Box Love

I had a couple of lovely homeware deliveries this week. Morgana Mittens loved all the boxes.

She could barely fit in the small one but she was determined to hunker down in it.

A Mindfullness De-clutter

I have been 'at it again'. Decluttering that is, selling, gifting and recycling. Because we hope to be moving this year I have been quite brutal in letting go off stuff I have had around me for years. It's always that feeling of, I'll hang on to that just in case. But no, I have taken bags of paper and cardboard items to the recycling centre, including very nice work references that go all the way back to my first jobs. My wedding cards and old anniversary cards, all gone. I have donated home wares and tons of books to various local charity shops, who I have to say have been very grateful for my donations. I hope they will be just as happy to receive about 200 CD's tomorrow, I did mention I'm being ruthless? It feels good!! I also Freegled my hand made crochet kimono housecoat which I made last year. I hoped it would go to someone who has had the heating reduced in their home and it did.

I gave it a wash on the wool cycle and it came up beautifully. A lot of people responded but it went to a good home. Yesterday I decided to clear out my herb and spice drawer. My goodness what a lot of out dated spices and herbs. Juniper berries BB 2015, shocking I know.

I've decided that in future I'll buy spice and herb blends, in that way I think they will be used more quickly with less waste. I've put a few things on Ebay and Marketplace and hopefully they will sell and pay for my latest 'must have'. I've ordered an Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser, a Valentine's present for the Mr and I. It's made by Dualit so I know it is good quality and will last, our Dualit toaster has been going for twenty three years.

I joined their VIP list, (for free) and got a £30 discount, plus £7.00 off their chocolate flakes. Very exciting. Anyone else decluttering?

How Does Your Trendy Garden Grow?

The Garden Museum in Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 is next door to Lambeth Palace itself, overlooking the Thames. The Museum has been on my radar for quite some time and I enjoy receiving their newsletters, as they are usually full of tasty arty horticultural titbits. Just recently I learned that the museum has been gifted a very interesting dwelling, by The Pinchbeck Chritable Trust, Benton End in Suffolk.

Cedric Morris and his partner Arthur Lett Haines set up the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing at Benton End in 1939 and in some form it remained open to students until Arthur died in 1978. Most famously Lucien Freud and Maggi Hambling 'trained' there when they were both still teenagers. It seems everybody that has had an association with the school has been dusted with a little bit of starlight. Cedric Morris is viewed as a very important figure in the worlds of both art and horticulture. His bohemian methods of teaching are reflected in his own paintings. He was mad about Irises and frequently painted them. I first heard about Morris through the art dealer Philip Mould who is a big fan, Philip is also on the board of trustees at Benton End. Plans are afoot to open the house and gardens at Benton End to the public, they hope the walled garden will open in 2026. I think it will be a really special place. In the meantime you can visit the Garden Museum and the 10 acre gardens of Lambeth Palace itself which were founded in 1197. Check the opening times before you go though as the gardens have resricted opening times.

Credit, photo of Benton End, Matt Collins. Cedric Morris self portrait, NPG. Cedric Morris both flower paintings.