in a few years it is something I aspire to return to.

image from The Newyorker August 7 1995

8.
I was a member of a Theatre Group in New York and acted in "Off Broadway" productions, for a while I thought I might follow this path but the lure of the visual would not succumb to a life of treading the boards.

 

image via indecorous taste

9.
I love colour and am intrigued by colour theory, and while I use it continually in my work, introducing more into my own home and wardrobe is an ongoing project.
 

10.
My Friends are incredibly important to me, I treasure them and hope they know it.

and the nominations are..............

PVE

INdecorous Taste

Katy Elliot

Little Green Notebook

The Newlywed Diaries

Yellsoftly

Living Art and Interiors

 

Wreaths, Snow and Thank you's

Looking for a circle to make a wreath out of I came across these in Penney's.

Priced at €6 , they are silver and white balls on wire.

So I purchased a few and played with them, adding eucalyptus leaves, fir, pinecones and bells as that was what I had to hand.

 

I wove the branches around the circle and then wrapped the wire around the leaves to keep them in place adding a red and white gingham ribbon. I wanted a Gustavian looking wreath.

 

Here it is hanging on the chimney breast in the Living Room.

I do like wreaths indoors.

and on the front door

  

.............and we got snow this weekend, everything looks so pretty.

The garden, which was looking worse for winter wear, has a sprinkling of Christmas dust. 

The back field

 

The wall with the pampas grass hmmm those Pampas fronds would be lovely in the wreaths.

 

and quite by chance this festive combination of Silver Birch, Green Shrub and Red Dogwood.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say Thank You to all of YOU.

To those of you who have left comments and sent me encouraging emails, to the veteran bloggers who stop by and whisper reassuring words, You gladden my heart.

To all of you who believed enough to become "followers", and to those of you who wish to stay silent and watch from the corners of your world.

I have enjoyed this journey so much so far and look forward to even more fabulous experiences and posts in 2010.

V&A Headpiece delivery

Here's a peek at a headpiece which was a special order for a shop, rushed through and popped in post today.

This is an adaptation on a style I designed last year. The customer wanted 3 the same, made smaller than the previous style.

 

They are made with silk, cotton, silk chiffon, lace and velvet ribbon with some beading detail.

The design was inspired by Victorian dresses and embroideries I saw in the V&A

Image via V&A Museum

Like this one from 1885

image via V&A Museum

and this one from 1890.

It is the sense of opulence and abundance I was trying to capture. I like the idea of wearing something so bursting with detail as an accessory with a really simple dress.

 

I am thinking I will make some more for Florica

Mannin Studio

Top of my Christmas wish list is a gold chain, a serious gold chain........ and on the top of that list is this chain by Mannin Studio which comes apart to create a separate chain and bracelet

One day last year I was flicking through American Vogue when this incredible piece of jewellry caught my eye.

 

Imagine my surprise when, on continued reading I discovered it was made by a very good friend who had re-located to LA. We had lost touch and I was thrilled to see the incredible things Suzanne was doing and also that I had a way to contact her again.

The ethos of Mannin Studio is entirely sustainable. There are two collections "Classic" which is made entirely using recycled clean gold and "Signature"  which is made using antique and heirloom pieces restructured to become modern heritage pieces.

Here are a few of my favourite pieces.

Top of the pile this carved bogwood cameo from the Signature collection dated 1870 on victorian bead chain.

Love the juxtaposition of the soft bog oak with the little gold beads

 

Then for my ears these gold and jet bead earrings also from the Signature collection, see the little fob closures, beautiful.

This handcarved horn, from 1870 bracelet in my stocking, yes please!

Or this recycled 18K gold, 20 inch chain from the Classic collection

Everyone is talking about "Investment pieces" and you can't get much more "Investment" than this. Pieces that have a history and a future.

Mannin Studio Jewelry is stocked in Ikram, Chicago, Barneys, New York and  Roseark in west Hollywood

Luckily, there is an online shop coming soon.

All Images Mannin Studio

A little cottage grows up

Lately I have been feeling a little less like this

 

Images Dave Coote Interiors

And a little more like this

 

Top image VOGUE living,  via newlyweds

Now while I love the first two images I am just a bit jaded of all the white chipped paint in my own home.
It's time for something a little more grown up and polished. Something warmer with more pattern and colour.
I live in a hundred year old Irish Farmhouse Cottage and not a Georgian  Mansion and while I would love high ceilings and elaborate plasterwork I must work with what I have and I can do nothing with the actual structure, The changes will have to be about furnishings, paintwork and other details.
Here are some of the changes I have made
I have added these cushions to the vintage brown leather sofa.

The front one is from IKEA, the Jack Russell  tapestry is from a local Interior shop but you can get great ones at a great price from This ETSY Shop.

The large cushions I had made from fabric I bought at a Local shop that sells Remnants. I think it is by Designers Guild, maybe one of you know?.

I also bought this fabroc from the same Remnants shop. (now sadly closed down)

This will be a curtain across a doorway that leads off the living room. It is called Poppies by G P & J Baker.
 

I purchased these curtains from IKEA

I am really loving stripes at the moment. I would have liked something a little wider but you can't beat the price so for now this will suffice .

And this is the little chair that was to feature in the "before and after" I wrote about in this post

 

Covered the seat in the same fabric as the above cushions.

and here is that Bug Print I bought in London framed in an IKEA frame.

I think the frame cost €10 so including the print this was approx €26, looks good, no?.

There are quite a few more bits and pieces I would like to do but, baby steps, and with Christmas heading our way faster than I care to think about they may just have to wait.