Oh god, it’s the first day back at work. All those Christmassy thoughts of new ways of doing things, a better life, a tidier house, all squashed back in their box again by the sheer weight of nonsense foisted on one during the typical working day. Facebook has been a-flutter with memes on the subject of ‘being less busy’ this last week. Usually posted by the same people who are posting their running stats and pictures of stacks of home-made jam. There’s even a book out, which I got tempted into reading the puff-piece for on the Guardian, about how to have a less stressful life by ‘not giving a fuck’. The author’s definition of not giving a fuck is making sure you write your host a thank you letter so they aren’t offended when you turn down some unspecified future invite. Sheesh….

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O Christmas Tree…

As I too am about to get in a car and drive for 8 hours for Christmas, it’s time to bid you farewell for the year. And as is traditional, I’d like to do that by posting an incredibly lame and grainy picture of my Christmas tree. This year snapped with a large ugly garage […]

Holiday reading: The Kindred of the Kibbo Kift

I’m writing this in between packing to go away for Christmas tomorrow, so forgive me if what follows is a bit brief and confusing. This is my first Christmas present, a book about artist and writer John Hargrave’s movement The Kindred of the Kibbo Kift. It looks very intriguing, so I thought I’d share it […]

Basement Stories… or off-plan decorating

Look away now anyone who’s known me a while – you’ll have heard this drivel before. Everyone else, well, let me tell you about my doctor. In the early days of living in London, a dampish basement flat in Kentish Town, I was often ill and almost always miserable. Confronted with adult life and having […]

Trend or travesty: Colour-collage wallpaper

Christmas deadlines loom so I’ll get straight to the point. I’m drawn to this wacky wallpaper, which I think would look amazing in a tiny bathroom. It’s from Fromental, made from collaged pieces of hand-dyed lacquered paper and “inspired by Chinese mountain landscapes and scholars’ rocks.” I’m thinking behind the toilet or something.