Willow Rose

Chloe Chic

2012-03-07T05:23:00.004-08:00

I think this lady photographed outside the latest Chloe show could be the chicest person on the planet right now. One glimpse of her and I'm actually considering burning my maternity jeans. I still can't bring myself to wear normal clothes and It's going to take something drastic to get myself out of this hideous, baggy, comfortable rut.

photo via

www.thesartorialist.com

Ten Minutes With...

2012-03-02T02:06:00.002-08:00

LOUISE ROE

Los Angeles based

Presenter and Fashion Journalist

Current fascinations?

Downton Abbey, pistachio coloured shoes, Thai curries.

What scares you?

The dark- I really can't sleep in pitch black!

Describe yourself in three words.

Loyal, jet lagged, fun-loving.

Perfect holiday destination?

Maui

What would you eat at your last supper?

A Mexican feast- guacamole, burritos and margaritas.

Which five people would be joining you?

My family

Last fashion disaster?

I wore a strapless gold gown for an E! Baftas show and I looked like I was pregnant!

Favourite London hangout?

Blakes for drinks.

Favourite LA hangout?

Eveleigh Restaurant.

You can wear three designers for the rest of your life. Who are they?

Giambattista Valli, Marchesa, Giuseppe Zanotti.

What annoys you?

Rude, impatient people

Who do you admire?

Professionally? Diana Vreeland.

What's on your Spring/ Summer shopping list?

A pistachio clutch from KG

Defining moment of your career?

Maybe last weekend, I co-hosted ABC's Oscars show and it was awesome.

Best piece of advice you've ever been given?

Don't expect anything and you'll never be disappointed. From my Grandpa.

What's the starriest thing you've ever done?

Attending the Oscars.

What do you talk to your hairdresser about?

Everything under the sun, no holes barred!

What 3 things would you take to a dessert island?

My boyfriend, a Melissa Odabash kaftan and some gin.

Miracle beauty must have?

Beauty Mint serum.

What will you be doing in ten years time?

Hopefully living on the beach with a big family, a cute doggie and still presenting fun TV shows.

www.louiseroe.com

SO Esotic

2012-03-01T04:44:00.003-08:00

I've been waiting to get my hands on one of these morse code bracelets for a long, long time.

They are made to order by the beautiful Ombretta Vaccari, for her label Esotic - which you can now buy from her newly opened, online bazaar.

Decide what you want to say and she will translate it onto the bracelet using the morse code alphabet.

Genius.

www.www.esotic.bigcartel.com

Time for a Lie down.

2012-02-29T02:13:00.004-08:00

Yesterday was the first time that I've been alone with both Cubs, all day, by myself;

After a string of up-all-nighters, it was never going to be the easiest.

I got a glimpse of what was ahead of me when I sprayed what I thought was dry shampoo into my hair and it turned out to be strawberry flavoured deodorant instead.

Then, while having breakfast, trying to convince Cub Senior that he had 100% of my attention, I turned my head for a micro-milli second, to find him, "ta-da-ing", arms in the air celebrating that he was now wearing his bowl of cereal- milk included - as a hat.

Great, until we pulled into the multi story car park and I realised the baby sling was still sitting on the kitchen table. Meanwhile, Big Cub's shouts of 'Wake Oooop" - in his newly adopted Yorkshire accent - had succeeded and the smaller one, was now going mental.

We end up with Cub senior in the magic trolley chair and the smallest one, in his baby seat, in the food section of the trolley. Feeling rather pleased with myself we headed into the shop. The problem presented itself pretty quickly in the potato aisle; picking up a large sack, guess what, there's no where to put them. The next ten minutes is spent trying to bargain with Cub Senior to allow me to put the shopping, on top of him, in his little area. Cutting a very long, painful story short, it all ended in tears, (mine) when I moronically asked him to hold a box of eggs. No prizes for guessing what happened.

My lesson is now well and truly learnt. I don't think I will be leaving the house for at least another year or two...

Time for a Lie down.

2012-02-29T02:13:00.003-08:00

Yesterday was the first time that I've been alone with both Cubs, all day, by myself;

After a string of up-all-nighters, it was never going to be the easiest.

I got a glimpse of what was ahead of me when I sprayed what I thought was dry shampoo into my hair and it turned out to be strawberry flavoured deodorant instead.

Subconsciously, I think I wanted to prove to myself that I could easily cope single handedly and decided a trip to the supermarket seemed the perfect opportunity to test this theory. After some military style planning, I decided the mission would be easilyaccomplishable with a magic combo of baby sling and a trolley with one of those seats in. Great, until we pulled into the multi story car park and I realised the baby sling was still sitting on the kitchen table. Meanwhile, Big Cub's shouts of 'Wake Oooop" - in his newly adopted Yorkshire accent - had succeeded and the smaller one, was now going mental.

My lesson is now well and truly learnt. I don't think I will be leaving the house for at least another year or two...

Time for a Lie down.

