So much has happened in the last month but of course, most notably, the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth. It was a poignant pause for our nation and the world to reflect on a remarkable leader and woman. As normal life resumes there are very real pressures to contend with on the economic front alone but I feel it’s important to find joy wherever we can, connect with one another, create beauty, nurture ourselves and above all be inspired.
This month we spotlight Dahlias and Scallops - from my newest obsession, the very glam 'Destiny’s Teacher' to my lifelong love of a scalloped trim. We leave summer behind and dive headlong into Autumn/ Winter with a chronic case of Yellowstone fever (if you haven't yet watched, start immediately!), plus 7 boots to cheer your winter wardrobe. We interview Skye McAlpine and learn her secrets of cooking and entertaining, her love of sharing food and how they do it in Italy. Jessie Randall, founder of one of my favourite state-side brands, Loeffler Randall is our ‘My Last Supper’ guest this month. We talk to Emma Sherlock about decorating with dahlias and how they were her lockdown therapy and we give you a fun home improvement project in the form of Camila Hampton’s scalloped borders.
Most importantly to me, my dear friend, the brave and brilliant Amy Dixon - shares her cancer diary - from finding the lump during the first Covid lockdown to navigating the arduous journey and she also shares some advice on how to support loved ones charting the cancer course. Amy’s heroic husband Toby is running The London Marathon today in honour of Amy’s battle and to raise money for the incredible CoppaFeel - please dig deep as Amy has taught us to do.
We also remind you about the virtual fashion pop-up, the art exhibition to visit, and round up our ideas on what to book, plant and visit this month.
Because we must keep calm and carry on. RIP, Your Majesty.
I hope you enjoy this issue and have a happy October. With Love,
In the last few weeks, we hosted some wonderful floral days celebrating late summer Dahlias - at two beautiful locations in Oxfordshire - Ham Court and Ashbrook House. At Ham Court, Willow shared her love of dahlias - her faves and how to arrange them, Matthew Rice gave us a tour of his heavenly garden while Becky Craven gave us some top tips for planting. A few days later our guests were flowering and creating their own arrangements with beautiful locally grown flowers in the lovely surrounds at Ashbrook House. At both locations, there was tea, a delicious organic lunch and lots of laughs. And there was Matilda's breakfast cake! The happiness of dahlia days. We hope you will join us next time…
Look out for our seasonal workshop dates - December wreaths & garlands are next!
What would you have for your last meal on earth? A drink, a starter, a main course and pudding? You never get full and you can be wherever you want in the world…
"We would dine outside at my house in Long Island by the beach at a beautifully set table which I would decorate with the ceramics I collect and little floral arrangements I made all down the table plus place cards made by the kids. There would be beautiful napkins and vintage glasses and lights strung above…"
Skye McAlpine on cooking for sharing & how the Italians
(sometimes!) do it better
“Sharing food with friends,
cooking for them and indulging in their company,
is one of my greatest pleasures in life…”
Skye McAlpine
“I think the way Italians make art of simplicity and celebrate it is hugely inspiring. The best meals never feel fussy or pretentious, but are always warm, generous and welcoming…”
Amy Dixon shares her devastating link with breast cancer, the valleys & peaks of the journey; her new normal and we ask her what not to say…
“When I heard the words - ‘I’m sorry your biopsy results have come back and we have detected cancer’, my worst fear had officially come true. These were the words I had been dreading for most of my adult years. I remember sitting in a tiny room I had been ushered into on a Wednesday afternoon - 1st July 2020 - and as my doctor, Miss Roy said those words I had what can only be described as an out-of-body experience…”
Braveheart: Amy Dixon shares her cancer diary - from her worst fear of history repeating to finding the lump and her positive stride … and we ask her the questions we need to know - what to say, what not to say, and so much more, as sadly her story is close to us all…
“When I am painting, I am searching all the time. Looking for the moment where the unnoticed becomes noticed. In a world that is getting ever faster in pace, finding stillness is everything to me. Through Searching for Stillness, I want to share the beauty of the moment where stillness is found.“ Jemma Powell
Cricket Fine Art in London is presenting Searching for Stillness, a solo exhibition
We quiz Hampshire-based interior designer Emma Sherlock - on ways to decorate your home with Dahlias and discover how she became devoted to Dahlias (and escaping to her greenhouse) during Covid lockdowns …
Roughly 400-500g mixed fruit (I like a selection of blackberries, physalis and redcurrants)
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Combine the ingredients for the base together in a food processor and blitz until you have a chocolate-y rubble:
it should feel like wet sand. Press the crumbly mixture into a 9-inch tart tin with a removable bottom, taking care to press the crumble into the nooks and crannies of the tin and taking it right up to the edge. Set the base in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes while you make the filling.
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In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the yolks and sugar together with an electric whisk until they have trebled in volume and have become light, lemony in colour. Now add the mascarpone to the eggs and and beat to combine. Gently lift the chocolate base out of its tin and set on a serving dish or cake stand. Spoon the mascarpone filling into the tart case and spread out evenly with the back of your spoon.
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Top with whatever fruit you like and
chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
Adapted from A Table For Friends by Skye McAlpine
create: add a scallop trim to your shelves
A fun, relatively easy project to update your home - add a scalloped border!
Camilla Hampton Interiors creates brilliantly versatile mouldings in four different scalloped patterns. Made from MDF they are delivered in standard lengths for you to paint in your chosen colour and add to library shelving, door architraves, larders or anywhere your heart desires. There are also outdoor versions that withstand the elements -
perfect for prettying up garden sheds and play houses.
Style queen Isabel Spearman of Daily Dress Edit (DDE) has curated a collection of the most beautiful Autumn dresses with 15 small British brands for
the autumn fashion virtual pop-up which launches today!
"My aim is to create a collection of beautifully and
ethically made pieces so that my customers
can choose a dress that will live in their wardrobe forever”
Isabel Spearman, Daily Dress Edit.
Think of berry-coloured corduroys, paisley prints and rich velvets. DDE favourites such as Johanna Sands, Justine Tabak and Opioneers have co-designed an exclusive dress with Isabel as well as the introduction of new brands into the Pop-Up.
