A new address

Lobster and Swan has moved and can now be found at www.lobsterandswan.com This blogspot will remain but will not have any new content added. So to see all the new frills and sparkle as they unfold, just click the image above or follow the link to say hi and visit me in my new home now.

Ps. If you used google friend connect to follow me here, please join my facebook page and twitter feed (both right) instead. You can also update your RSS feed using the subscribe button at the top of the new page.

Farewell for now, Jeska x

Moving day

Right, are you with me? Today we have to pack our bags and prepare to move to my new blog. So grab your best dress and shoes then fill your suitcase with tea, biscuits, candles, cushions and anything else you will need to settle in. What are the things you like to unpack first when you move?

Looking forward to see you over there, links to follow later in my final post x


Lovely images from The Light Fantastic.

No nutcracker

Thanks so much for all your well wishes for my poor old husband trapped on a train for over 12 hours, he made it safely back home at 1.30 pm this afternoon.

But away from the chaos, I have had a lovely day. We got the coveted window seat in our favourite cafe as not many people had made the journey into town, had lovely warming meals and frothy cappuccinos, later we drank hot chocolate and shared a brownie before heading back out. With all the snow falling we embraced the season and did some christmas shopping then struggled home with our bags full of gift wrap and my best purchase of the day, a huge net of shiny mixed nuts in their shells. Slight problem. No nutcracker in the house.

Now the snow is really coming down but it looks perfect for a evening winter walk, I love the silence that the snow provides, so we are going to get out there to take advantage of our very own Narnia. While the snow is untouched. Stay safe x

Snow days

So I was going to move over to my new blog today, but with a husband missing for 14 hours trapped on a train in the snow in some far away town, we will all have to wait a few more days for the final tweaks to be completed. At least he is with a whole train full of people, may have even made some new friends? I do love to look at the snow but now I jus want him home. I have been house bound for a couple of days now so I will brave the outside to meet a friend and have a nice hot drink and a piece of cake in a nearby cafe whilst I await my favourite persons return. I hope you are all okay wherever you live x

A decent meal

One of my favourite things about being at home so much is eating three proper meals a day. No more hastily grabbed snacks like greasy sausage rolls or cardboard tasting sandwiches that are laced with too much mayonnaise and cheap margarine. My fridge is also a happier place now that the greenery gets eaten before it wilts, and I get to see my husband for lunch too. An hour of daylight spent slowing down and spending some time eating home cooked meals at the table without our laptops is a simple luxury.

I am leaving for London now, excited to be meeting some other creative girls, we so often speak via email and twitter but rarely find the time to gather in one place, so it will be a treat to put the faces to the names I know so well.

Super strong winds and heavy rain

I concur, super strong winds and heavy rain battering my windows and I HAVE to go out there! Oh why! Thought I would start the day with a way more cheerful image than the fate that befalls me outside my front door. Hope you are snuggled and cosy at home without a reason to leave the house today.

Give away winners will be announced later today x

Out with me

Hey there, hows your week going so far? Just wondering if you want to come on a virtual night out with me? I will behave I promise. Huge thanks to Kate of Coquette and Dove for featuring me. xxx

Everyday favourite

I am lucky to have many pretty thing in my home. But my unlikely everyday favourite is still this battered old table. These are just three scenes from the life of that table today. Miscellaneous items, lunch and afternoon coffee with a side of scrap book. What's on your table top?

Perishables.

A perfect start for curbing winter chills this October was taking part in my sister Tamzin's cookie exchange. I was so excited when I received a box labelled perishables and opened it to find the delicious parcel from Alissa containing layers of chocolate, hazelnut and lemon biscuits. Plenty to share with friends and family and even enough left over to brighten a rubbish day at work. I wonder if they will actually miss me or just the baked goods when I leave?

Thank you again Alissa for such a s scrumptious gift.

Unicorn Dream Magazine

I am a bit behind on this one, but I just wanted to share the wonderful article about my home, by Sifra from Unicorn Dream Magazine. Pop over to the site to see all the pages and soak up more pretty things from the previous issue. It is such a great publication with dreamy fashion, dainty illustrations and playful reading.

My leisurely approach comes just in time to promote the third issue which should be out any day now.

Thank you so much Sifra.

Sweet things

Morning, I am sorry for the silence, but I have been enjoying the season, baking a wedding cake and lots of other sweet things, will be back later with more pictures. I hope you had a lovely weekend.

Weekend things

This weekend I made a new little friend, ate freshly toasted bread with lashings of lemon curd in amongst my paper scraps, walked the beach, trudged the woods and visited the sad remains of our pier. Fresh air and much needed sunshine.

Fallen leaves

Happy Sunday. I am off to collect pine cones and fallen leaves.

Heavy charcoal clouds

I have been writing from my bed, about my travels to Lyon for Eurostar, this morning. Heavy charcoal clouds in the sky, window open so I can hear the last of the Summer rain falling in the yard below. Hot cup of my favourite coffee fresh from the stove. Home looks like this at the moment, but Autumn makes me want to move things around almost every day.

Time away

I am going away for a few days with the husband, on the Eurostar Explorer train, to Lyon. I am so excited to be visiting somewhere new and can't wait to eat my way around another great french city. If any of you have been to Lyon and have any ideas of how we can best spend our time, please let me know. I will be back at the end of the week to share my time away with you.

Haunting blues

Thursday. A quick walk to town for white cotton thread to finish some garlands that have been patiently waiting on my work table, turned into the unexpected treat of coffee with a friend. The sun even showed up for the afternoon.

I came home to find an eagerly awaited parcel, then sat down with a cool drink, flicked through the new Toast catalogue and ate my lunch. The cover is beautiful haunting blues and mauves, all the colours of my dried Hydrangeas. Things are looking up.

more cheerful

Two reasons why I hate today.

1. It looks like November outside.
2. I have to go to work now.

Be back later and 10 times more cheerful.

Design democracy

I have been nominated by one of my lovely readers as one of the best UK design blogs to enter the mydeco.com Design Democracy Awards 2010 in conjunction with the London Design Festival.

Hmmm what does design democracy mean to me? I never asked myself that before but I guess, the freedom to design, create and inspire no matter who you offend or how much approval you receive. Design democracy leaves the door open to shock and to please. What angers some elates others.
Acceptance. I appreciate everyone has an opinion but now we are not at school anymore no one should be able to bully us about our choices. I have always had quite a strong sense of self and style and it took a lot of will when I was younger to not run with the pack and be the same as every body else. When at age 10 all my friends had the newest technology and teased me as I clung to my vintage camera that took square photos I knew I was on a different path. The difference was I didn't try to make them feel bad for all being the same.

Anyway back to the point, if you think I deserve it please vote for Lobster and swan.

Thank you!

Pink hydrangeas

Trying to de-pink the house a little, I get the feeling my husband feels like the florals and pretty pinks are caving in on him. So I re-jigged the linens and found some blues a little more wood. But somehow a bunch of pink hydrangeas made it in through the front door!

Artful

I have an article in the current issue of Artful Blogging.

Thank you Jennifer.