2012-02-29T02:13:00.002-08:00

Yesterday was the first time that I've been alone with both Cubs, all day, by myself;

After a string of up-all-nighters, it was never going to be the easiest.

I got a glimpse of what was ahead of me when I sprayed what I thought was dry shampoo into my hair and it turned out to be strawberry flavoured deodorant instead.

My lesson is now well and truly learnt. I don't think I will be leaving the house for at least another year or two...

Time for a Lie down.

2012-02-29T02:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the first time that I've been alone with both Cubs, all day, by myself;

After a string of up-all-nighters, it was never going to be the easiest.

I got a glimpse of what was ahead of me when I sprayed what I thought was dry shampoo into my hair and it turned out to be strawberry flavoured deodorant instead.

My lesson is now well and truly learnt. I don't think I will be leaving the house for at least another year or two...

IRO

2012-02-27T05:28:00.002-08:00

Yes please to the whole of the new

IRO Spring/Summer 12 collection...

Printed Pants

2012-02-22T02:15:00.009-08:00

A printed trouser is definitely one of my all time favourite wardrobe staples. The first glimpse of sunshine and my collection of floral wide legs are the first to be dusted off from winter hibernation. I'm mega excited about all these new printed visions that keep appearing and have been spending quite a few hours wondering how to get my hands on the JW Anderson paisley ones worn by Alexa Chung last week. Paying £795 is not an option...

A beauty at Milan Fashion week wearing DKNY

Image from blog.style-sight.com

J.W Anderson paisley dreams

Image from the telegraph.co.uk

Elizabeth and James A/W 12/13 collection

Head to toe JW Anderson at London Fashion Week

Poppy Delevingne looking visionary at the Topshop show

Alexa Chung in the paisley dreams

at the House of Holland show

Right up my Strata

2012-02-16T02:40:00.005-08:00

Yet again, I'm desperate for another of Hattie Rickard's creations. She's just brought out a new design, an enamel and gold plated ring called 'The Strata'.

Like her mainline pieces, this is also made to order; meaning you can take your pick from all the colours in the rainbow and design your dream colour combo.

www.hattierickards.com

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

2012-02-14T06:34:00.001-08:00

The Edun Project

2012-02-13T04:32:00.000-08:00

Ever since seeing one of Philip Treacy's feathered creations strutting down Matthew Williamson's catwalk - I've been hooked on butterflies. There's something so mesmerizing about them. The way they flit around looking beautiful, without a care in the world.

Edun's first ever campaign - shot by Ryan McGinley for spring/summer 2012 - is a butterfly lovers dream come true...

www.eu.edun.com

Mary Katrantzou for Topshop

2012-02-10T08:22:00.000-08:00

Oooh I'm excited about Mary K's new line for Topshop. Almost as much as Marni in March for H&M.

Launching on February 17th in time for London Fashion week means there's only seven days to go. I'm mentally in line already...

Magic Garden

2012-02-08T07:44:00.000-08:00

Every year, until I was about nine years old, I would write to Father Christmas asking him to bring me the two same things. The first were long, white, lacy socks from Woolworths. The second was a Magic Garden.

You'll be pleased to know I've grown out of the longing for the socks but you can give me a garden any day.

If you haven't yet come across a Magic Garden - you have one big treat in store. They are still completely captivating to me twenty years on.

All you have to do is add the magic sachet of liquid to the dish housing the cardboard garden and watch...

Right in front of your eyes the naked bit of card transforms into a magical garden full of delicate, tiny crystal flowers and snow.

Paul Daniels eat your heart out.

I now know why I love these apartments in Phuket so much. A real, life size Magic House...

The New Small Cub

2012-02-07T09:51:00.000-08:00

I've been attempting to write a post for about a week now but such is the extent of my baby brain, I haven't got further than one line. And even that didn't make any sense. So here goes, attempt number six...

If you've read any of my previous posts you have probably gathered that I have just had another baby. We've had another divine - if I do say so myself - little boy, called Rafferty Lyon. So we now have two Cubs. One each of the Wolf and the Lyon variety. He is so heavenly and couldn't be more chilled out if he tried. Definitely taking after Chaz so far. Cub Senior adores his new friend. Most of my energy is spent trying to shower them both with equal amounts of love and attention, the rest goes on trying to sensitively stop Cub Senior squashing Cub Junior with one of his half hourly squeeeeezes or ensuring that he can still breathe after one of his 'special kisses' - basically a sloppy lick.

Smallest new Cub

I always presumed with a second baby people wouldn't be as interested as they were first time round. Flowers and presents would be slightly thinner on the ground and there wouldn't be so many people wanting to help out. I couldn't have been more wrong and we have been inundated with more teddies, bouquets and help than I know what to do with. I feel a bit like Lady Muck sitting around being waited on hand and foot, not allowed to lift a finger.

