This is the rhythm of my life

There was meant to be a "Happy Christmas" post on Christmas Eve, but the day got out of hand.

It started well, Melchior, Balthazar and Gaspar* brought gifts of Chanel, chocolates, and pigs in blankets.
but then it descended into chaos, as people came with desperation in their eyes, frantically searching for that last minute gift and bread sauce?

Since then it has been a most wonderfully relaxing family Christmas, I was completely bowled over by the gift of a mini Ipad. I've never had an Apple product before, so the apps are a revelation, greedily downloading ALL of them. Paper so far is my favourite.

do the Apple devotees amongst you have recommendations?

and there was Norfolk...

did you enjoy the festive period? And the sunshine start to 2013? Have you reflected on 2012?

given what happened with the eye 2012 should have been put in a box labelled "terrible"
but it really wasn't
I'm very proud of the work I did, whether it was a wedding, funeral or a small posy for a dinner party.

So thank you to everybody who made 2012 a good year, family, friends, brides, customers, and blog readers.

2013 is going to be even better

The shop is back in action on Wednesday 9th January. A facelift is occurring, the shop, not me.

*names have been altered to protect identity.

Mr and Mrs Beard got married

 

and London Wedding Photographers Cara and Nye were there to capture it all.

Happy days.

Mrs Beard has written a guest blog post for us on honeymooning in Paris.

Coming up later in the week.

How are you all?  Presents purchased? Bird ordered?

We haven't done Christmas at home, but The Mother Hen has done enough for everybody.

You can pop over to the London Wedding Photographers blog to see the rest of the wedding.

In other news i have worked out how to increase the font size. Finally. I haven't time to do it now, but in the New Year. We'll call it a blog redesign, and jump on the bandwagon.

Tokio Rose

Thank you to everyone that made my birthday so special.
It was a blast.
I ate in a restaurant that did not have game pie on the menu, a rarity round these parts.
It was one of the best meals i have ever eaten, and in the best company.
11 days and counting
there is a lot to do........

Peonies and magnolia

 

Today is my birthday.
There was a lovely dinner last night
but for now it's all about the work, it is going to be a late night at the coalface.
but between the hours of 5pm Saturday and 9am Tuesday
I have big plans
big
huge.

Foliage is king

en ce moment.

for the wreaths, I love walking through town and seeing my handiwork on peoples' doors.

In other news, I am having problems with The Hound, mainly that he is permanently hungry. He is trying all the tricks, randomly sitting nicely and giving his paw, howling, leaning, and the doe-eyed look.

Is it the cold?

He's even eaten a dental stick, own brand as well.

These are normally met with a sneer that says

"this is not an approved snack item"

My dog is more of a princess than i am, who knew that was possible?

and the restaurant next door is going to be a Turkish restaurant

one hopes its more Ottolenghi than kebab.

This post will turn around and bite me in the ass

I am normally at my most stressed at this exact point every year.
The endless making of wreaths, and the checking of the clip to see how many there are to go
the panic over whether or not I will be able to attend my own birthday dinner
and the endless debate as to whether or not you sacrifice an hours production time to tidy up, you know in the long run it would be sensible, less likely to break one's neck falling over a box, but a lady is coming at 3pm to collect 3 enormous wreaths i haven't yet made.

Something very odd has happened this year, I am not stressed.

I am in fact enjoying it all.

Happy as a bird

Maybe it's a pirate thing?

Ever increasing circles

It's that time of year.
Everything is circular.
I have bought all the hula hoops in town for some exciting wreath commissions.
and made oxtail from this recipe, although the star anise has mysteriously disappeared so i chucked in ras-el-hanout instead, and now i can't eat the flour or drink the wine, so nothing like this recipe really
and I have been looking at long johns. sexy.
"our penthouse doesn't have a jacuzzi, but it will" Did you see Inside Claridge's?
amazing, I want to be an actual Princess and sleep on 4 duvets and have an entire floor, but i would let men in.
it reminded me of this wedding.
and Lotte and I are taking part in the December Photo Project. 

and in other news what constitutes first base nowadays?

and 1 photograph of Mrs Beard's wedding has been released.