Flowers in the home Monday

The leftovers from the wedding in a jam jar on the kitchen table.
A double primrose on the book case.
A jar of Lily of the Valley on my desk.
A bud vase on the side table.

I am not Elton John.

It seems that The Americans have sweetpeas.

Did you join in?

Snowdrops, honeysuckle and lily of the valley

This morning i cut snowdrops and tendrils of evergreen honeysuckle.

They were mixed with, myrtle, olive, rosemary,viburnum, majolica roses, ranunculus,lilac and avalanche roses.

I had a pot of lily of the valley on the workbench, which was destined for my bedside, but the stems fell victim to my flower scissors, and were tucked into the bridal bouquet.

I have friends that do amazing things with rose and hydrangea domes, but for me it ain't a wedding without foliage. Garden foliage. The scent, the movement. I like to think a bride will hold her bouquet, and the honeysuckle will dance, or somebody will brush their hand against the rosemary in a table centre as they pass the wine.

I spend far too much of time thinking about this sort of thing.

I need to get a life.

In other news, Jane is doing Flowers in the home Monday again. I have been instructed to take something fresh home this time. Join in. Or just have a peek over on her blog and see who did.

I can't decide if it is more fascinating to look at the flowers, or the inside of the homes.

Next week: A how to.Video.

p.s. I love all your red lipstick suggestions, next time i am near a city i fully intend to visit the cosmetic counters and try them all out.

Red lipstick

If I ruled the world, red lipstick would be available on prescription. A slick of red and you are ready to face whatever the world throws at you.

I am currently loving a Stila red, called Pam. I know. Pam. glamour.

I am wearing Pam with a striped top, as in the Ban.Do picture.

Do you do red? Do you have a favourite?

Do share.

Bon weekend my darlings.
xxx

Beauty without grace is the hook without the bait.

1. Flowers in sea urchins
2. Hyacinth Blue Delft and City of Bradford - who invents these names?
3. I am sensing a theme...

The Hound has gone into hiding, certain photographs of him in an uncompromising position have been circulated on the Internets.

He is negotiating an ITV2 reality show, and a stint on Dancing on Ice.

Thank you to everyone who commented on the blog formatting, it seems big changes have been occurring, i know not how, or indeed how to rectify it. So we'll just adjust.

This post was brought to you by a Ralph Waldo Emmerson quote, a lot of black eyeliner, and pink cheeks.

Hope springs eternal

The rain isn't helping, but the sun is peaking through and i have started cutting the garden. Hellebores, just a few for a bridal bouquet, but the promise of sweet peas, and armfuls of mint is in the air.

Posies of scented Spring flowers, the vibrancy of viburnum opulus, and a good 4 yards of achingly trendy old curtain tape. A good 4 yards, rather like the big half.

Also, i am enjoying the shallow but deliciousness that is having to buy a smaller pair of jeans.
The Florist by the Sea and her shop in all it's glory.
Reports are that the food is good, but a little table linen wouldn't go a miss.
I am going to have to remove myself from Rupert Sanderson's mailing list, it is torture.
and my dear i am sure your son is most suitable, but he is also gay.

Just another day at the office.

to regular readers a heartfelt plea, does the blog look different? I have a niggling feeling that the font has changed itself, or scale, or formatting? or it might just be me.....

Missed connections

I can't upload images. It seems the Internets and their connections are up to devilment again.
A post without images is a strange post indeed.

I have photographed flowers in sea urchins, drunk too much coffee, dropped something very heavy on my foot, discovered this blog (it has beautiful pictures), and  The Hound has had a romantic Valentine from Lolo.

It is easy to be brave from a safe distance

I agree with that Aesop chap, he was very wise.

Seeing the bigger picture

I have been harping on about getting big pictures on the blog forever. Finally i think we have cracked it, thanks to Jane for the how-to.

Is the image big? Like on the good blogs? I do hope so.

Did you all have a charming weekend? I hung out in Soho.Such fun.

As always the post title has a hidden meaning.

I am taking suggestions on what to wear.

Stay classy

Jump on the bandwagon and play this song over and over 50 times.

and do we have thoughts on tattoos?
xoxo

L'Effet Papillon

Last night a song reminded me of a time long ago. A time of Strawberry Sundae in Vauxhall, the last stop on a weekend of Trade, Bar Italia, Vivienne Westwood kilts and Converse.

Now i go past the same club on the way to market.

Then the "remember when?" snowballed, and i was in Porto Cervo sipping Mirto, The English Rose and La Principessa, Una Bianca, Una Nera in the club carved out of the mountains.

or the lunch that seemed to last 2 days in the pool house in Biarritz.

These are the memories i hang on to it, when it is pissing it down with rain outside.

I know this song from somewhere, but i can't for the life of me think where.

