Calling Madame Butterfly, Sparkling Yuzu, Card Protectors, Mini -Moneybands & Showstopper Stripes!

Calling Madame Butterfly, Sparkling Yuzu, Card Protectors, Mini -Moneybands & Showstopper Stripes! Good Morning! I hope that you have had a lovely week? At last, the sun has poked its head out and it's feeling a lot more like summer. I was telling a customer (in the midst of yet another deluge), that we have never sold umbrellas in August before!  I popped down to Sussex on Monday, just to make sure that we had made the right decision with the cottage, and even on a rain-soaked morning our street looked spectacular - so it's all systems go! Stressful, but a nice kind of stress as we are so looking forward to beginning our life together in the country. I shall have to search in my attic for the tweeds and brogues - one must make an effort to create a good impression with the good burgher's of Amberley! At the store, it has been a truly inspiring week! Way back in 2019, the Lovely Lene and I were in Paris and happened upon a Japanese company importing traditional fabrics from Tokyo. They were spectacularly beautiful, and I saved some swatches for just the right moment. Low and behold,  I met a theatrical costume designer earlier this year who was looking for an alternative outlet for her creative juices (as theatres were closed) and I asked her if she could possibly make me some Kimono? She was thrilled with the project, and I was delighted to find an artisan with such flair and skill. We quickly called Paris and ordered some bolts of three different, thick-cotton fabrics and I am delighted to unveil our very first collection this week! Kimono means 'the thing to wear' and was originally an undergarment worn by the aristocracy, but by the 16th century had become the garment of choice for all classes and both sexes. They are practical, although we have adapted the historic design by making the sleeve aperture much slimmer so they don't catch on doorknobs and sending scalding cups of tea/coffee up the walls! We have kept the wide sash belt (or Obi) as they look so stylish! I was also anxious to create 2 different sizes as Kimono should be quite roomy, so this is not a 'one size fits all' kind of garment . We have  created in a 10/12 and a 14/16. Shop Now - Handmade Kimono - Cotton - £175.00 In terms of design, we have white cranes on a gold/black background (soooooo beautiful) and the crane is the Japanese symbol of longevity and good fortune; a wonderfully vibrant homage to cherry blossom (the symbol of hope and friendship) in crimson and pink, and finally, the classic 'Seigaiha' pattern in duck-egg blue. This ancestral motif dates to the 6th century and 'Seigaiha' literally means 'blue sea and waves' and symbolises power. I may sound like a trainspotter(!) but I used to work in high-end fashion and appreciate a well-executed, 'turned seam' and theseKimono are the work of a perfectionist.  You will find no short-cut overlocking here! After watching the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games and marvelling at the beauty of the many Kimono, I am thrilled to pieces that we now have our own! My thanks to the marvellous Martina, who allowed me to temper her theatrical proclivities and has produced these exclusive, gorgeous and exquisitely sewn pieces just for us.  Shop Now - Bon Parfumeur - 003 (EdP) 30ml - £40.00 While we are having a Madame Butterfly moment - actually skip that, it didn't end well! - I would also like to spotlight a new fragrance from Bon Parfumeur in Paris. With '003', we stay in Japan, as the lead note is the zingy, fizzy Yuzu. This fruit is called the 'Japanese citron' and is actually a hybrid of the wild mandarin and the Ichang lemon. In terms of refreshing, it has no equal and virtually leaps from the bottle. I always think that this ingredient has the effervescence of sherbet, and it is one of my favourite summer-scents. Here, the clever noses have teamed with the best green in the business (violet leaf) and a warming hint of vetiver at the base. This is a sassy, citrus scent, full of energy and chutzpah - perfect for sunshine! Shop Now - Secrid Wallets - From £49.95 Shop Now - Card Protector - Powder Coated - £38.00 Shop Now - Money Band - £11.95 My Secrid Wallet is one of my favourite things. The fact that it holds six credit/store cards has broken my habit of carrying an overstuffed wallet in my rear, trouser pocket (uncomfortable to sit on) and also means that my jackets now hang appropriately! The brand has just launched a collection and we have new colours, plus a range of powder-coated, aluminium, Cardprotector sleeves (designed to protect the cards from identity theft) which are even slimmer that their leather-clad compatriots! Of course, the real genius of this design is the tiny, sprung, 'arm' which raises the cards from the sleeve so that they can be extracted in a flash - so much easier than trying to wrestle them from traditional wallets and purses. I wouldn't carry anything else, and while they now have a number of  imitators, the original design is still superior! There is also a selection of 'Moneybands,' which hold banknotes firmly to the Cardprotector. I like to carry emergency cash ( just in case), so this is a very clever addition. Shop Now - Striped Ceramic Mug - £17.00 We have been selling hand-finished/painted, striped mugs for several years. As ever, it was the colour that attracted my attention, with beautiful spice shades and sophisticated hues like 'grape'. I have also grown to love the shape, as at home I find that it holds exactly the right amount of my wake-up beverage and seems to keep it at the perfect temperature too.  Shop Now - Tricolour Ceramics - Mug - £17.00 Shop Now - Tricolour Ceramics - Platter - £51.00 Shop Now - Tricolour Ceramics - Plate - £18.00 Due to the international clay shortage (yes there is one of those too!), we have been out of stock for months, however we received a large shipment yesterday, with, I am delighted to say, some new, really retina-scorching bowls (with matching mugs)! We have indulged in some large designs (great for salads) and we have smaller 'plates' (these have a raised rim so will also hold aqueous condiments like mayonnaise and mustard) for nibbles in the most glorious colour-combinations. Once again, I am spoilt for choice - I did decide that the vibrant combination of turmeric with pink was the one for me, but now the mint and teal has cast a spell so I may just have to get both! Naturally these will be for the new cottage.....I wonder how long I can get away with this? The GD and I are going small-sofa shopping today, just to get some swatches and have a bounce around. We have a few styles in mind but one never knows (until one has parked one's behind), just how comfortable they will feel. I like a strict sofa ( the Chesterfield for example), that encourages good posture and always looks perfect, whilst the GD favours plumpcious and squishy - so let the bouncing commence!  Wishing you all a relaxing and sunny w/e! Very best wishes, Michael x

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