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The Insanely Handsome Teddy The Puppy Missed Me
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A Jolly Good Morning Tout Le Monde!
I hope that you are all blooming and Jack Frost has not been nipping at your nose - or any other extremity for that matter?!
It was freezing in Paris, but we spent our last morning choosing Grape Lamps from Syria in the most fantastic colours imaginable, which made us very happy indeed and completed a pretty successful sojourn! These will land next week or the week after, I hope, so I shall dazzle you then!
We did not purchase the 'Flamingo Chair' (below) at the show, as believe that a myriad of beaks, poking in intimate places, might be uncomfortable(!) - but it did make us smile!
And then it was the long trudge home across the Channel/London and Sussex to the Good Dr and Teddy the Puppy - who danced upon my return( both of them)!
Sussex was equally freezing and we have been using the log-burner every day and it is so successful! The cottage is always 21 degrees and our central heating never comes on in the evenings! I am unhappy about the carbon impact, and we are doing research to see how we can move away, but for now, LB (as I have named him - a little nod to Hollywood and Mr Mayer!), is a financial and visual hit.
Teddy the Puppy has grown so much in the last 5 weeks - from a hamster into a wild-maned beast. He is covered in mud most of the time, hates the bath and has been repeatedly and inappropriately lascivious with Mr Bear(!), which does not bode well for the future! But otherwise, he is a beautiful and fiercely intelligent pup and we are so lucky to have found him! I will not pretend that owning a puppy is easy, and there are moments when you want to take them back or put them in a cupboard and forget about them(usually when I have tried to locate my slippers for the 18th time that day), but patience is rewarded and we would not be without Mr T!
Here in Amberley I can see signs of Mother Nature stirring - the buds on the Magnolia Tree opposite, the snowdrops are in bloom and the daffodils are quite large, although keeping their petals tightly closed until this cold snap passes. Still, it is that lovely hint of renewal and the promise we are almost through the darkness and cold. I realise that we probably have a little more to endure - February can be a cruel month - but I enjoy these little signs of re-awakening.
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A Lewis Carroll Moment? Actually This Is More Liberace Meets Drag Race!
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At the store we have just received some smart, tweed, flat caps and tweed baseball hats from Ireland. Things have gotten so bad with international couriers/ UK Customs that many of our brands are refusing to ship to GB as everyone keeps getting charged 'duty' when there simply isn't any to pay!
This is a sorry state of affairs and driving everyone bananas - however good old FEDEX came through for us on this on this order so we are thrilled to have these classics back on our shelves. The Tweed Flat Cap dates back to the 16th Century in Ireland & England, and is a design classic worn by everyone from Sean Connery as 007 to His Majesty (who rocked a tweed cap in his youth).
We have Small to Xtra Large( which even fits me!)
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Our Tweed Baseball Caps add a contemporary twist to the traditional - using the shape of American Baseball caps but made of tweed and adding the all important ear flaps( seen in the image of the blue cap), which can remain tucked beneath the brim in warmer temperatures but are an absolute boon when the thermometer dips.
Of course these accessories were originally designed for gentlemen, however
both look fantastic on women too.
Warm and extremely stylish, I find that these caps can be worn for three seasons of the year - with coats in Winter, jackets in Spring and knitwear in the Autumn, so they quickly become a wardrobe staple.
I have chosen 3 colours of tweed in the flat cap and two in the baseball hat - all of them rich, understated and terribly, terribly smart!
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As I adore this particular Woollen Mill (located on the banks of the Nenagh river in County Tipperary), I thought that I would also invest in some stunning, luxurious, 100% Merino Wool Scarves in the most magnificent, plain colours( Apple/Navy Smoke/ Royal Blue & Turquoise) and some really, thick, snuggly, Cashmere/Merino Mix, Herringbone Scarves -Lawrence selected these and I have just tweaked the colours(Teal, Duck Egg Blue & Mustard), so credit where credit is due!).