The joker in the pack

Food or lack thereof

I knew that if i put cook on the blog banner it would return to haunt me. There hasn't been a lot of cooking, and it isn't January anymore.

Instead food has been punets of strawberries, snatched sandwiches and the odd ham and cheese crepe from M&S. Whilst in there the other evening, a gentleman enquired as to the whereabouts of The Hound.

Miss P. "I don't think they allow dogs in here"
Gentleman "No I realise that, i just didn't think that rule would apply to The Hound"

I have made purchase of some old bowls, which are suitable for the making of force meat and other ye olde recipes.

Bets are being taken on whether or not the new Assiette Restaurant will open tomorrow.

and with only 21 days until the start of the season will the Bahrain Grand Prix go ahead or not?

Faites vos jeux.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Dividing opinion today.

Windows

It is time to pack away the hearts and romantic quotes, it is over for another year. I am exhausted, even after 3 cups of coffee with the extra shots.

The talk is now of the window displays, what to put in? It is too early to market Mothers Day, and we have done bulbs in jars.

Our window isn't particularly large, but it is deep and ends up providing storage for all the weird items i acquire. Throw a few plants or flowers in and people think it is a "design"

This week i have need to store, the wooden box from a sewing machine,some retro fabric and a book. These items were stolen from The Missing Curtain. The red suitcase I purchased; it is wooden framed and therefore not suitable for travel on Stelios's aeroplanes, instead i will have to slum it on a train, to Paris.

also i have sea urchins.

One florist who is taking window dressing seriously is The Florist by the Sea. She has a new shop. Beautiful.

I have reason to believe she is going with catkins next.

Today

a man sent me flowers.

I now know what it feels like to receive flowers on Valentine's Day.

Anyone that says the day doesn't mean anything is talking bullsh*t.

These aren't the flowers, yes they came from another florist, yes they were lovely.

Happy Valentine's Day

xx

Sunday Telegraph

Our bulbs in jars made it into The Sunday Telegraph.

Quirky goes broadsheet.

Here is the mini how-to that Bunny Guinness mentioned.

You can also do it with lily-of-the-valley plants, or forced tulips, muscari or galanthus. The lab scales and bunsen clamps aren't essential, but oh my if you did happen to have some lying around.......

Somebody is getting a enamel jug filled with viburnum opulus for Valentine's Day.

Somebody else is getting a marriage proposal.

I am getting backache.

This song is cheering us and this year i have put all but one gentleman off buying red roses. We are all about bulbs in jars, and delicate blooms of magnolia and ranunculus.

Cliches are not us.

May you be swept into somebody's arms for a lingering kiss that makes your heart swell, and catches your breath.

xx

Once upon a time....

Cinderella was invited to the ball, but instead had to stay behind.

and dreamt of being able to get big photos on the blog

Wishing The Beautiful People a wonderful evening, see you soon boys.

Thank you for the comments on the video, Mr Naylor has just phoned in with his critique. Too long, should be scripted, but shows potential. He is after all the master.

I went with Vimeo over youtube because that's what the Ban.do girls use, and i want to be cool like them.

Video, rambling and a globe

I made a video of the shop, well a corner of the shop, if it goes well maybe we could do another corner?

There are no fancy graphics, or music, just me and a Flip camera lent to me by Kelly and James.
Completely inspired by Liberty London Girl's video tours of hotel rooms.

With hindsight i should have done it later in the week when we had more flowers, and without the dreaded yellow light cast by halogen downlighters.

But it's just for fun, let's not get carried away.

also The Hound vlogged as well

5 daily essentials

The very stylish Jeska over at Lobster and Swan tagged me to post my 5 daily essentials. Hers are very stylish, mine not so much, but here they are anyway.

1. Coffee - no explanation required, I am all about tea in the afternoon but first thing. Coffee.Black. No sugar.

2. Moisturiser-I like the Neal's Yard products, my skin has still in the dark depths of winter, and this helps trick it into a Spring glow - that and the gin.

3. A camera - not this particular one, this particular one is driving me nuts, but I will win. Ever since i ran away to France with a film SLR, darkroom chemicals and an enlarger i have been hooked. I am really looking forward to this seminar, to learn how to do it properly, but for now by Canon 40D and I are on auto, and i take it with me everywhere.

4. Berocca - I even have a special glass to drink it out of so that it is the right dilution. My darling friend Julia introduced me to it in the days when we would sip Champagne and eat oysters and chips at Quaglino's every night. She drinks it in a pint glass, which makes it too weak. The glass I use may or may not have a Q on it...

5. The Boy Wonder - my shadow 24 hours a day.

You were thinking gin would be on the list weren't you? I like it but I am not a alcoholic.

I am not sure of the etiquette with this sort of thing, should i tag another blogger? Or shall i just tag all you readers, and you can add to your own blog, or leave a comment if you are blogless.

xx