GENEROSITY

A very long time ago somebody who lived in Hastings left land and specified that it

was never to be built on. Instead certain rare trees were to be planted for the enjoyment of future generations. One of these is the Magnolia Grandiflora, now a familar garden feature

but when it was chosen it must have been extremely exotic and unusual.

The wonderful thing is that this tree has now grown so huge it towers over all other trees and the surrounding meadows. It stands tall, a bizarre mass of sugary pink set against bare branches, so wonderfully out of place that it makes you gasp with delight.

By next week all the buds will be open and the earliest ones will drop creating a carpet of pink beneath the tree.
Its extraordinary and wonderfully generous.
So thank you.

love & peace

this time of year

I have been in Dorset, in the heart of the countryside where I was
thrilled by the views of rolling hills, newly ploughed fields and
trees just starting to green up. The lanes were lined with snowdrops and every tree seemed to boast at least one singing bird. The green of the grass was vibrant and the sky a brilliant blue. It was pure joy.
As we drove back to Sussex today something else caught my eye.
Dirty shredded plastic bags stuck in hedges, flapping on barbed wire and woven through branches. In a week or two the new leaves will hide this evidence of people's indifference. Till Autumn.
Grrrrr! There was a car in front of me with an English Flag sticker on the back windscreen and the driver threw his chocolate bar wrapper out of the window. There he was surrounded by fields of green and I wondered what it was he loved so much about England - not the countryside I'm guessing. He's probably never noticed that.
Lately I have realised that the only way for me to deal with this is to pick up the litter that the careless ones leave behind - being angry spoils my day and their messy behavior spoils my neighbourhood and our countryside. That's my plan.

Enjoy that view..........
I took the photograph this morning
with love & peace

Sally
x

ITS FEBRUARY ALREADY

I seemed to have spent an entire month sorting through fabrics and trying to tidy up my workroom. This means business has been quiet, as it always is in the depths of winter. People turn to weatherproof bags
and let's face it without a plastic content nothing is waterproof - well, I suppose there is rubber and oiled cotton but those are not on my 'pretty vintage' radar. So, January is the time to fold and stack. Until an order comes in for something that I know I've seen somewhere....
then I start messing things up again and frankly, that's where I'm at right now. It looks as if nothing has changed but, on the bright side, I have done a mental audit of my fabulous bag potential - and there is plenty of it! Snowdrops have come up, tulips are pushing through and I've seen a couple of blue tits checking out my birdbox.
It's a way off yet but I'm definitely feeling more energetic and so looking forward to the Spring.

LOVE & PEACE & HAPPINESS

X

S A L L Y

ON THE LAST DAY OF 2010

WHAT A GREAT PIECE OF NEWS TO END THE YEAR
THE ITALIANS HAVE BANNED SINGLE-USE CARRIER BAGS!

From now on only biodegradable bags will be allowed.
It is such an admirably bold move,
no messing about the 'deterrent' of charging for the polluting plastic
or making it optional or advisable - an outright ban.
It will be interesting to see how this works and whether
other European countries follow suit.
If it is possible in Italy..... fingers crossed.

I wish you all the happiest of years in 2011
with much love & peace

Sally
xxx

FIRST SNOW TODAY

I love the seasons and this year each one has been very clearly defined - although thinking back I'm not quite so sure about summer. Still, moving on, autumn colour seemed more glorious than ever and now we have proper snow before December. I love snow.
Next week we have a stand at the Midwinter Fair http://www.wealdentimes.co.uk/events/MidwinterFair2010/index.asp
It is being held in huge heated marquees at Bedgebury Pinetum which is just off the A21. We were at this event last year and can thoroughly recommend it for getting into the Christmas Groove. I am sharing the stand with my husband Stewart and the recycling project PLEASE watch their new film about their Christmas Trees on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheHBWoodRecyclingCo#p/a/u/0/xWQXTFRPR2A
I shall be selling purses, tiny bags for the tree, spec-cases and The Little Hastings Fish Cook Book which is now in its 3rd print edition.

Life gets pretty hectic from now on
but you know, there should always be time
for a cup of tea with a friend
Love & Peace
Sally
x

AUTUMNAL ACTIVITY

The seasons have not been so clearly defined this year. There is usually a day when you see the change and feel the difference. The trees have hung onto their green leaves and the sun, when it shines, seems too hot somehow. But last night we had our first log fire and the house now has a homely aroma of coziness. Bring it on - I'm ready.
My husband Stewart and our son Roo are busy making hundreds of wooden Christmas Trees, wreaths and stars from recycled pallets for the Conran Shop's Christmas displays worldwide. It's been a huge operation and I am super-proud of their achievement. If you live in Paris, New York, Dublin, Tokyo or London you MUST visit the Conran Shop and see them. The Hastings & Bexhill Wood Recycling Project really know how to raise the bar & hats off to the Conran Shop for commissioning this work in England.
We will be sharing a stand at the Wealden Times Midwinter Fair again and this year it is being
held in giant heated marquees at the awesome Bedgebury Pinetum just off the A21 where they grow the largest assortment of pines in the British Isles. This is a superb and atmospheric Christmas Fair held on 2nd, 3rd & 4th December - please come and say hello. .http://www.wealdentimes.co.uk/events/MidwinterFair2010/index.asp

Wealden Times Midwinter Fair 2010So what with that, the Christmas Trees and at last beautiful Autumnal colours to inspire me, I am snipping and stitching lots and lots of new purses & bags. Watch the website for new additions to the range plus the revival of my most popular shopping bag - the organic calico shopper.

But today I'm having a day off. I shall be looking at the leaves & taking Bizzy the dog for a run on the sands at low tide.

Love & Peace

SALLY
X

TAKE YOUR BAG TO MARKET

It's Farmer's Market Day in Hastings today and the sun is shining. We will go with our Market Bags and fill them up with seasonal treats - English apples and perhaps the first fat pumpkin. Autumn has been trying to creep up on us but here on the South Coast we resist until the very last minute. I am continuing my collaboration with the lovely people at Aveda and have just finished a very special order of gorgeous linen and velvet purses that are heading off to New York for fashion week. I wonder whether their handmade-ness will be appreciated...I hope so.
I heard this week that plastic bag take-up has dropped by 47% nationally. That's really is something to celebrate. Look around and notice that people everywhere are now carrying shopping bags. It has become second nature to reach for a bag before leaving home. Success! I am going to be re-introducing my original shopping bags to celebrate - watch the website for a promotional offer on organic calico bags at the end of the month.

Till then carry-a-bag, ride a bike & greet your neighbours
with a smile.
love & peace

x
Sally