Nice.

by Anthony Burrill.

"It's Nice to be Nice" by Hazel Nicholls.

I've heard 'nice' described as boring. Nice girls don't get anywhere. Nice is unmemorable. Nice doesn't cut it when the chips are down. Nice people finish last...

But I think 'nice' is underrated. I don't think many people go out of their way to be particularly nasty... but we could all do with more nice in our everyday. That's why Operation Nice is so great. A celebration of being nice. Nice encounters with nice people who do particularly nice things. Wow, I've used the word twelve times in the last two paragraphs...

In the interest of spreading this message: I hope you are having an especially nice day. It's nice to have you visit my blog. 

Giveaway: Stuff your doodle!

I'm mad about the "Stuffed Doodles" that Lucy Moose does. I posted about them last week and now I am delighted to offer you a giveaway!

If you missed my previous post - What Lucy does is translate a scribbled, doodled drawing into a unique stuffed three dimensional piece. Stuff your doodles. That character that you've been sketching on scraps of paper or a drawing your child has done can now come alive! It's a wonderful novel idea that is above all, fun.  

Lucy is the smart creative person behind "Stuff your doodle" and she is donating a custom, handmade, stuffed doodle (valued at £80) to one of you. Thanks Lucy!

How to enter?

Send me your doodle!

Put "Doodle giveaway" in the subject line and email it to black_katherine[at]yahoo.com

OR Comment below with a link to your blog (and doodle).

Giveaway closes Monday 13th July.

I'll showcase all the entries and announce the winner here next week. The winner will be randomly chosen - you are all in with a chance.

Ensure you Doodle is a good resolution - that way you'll get a great result from Lucy should you win.

Have fun!

Lights, camera...

Jan Verboom, Photographer.

Guildford Grace, Stylist.

Sylvie Hurford, Hair and Make up artist.

I had a chance to work with a talented team of people last week. One of the cool things about working in this business is seeing an idea come to life. What was just a sketch last week was carefully transformed into reality. Every make up brush-stroke, set adjustment, lighting check, garment choice, model pose and final 'click' of the camera shutter contributing to the end result. 

I can't show you the finished product - but the above are some great images from the porfolios of the team I worked with.

Tea for two.

Tea for two and two for tea,

Me for you and you for me.

Two tiny lemon tarts, pastel coloured mini macaroons, pretty crockery and my camera. 

Cassis Paris (website under construction) is a newly opened little patisserie in my neighborhood. Tea time never was so pretty.

Cameos

I came across these cameo tea cups a while ago on this site. They reminded me of how much I love(d) silhouettes. I sought out the above illustrations of DH and I. I've been meaning to have them nicely printed for ages and am now on the hunt for a pair of oval frames... not that easy to find. And yes, unfortunately my nose is really that 'roman'  :)

Stuff my doodle.

Stuff your doodles is a fun little service - send in your scrawl (or the masterpiece done by your 5 year old) and see it come to life. The result of your sketch is a handmade stuffed and sewn replica. Smart and silly!

Chocolate with no calories?

Too good to be true? Of course. Le Whif is a "new way to eat chocolate." It had to come from the French.... this mix of 'culinary art and aerosol science' is chocolate that you inhale (actually you breathe it in). Microns of chocolate particles amounting to less than 1 calorie hit your tastebuds and you are satisfied. What do you think - perfect accompaniment to a cup a coffee?

It's bollocks, pure and simple.

I think I'll have to get this book. Looks like just the right amount of bluntly put anti-self-help type of self help! And I think Janet Street-Porter is hilarious.

"The fact of the matter is, if you don't want bags under your eyes, go to bed early. If you notice your chin sagging, talk a lot! If you don't want to look your age—a miserable old cow—smile! That'll take 10 years off for a start."

Cassette tape cool.

So eighties, so teenage, so cool. Here.

Tea with Liesel Trautman

A few months ago, on our wedding anniversary, DH gifted me a visit to Liesel Trautman's studio and with an invitation to choose some ceramics. Clever man, he knows I have wanted to add to the pieces I already own. 

I finally made my way to Liesel's shop/studio on Monday. What a delight to meet the talented woman behind these gorgeous ceramics. The passion for what she does is obvious and we chatted about her inspirations, process and personal creative path. 

I'm always interested in what makes creative people tick and have decided to share some of her insights and inspirations in a follow up post to this one. Look out for it! In the meantime, enjoy the images. 

In memoriam.

I was terribly saddened to hear the news that talented local photographer and all round interesting individual, Crispian Plunkett, had passed away over the weekend. I've worked with Crispian many times. I'll remember him for his attitude, his humour and the music he blasted on set. And of course the images he's captured. What a loss.  I wish strength to his family and friends. 

Déjà vu.

A while ago I told DH that I could clear out my entire closet and start again with a restricted colour palette of black, grey and denim. Never happened. Perhaps because I quickly remembered how boring it was to wear a school uniform.  

The Uniform Project, on the other hand, is anything but boring. 

A pledge to wear the same dress, every day, for a year. The particular dress is designed to be worn front or backwards or as an open tunic. And although already into month two the genius accessorising keeps it looking interesting. 

Why? It's an exercise in sustainable fashion and a fund-raising initiative for the education of slum kids in India.

I'll be following it here. You should too. And I'll attempt not to bemoan my own wardrobe in the future!