cream or jam first?

I had a cream tea yesterday in Chagford to celebrate one of my patterns being featured in the new MOYO, a magazine about surface pattern design. We had our usual discussion about whether the cream or jam should go on first. Whichever it tastes just as good!

Sprigmug  © Lesley Todd 2012

Lots of fab work from my fellow students is also on show in the magazine so if you’re interested in joining the new round of the Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design (ABSPD) courses that are about to begin why not take a look… Congrats to everyone who got featured!

A screenshot of the magazine… my pattern is 2nd row, 2nd down.

“MOYO, the world’s first online magazine dedicated to surface pattern design! Packed with interviews, design briefs, colour challenges, art reviews, student showcases, design tips, inspiration, trends and more.”

I had a lovely few hours exploring Chagford which is on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon. It’s a fabulous place, full of quirky shops, galleries, teashops and pubs. People are very friendly here and there is a great arty vibe. It is unusual for a small place to have so many independently owned shops selling everything you could think of or need. It would be an amazing place to live surrounded by lush countryside, maybe one day…

We found this Swedish mid century tray by Konga Princesse in one of the shops and decided to take it home.

We also visited Stone Lane Gardens where there are sculptures to be found hiding in the trees. I fell in love with the work of Tati Dennehy, nature had added it’s own flourish to her work and it couldn’t be more perfect in this woodland garden.

Sculpture by Tati Dennehy

I also fell for this beautiful owl sculpture, I’m afraid I don’t know the artist’s name. Please leave a comment if you know.

Gorgeous patterns to be found in nature… will definitely be using this as inspiration!

Bye for now and if you’re in the UK have a wonderful bank holiday weekend!

Recently…

A lovely sunny weekend exploring the honey coloured villages and towns of the Cotswolds. I wish I had some photos to show you of the magical cottage gardens we saw. There seems to be a big hollyhock fan club. They were everywhere. There also seems to be lots of old fashioned sweet shops with jars upon jars of goodies. I hope my dentist is not reading this.

Usually before I go away I do loads of research to make sure we’re not missing anything but this time we went without a clue of what we would find and left it all to chance. Very relaxing just wandering on a whim. It turned out that Hidcote was just down the road.

This huge garden is divided in lots of ‘rooms’ all with different characters. The mural below was a big surprise.

It’s hard to tell which is painting and which is part of the structure.

All in all a great weekend and there’s still so much of our fab country that I’ve never been too. Where is your favourite place for a weekend away?

Where I would love to live…

Marloes beach in Pembrokeshire.

We have not long come back from a lovely break which included in no particular order:

• Lots of gorgeous beaches, some sandy, some pebbly, some rocky, some deserted, some with other dogs to play with.

Freshwater West

• A boat trip round Ramsey Island which Floss seemed to really enjoy (her second boat trip ever!) We saw seals, razorbills, guillemots, fulmars, blackbacks, gannets and a buzzard.

Boat trip from St. Justinians around Ramsey Island

• A game of rounders on Barafundle beach with Flossy’s tennis ball and a driftwood bat. Great fun, especially with our lightning-fast furry black fielder!
• Over-sized food… in the form of a giant ice cream that Mr P accidently ordered to the amusement of the queue behind him. I laughed so much I cried and Floss somehow ended up with it all over her head as it dripped through the picnic bench. There was also a giant hot chocolate drank in a breezy beer garden at the Druidstone Hotel (a mad, arty, laid back place if ever there was one!)

Humongous hot chocolate at The Druidstone Hotel

• Stumbling across an exhibition at a fab gallery in St Davids of one of our fav artists, Chris Neale. It must have been fate and a painting was somehow found room for in the car for the journey home.
• A fab holiday house in Little Haven called Regatta Cottage. We fell asleep to the sound of waves breaking on the beach and there was a great spot on the terrace to watch the sun setting over the sea. It also had an ace shower in the ensuite.

Little Haven

• Beautiful wild flowers everywhere, the bluebells and red campion looked so beautiful against the bright green of the cow parsley flower buds on the tall banks down the winding lanes.
• Seaweed! On one beach in particular I found so many different types of different shapes, sizes and colours that I went a bit mad with the camera and ran the battery down!

