Upstairs @ the Ritzy, Brixton

It was Forties glamour last night in Upstairs @ the Ritzy, with retro singer Gertie and her band.

Fred Astaire, dancing his way effortlessly through the film  'Top Hat', was projected larger than life on to the wall.

Fun to watch in the background.

Barter Books, Alnwick

Call in to the amazing Barter Books

when you're next in Northumbria......

....and get ready to settle in for a few hours, browsing through the enormous collection of second hand books in this huge old converted railway station. Stop for a bite to eat, by the log fire in one of the old waiting rooms.

Difficult to pull yourself away from Barter Books though:)

Women of the World Festival 2012



Mother's Day Cards

Congratulations to our very own Spark class from Mulberry School for Girls, plus all their fabulous teachers in the SEN Dept, for a great profit-making stall at the WoW Festival on Southbank!
What fantastic team-work!

Our mugs were our best-seller!







Coasters, key rings anmd badges all branded with our very own Spark designs



Conversational Concert in Bloomsbury

Hokusai's Great Wave off Kanagawa

I've just returned from the intimate surroundings of Pushkin house in Bloomsbury, where I heard piano duets by the fabulous Karl Lutchmayer and David Alexander: performing Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony, followed by Debussy's La Mer.

Karl sets the scene as always with his anecdotes and insights into the composers' lives and music - I want to find out more about them. Debussy was inspired by the Javanese gamelan music and Japanese art and architecture that he heard and saw at the first World Exhibition in Paris, 1889. He had the Japanese woodblock engraving on the front cover of an early recording of La Mer.

Brazil and Spider Silk

Late at the V&A in January was a lively Brazilian carnival atmosphere with live drummers and dancing.

I loved the suspended umbrellas in the main entrance hall, not far from the incredible Chihuly masterpiece. I'm never disappointed each time I go to the V&A - this has to be London's best gem of a museum.



The amazing garment woven from spider silk



Butterfly Bowl and Spoon

The Butterfly Bowl is 58mm in diamter, the spoon 68 mm in length

I have completed my smallest ever spoon, which fits the exquisite Butterfly Bowl perfectly. It will soon be on its way to Belfast.

Panicale

Sunshine in January is a wonderful way to start to 2012

Olive Groves in Tuscany

The January winter light catching the silveryness of the olive leaves.

Bologna Lights

Happy New Year!!

Loved the festive lighting in Bologna





Dramatic uplighting on the murals in the museum



Pippa Small

What an incredible story.  Read about http://www.pippasmall.com/index.html and check out her blog

Flux Open Studios from 1st Dec

Only five days to go until Flux Open Studios. Check us out! Browse! Engage! Find perfect gifts!

If you’re a Vogue and Harpers reader you will know some of these names. Come and meet us

Barbara Yarde / Ilona Guest / Kyle Hopkins / Maggie Laing / Bev Holden
Natascha Kotsoupoulou / Claire Hart / Imogen Belfield / Vicky Forrester
Yuki Sasakura / Alex Yule / Becky Dockree / Dickie Wilkinson
Commission your favourite jeweller to make something unique.
We have lots of new work to show you – catch a glimpse of the new season’s collections from our group of hip, happening jewellers; get it here before it hits the high street!
Claire Hart's new Butterfly Lovers' Collection and newly engraved sterling silver blossom spoons will be on show for the first time

Winter Collection

 We are proud to present the latest addition to Claire Hart Design Winter Collection: the Mother of Pearl Rose Ring. 

Each beautiful carved rose is set in a hand-sculpted sterling silver claw, on a silver stem which wraps perfectly around the finger.

There are now only five days left before exhibiting at Collect 2011 at Castle Ward!