The Seedling 🌱 November edition

welcome to

With the clock change, evenings drawing in and our gardens a little bare, it’s time to envelop in some cosy activities over and above chocolate and Netflix! Let’s celebrate the seasons changing from autumn into winter - we have lots to inspire you this month - ideas to create and nurture at home and outdoors too. November sees us launch our beautiful scented candles that are my pride and joy - light these for heavenly scent at home and gift our dinner candle sets to spread the joy over the festive season.

I’m so excited to share this month’s interview with the inimitable LSD - Lauren Santo Domingo, creator of Moda Operandi and our sartorial dreams. I talk you through which flowers I'm playing with this November - amaryllis and other forced bulb fun, drying hydrangeas and trying to console myself over the fact that my nasturtiums have been largely taken by killer caterpillars this year.

We confess to our love of the tartan trend at this time of year and I share ‘My Last Supper’ of dreams. We give you a bumper Christmas Gift Guide courtesy of super stylish shopper Amanda Vaughan-Lee - stocking fillers for husbands, teens and tinies (and us of course too). Susannah Taylor urges us to get outside to exercise - whatever the weather; Rose Ferguson gives us a lesson in collagen, I share my loves this month - from skincare to sleepwear and some dreamy earrings too! Lucy Cunningham tells us how to layer print in our homes, Thomasina Miers shares the most delicious doughnut recipe from her brilliant book, Meat Free Mexican and we list our round-up of what to visit, watch and plant this month.

Last but not least, The Seedling now has her own website! You can find lots of ideas to inspire, create & nurture in between our monthly newsletters. I hope you enjoy and I would love to hear your feedback - studio@willowcrossley.com.

Wishing you a cosy and colourful November.

With Love,

This November, I am…

Below grid - from top row, left to right …

Joining the SKIN obsession in my down time

Loving this very beautiful IfOnlyIf nightie

Obsessing over these heavenly Noor Fares earrings
Honoured to be included in SJ Axleby's wonderful Interiors Portraits book

Excited about our beautiful Murano bud vases

Cosying up in this ME&EM shearling

Continuing my tartan obsession with this Bellerose number

Sleeping so much better with these by my bedside

Wearing these AdiColour 70s joggers on repeat

Lauren Santo Domingo
on founding Moda Operandi, Paris rebellion &

why she never wears denim after 5pm…

“One of the things that hooked me on fashion is that there is always something new around every corner. I am easily bored and crave newness - so whether it is a new designer or a new idea, trend or silhouette, I am always looking for the next thing.…”

Lauren Santo Domingo

In this interview, Lauren Santo Domingo - co=founder and chief brand officer of the premier fashion platform, Moda Operandi shares her inspiration on everything from launching Moda prior to the retail revolution, to her favourite denim and fall favourites, to the importance of modern manners…

We learn about her upbringing in New York, her Paris rebellion years, working at Vogue and the moment she knew she had to launch Moda. And we play favourites…

Create: Amaryllis Bulbs in a Glass Jar

“Before I started playing with flowers for a living, one Christmas, a florist friend gave me a beautiful, old glass jar with an amaryllis bulb sitting at the bottom of it.

There it sat in our kitchen like a museum specimen, growing more alive and

more beautiful each day; I was transfixed…”

November is the perfect month to create an amaryllis bulb in a glass jar

ready for festive celebrations.

Let Willow show you how…

LEARN HOW

Inspire: Trending Tartan

Tartan, Plaid, Check etc it all means the same and it's our uniform this season.

Edit - main image: Matilda Goad Squiggle Jug in Green Tartan.

Clockwise from top left: Doen Ellery ruffled checked blouse, Turtle Bags checked jute bag, See By Chloe checked cotton skirt, Marni blanket-stitched checked wool coat, Rodebjer Pantaloon Ada Carreaux Laine from Smallable, D'ascoli set of 4 Res checked cotton napkins, Bode Putnam checked cotton-flannel shorts, See By Chloe checked cotton blend jacket, Ulla Johnson Blair checked cotton blouse,

Gucci fringed tartan wool blanket.

Inspire: bumper

FESTIVE GIFT GUIDE

AVL Lifestyler's Amanda Vaughan-Lee has curated our ultimate Christmas Gift Guide - from stocking fillers to under the tree gifting gems - for women, men, teens and tinies.

That's our Christmas shopping sorted!

Inspire: My Last Supper -

Willow Crossley

"‘My Last Supper’ is one of our favourite family games.

We play constantly; by ourselves around the kitchen table, with friends on holiday;

in the car on the school run. It never fails to excite." says Willow.

Our guest this month is our one and only Willow!

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…

"I would be barefoot on a beach somewhere hot and sunny with my family and besties, shaded under huge sweeping palms.

I would start with a vodka Lycée Martine or fresh peach Bellini.