Obviously I've loved them all but there have been two presents that have been completely magical. The first was a huge parcel of home cooked delights from the Food Stork sent by our divine friend Hattie. A hamper filled with healthy, delicious feasts, a box of brownies cooked by the Gods and banana and poppy seed cake, also sent from above. The last thing in the world I feel like doing at the moment is thinking about cooking, let alone actually doing it. Definitely in the top ten most thoughtful presents ever list.

Also up there is the heavenly bracelet sent over from our Singapore based besties. It's a gold coin charm sensation with the Cubs names and birthdays engraved on each side and threaded onto a gorgeous piece of Liberty Lawn fabric. Definitely never coming off.

If you're feeling jealous you can get one too at www.mercimaman.co.uk

Test Tube Creation

2012-02-06T05:39:00.000-08:00

I am completely obsessed with this chandelier. The Maria S.C (named after the legendary Marie Curie)

is made by Polish designer Pani Jurek using simple science lab, glass test tubes. Fill the tubes with whatever takes your fancy - coloured water, candles, spray painted twigs - I'm especially loving the wild flower creation.

www.etsy.com/shop/PaniJurek

House Update

2012-01-22T07:29:00.000-08:00

The aim was to have most of the house done by now. Christmas and the new baby being the deadlines. And I think, more or less, we're there. There are a few more rooms that we'll do when we've lived here for a year or two; turning the attic into Chaz's office, making our bathroom a dressing room and some more major wallpapering...

But for now we can wash out our paintbrushes, hang up the dust sheets and enjoy.

Obviously there have been moments when I've wanted to fling myself off the nearest tall building but on the whole I have loved everything about doing up the house. Having, more or less, a blank canvas, with only imagination to restrict me, has been an incredible experience. I've worried that i've gone too far sometimes with wallpapers. On certain days the green, Sanderson sensation on the upstairs landing can feel a bit like being in a jungle. And the Hague blue in our bedroom can make me feel slightly Morticia Adams-esque. But I feel it's better than playing safe. We can do sensible and neutral in fifty years time. And, if we really don't like something, change is it's only another coat of paint away.

My favourite rooms are the ones painted by Fifi McAlpine. I still can't walk past either one without going in and marvelling at her how beautiful they are. They're like stepping into huge pieces of art.

We painted the sitting room in Farrow and Ball 'Pigeon' which rather disarmingly completely changes colour at different times of the day.

My new obsession - an antique Indian chest from Bluedog & Saught in Woodstock.

The Sanderson jungle

Our Hague Blue bedroom

Heavenly Feathers

2012-01-19T05:57:00.000-08:00

There's something about a feather that I just can't resist. Throw in a bit of gold and some jewels to the mix and I'm anyone's.

I'm finding these Jeeyun Ha design earrings especially visionary today. Perfect for a bit of friday retail...

www.net-a-porter.com/Shop/Designers/Jeeyun_Ha_Designs

John Dilnot

2012-01-18T13:37:00.000-08:00

In my ongoing hunt for new, not-going-to-break-the-bank artists, I've recently come across English artist, John Dilnot. I love the innocence and brightness of his works and am thinking that the screen prints of caterpillars and beetles could be perfect in the new little chick's bedroom.

Beetles signed and numbered edition of 200 on watercolour paper
paper size 28x37cm

£110.00

NATURAL HISTORY

box detail 30x31x26 cm

OVER THE THAMES

2011 15x12x7cm

£360

Little Brown Birds signed and numbered edition of 200 on watercolour paper
paper size 28x37cm

£110

Garden Pests signed and numbered edition of 200 on watercolour paper
paper size 28x37cm

£110

IN THE WASH 2011 15x12x7cm

£360

Caterpillars signed and numbered edition of 450 on watercolour paper
paper size 24x33cm

£70

Above are some of my favourites of John's screen prints and boxes

www.johndilnot.com

White Pod

2012-01-16T01:22:00.001-08:00

Chaz and I have been planning my 30th birthday party for about five years now. We still haven't ever made an actual decision about what we want to do or even where we want to go. It's still over a year away but we happily wile away many an hour going over every possibility. Moroccan Riads, beach villas in Bali or Cape Town being the ideas that we keep coming back to.

Given the choice I will always choose sun over snow but yesterday has left me maybe thinking otherwise. I came across the eco skiing resort, Whitepod in the small Swiss village of Les Cerniers. It's a tiny private resort that is built each season from scratch using totally ecologically friendly materials and only has 15 'pods'. There is one main hang out area that can fit 80 people (perfect for the party) and then come ski time, you have 7kms of your own pistes and private lifts.

www.whitepod.com

www.thesnowcollection.com

Pretty as a Pansy

2012-01-15T00:25:00.000-08:00

After the Cub arrived life was a million times easier if I was wearing some kind of top with buttons down the front. Easy access. (for feeding).

