I realised with a shock that it is 2022, my planning has not taken into account that after Christmas we have to start work again. SO here we are with another newsletter and me doing the This & Tat. Apologies all round.
I am going to start with a shop close to my heart. That is the wonderful world of D'Ambrosi. Amanda Brooks first put me on this spectacular duo. Husband and wife team Jesse & Andrew have brought their exquisite culinary delights to Stow On The Wold. As you can tell by my bold use of adjectives, I am incredibly taken by their food and the two of them. If you are in the area and miss out on ordering some of their fried chicken, you only have yourself to blame.
Next up, we will have to pop in the delight that is Heroldian Journal. Known for making homes light up with her excellent eye for art. She has just come out with this marvellous trompe l'oeil shelf. As she mentions in her Instagram, 2021 was a year to move and produce her first product. She moved to Majorca and released 'The Draped Shelf' with 3.5 days to go. Let's hope all our 2022 can be as productive and beautiful!
Who knows how these things happen? You're googling around, clicking on this and that, then kapow you find something that you haven't seen before, and you like it. I have never come across Klong before, which is strange as I feel like I know every sconce on the market, but always room for one more. They don't only sell candle based items, and they also have lovely vases, a delight for the summer.
I was scrolling dead-eyed through Instagram, and there they were - Marazul. Their Instagram, filled with ideal images of summer, rocking around beaches, sitting in fields and all the figures dressed in superb summer uniforms. Said uniforms are made by Marazul. They aim to 'create ethically and socially conscious uniform for those who refuse to live uniformly'. Sign me up!
Ffern
If you are looking to thrill your senses, Ffern is the perfume for you. When I received my first bottle, not only was I taken by the handsome packing (Ffern is the first perfume maker to eliminate plastic from their packaging), but the smell - it's immersive, powerful and a treat for the nose holes. I have worn it a few times now, and the compliments have been plentiful.
I received this book in the post the other day. It now sits next to my desk as I am always stealing glances during downtime. It is written by the Art Historian John-Paul Stonard, who helps navigate the reader through the sixteen generations who have occupied Chatsworth. The text is accompanied by the beguiling photographs of Victoria Hely Hutchinson. A definite way to cheer up January.
DADO is a wallpaper collective 'created by industry insiders with a shared passion for pattern, colour, design and championing artists and makers. A reaction to the sea of wallpapers in the market, Dado serves to refine both wallpaper collections and customer experience.' This is OK by me as I find the wallpaper market a terror to navigate. But that's not all; one of those masters of designs is Gabby Deeming, founder of Daydress and former Decoration Editor of House & Garden. Does this woman know about design? You bet your bottom dollar. She has released a charming collection with DADO, a few rolls of wallpaper and one of her dresses, and you've set yourself up for a good 2022.
I am no chef; I am certainly no baker, so perhaps that is why the I am so taken by the Instagram of Caro Diario. She seems to hit the sweet spot. The cakes look delicious and elegant. What more could you want. When I finally get to Paris, I will be sure to experience the cakes IRL.
Like so many of these choices, I feel like I am telling my grandmother how to suck eggs, so forgive me if I cover old ground. But once I'd stumbled across the Flow Gallery, I thought it a bit of a travesty for me not to share. The serenity of their site and the beauty of the objects is a treat to behold.
Penny Worrall
We are doing up our house now, and while I should be searching for doorknobs and switches, I am obviously more interested in decoration. I am the epitome of a dolly decorator. So when I came across Penny Worrall's vintage cushions, I was a flurry of excitement. I can not wait to get my hands on a couple, obviously after I've forked out for the switches.