For my starter, there would be steamed prawn and chive dumplings and …

Nurture: Let's Go Outside

with Susannah Taylor

“The combination of movement and being out in nature, no matter the weather, is a better tonic than any vitamin you can buy off a pharmacy shelf…”

Susannah Taylor urges us to get outside this season…

Nurture: Collagen decoded

with Rose Ferguson

Rose Ferguson, supermodel-turned-nutritionist gives her hot tips on collagen in a hot minute - what to look out for & how to get the glow through food sources …

Create: How to decorate with floral prints at home
with Lucy Cunningham

Whether it’s large-scale prints, tiny ditzy embroideries or even murals, incorporating florals and fauna into your schemes is a wonderful way of inviting the garden into your home and surrounding yourself with the calming properties of nature.

Top 100 designer, Lucy Cunningham gives us 3 Ways to Decorate

With Florals & Fauna at home…

READ NOW

Thomasina Miers' Orange Ricotta Doughnuts with Hibiscus Sugar
by Thomasina Miers

ORANGE RICOTTA DOUGHNUTS WITH HIBISCUS SUGAR

These light, ethereal, Italian-inspired doughnuts are fragrant with the scent of orange and look gorgeous tossed in the violet-coloured hibiscus sugar. They are a total treat for the end of a meal – a sure way to win in any popularity stakes.

MAKES 12 DOUGHNUTS

2 eggs
80g (3oz) caster (superfine) sugar
zest of 1 orange
250g (9oz) ricotta
115g (4oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
10g (1/4oz) dried hibiscus flowers
vegetable or sunflower oil, for frying

Whisk the eggs in a bowl, then whisk in 40g (11/2oz) of sugar and the orange zest. Add the ricotta and fold gently to combine – don’t overmix – you need to keep some of the lumps to make the dough hold. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, then fold into the ricotta mixture.

Blitz the hibiscus flowers to a fine powder in a small food processor and then sift into a small bowl. Mix them with the remaining 40g (11/2oz) of sugar and set aside.

Put a deep pan over medium heat and pour in enough oil to come 4cm (11/2 inches) up the sides. Warm to 160–170°C (320–340°F). A sugar thermometer is a big help here or test the dough by dropping in a little to see if it sizzles and floats.

Using two tablespoons, carefully drop tablespoons of the batter into the oil and fry for 2–3 minutes until golden on all sides. They should turn themselves over after a minute or so but if not, turn with a slotted spoon.

Using the same slotted spoon, lift out the doughnuts when they are golden and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Once all the doughnuts are cooked, toss in the hibiscus sugar and serve at once.

These invariably vanish moments after they have been tossed in the sugar but if in doubt, they are best eaten straight away in any case. You can keep warm in an oven if necessary.

—

from Meat-Free Mexican - Vibrant Vegetarian Recipes

by Thomasina Miers

Create: Willow's hydrangea tips

Cut your hydrangeas down and bring them in making sure you store or display them somewhere dry. If you are going to display them in a vase, add a little bit of water and let them dry out naturally.

I love them in a Christmas garland, mixed in with other foraged treasures; look out for wispy larch, structural dried grasses, pine cones and fluffy old mama beard to add to the party!

November to-do list

One of our favourite brands,

Seraphina London

is hosting a Christmas Pop Up Store in their Chelsea store at xxxx from Monday, 21st November (through to 7th December). Run, don’t walk to get your seasonal staples and festive dressing in style sorted.

https://www.dailydressedit.com

8. Visit the

Fools Delight circus

from 22nd to 31st October

One of our favourite brands,

Seraphina London

One of our favourite brands,

Seraphina London

One of our favourite brands,

Seraphina London

One of our favourite brands,

Seraphina London

One of our favourite brands,

Seraphina London

One of our favourite brands,

Seraphina London

One of our favourite brands,

Seraphina London

One of our favourite brands,

Seraphina London

2. Quick, visit the

Daily Dress Edit

virtual pop-up from today until Friday 9th October

Get your tulip bulbs in the ground this month!
One of our favourite brands, Seraphina London is hosting a Christmas pop-up store at 340 Kings Road, Chelsea SW3 5UR from Monday 21st November (through to 7 December) - run don't walk to get your seasonal style fix and festive outfits sorted.
Order our Christmas wreath kits to create your very own at home!
Make these doughnuts and watch them disappear…
Visit the Lucien Freud Plant Portraits exhibition at the Garden Museum
Binge Bad Sisters if you haven’t already. Chocolate optional.
Mark 10 Nov in your diaries: Penny Morrison’s online sale is made for layering your home for hibernation.
Order ‘Rare Birds, True Style’ by Violet Naylor-Leyland for a Christmas gift to inspire
Visit the Cezanne exhibition at the Tate Modern - it's wonderful.
Check out our new The Seedling website for ideas to inspire, create & nurture. And tell your friends, please!