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Back in stock are our wonderful (and exclusive) Kerosene fragrances. If you have not indulged, I could not recommend more highly! The latest fragrance is called 'Followed' and has been an overnight sensation. The Beauty Editor of the Sunday Times once wrote that she would like to 'live in my silage'( the trail that a perfume leaves behind it - rather like a vapour trail) - it's a lovely image!
This is very much the concept of 'Followed', as this fragrance assures us that others will be bewitched by the scent of vanilla, coffee, caramel, cocoa and amber. It is actually an incredibly comforting smell - something
one finds oneself leaning towards!
If you feel like taking a new scent for a spin, I would try 'Followed,' plus 'Sweetly Known' and 'Unknown Pleasures' for starters - they will knock your socks off! The entire collection is an olfactory swoonsation and perfect for cold weather.
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I noticed that our good furniture had been looking a little lifeless this week - the heating and temperature fluctuations having taken their toll, and the sparkle had left, leaving them rather dull.
I took advantage of a couple of hrs when the Good Doctor was writing 'the diary' ( and no, I haven't peaked!) and restored their lustre with 'Mrs White's Cupboard Love Beeswax Polish'. I love the smell of cedar that it contains and our Art & Crafts, Golden Oak pieces are now glowing once more! Too early for Spring Cleaning - however wood will dry and crack without sustenance
so it's better to keep on top of it!
100% natural of course - I am so pleased that our collection is completely safe now that we have a family member who wants to put everything in his mouth!
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A bread bin is essential in any home, and as you may know there is only one design for me. Our bread bins are of German design and manufacture ( so engineering quality is guaranteed) and made from steel that has then been powder-coated. I still think that they look like they come from an American Diner in the 1950's!
We have carried the largest model for a number of years, however I have been asked by a number of customers if we can stock a smaller design so that they don't take up as much room in the cupboard (or on the counter) and will house smaller loaves - plus biscuits and crackers etc.
As your wish is my command, we have taken delivery of a new bread-bin with slightly more modest proportions ( I would say it is Medium size) of 17cm H X 28cm W X 22cm D
We have them in white or a lovely cool grey, and their retro good-looks make them ideal for both a cool minimal kitchen and something more traditional
These bins have air-holes to keep bread fresher for longer.
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Finally I would like to speak to you of wine and wine storage - my apologies if it is a little early in the day!
I must impart my latest discovery - that Lidl has an excellent wine section! Who knew? Well, my Mother actually - she assured me that I could find a decent Châteauneuf-du-Pape for £13.99, and low and behold she was right!
We have now sampled at least 12 different wines from this store and I have to say that I have not been disappointed. Take this delicious Rioja 2018(pictured), which I believe cost between £6 and £7; lightly spiced, soft and velvety with no hard, tannin-edges - it was superior to many bottles for which we have paid twice the price. I now pay a monthly visit and re-fill the wine rack. We take photographs of the wines that we like and repeat some and try others just to keep it interesting. This does not mean that we have turned our backs on Majestic(!), however an impressive table wine for weekday tipples at these prices is far
too good an opportunity to miss!
And now for storage. Over the years I think that I must have owned 8 or 9 wine racks, and only two have served me well. Our current, freestanding, tall, slim wine rack is one of them.
This is a fantastic design (again it is German, so very well made from steel) firstly because it is floor standing and fits into so many nooks and crannies that would otherwise be left vacant. We have used it next to the fridge, under a breakfast bar and it is currently nestled neatly in the larder, as Teddy the Puppy decided that nibbling the foil 'capsule' away from every bottle was a jolly good wheeze! My point is that it will fit into your kitchen, larder, behind a door etc.
no matter the size of the space.
Secondly, it is tall (66cm!) and slim, so houses 12 bottles which we have found to be perfect. I enjoy wine shopping, but not too often - this lasts us about six weeks which is practical. Obviously this design does not have to live at floor level and can be placed on a counter or cupboard if you have the room. Personally I like to keen my counters as empty as possible so this is perfect .
And lastly, it is minimal and aesthetically pleasing! We have it in silver steel or black - which again fit in to any interior.
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