REUSE & RECYCLE

Somewhere in between being on the phone to New York, packing for Russia, cancelling New Delhi and digging the vegetable patch in Ipswich, Jim made us some new furniture. Took him about an hour.

We have been collecting old/unused drawers ready to be incorporated into our Eames inspired shelving unit. (We totally copied this idea from a recycle design book..details to follow). Our drawers were from a variety of sources - this is the part I love the most:

2 drawers from an old roll top bureau given to me by a student who found it on an East Anglian beach
2 drawers and legs from Jims Nan and Grandad's veneered bookcase from the fifties.
1 drawer from an antique stand given by our favourite Australian relatives.
3 drawers from Ikea

It really is beautiful, I love the look of it, sure, but the history, the stories, the family connections andf teh contemporary use of it in our first home together.

Something very special indeed.

SILENT WONDER

I have small pockets of time to think about my work: the ride to work, waiting for the lift, in line for a cake, staff meetings, and in the bath.

These moments are precious even though they go hand in hand with the incidental trivia of daily life.

To make work takes longer - I need a few hours of quiet, with my resources ready to go, cats fed, washing on and phone on silent. I've managed to find it on a Wednesday. I am poorer in monetry terms for now, but richer in spirit.

Working within these confines means I have to visualise constantly the actual work I want to produce. I don't have the luxury of time to experiment and wait for happy accidents. This happens in my head, working it out, seeing if it's going to work, giving me the simplest way to produce my idea to its best.

This process worked beautifully today. I wanted to produce a collection of fashion led illustrations showing my pattern work in context. I wanted them to be beautiful and hand made, yet able to work digitally when sent for publishing. The times waiting for cakes had worked and I was happy.

LOVE ONE


I've spent too long trying to control the uncontrollable.
It doesnt work of course.

I have been working on several things so far this year and I've managed to finish a couple. At the moment I'm focussing on the 'doing' of these jobs rather than the outcome. Finishing the task and then letting it go.

Who knows where it goes next? I guess thats the fun bit.

( Picture shows some new work ready to go on display in a shop window www.loveone.co.uk)

SUNDAYS

I love Sundays. Who doesnt?

Every week I’m off on my bike, off road, in all weathers.

I am lucky enough to live next door to the Bicycle Doctor, who, when he fixes my bike, he leaves it for me like a birthday present in the back garden. He also delivers fresh eggs for our Sunday breakfasts. A true hero.

Noelle and I ride about twelve miles, watching the landscape change every week. This activity started off as exercise, to counteract our love of good food and wine, but has slowly become more. An adventure, a time to share stories from the week, to laugh, to feel brave and to remember we are alive.

Our husbands can’t quite believe that we do it every week without fail or that we really do love it. We were out today in gale force winds today, the last time we went out, Noelle fell off into a tree and cracked a rib. Now thats what I call an bike ride.

LUBNA CHOWDHARY


These have made my week. Incredible. www.lubnachowdhary.co.uk

CREATIVE SILENCE



I am keeping things to myself.
No to hide or be wierd, but to hopefully gain momentum in all I do.
In my world It's tough to be quiet. I talk. Alot.

But recently things are changing. I find my ideas becoming clearer as there is no more stabbing in the dark when I find some time, but clearer and more clarified thought processes. And things are moving.

At work and at home, there is so much to distract, discuss and deliver. It is relentless, but slowly I'm working it all out.

My sketchbooks are growing, my projects realised, proposals actually being written and people getting in touch.

And I'm suddenly realising that this could be how it all works.