The first few weeks were spent in a daze, lolling around in one of Chaz's tartan numbers but after a while I got sick of looking like a small trucker and was desperate for something slightly more feminine. Living in France you would imagine it would be an easy task to pop out and find something pretty but in reality ended up shipping over (pretty hideous) bits and pieces from the UK. Being in a permanent state of exhaustion with blurred vision meant that my choices weren't what I'd usually go for. A particularly hideous sparkly tartan one from Uniqlo keeps popping up in my memory...

So this time, I'm going to be better prepared. I'm very excited about my first find, this silk pansy print shirt from Warehouse. On the Warehouse website it tells me it's silk - not ideal with a new cherub - but on the asos.com site it's claiming to be polyester so I'm going to believe the latter so I can tick off the pretty and practical boxes on my mental check list and not feel guilty about splashing out on something I'm not going to be able to wear for another six months.

Pansy sensation £55 available from

www.asos.com

and

www.warehouse.co.uk

Whilst on the Subject

2012-01-12T05:50:00.000-08:00

While we are on the subject of our dear friend Isabel Marant, please can she stop it with her new jewel collection. I was doing so well abstaining from buying anything for myself - things that the baby can use too (shawls) obviously don't count as shopping for me.

But now she's thrown lots of tassely, beady, pompom numbers into the mix, I don't think I can restrain myself a second longer.

Actually. Now that I'm thinking of it, a twinkly pompom-ed creation would be perfect for keeping a newborn cherub entertained, no?

This one's even in the sale...

All jewels available from netaporter.com and matchesfashion.com

Isabel Marant + Willow

2012-01-11T11:23:00.000-08:00

When Isabel Marant brought out her heeled trainers last year I went into meltdown trying to work out how to get my hands on them. Thanks to some crafty calling and a quick tripette back to France (I honestly was going anyway), they were mine.

I've got deja-vu all over again all over again but this time they are actually made for me. The proof is in the title..

Introducing Isabel Marant's WILLOW sneaker...

Wildfox Spring Summer 2012

2012-01-06T05:09:00.000-08:00

She was 16

She fell in love with a cowboy

She had a palamino pony

they lived for adventure

He broke her heart

she went West

She broke the law...

www.ilovewildfox.com

Gypsy River

2012-01-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

It's not the first time I've wished I lived nearer Australia. My new Aussie find is Gypsy River. A Melbourne based company set up by traveller and curator Kerrie Nelson that sells gorgeous vintage hippy bits and pieces from around all the World. I'm particularly enamoured by the huge faded floor cushions and her vintage laptop cases.

Floor Cushions

Indian tribal jewels

Moroccan wedding blankets

visionary Indian bags

Laptop cases

www.gypsyriver.com.au

Back to School

2012-01-02T02:01:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to restrain myself and not buy anything in the sales. It'd been going very well until last night when I opened an email from Jo Gordon luring me in with her gorgeous bargain scarves. I've had my eye on them for months and have been proud of my restraint up til now. Chaz is going back to work tomorrow and I've got that horrible going back to school feeling. This is just a little cheer me up.... the equivalent of a new pencil case.

My new 'pencil case'

tempting....

www.jogordon.com

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T07:28:00.000-08:00

Normally I would have made a long list of New Years resolutions by now. But this year, for the first time ever, I haven't come up with one single thing I want to resolve come tomorrow morning. I know that the next few months with a new tiny baby are not going to be the best time to be banning myself from treats; So trying to do a hardcore detox or running fifty miles by 6am every morning is beyond pointless

If anything, I'm going to try and do less this year. Slow down and stop trying to cram a million different things into my day. Stop planning. Maybe I could even learn to meditate...

I hope you have the happiest 2012

xxx

Chanel's Indian Dream

2011-12-21T09:44:00.000-08:00

I dont think i've ever seen a more beautiful fashion show. It's making me re-think our Christmas table decorations in a major way. The Galerie Courbe in the Grand Palais in Paris was transformed last week, into the most beautiful, Indian inspired banquet setting to show Chanel's new Metier's D'Art Collection.

Photos by Oliva Da Costa courtesy of pleasemagazine.com

2011-12-20T09:40:00.000-08:00

In another life I would love to be a florist. My brother Tom's girlfriend was staying in Wales this weekend with us and spent hours teaching us all her magic floral tricks of the trade. She works for the very gorgeous florist Moyses Stevens so we couldn't have been in better hands. I've even spent the past two nights wiring fir cones and hydrangeas in my sleep.

This is the wreath that is currently jazzing up our front door.

Last Minute Shop Up

2011-12-19T05:51:00.001-08:00

Not for the first time in my life, I'm kicking myself for being such a keano. I've just switched on my laptop to be greeted with email after email from shops inviting me to check out their newly opened sales.

This in fact is when the early bird has definitely not caught the worm at all. If I'd managed to be slightly more laid back, a little more patient, I could have saved myself a fortune. And then, with those savings got myself something gorgeous too - for free. (technically)

So if you haven't started your Christmas shopping yet, well done you. You should be feeling rather smug right now.

