For the love of Brain Pickings

I recently gave up Facebook - I was going on too many adventures in other peoples lives.
Now I go on internet adventures that solidify my own life: remind me what I like, not what other people did.
And one of my favourite internet places to go is Brain Pickings: do you know it? It's incredible, I can't recommend it highly enough.

Fenland Folk

I grew up in the flat lands in the East of England and holidayed there too. And I love it. I was very pleased to find the Friends Of Norfolk Dialect page, maybe a bit more than pleased, mostly I just wanted to put my face in it and inhale: it's just lovely.
I especially liked the dialect pages, for those of you without the time to peruse I've made a small list of animal names, I hope you like them

Bishy-barney-bee . . . ladybird
Erriwiggle . . . earwig
Hedge Betty . . . hedge sparrow
King Harry . . . Goldfinch
Pishamire . . . an ant
Pollywiggle . . . a tadpole
Hoss . . . horse

(Also, as I start to plan my new years celebrations I'm happy to have found that it's called "Old Years Night' in Norfolk dialect: much more cosy sounding, much better.)

provendi soap

Whilst we were in Geneva, after sitting in the warm guzzling fondue I went to use the unheated, outside toilets: which was nice. But I was reminded of this soap, which I really like, it's so smart and nice, and the yellow helps obviously.
My granny used to have big, yellow, lemon shaped soap, that she'd stick a magnet in then it would hang on a little stalk.
Anyway, turns out you can buy it here, just thought I'd let you know in case you like it as much as I do.

Geneva and Bern

I visited Geneva at the weekend, a very short trip to stay with Schweiker on her residency. I really like Switzerland and I thought I'd share a few small things with you.
Starting with the house
It was a big, posh mini-chateau with a lovely alpine feel - but in the middle of an industrial estate.
And it had a winter garden: a big glassy room for being 'in the garden' in the winter. And the decor was all sparse and a bit european designy mixed in with some contemporary art stuff . . . which is ugly stuff, let's face it. I really liked the shutters on the house and the pillars and the general feeling of functionality: a house that stands strong through harsh winters.
And I found a few thoroughly frosted toms in the garden which I fried for dinner and ate and Rosalie casually pushed aside.
I really like the feel of Switzerland: the mountains really help. Also everything is clean and organised and it's cold and crisp and Christmassy! This is the view from the lido on the lake, that we didn't swim in but had a fondue at the cafe instead! Whoever invented fondue is amazing. I went and collected my spirit burner then a man came around with a whole saucepan of melted cheese, so delicious.

We took a day trip to Bern, which is doubly like Christmas town - apart from with a few gargoyles strangling mermaids . . .
Luckily the beautiful golden haired maidens made up for that.
There was just a sprinkling of snow that day which made it look as if someone had icing sugared the place like a big cake. It was almost too much and I kept saying to Schweiker 'this place is too much!' over and over, which probably got to be a bit much after a while.
There were about a million markets and I invested in the worlds most expensive dolly. The perfect velveteen yellow though right?
And finally I'd just like to share with you the worlds most amazing logo. I can't find anything wrong with it: the swoop, they suave eyes, as if coiffure wasn't an amazing enough word already.

Temple Grandin

Have you heard of Temple Grandin? She's an incredible person and an incredible industrial designer, Jack's been learning about her on a course that his school sent him on.
We watched this last night - and it's brilliant, really brilliant.

You can also see Temple Grandin's website here www.templegrandin.com, I would recommend having a peruse after you've watched the film

Emilie Louise Flöge

A new hero: Emilie Louise Flöge
ge. You probably know that golden dress painting by Klimt - I don't like it much, I think it's kind of ugly - a pretty basic art criticism for you there. BUT the lady in the gold dress is wearing a creation by Emilie Louise Flöge - see some of her other beautiful, ground-breaking dresses below. Jeeps! So nice







House inspiration

Some more inspiration courtesy of our mate Guy - read all these lovely house ideas at cool tools. Somebody get me a plot of land, I want to build! Also a little documentary for my evening later on I think:

Jewelery by Alexander Calder

So - Alexander Calder made awesome jewellery, shoulda seen that one coming. Sheesh. Some people get all the cleverness.









Mark Lazenby


Mark Lazenby makes very fine collage. I really like the busy feeling that collages can have: all sorts of different narrative and viewpoints tied together in one piece. Also, as a designer, it's just really nice to look at an image that is obviously joyfully constructed: with balance and thought whilst maintaining a very nice vitality.Yes, very good.









Marthe Armitage

I recently stumbled across the wallpapers of Marthe Armitage - aren't they beautiful?
You can read a brilliant write-up of her work here.






Hannah De Bruyn

My Jack very cleverly bought my engagement ring from Hannah De Bruyn. A few people have asked me about who made it so here's a link to her website - and also a selection of other things I'd like bought for me . . . just so you know.





Sea silk

Have you heard of sea silk?
I hadn't either, but now I can't get it out of my head. It is a very rare silk made from clam saliva . . . so that's pretty magic. There's only one woman in the world left who makes it, you should read this very beautiful article about her.
But whilst you're still will you just admire these beautiful sea silk cuff - the shape! Like they grew under the sea.
Yes please.



Amos Ferguson

Found a stash of beautiful work by Amos Ferguson at Galerie Bonheur: can't quite get over them, so incredible.
I've selected a few favourites