Sunday 29 January 2017

5/52 The GraceFaith year long art project - Foxy ladies

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year...



Love love love seeing what each girl made of their blank canvas

Sunday 22 January 2017

4/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year...



This week I've seen a shift in Fia's artwork - much more confident - defined as big and bold.

Thursday 19 January 2017

GREECE is the word

Halkidiki’s best-kept secret


Unlike its neighbouring peninsulars, far from a commercialised holiday destination, Athos, the third leg of Halkidiki, is home to very few hotels. And Eagles Palace is the only five-star in the area…

Landing in Thessaloniki, the onward journey took me by surprise. I had expected a dry landscape, not lush green hills dotted with bright flora and fauna. It’s a picturesque yet dramatic (I arrived to leaden skies) ninety minute ride to the five-star ‘Small Luxury Hotel of the World’ Eagles Palace Hotel & Spa, situated just outside the coastal village of Ouranopolis. 

Next morning, the every which way horizon dawned blue and I looked out to the private pool and the perfectly painted Aegean sea - with an espresso to help me drink it in. And wake up - I've never slept so well anywhere. 


Tuesday 17 January 2017

First thing in the morning musings of a 5YO

So Fia stumbles in first thing and hugging her father says: "Dada, why do you smell so ponky?"
Made me smile.

Sunday 15 January 2017

Saturday 14 January 2017

8.5 years and counting

It's happened. You stayed up later than Mummy and Daddy last night.

You were out and we were in.

You went to the Panto with Brownies, and from the sounds of it, had the time of your life.

By the time you got into bed it was nearly 11.

And my girl, you looked so happy - complete with dark shadows under your bright eyes.

8.5 years and counting.

Tuesday 10 January 2017

Mayfair Lady

Emma Oliver heads across town to taste the wares of the newly launched Low Tea at The Luggage Room - notably one of Mayfair’s best-kept secrets…


Imagine you’ve seen the latest exhibition at the Royal Academy and just (window) shopped Bond Street. Now you’re ready for something to eat, but have a dinner booking later. What could possibly fill the gap?

Sunday 8 January 2017

2/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year...



Amongst triangles, circles, hearts and lines, Sofia Faith decides interestingly to split the page in two here. One wonders if she is covering symmetry and shape at school this first week back after the Christmas holidays? I really should read that topic letter that came through!

Friday 6 January 2017

Dream catching

This morning I woke thinking about these two things: My Gran and money. Connecting them both I thought about how she used to give me pocket money - not only as a child, but as a mature student at university, handing me a tenner and saying spend it for me. Those handouts kept me afloat. But my visits to her kept me sane and secure.

Shortly I came down to breakfast - just as the postman delivered a cheque from my Uncle re my Grandma's affairs. It's been five years since she passed away so this was completely unexpected.

Enclosed was a comforting note saying that although not much was left, she had always thought she had the most talented grandchildren in the world, and the idea that she might be able to help them one day, was very important to her.

I wept for Gran. I wept for the fact that throughout her life Gran gave us so much more than money. I wept for the fact that only ten minutes earlier I had been thinking of her; and that even today we have a connection.


Sunday 1 January 2017

1/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Choosing a favourite piece of art, each week of the year...



The GraceFaith year long art project began at the end of 2013. Primarily I saw it as a chance to capture my children's art throughout their childhood and to watch how it developed over time. Indeed from toddlerdom's paint splodges to a seven year old's more intricate mask design, I've been able to collect it in this way and enjoy it all again and again. What parent can possibly hold onto every single colouring or junk model? One with a bowing loft. Photographing it all has been the perfect way of storing each one of those special designs. More than a record though, this project makes for my very favourite posts on this blog.
Happy New Year everyone!