• A couple of good drenchings. Well it wouldn’t be a proper British holiday without it and as long as you’ve got the right clothing and a pub to dry off in afterwards there’s no reason not to get out there.

Looking out towards Skomer Island.

• Strolling round the little harbour of Porthgain and eating fish and chips at The Shed.

Porthgain

• Buying some sea thrift from the perennial nursery as a souvenir so I will be reminded when I’m in the garden.

Traeth Llyfn

I think my one ambition in life is to live here one day. Can’t wait to go back again soon!

lovely aberdovey

Wanderlust led us to Aberdovey on the Snowdonia coast this weekend.

We travelled through the dead of night and found ourselves winding our way up the side of a mountain, bumping over pot holes, around hairpin bends to a little wooden cabin. The moon was so big and bright it lit up the whole of the estuary below and the hills beyond.

The next morning the sun shone as though it was summer and we ate our breakfast outside a cafe wearing our sunglasses and later relaxed in a beer garden overlooking the estuary. The golden sandy beach stretches on for miles, backed by sand dunes and with glorious views we walked and played with Floss, kicking her ball for her to fetch. It was so good to spend some time together.

There is nothing like exploring a new place to refresh your creative spirit.

a thoroughly English afternoon tea

On Sunday Mr P treated me to afternoon tea at a posh hotel. When we arrived a table had been all laid out for us in a quiet lounge next to a large window overlooking over the gardens. We settled down on a comfy sofa and soon the table was filled with tea, cakes and finger sandwiches. After being on a diet (admittedly on and off but mostly on) since October and finally hitting my target weight, I almost squealed with delight to see mini chocolate éclairs and scones with clotted cream. The scones were so light they would have blown away had the window been opened! Everything was delish and we almost managed to polish it all off.

A woman who saw me taking photos offered to take one of the two of us and this was the result. Isn’t it posh?! We both had a giggle at it as it’s really not us at all. But a lovely reminder of an exquisite couple of hours away from the norm.

a magical place

On Sunday we spent a few tranquil but freezing cold hours on Llanddwyn Island (also known as lover’s island) on Anglesey. It’s a really special place and when you’re there you feel like you’re a million miles away from civilisation.


These tiny cottages used to be where the lighthouse keeper lived, I can’t imagine what that must have been like. Now they are all empty and one houses an exhibition of the island.

This is a very ancient, spiritual place. The view across the sea to the mountains of Snowdonia is really beautiful and the light is ever changing.

The only residents are the ponies who keep the grass down.


A really lovely place to be.
Strangely, I turned the TV on last night and there was a film on called Half Light with Demi Moore in it. She was standing in a red and white lighthouse and I said to Mr P that looks just like Llanddwyn but with a red and white lighthouse superimposed on it, and sure enough it was.

the heart of snowdonia

Photos from a refreshing trip to Wales we had one weekend recently. We're lucky to live close enough to Snowdonia to go for the day although we haven't really explored this area at all so after this natured filled walk I hope we'll be going again.

This walk had it all really... streams, waterfalls, rivers. Mountains, fields, woodland. I love these twisty gnarled tree roots. There was a rope swing over the water, an idyllic place to be.

And this tree within a tree.


This is Floss looking like butter wouldn't melt shortly before she snaffled Mr P's sarnie. Very naughty girl.


After Mr P had been lugging Floss over these ladder stiles (lovely aren't they?) she nimbly climbed over one herself which made me giggle. Ah it's so good to get out in the fresh air.

Can you feel Autumn coming? I can sense it waiting in the wings.

Something ever so exciting is happening in a couple of weeks. Can't wait to see my mum's face! I will keep it a secret for now although it is very difficult!

Now I'm off to carve some pebbles but I will be back soon.

ice cream dreams

I thought I would share my favourite image from our holiday in Cornwall, taken in St Ives. I literally took thousands of photos while we were away (I love having a digital camera!) which is why I still haven't posted any up because it is pretty daunting to choose which ones! But I think I might try to group them together into little themes.