My best finds so far are on mywardrobe.com and asos - mostly jewels and accessories seeing as I'm not going to be able to get into a lot of clothes for a while...

Smythson Ipad two cover. Was £325 now £227

Assya London Charm bracelet.

Was £165 and now £115

Day Birger flecked cardy jacket

Was £199 now £139

all the above are from mywardrobe.com

Jo Gordon lace scarf.

Was £130 and now £78 on asos

Sheepskin cossack hat

Was £50 and now £27

asos

YSL stingray effect ring

Was £180 now a bargain £108

matchesfashion.com

www.mywardrobe.com

www.asos.com

www.harrods.com

www.matchesfashion.com

Comfort and Joy

2011-12-17T12:25:00.000-08:00

I am now officially on holiday. We are in Wales having fake Christmas before real Christmas next week at home and I'm doing as little as humanly possible. I'm even managing to read a book. This might sound extraordinary but I haven't had the energy or enough concentration to pick one up since the Cub's arrival two years ago. I was given India Knight's 'Comfort and Joy' last year and have been saving it up to read this Christmas - seeing as it's all about Christmas. It is absolutely hilarious - the perfect easy, festive read and I'm already despairing about finishing it..

Wrap it Up

2011-12-14T08:35:00.000-08:00

I've nearly finished all my Christmas shopping and as I'm meant to be resting, I'm going to make the wrapping especially beautiful this year. I've even bought wrapping paper for the first time rather than my usual recycling. I want them to look almost too pretty to open and have got lots of buttons, ribbons, washi tape, pompoms and embroidery thread all ready and waiting to get crafty..

Tree Time

2011-12-09T06:53:00.000-08:00

I'm not quite sure what planet I'm on at the moment. I've been looking forward to this moment for probably a year. And now it's here. I have finished my book. All the writing and all the shooting - done.

I haven't really been quite sure what to do with myself today. I've been so manic for the past few months and used to frantically grabbing any free second I could find to write my copy, plan the shoot, choose fonts etc that I've completely forgotten how to not be busy.

I obviously couldn't go full on cold turkey with nothing to do straight away and so have the got builders back again this week. The Cub thinks that Luca the painter, or Oooooca, as he calls him - is the best thing since sliced bread and has decided to make himself his right hand man. I left for five minutes to do the coffee run this morning and returned to find my small Cub masquerading as a small blue Smurf; head to to in blue paint. In his mouth, his hair, all over his clothes. Not a millimetre left untouched.

Hosing him down kept me busy for at least an hour. The rest of my two hour lunch break was spent ordering the Christmas tree. Much harder than it sounds but I finally tracked one down and it's being delivered by a company called the Good Elf, for free, tomorrow...

So the rest of this week is going to be spent decking the house with boughs of Holly, making festive wreaths and trying to decide if eighty chipolatas - the most important part of Christmas - is going to be enough or not....

All I Want For Christmas..

2011-12-03T23:50:00.000-08:00

I am so happy that it's finally December. I've been feeling very Christmasy this year and cant wait to turn the house into one big sparkly nest. The Christmas tree is coming next week and I've been collecting so many beautiful baubles, I'm hoping it's going to be nothing short of visionary.

Until that Cub gets his hands on it.

As usual I've been compiling present lists since July. So far this is what I'm hoping for..

Top top top of my list is a month long holiday. Somewhere preferably sun and sea based.

A jewel encrusted Mulberry bag

A Woolrich parka. I've wanted for one for years and was so close to buying a red tartan one last year from the Bluebird. Navy's probably a better colour choice though.

A vintage striped Balenciaga motorcycle bag. I've been desperate for one ever since Nicole Richie was swinging one around a few years ago.

Starry Barnaby Gates wallpaper

We are in desperate need of lamps. I'm loving these two below, both from Graham and Green.

Anything and everything from Indian antiques heaven, Opium.

A years subscription to Not Another Bill

Hattie Rickards's Octo Ring.

10.

An Odd Rocker.

11.

Chinti and Parker cashmere starry jumper. Or anything from Chinti and Parker.

12.

Some more Stella days of the week pants. My current Tuesday and Saturdays have seen better days.

13.

Some Tribal rugs from Odd

14.

Jasmine Pebble soap from Bamford.

15.

I cant think of anything better than chucking out all my make up and starting again. This Bobbi Brown trunk full of their all their prods would make me the happiest person on the planet.

16.

My stationary supplies are dwindling and I love these flamingo fanices from Singapore's Ribbons and Roses.

16.

A heavenly fairy from Magpie and the Wardrobe for the top of our tree.

Stella's Country Escape

2011-11-30T01:08:00.001-08:00

I love these Bruce Weber photos of Stella McCartney hanging out in her Wiltshire home. They're making me long for summer already...

www.vogue.com

Marni meets H and M

2011-11-29T01:07:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to contain my excitement about the collection that Marni's Consuelo Castigliano is designing for H&M.

I'm afraid there's nothing imminent about this - We have to wait til MARCH...

