Autumn/Winter fashion

Hi, this post should have gone out yesterday but I had some technical problems so I do apologise. 'tis the nature of computers.

I could most definitely feel Autumn in the air yesterday. After the morning mist burnt away, it was a lovely clear, sunny, crisp day perfect for cutting my lawns, and it was so good to be out in the fresh air as I seem to have some sort of bug that has me feeling headachy, disgruntled, and having somewhat of a creativity crisis. Not even being in the garden letting my mind do some wandering seemed to snap me out of it. I guess we all have these little blips ( I hope so anyway).


Emmanuelle Alt

The noticeable change of season has turned my thoughts to fashion; the new collections are already in the shops and I've decided who my style muse is for this season - Emmanuelle Alt editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris. She's a similar age to me and is on my personal list of most stylish women as she always seems to get it just right. This is the look I would love to achieve this Autumn/Winter. It's a very simple, understated look but it's done with the utmost style and elegance.

Although she has access to any number of designers and a pretty healthy budget, I'm hoping I can find something similar on the high street. I'd also like to inject a few Autumn colours - I was thinking forest shades of green and brown. I'd love to find a flare that works with flats. I know they look so much better with a heel but I have to impose some practicalities as I spend most of my days on my feet running around.


As I said earlier, I haven't been very creative but I did manage to take a photo of a beautiful rainbow behind my house at the end of last week, so I'll leave you with this:-

Amanda xxx

Make Me

I love books and I love reading. This is a lifelong passion and an intrinsic part of who I am. The printed page, words and stories are woven into my DNA, so books are certainly going to feature in my posts from time to time. This shows a little sample from one of my bookcases:-

My current read is the new Lee Child novel 'Make Me' and for anyone not familiar with Lee Child's books, they all feature one of fictions greatest characters - Jack Reacher. Fictional he may be, but this man has become a part of my life after picking up the first book only a few years ago when going through a difficult time. I was curious as to whether these books were really as good as the sales figures suggested; there was a long back-list and I wasn't sure if my interest could be held right until the end; well it was, and I'm now one among the many people who eagerly await each instalment.

I'm about half-way through the new book, savouring every word and enjoying hooking up with Reacher again. To draw a comparison for the uninitiated, I have always been a massive fan of Clint Eastwood films and, for me, Reacher is very much in this mould. A lone wolf who lives on his own terms, by his own rules with a highly toned survival instinct and a sharp mind, aided by many cups of strong black coffee. He was a military man but now he is using his time to explore and discover the vast collection of states known as the USA. I get to take this journey with him and for me that is the great power of books; they can open the world up to you, teach you, entertain you, sympathise and empathise with you, scare you, make you cry, give you hope and fill you with despair. They are filled with life. Just 26 letters of the alphabet arranged in endless ways, printed on sheets of paper. It's amazing and wonderful.

 

So, back to the Lee Child novels. If you haven't read them yet, then get going. The first one is called 'Killing Floor'.

Amanda xxx

Beautiful Bird

Today I'm very happy that I'm able to show an update for my embroidery work. I've decided on the design for my second image in 'Maps, Series 1' - it's called 'Come Into My Garden'. This is the sketch which I will transfer onto fabric ready for hand-stitching.



Come Into My Garden

I'll trace this lightly onto linen fabric and decide the colours and stitches as I go along. I'm excited to see what the finished piece will look like. Things are really busy here at the moment so I'm afraid I've only got time for this short post - I'll let you know a little bit more about the inspiration behind this when I show the finished work.

Amanda xxx

The Perfect Chair

As you know, I love my bureau but I've never had the right chair to go with it. The one I've been using most recently was part of my dining set - not perfect as it left my table with an empty space and it was nowhere near a match for the bureau. So while on holiday I paid a trip to Ikea (I was desperate for wardrobes for mine and my sons' bedroom) and I bought myself the perfect chair. It's reminiscent of the Art & Craft style and the shade of wood is a great match for my bureau.

I hadn't realised quite how much of a niggle the old chair had become until my new one was in place. Now, when I look in this little corner, it's just right.

Amanda xx