{finer china}

Justin and I will have been married for three years next Saturday. And this year, we're switching it up a bit, and taking a break from the whole trying to surprise each other with presents thing (which, let's face it, can be pretty stressful for everyone -- poor Justin worrying that he'll get me something I don't like, and poor me worrying that I might be opening another RoboPanda. Go on, click on it. Yes, he really bought me that.)

So, what we're doing this year is starting a collection. I got very inspired by all these lovely hand-drawn plates, and thought that the fact that we were married in China the country meant that we can have china the plate as our little theme every year. (Rather than having to find something leather for our third year, as tradition would have us do!)

Meg plate and Beardy plate, by Donna Wilson

Blossom and Bill tray, by Isak

Summer Pizza Plate by nitchii

Bear plate and Wolf plate, by jimbobart

Nestled Mini-Dishes by baileybowls

So, I offered Justin the choice: we could treat ourselves to a fun designer plate from the selection above, or we could have a go at drawing our own. (I'm not sure which option I was hoping he'd choose!) 

He picked making our own, and so that's what we'll be doing during one of Tilly's naps next Saturday. We both love the idea of recreating Donna Wilson's Meg and Beardy, but as portraits of each other. I love Beardy's beard, so might be painting an earlier, hairier version of Justin. We'll see. 

We'll be sure to show you the results!

Adventures with a Can of Chalkboard Paint, Part VI

Enough with the fiddly little brushes and delicate strokes -- over Christmas, we added a seven foot chalkboard panel to the kitchen of my parents' Old Rectory.

It's the perfect outlet for my family's quirky humour -- each day, we have a new quote on the board, under the heading "Wise Piggy Says." As the border makes the chalkboard look rather like a door (I admit, I almost walked into it the first night it was up), characters tend to appear looking through the post box, or slipping in through the cat flap, and is an endless source of fun!

Gemma Correll

An ordinary day, an ordinary trip to the postbox, an ordinary-looking brown paper envelope. But, inside that envelope is something special.

It's a piece by one of my favourite artists, the Norwich-based Gemma Correll, whose drawings of her diary entries I stumbled across about a year ago. I've always wanted to order a print from her, but have never been able to pick from all of her lovely designs!

But here, in paper and ink in front of me, is not just a print of her work, but a personalised original, dedicated to our little Matilda:

I'm a bit in shock. It's so beautiful, and such a thoughtful thoughtful present from my lovely brother, Jesper, and his lovely girlfriend, Gemma, who know how much I love this artist. I can't wait to hang it in the nursery... I'm just trying to decide which wall will do it justice!

Your Soft Animal

Reading back over my bedside journal today, I found this little drawing I'd made, along with a few lines of Mary Oliver's poetry:

"You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves."

My soft animal loves red hearts, and the fact that it's now the weekend at last. My soft animal is slightly sad that it was outbid on the most interesting house around today, but it remembers red hearts, and feels better.

Hus of Moose

It's hard to be a moose in the season of reindeer.

Hus of Moose

...And all this poor moose wants is a bit of colour! I think I might do a proper version of him this weekend for this year's Christmas cards.

Hus of Moose

Even mooses get affected by the iCraze.

Hus of Moose

Sillyness.

Hus of Moose

Here's a little drawing.