The 8th to be precise.

I'm praying that it's going to be heavily related to the Spring Summer 2002 collection that I am still totally obsessed with...

Some of the S/S 02 Marni Collection

Odd Christmas Sale

2011-11-25T04:56:00.000-08:00

I've just done my first bit of Christmas shopping at The Odd Christmas fair.

Held by the owners Brigette and Robin Buchanan in possibly the most gorgeous home on the planet - why on earth did we not paint our sitting room bright pink? - it's a treasure trove full of baubles, rugs, trinkets, tribal rugs and bags. I had to properly restrain myself from buying a car full of tribal rugs reminding myself Christmas is a time for others...

Cant get over the beauty of those pink walls

www.oddlimited.com

Most beautiful Bedroom there ever was...

2011-11-18T23:46:00.000-08:00

Here is the our latest, finished bedroom!

The wonderful Fifi came back and has transformed it into such a beautiful room, I'm quite tempted to move into it and have it as our own bedroom.

I wanted a pretty, Indian inspired paisley and above are the designs she came up with. She was originally going to do them in our bathroom hence the Farrow and Ball Hague Blue. But we ended up using the purpley 'Brassica' for this bedroom.

Fifi at work

In the beginning

Hattie Rickards Geo Collection

2011-11-18T05:14:00.000-08:00

I went up to the 'Electric' on Portobello Road yesterday for the launch of Hattie Rickards's latest jewellery collection. It's called 'Geo' and is one of the most brilliant, beautiful, exciting collections I've ever seen. Lots of yellow gold with multicoloured precious stones - I know I'm obviously biased but it really is a sensation. The Flip Octo Ring has gone straight to the top of my dream Christmas list. I will definitely be buying a lottery ticket this afternoon.

Yes please to

the 'Flip Octo Ring with precious stones'

www.hattierickards.com

Dream Head board

2011-11-16T04:34:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to remain calm and rational about this 'Juliet' headboard. I've just read that they don't ship internationally though so this is proving quite hard. How do I get this from LA to here? If anyone would like to go and get it for me it'd make me very happy indeed...

www.zgallerie.com

First Festive Feeling

2011-11-15T06:40:00.000-08:00

I feel quite excited about Christmas today. It's all down to the very sweet feather birds that are sitting on my desk waiting for me to do something festive with them. Some are headed for a wreath, some will go in the tree. The others will probably perch somewhere prettily on a fireplace.

They come from the miracle that is Zara and cost £9.99 for two birdies. The other ones I got ( fat robins and white and brown speckly doves) aren't on the website any more and not surprisingly sold out pretty damn quickly. But I'm assured by the lovely sales assistant I checked with just now, that there will be more in the shops, toute suite. If all else fails, my Mama tells me they do have some left in Barcelona..

www.zarahome.com

Versace for Hennes

2011-11-13T01:06:00.000-08:00

Something wierd's going on. I'm being unusually drawn to the new Versace H&M collection that's released this week. Versace couldn't really be a more um-me label if it tried. All tight and leathery and skimpy. Don't get me wrong, on the right person I love it and think it looks visionary; I just personally, normally, wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. What's even more wierd is that being the size of a house, there's no way in hell that I could even get my little toe into any of the pieces. Yet I seem to think it's quite a good idea to actually buy one anyway for when I'm thin again.

My usual daily wardrobe is a tent of some kind. Something floaty from Cabbages and Roses, a slouchy Zadig cashmere number, my fave boyfriend jeans. Being pregnant I have two tent-like, A line, wool dresses on rotation. I'm now getting to the stage when each time I see them I inwardly groan and yearn to be able to wear something slightly more form fitting. They now have so many hideous bobbles on that even a Remmington Fuzzaway would have an instant melt down if it saw them. The collection's coming out on 17th, so that means I've got until thursday to come to my senses. Or maybe not. I'll keep you posted..

www.hm.com/gb/versace#home

Operation Mochila, Round 2...

2011-11-11T00:48:00.000-08:00

I do love a good Mochilla Bag. I spent hours searching for the perfect one last summer and still didn't manage to get my hands on one. Next summer I will track one down down for sure. In an ideal world I'd be getting the hot pink one below. Designed by Diane von Furtenburg for the BeLive Wayuu Mochila Project, it's got my name all over it. The only way of getting one if the beauties is to become a member of Lauren Santo Domingo's wondrous Moda Operandi and pre order one. Yes they are mega pricey and you only have until tomorrow to order one but 100% of the profits go to charity so at least you're shopping for a good cause...