It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago and I am now the age that I thought was properly old and grown up when I was a teenager. I thought that by this magic age I would have everything figured out, that I would know everything (ha!). I think that in reality I'm still that same person just in an older body! Well that's just me anyway. For my birthday celebrations I went to see Show of Hands (again!) at Band on the Wall in Manchester's northern quarter. They were brilliant as always and as it was such an intimate venue (standing room only) we got right to the front! The atmosphere was amazing!

Dreams for this year include:

1. Finding a way to help other people/animals/charities. This has been on my mind a lot recently. It probably wouldn't be worth me doing a sponsorship type event because I don't come into contact with that many people in my day to day existence. I wonder whether it would be possible to set up an etsy shop and donate all the profit to a worthwhile cause? Did anyone see 'blood, sweat and luxuries'? Really shocking and thought provoking!
   
2. Reading more. Have you discovered any good books lately?
   
3. Getting back to painting again and using up some of the craft supplies I have squirrelled away around my room like lino, sculpey, pastels, stamp making, resin, silver metal clay. Not to mention all the books I have on different crafts.
   
4. Working with PMC and learning to solder.
5. A secret one that I don't want to share at the moment.
6. Getting Floss a doggy passport and heading across the sea to Brittany. Would probably prefer to go without her but just can't bear the thought of her in kennels.
   
7. Lots of summer bbqs, get-togethers, gardening and veg growing.
8. Finding a haircut that suits me.
   
9. Learning how to deal with clutter better. I am a bit of a hoarder.
   
10. Making my time with Mr P really special.
11. Getting fitter and shedding the weight that seems to be creeping on when I'm not paying attention!
12. Making the most of opportunities that come my way.

I'm sure there are loads more now I've started thinking about it.

Playing frisbee fetch at Marazion.

Bye for now.

peaks and troughs

Now, not to get confused, this isn't the Lake District like the last post but the Peak District, Shutlingsloe and Wildboarclough to be exact. We did a bit of driving over the weekend and it was interesting to compare the two places for they have many similarities but quite a different feel about them. They both have dry stone walls, moorland, rather large hills (although higher in the Lakes) and sheep (to Floss' eternal curiosity) but I've been trying to put my finger on what makes them seem so different. While both stunningly beautiful the Peaks seem somehow more desolate and wild, bleak even sometimes. The Lake District has a quainter, cosier more colourful feel and of course water. Lots of it. And it's just struck me what a difference that makes to me, reflecting the light, sky and mountains. Maybe it's the bracken warming up the Lakeland fells with its lovely shade of rusty orange for half the year. One thing's for sure and is the always the same wherever you go, walkers are a friendly lot, saying hello on passing.

In other news, we are heading off to a land of ocean, cream teas and pasties for a while so I will be pulling the shutters down on my shop for a couple of weeks. When you have been looking forward to something for so long it seems surreal when it is finally upon you. Our first trip away with Floss... I'm sure it will be a challenge but hopefully rewarding too! I stupidly got the dates wrong with regards to the dog bans on the beaches, I am kicking myself for this. So we will be getting up early to visit our favourite haunts (as the bans tend to run from 7am/8am til 7pm/8pm) and also hunting out dog friendly pubs and tearooms. Any suggestions please leave me a comment won't you. I can't wait to see the cottage, it looks beautiful and is tucked away down a lane with views over the ocean just outside St Ives. To hear the waves crashing and smell the coconut scent of the gorse and see the high hedges filled with Spring flowers, it's my idea of heaven.

over ambleside

A few photos from yesterday's hot and sunny visit to Ambleside in the Lakes. After exchanging some trousers bought up here on Mr P's birthday a few days ago (yes, good excuse to come back!) and munching on some lovely sandwiches eaten in the little hideaway courtyard of the Apple Pie Cafe where Floss crunched on ice cubes, we decided on a short but steep walk up to an idyllic little spot called High Sweden Bridge. The views over Windermere, Ambleside and the surrounding fells were stunning, totally worth the effort and Floss enjoyed swimming in the stream under the quaint old packhorse bridge. What gorgeous weather we've been having here for the last week. Let's hope it continues!