Life Drawing Class Efforts

I wish, wish I'd taken photos of the chalk ones before spraying them with fixative. I felt a brief moment of panic when I began to spray and the drawings started to vanish. 'Don't worry,' I told myself, 'they'll come back when the spray dries. They're supposed to.' They didn't really: a lot of the subtleties of the shading were lost.

Two Franks

Cushions seen in a shop window in Wigmore Street.

I can't get over the Anne Frank one. Why, WHY would you want that in your house?
For the irony value? So that every time you sit down, you can say, 'That young girl died tragically, and I'm alive and watching X-Factor! I win, Frank! LOL!'

Is it meant to be a talking point? But then every time you had friends over, they'd see it, and yes you'd start talking, but it would be the same conversation every time -- which would be dull -- and every time, that conversation would begin, 'What on earth is that?' and you'd end up having to justify it. 'Oh, it's... postmodern... I...', trailing off as your friends stared at you in horrified disbelief. That's no way to start a dinner party.

I almost wanted to buy it just so I could destroy it. But how could you? You couldn't burn it, could you? That seems frantically inappropriate. And I have nowhere to bury a cushion cover, and anyway, that's insane.

Poor Anne. Her memory deserves better than ironic home furnishings.

Nutmeg Biscuits

They're a cross between Viennese whirls and custard creams, sprinkled with grated nutmeg. They're very small because a little one goes a long way.

New Nibs

New Caran d'Ache Pencils

1950s Teacup and Saucers

I bought this 1950s teacup set yesterday in Islington Antique Market. I love the little gold sprays, they look like fireworks.

Fireplace, Ink Drawing

Trying out my new dippy pen and inkwell that I bought for my drawing class.

Etsy Purchases

I love buying things from Etsy and having them arrive wrapped up like presents. I know I bought them for myself, but I still feel like someone's sent me a wonderful treat.



I bought some vintage Schiaparelli scarves, and another quirky, cute necklace from one of my favourite Etsy sellers, Lychee Kiss. She's one of those sellers who you don't really want to tell anyone about so that her shop can be your own special secret -- but that's not fair, and I certainly don't want her to go out of business, so please do go and check out her work! She's based in Hawaii, but distance doesn't seem to matter, because everything I've had from her has arrived in super-quick time.

Sleeping Cats

Paris - Part 2

 35 photos under the cut...