Friend’s designs

I have just been to a sale at  friend Shirley’s house. She is a brilliant home maker and there is always a table groaning with delicious food. Tonight there were many variety of cakes including the best Carrot cake I have ever eaten.I loved the way she draped a family heirloom  flag over an old chaise. The other end of the chaise was covered in a quilt she made from recycled cashmere sweaters belonging to different members of her family. I had to take a picture of the mad lamp someone in her family had created for the garden – fabulous.

The sale was to raise money for Cleft palete research and Jewellery designer Jessica Walker was selling her wares. Jessica  creates a variety modern, stylish jewellery,  using a mixture of real stones as well as semi precious stones and crystal. As well as her own designs Jessica was selling  brightly coloured jewellery she had bought in India earlier this year.

Felt and more felt

I have loved the work of  Anne Kyyro Quinn  since I first saw it about ten years ago. Resembling artworks more than conventional fabrics, the contemporary creations produced by the Anne Kyyrö Quinn studio are not textiles as you once knew them. Cut, sewn and finished by hand, the  unique choice of luxury natural fabrics are crafted into interior textiles designed to harmonise timelessly with any setting. Each product is conceived as a gesture of simplicity, yet, we make space for bold colours, rich textures and striking motifs.  +44 (0)20 7021 0702  http://www.anneKyyroquinn.com

Another designer -maker is  Selina Rose  she uses cutting-edge technology to create intricately cut felt homewares and bespoke interior surfaces for residential and contract interiors.

Her innovative felt surfaces are suitable for a broad range of interior applications including rugs, acoustic wall panels, window treatments, room dividers, table runners, lighting and upholstery. All products are made from 100% wool felt and coloured using environmentally friendly dyes in Selina’s distinctive colour palette. Selina designs and makes all of her products in the UK, the felt is renewable and biodegradable.

More from 100% design

My first offering today is  Alhouette described as Birds that light up the Room. They are a simple idea of halogen lights in the shape of birds that can be clamped onto a horizontal or a vertical tube.

www.atelierareti.com/collection

These wonderful clouds are made by MYYOUR described as an outdoor chic furniture company. The design is Italian in origin and the company is based in the U.K. their web site is www.outdoorchic.co.uk

Thelemont Hupton  is an award winning design studio formed in 2004 that produces a diverse collection of furniture, lighting and home accessories.  I particularly like these striking hand hooks.

www.thelemont hupton.com

100% Design

I just managed to get to the last hour of  the last day of 100% design being held at Earl’s Court in London. Leaving so little time really helps you focus on what is, and what isn’t, important. I guess the big boys have to be there in order for the show to function, but it is the small companies and individual designers who make the show. I particularly loved the work of Creative Trust who won an award for the ‘Best in Show’. They are a group of  artists, designers and set designers who are recycling cardboard in very innovative  ways. Amongst other items they have created a wooden floor with a zebra skin rug. clocks, picture frames and chairs.

www.creativetrust.co.uk       T: 01227 793007

A walk on Dartmoor

No you are not on the wrong blog and this is not a National Geographic site, but instead of visiting designers today I have been walking. I am staying in Devon this weekend and had a long walk, well for me long, 4 hours on Dartmoor.It was sunny  and windy. We walked past pretty pastel coloured cottages as we left the  town.

We walked over a bridge with a very noisy stream. I was assured by my hosts that at the beginning of November you can stand on this bridge and see  shoals of Salmon jumping upstream. I love the smell of Devon, the wood smoke the smell of the peat and the moors,  it takes me back to my childhood where I spent most of my holidays. Today’s amble took us past something I have never seen before, cattle with white bands round their middle. They look similar to Saddleback pigs.

Dartmoor ponies, many with their foals, were in evidence. We walked up to the top of Ugborough Beacon and had magnificent views.

More Designers block

Aplogies to one and all for revisiting old ground, but the designers showing at designers block are too good to pass by without giving them a mention. It is so refreshing to see recycling done to such a high , un-grungy standard as is the case with Jigna Chauhan a First Class Honours graduate from Central Saint Martins who is about to study at the Royal Collage of Art. The felt like containers she has produced called “Floorfold” is the result of a project that analyzed the reuse of carpet tiles. ‘The undersurface of the tile is transformed by using silkscreen printing and as a result, make the boxes suitable for a living environment’ Her words not mine! She has made beautiful containers you would want to use in your home. 

Away from re-cycling to a bit of humour. I love designed objects with an element of fun. These mugs are such a simple idea but are visually pleasing and make you laugh. what could be better than that? Available from www.peteribruegger.com

A totally different and yet beguiling piece of art work as opposed to useful artifact is the work  of Andere Monjo.  who was showing a table of work called Baked Table. The cutlery and pottery all appeared to be made from dough. It looked quite rustic and beautiful and reminded me of that bit of history stored in the recesses of my brain of how humans ate their food from platters called ‘trenchers’ and when they had finished eating what was on it, they then ate the trencher too.  Well it certainly saved on the washing up.  For more information www.anderemonjo.com

Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballet Russes 1909 –1929

The V&A’s major autumn exhibition explores the world of Serge Diaghilev (1872-1929), an extraordinarily gifted impresario, curator, director and animator of the arts.

