Oxford

Welcome to Oxford! I’m currently touring the show ‘A Strange Wild Song’ with Rhum & Clay. Touring is an odd one; whilst on the surface it means lots of exploring and impromptu nights out in new locations I feel I should tell you that touring ALSO involves lots of travel, unfamiliar beds, constant packing and maniacally refreshing Google Maps on the motorway. I was lucky enough to have a day off in Oxford last weekend to explore!

Following a late brunch at Georgina’s Cafe (recommended by Bel) in the covered market (worth visiting just for the ornate signage) we then wandered around the picturesque cobbled streets watching drunk students in caps and gowns (some sort of term beginning event?!) and enjoying the 1960s publishing house aesthetic that seems to affect the whole town. Even the front of Oxfam is in mahogany and sepia! We spent a lot of time in a stationary shop called Scriptum. It was filled with beautiful quality stationary, traditional writing implements and random “gift” items: inkwells and quills, parchment notebooks, beautifully illustrated copies of classic books, ornate decorative hot air balloons and a glass case of venetian masks. Rob and I both managed to justify buying stickers (stickers!!) and notebooks before heading on to a museum which I shall blog about next.

I’m next touring to Leicester, Derby, Exeter and Devon; any suggestions gratefully received ! You can read about the show here and listen to some of my score here (I’ve blogged about it here and here).  And BIG thank you to Bel and Luke for your invaluable suggestions. :) Facebook/Twitter/Bloglovin

Lutyens House

I hope all of you have been enjoying the gloriously warm evenings we’ve been granted this summer! It’s so lovely to be able to stay out in the sunshine late into the day. These pictures were taken at Goddards, a beautiful country house in Surrey. The house was designed by renowned architect Edwin Lutyens  and for most of the time it is private to the public and kept for reservations. James and I were lucky enough to be invited to a dinner at the house with members of the Lutyens trust and took the opportunity to explore the beautiful home usually off limits. It was a gloriously golden evening when we arrived and the stunning gardens were filled with dappled rays of evening sunlight.

Edwin Lutyens collected many interesting objects throughout his life which have found their way into the home, such as the beautifully ornate door knocker pictured below and the rare stag heads decorating the bowls room. It felt like every room was filled with yet another unique treasure! The living-room also featured a hidden door behind the curved bookshelves, originally put in to allow a small person to crawl through and clean the windows behind. Old houses have such a feeling of adventure, don’t you think? Especially when filled with as many quirky details as Goddards!

Boarding Pass

Hello! Just a quick post. I’m off on holiday today! James and I are headed to Mauritius for the next week and a bit. I have a lot of family in Mauritius and have been many times before, but for James this is the first time. I’m looking forward to being a proper tourist with him and seeing the whole island through fresh eyes as it’s one of my favourite places! We are staying in an amazing hotel, currently ranked number two in the world, and I am writing from the departure lounge at Heathrow airport so I will keep it brief, suffice to say we are both pretty excited and I am sure there will be a LOT of photos when I return.

Dandy Lion

I took part in the 2 year anniversary fayre of the Dandy Lion market at The Oxford in Kentish Town. The stalls are all handpicked by Leslie who runs the market.

All of my display props are from charity shops (including the half size Chinese silk screen which was a complete find!) apart from my ruffled suitcase which came from an antique shop.