picnic perfect

I could write almost exclusively about all the exquisite things stocked by Liberty, although I do try to restrain myself a little and allow other designers a mention. However, I simply couldn't resist telling you about their new enamel homeware items. I want them all!

sail away

These lovely little Jurianne Matter paper boats are made of eco-friendly paper, ready to fold. From the Selvedge shop:

superlovely

As well as managing to hold down their design day jobs, my brilliant friends Lynn and Dave have launched a new website called Superlovely, stocking Japanese washi tape, stationery and textiles. The title says it all. Everything they send is beautifully packaged and would make an absolutely lovely gift for anyone who likes crafting. They also have some awesome craft tutorials on their blog. My favourite is this delicate water activated tape:

the road not taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 

- Robert Frost 

baked to perfection

I took Friday afternoon off work and it felt wonderfully indulgent to leave the office at midday. I met up with my good friend Georgia at Exmouth Market for afternoon tea and a chat. We enjoyed some almost unbearably chocolatey treats at Gail's Bakery and marvelled at their amazing selection of breads:

spring scents

Mown grass, and other delicious scents, from Baileys Home and Garden:

a blade of grass

You ask for a poem.

I offer you a blade of grass.
You say it is not good enough.
You ask for a poem.

I say this blade of grass will do.
It has dressed itself in frost,
It is more immediate
Than any image of my making.

You say it is not a poem,
It is a blade of grass and grass
Is not quite good enough.
I offer you a blade of grass.

You are indignant.
You say it is too easy to offer grass.
It is absurd.
Anyone can offer a blade of grass.

You ask for a poem.
And so I write you a tragedy about
How a blade of grass
Becomes more and more difficult to offer,

And about how as you grow older
A blade of grass
Becomes more difficult to accept.

- Brian Patten

the grass is always greener

I don't know that there is anything nicer than the hum of a lawn mower and the smell of freshly cut grass to signal the arrival of spring. Photo by Penwren.