The Givenchy Mochila

The Carolina Hererra Mochila

My fave, the DVF Mochila

www.modaoperandi.com

Man Down

2011-11-09T04:35:00.000-08:00

It's been quite an eventful few days. We went up to London on Sunday night for 24 hours. Just to potter around really, do my highlights, bit of Christmas shopping and then go to Kempton market on tuesday before coming back to do Cub's 2nd birthday party. All was going to plan until I decided that I'd ignored the pains in my tummy for too long and thought we'd better 'pop' into A&E for a quick check up. Four hours later in the Maternity ward and I'm having contractions with midwives muttering about preterm labour. Not funny at only 28 weeks pregnant. To cut a long story short, there's still only have one Cub running about -for now, but I'm under serious instructions to rest. Sounds heavenly but sitting still is not something I do well. And I still have a book to write and a two year old hooligan to entertain.

So far my ideas of restful things to do are going like this;

Find Daylesford and go for a pregnancy massage in the Haybarn Spa.

Do supermarket shopping online - I do this already, it just makes my list look bigger.

Think nice things about builders.

Do christmas lists

Plan christmas menus

Think of names for next cherub

Pretty much all I can think of and it took me about half an hour to come up with it....

Maybe I should learn to meditate?

Most Beautiful Bathroom There Ever Was...

2011-11-04T05:52:00.000-07:00

I am so over excited by our new bathroom. It's a proper vision. And also the only room in the house that is actually completely finished. When the drilling noise gets too much I go and sit in there and just stare at the beauty of it all. Instant calming magic. It's been done by our wonderful friend, artist Fifi McAlpine. We were originally going for some kind of a paisley number but when she showed me the floral ideas - slight change of plan. God know how she does it, but she hand painted the whole thing in two days flat.

Starting with the outline - all free hand

The original design

TA DA!!!

Chocolate Malteser Cake

2011-11-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday being Wednesday meant, as usual, I spent the whole morning eating more cake than I'm sure is good for one person. Queen of the mother and baby group Laura had excelled herself once again. This time with a chocolate Malteser cake. So sensational that I think we might have an answer for the Cub's birthday cake conundrum next week.

Recipe from "Feast", Nigella Lawson (2004)

For the cake

150g soft brown sugar (muscavado sugar is best for flavour)
100g caster sugar
3 large eggs
175ml milk
15g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Horlicks powder
175g plain flour
25g cocoa, sieved
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

For the icing and decoration

250g icing sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa
45g Horlicks
125g soft unsalted butter
2 tablespoons boiling water
2 x 37g packets Maltesers

Take whatever you need out of the fridge so that all the ingredients can come to room temperature (though it's not so crucial here, since you're heating the milk and butter and whisking the eggs.

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3/170C. Butter and line two 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich cake tins with baking parchment.

Whisk together the sugars and eggs until light and frothy. Heat the milk, butter and Horlicks powder in a small saucepan until the butter has melted and the mixture is hot but not boiling. Beat the milk mixture into the eggs a little at a time. Fold in the dry ingredients thoroughly. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two tins and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, by which time the cakes should have risen and will spring back when pressed gently. Let them cool on a rack for about 5-10 minutes and then turn them out of their tins.

Once the cakes are cold, you can get on with the icing. I use a processor just because it makes life easier: you don't need to sieve the icing sugar. So: put the icing sugar, cocoa and Horlicks in the processor and blitz to remove all lumps. Add the butter and process again. Stop, scrape down, and start again, pouring the boiling water down the funnel with the motor running until you have a smooth buttercream.

Sandwich the cold sponges with half of the buttercream, and then ice the top with what is left, creating a swirly pattern rather than a smooth surface. Stud the outside edge, about 1cm in, with a ring of Maltesers or use them to decorate the top in which-ever way pleases you.

Makes 8-10 slices.

Winter Risotto

2011-11-01T01:54:00.000-07:00

Due to bad planning and very little on offer in the local supermarket we had roast chicken in some form for practically every meal this weekend. This meant about twenty gallons of stock wanted my attention last night, so a risotto it was.

I was so tired and away with the fairies last week when we were shooting that I ate anything that was put in front of me. Majoritively carrot cake, flapjacks and Guylian chocolate sea shell truffles. Very tasty but probably not that nutritionally balanced... So this week Chaz and I are on a health kick. Not that he knows it yet. Not one of those 'only eat cabbage soup' diets or anything. Just healthy, wholesome, lots of green leafy veg, minimal red meat...

Last night I made a butternut squash, spinach, parsley and chard risotto. With a teeny tiny bit of bacon to keep Chaz happy. Mondays are bad enough already he wouldn't know what had hit him if I just produced a huge plate of vegetables.

It's very simple. Start as if you're making a normal risotto. Chop up some butternut squash - sweet potato would work just as well too. Put it on a baking tray with some salt and pepper and drizzle of olive oil and cook for half an hour.

Meanwhile, heat the stock.

In a separate pan, heat the olive oil and butter, add the onions and garlic and fry very slowly for about 15 minutes without colouring. When they've softened, add the rice and turn up the heat.

The rice will now begin to lightly fry, so keep stirring it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent. Add the wine and keep stirring.

Once the wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock. Turn down the heat to a simmer so the rice doesn’t cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, constantly stirring and allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15 minutes.

Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. Don’t forget to check the seasoning carefully. If you run out of stock before the rice is cooked, add some boiling water.

Remove from the heat and add the butter and Parmesan. Stir well.

Throw in a few handfuls of raw baby spinach, the cooked bacon and the chard and stir it all in. Put the lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2 minutes.

Just before you're ready to eat it, add the squash on top, some chopped parsley and a bit more Parmesan.

Bon Apetit!

Builders from Hell

2011-10-30T00:45:00.000-07:00

I'm hoping this time next week we will have the house to ourselves. Not a builder, a scaffolder or painter in sight. This means there are still five more days to bite my tongue, grit my teeth and think of nice, calming things to stop myself doing something I regret. I'm sorry to talk about my builders. I bore myself just thinking about them. I just don't know how they are still here. How on earth has Chaz managed -about seven times- to talk me out of giving them their marching orders? It's a miracle they haven't sent me into premature labour.

I not sure what I'm most looking forward to about their departure. Maybe not tripping over some sort of lethal tool in the middle of the night a la poor Laura Ashley. Not opening the fridge to find they've finished all my posh Illy coffee. And also opened the spare one I'd hidden in the larder. "No, Soz, Kenco just wasn't hitting the spot today", being the response when I asked if he always used the cafetiere to make instant coffee.

Maybe being able to go for a pee in peace. Cub's newest game is to fling the door open as soon as I sit down on the loo and run off laughing.

As I write, it's 8am on Sunday morning and I'm making yet another cup of tea. This one is for the lovely Andy from Aberdeen. A Sky technician that we've had to call out because, guess what, the builders have smashed our dish and we need another one. Not only I am going to have shell out another million pounds but presumably all my recorded treats will have vanished too. The last Downtown Abbey, New Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries.... All gone. Don't even think of mentioning this week's Celebrity Juice with Ant and Dec...

I've promised myself not to get wound up by them anymore and writing about them is getting me all a fluster. Time to stop. Instead I'm going to go and take some photos of our new beautiful, hand painted bathroom to show you and think nice calming thoughts. Maybe even start writing Christmas lists.

My Office

Hallway

Kitchen

Pompoms and Panamas

2011-10-25T00:21:00.000-07:00

If I was a car, the red light would have been on for the last week. The Cub has been ill since thursday and now Chaz is tucked up in bed too. All thanks to the delightful builders who have kindly passed on their man flus.

I'm not allowed to be ill until at least friday. We are shooting part two of my book, 'Pompoms and Panamas' this week, so I have to be on my most sparkling, clever, full of ideas behavoiur. I am dosing myself up with everything I possibly can. Not a lot of choice when you're this pregnant. Hot honey and lemon being the most potent...I thought I'd perk myself up with my heavenly This Works Energy bath this morning. Even that's not allowed so I had to empty and re-run one without the magic energy burst. Good start.

I think adrenalin and excitement of the shoot will get me through and come the weekend I can collapse.

Until then, wish me luck, I'll be back on friday!

Jurlique at the Sanderson

2011-10-21T00:28:00.000-07:00

I was honoured to be invited to a swanky lunch at the Sanderson Hotel last week to celebrate the launch of Jurlique into their spa. I thought it would be a very casual, typical press day and nearly fell over when I walked into the very glitzy, proper sit down ladies lunch. Being there on behalf of a spa meant that lunch was a (very small) plate of health. Lots of special sprouting seeds, steamed fish etc. Very delicious but thank god I'd eaten half a kilo of pick'n mix from the massive Topshop en route.

Skincare wise, it couldn't have been more perfectly timed. I usually love it when a moisturiser comes to the end of it's life but this time, with every penny we have being thrown at the builders, I couldn't quite face coughing up another £100. So when I was sent home with a bag of Jurlique creations I was completely over the moon. It's only been a week so obviously no drastic results yet but I have to say, I think Dr Weil is already getting a good run for his money.

The table in the conservatory at the Sanderson

Dr Chloe Delevigne, Actresses Clara Paget and Flee Brudenell Bruce

Host Yasmin Le Bon

Health on a plate

www.sandersonlondon.co.uk

www.jurlique.co.uk

Bedroom Blues

2011-10-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting for this moment for weeks. We have finally made a decision on what colour to paint our bedroom. And today is the day. With all the other rooms I've felt fairly certain with our choices. They were all easy decisions, nothing too drastic. But with this one, we've practically gone gothic. Couldn't be more un-me if it tried. At the moment it's a lovely, safe, cream and blue spot wallpaper. We could have lived with it happily for a few more years. But no, change is good.

So we've been living with six different options splashed on our bedroom walls for the past two weeks. Each time I think we've got it and then one of us goes off it...

Looking at them now in that photo above I still cant quite believe that we've gone with the one we have. Surely it'd be nicer and prettier to have gone with the bottom middle lilac-y blue one?

Below is the state of the room as I write. Luca the painter is jumping into his overalls, brush in hand.

No turning back now..

Until tomorrow.