Göteborg: day 1

First stop - lunch at the Saluhallen, an indoor market built in the 1880s that was right next to our hotel - lucky us! Canteen-style broths and soups served in metal bowls and jugs of water, hot and humid with the drizzle outside and no time for chatting as the queues keep coming. Ryvita piled high with marinated cucumber and redcurrants became my new favourite dish!

Wandering around the city in the constant drizzle, lots of water and water-themed things to see, hotel boats in the harbour, perfectly symmetrical reflections of the architecture, unicorn sculptures around the fountain and the swimming pool on the roof of our hotel.

Interesting shop signs and fonts, blue bicycle and intricate window grille, quirky prints on net curtains and a poster for the Röhsska Museum of design, fashion and applied arts. 

Car boot finds\1

Swedish celebrations

I was honoured to be invited out to Fegen in Sweden last weekend to celebrate the wedding of my Swedish friend Jenny and English friend Dan. An amazingly peaceful and beautiful place surrounded by lakes and lush overgrown wildflowers.

The bride and groom arrived by boat across the lake, violinists led the couple down the aisle, ribbon-tied champagne flutes toast the occasion, woven foliage hearts (photo by Dave!) and jugs of wildflowers, the candle song...the balloon song...the schnapps song...the flag song, favourite fabrics of the day - intricately embroidered wedding dress and my vintage printed dress.

Fegen, Sweden

On the water

Finally made time to upload a few photos from my holiday on the Shropshire/Welsh canal...more to follow.

Ace of spades propeller, crochet doilies, pegged washing, yellow strapping, firewood and painted jugs, a spot of fishing, lazy days, jug of Pimms, coordinated socks, solar powered boats.

Fabric in the wind

It makes you feel all summery just looking at it!

Quartz and minerals

With technical problems at work today, I decided to get some inspiration and headed down to South Kensington, first to the V&A to see Telling Tales: fantasy and fear in contemporary design. A beautiful exhibition that looks at fairy tales and storytelling within design, through the use of materials, illusions, decorative details and historical influences.

Then I couldn't resist popping into my favourite section of the Natural History Museum to see the minerals, quartz and stones - fantastic inspiration for colour, pattern and form.