Seasonal Thoughts : Sweet Summer

Sharing my seasonal thoughts with a sweet Summer list of things I’m enjoying.

I’m having a sit down and catch up today. It’s been a heavy week of work, switching flower beds over whilst recovering/preparing for weddings.  My Stanley, is next to me. He’s been away for the night and I missed him. I’ve been taking very close up photos of his face which he’s loving (he’s obviously not). At nearly ten (!) he and my daughter are growing so fast, I’m really conscious of how quickly time is going. I really want to savour our good days.

I love my work, it has depth and meaning like I have never experienced before. I learn lessons alongside my children, asking their advice and perspective on problems. This business is a family affair and I’m incredibly grateful for it all.

This year has been a busy one. Not frantically, just a simple steady stream of work. I feel like I have found my flow whilst leaving space for family life to happen. There hasn’t been much time to sit and write for a while, I’m glad the time has found me today.

These photo’s weren’t intended for this post but as they were fully loaded. I thought I’d use them to sit alongside my sweet summer list. A free flowing list of ‘other’ things I’m enjoying. I’m not entirely sure where it’s going to go but let’s go there all the same!

As Wedding’s have been taking up all my headspace let’s start there. Late June saw a wedding delivery and set up at 100 Barrington in Brixton. The venue is wonderful. Funnily enough, I’d helped an old blogging friend set up her wedding there many years ago. Way before flowers were on the horizon, it’s funny how life can circle back.

My Husband drove, as I get nervous, and we turned it into a little day trip. It felt like being on holiday! It was hot, colourful and incredibly inspiring. I didn’t realise how much that part of me was craving something different.  As we didn’t have long we stuck to the covered bit in Brixton Village. It had all I needed for a good time – good coffee and great shops. I could have gone crazy but ended up finding a perfect pair of new glasses in Pop Specs. Luckily I visited Artisan Stories before the glasses because I’d felt guilty about adding new Moroccan treasures to my collection otherwise. I’m definitely going back as there was so much more to see and a lot of fabric I left behind!

When I’m not growing flowers or persuading my seven year to read. I love to search for dresses. A local company, Latham Street, ran a classic jumble sale last week. It reminded me of the sample sales from my early twenties when elbows came out and dresses were gathered at pace. I found some great bargains.

They have joined my pile of sowing projects. A girls trip to Edinburgh in spring reignited a love of vintage and restarted a pile of clothes to tweak. Whilst we’re still talking about dresses, I have been eyeing up this beautiful crinkle cami dress from Stalf Studio. I adore a pink gingham dress I brought a few years ago and look at this one most weeks. Shall I do it? I have been working very hard!

Still in a clothing space. Weddings have seen me on my feet for weeks. These Salt Water sandals, the ones with the squishy sole have been the best. Not only can I stand in them for at least twelve hours straight. They can withstand watering at the allotment and being out in the flower beds and still look good. Get yourself some!

The only real downside of being outside is dry skin. Since late winter I have been using this Cerave Advanced Repair Ointment, it goes everywhere and has soothed and saved my dry bits from head to toe. Another tube is due.

Did you know? Lotts and Lots began as a jewellery making and craft blog. You can still find photo’s of my old tutorials here. Time and life have moved on but I still love a beaded necklace.

After the statement necklace years (around the 2010’s) things got quiet necklace wise. However, once a bead lover, always a bead lover. It’s been great seeing layers of beaded necklaces pop up again.  I made a myself an amethyst necklace and managed to sell two at sports day. Whilst I’ll never enter the ‘Mum’s race’,  I count this as a win! It’s been paired with The Empress necklace from The Half Moon. A targeted Instagram purchase that for once I don’t regret!

The Empress takes me nicely into the realm of Oracle cards. Over the last few years I have been using oracle cards to strengthen my intuition and guidance. It’s all fairly new but adore the gentle quality of the Rebecca Campbell Rose Deck.

I use them at the beginning of  a ‘season’. A could be the start of a new week or a phase of life. I believe we have different seasons throughout the year and our lives. The cards help me to articulate feelings I can’t always put words to. Sometimes they’ll offer insight to rest. Other times, they encourage me to push forward with an idea or project. I recently added the Work Your Light deck to my collection. So far so good.

Books will forever be my favourite source of inspiration. And any homemaker over show will be my favourite guilty pleasure.

Whilst back watching the Parisian Agency (in French to feel like I’m learning!). Zoe de la Casas’, apartment popped up. The name rang a bell, I realised I’d been following her on Instagram for a while. After a deep dive, I discovered she had a new book La Maison : Decorating with French Style. There is zero control over here when it comes to books. It was ordered immediately and will be happily delivered to coincide with the first day of the summer holidays. Lovely!

That’s it for now. Thank you so much for joining me today. It’s been fun to chat. Hat’s off to those who do this daily, it’s much easier to talk flowers. 🙂 I hope you all have a wonderful summer. xx