Kathleen and Ninian

My dad has posted over an interesting mix of old family photos and this one is my favourite for the story behind it, for its perfect composition, with the little girl looking straight into the lens and the way she is so at ease with her uncle - this photo is nearly 100 years old.

It dates from 1917 and shows my Dad's mum, Kathleen Williams, outside her home in Eglantine Avenue, Belfast.  She is with her beloved Uncle Ninian who had emigrated to Australia a few years earlier and had joined the army. He was posted back to Europe and came home to Belfast on leave to see his family. No-one knew it would be the last time they would see him and so the photo captures a very special moment. He was killed in battle in France the following year, near the end of the First World War.

China through the looking glass

It's fun wandering around the V&A on a Friday night. I even saw the Forbidden City clothes exhibition for the fourth time....I can never see it enough, and notice new things every time I return. But we mostly loved looking at the huge variety of beautiful objects, catching up over a drink after work and soaking up the buzzing atmosphere.

It still holds the number one spot as my favourite museum in London.

Waves, clouds, butterflies



The Emperor's summer court robe



....and plenty of cranes and dragons too.

After the travel, snow, celebrations and parties of Christmas and New Year, I've been enjoying time on my own to sketch, photograph and explore in the V&A  - I like it so much I've been twice already this new year.

The V&A is exhibiting an exquisite collection of Royal robes from the Forbidden City - costumes made from stunning fabric with hand embroidered designs: an incredible display of talent, reflecting the enormous wealth of the Qing dynasty. My favourite was a deep midnight blue overcoat for the Empress with the most stunningly designed cranes in flight, among the clouds. Worth a third visit and I'm sure I'll notice new things I didn't see on the first two trips.