Lydia Sokolova, Anton Dolin, Bronislava, Nijinska, Léon Woizikovsky in costumes for le train bleu designed by Chanel. Photo: Sasha 1924 © V&A Images

Caricature drawing by Jean Cocteau of the composer Igor Stravinsky playing the music for Le Sacre du Prentemps 1913. Pencil & ink on paper. © V&A Images

He was born in St. Petersburg Russia, but after the 1914-1918 war based himself in Paris.  It was here, that he persuaded the best and most innovative dancers, musicians and artists to work with him.  A consummate collaborator he worked with, amongst others, Stravinsky, Chanel, Picasso, Matisse and Nijinsky.

Treasures on show include Picasso’s huge front cloth for Le Train Bleu, as well original costumes and set designs, props and posters by artists and designers including Leon Bakst, George Braque, Jean Cocteau and Natalia Goncharova.  These tell the story of a company which began in the social and political upheaval of pre-revolutionary Russia and went on to cause a sensation with exotic performances that had never been seen before.

The exhibition explores Diaghilev’s early work in Paris. The first gallery includes costumes by Bakst and tells the story of the Ballet Russes up to the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.

The second gallery shows the behind scenes of the Ballet Russes productions- their inspiration, choreography, music and creation of the sets. Nijinsky’s notations for L’Apres-midi d’un faune is displayed for the first time as it was intended to read, as is the musical score for Pulcinella by Stravinsky.

Pablo Picasso became an integral part member of Ballet Russes  during the war.

Front cloth used for Le Train bleu after a painting by Pablo Picasso 1924 © ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2010

The final gallery presents Diaghilev and his company in 1920’s – a period when he had achieved great status in European Culture. There are manuscripts by Proust, Joyce and Eliot.

There is a large selection of costumes in this gallery, from the exotic- Leon Bakst’s The sleeping Princess and Henri Matisse’s Le Chant du rossignol, and the wacky – Mikhail Larionov’s Chout and Giorgio de Chirico’s Le Bal, and the chic – Coco Chanel’s bathing costumes for Le Train Bleu, Georges Braque’s Zephyr and Flore and Marie Laurencin’s Les Bitches.

There are films showing throughout the exhibition of the ballets as they were first performed,  as well as modern interpretations.

Described as many things including a charlton, Diaghilev, when asked by the King of Spain what he did,  replied:

“I am like you your majesty I do nothing, but unlike you, I am indispensable”

V&A Museum Cromwell Road London SW7 2RL

Tel 020 7942 2000

www.vam.ac.uk

25 September 2010 – 9 January 2011

Designers Block

This week is London Fashion Week in London and also the week that designers from many different disciplines are exhibiting their work. Last night I had the privilige of attending the Private View of Designers block. The exhibition takes place in and around Bargehouse at Oxo Tower Wharf on London’s South Bank. For those wishing to go, Waterloo is the nearest station and underground, and then it is a fifteen minute walk. Over 100 emerging and established designers are  showing . The work includes lots of recycling which was very exciting.                                         

Fazil-.uk  07947407296

Is responsible for the recycled deckchairs using tennis balls, pleated plastic bags and fabrics and pegs.

There were other innovative chair designers and makers. Aplologies for those whose names I didn’t manage to get. Any person reading this blog and wanting to get hold of the designers, visit the exhibition which is on until Sunday 26th September 2010

There were other recycled goods on sale. Particularly clever were those by designer Barley Massey who has a business called Fabrications. She has a commissioning service called ‘Remember me”. You take clothing or textiles to her that hold sentimental value and she will remake them into personal and comforting furnishings for the home. She also sells kits with recycled materials and instructions so you can have a go too. She can be found at 7 Broadway Market Hackney London E8 4PH or +44 (0)20 7275 8043  www.fabricationsl.co.uk

A New hairdresser called Hari

My daughter Alice and I were walking down The King’s  Road Chelsea, when Alice was asked  by a couple of stylists if she would like a free haircut.  It transpired their model hadn’t turned up. As only fifteen minutes previously Alice had been bemoaning split ends, this was a great opportunity. The reason I am telling you all this is, the Salon is a work of Art  in itself and has only been open five weeks. Here are some of the booths. The owner has another Salon on Brompton Rd Kensington that has been open for 25 years.

It is a great   hair cut.

The end result.

www.harisalon.com  233 Kings Road London SW3 5EJ

How to make a perfect pastry case

Before I start today’s blog I want to post an image from yesterday when Jazz my black labradour decided he might be a paint brush. He rubbed up against the white exterior wall that had just been painted. Luckily it was only emulsion paint so came off quite easily.

The biggest spotty dog you ever did see!

Today I made a quiche. The pastry case can be quite difficult if you don’t do it properly. You need to use a metal loose bottomed flan dish, if you use a ceramic one the pastry will be soggy.

Pastry in loose bottomed case, baking parchment, dried Haricot beans

Pastry case lined with baking parchment and dried beans.

Roll out the pastry and line the flan dish. Prick the pastry all over with a fork to stop it rising up. Place a piece of baking paper on top of the pastry and put the beans on top of the paper. This will  stop the pastry folding in on itself. Place the pastry in a hot oven for ten minutes. Remove the paper and dried beans.Beat an egg, and then using a brush paint the inside of the pastry case with the egg. This seals the pastry and prevents the filling, that is added later,  from making the pastry soggy.

After ten minutes baking

Painting on the egg

The pastry case is put back in the oven for a further five minutes.

Cooked pastry case