A moment in time

image by Jodie Bell

I love the chance connections that can be made through blogs and the unexpected.

Maybe that is why you are here reading this now.

So I couldn't pass up an invitation on Jodie's blog this morning 

to join her for a moment in time.

Take a look and maybe do the same next Friday.

I'll be hoping to see you there.

Outdoor dinner parties

outdoor dinner party, originally uploaded by the style files.

Before the summer leaves wouldn't it be lovely to have a dinner party 

with close friends 

in an orange grove 

like this?

Read all about it on the fabulous the style files.

If you want dining on a larger scale 

then check out how to fill a field with friends!

Have fun whatever you decide to do with friends this weekend.

Magical mosaics

Charles Darwin for Time Magazine, originally uploaded by tsevis.

Just came across the work of an amazing artist, 

Charis Tsevis, 

who creates mosaic portraits.

Enjoy more of his mosaics here

Just have to share one more from his work for IKEA 

IKEA Sweden: Mosaic Boy, originally uploaded by tsevis.

- Mosaic Boy isn't he fab.

I know there are a few IKEA fans read my blog so this one is for you!

Why am I shopping early for Christmas?

When I say shopping early for Christmas, 

what I really mean is shopping early 

for Christmas INSPIRATION

through my new obsession

Pinterest

I wrote about it here and was hoping for an invite - 

which came within a couple of hours of me putting the thought out there.

 Thank you Universe - well Jodi actually.

'So what is all your fuss about?' you are asking.

 Well it is just the most amazing way to collect and save inspiration you find on the web. 

No need for messy bookmarks and folders 

where you never remember why on earth you bookmarked that page.

 It all looks so neat and beautiful.

 I just love my Christmas inspiration page... 

I know I am not being modest,

but the best of it is that you can look at everyone else's pin boards 

and get yet more inspiration.

 Drawback... there had to be one 

it is now midday and I am still not showered!

But it is Saturday 

and 

Rufus has been walked and fed,

so why not enjoy the weekend being inspired. 

It's like a great cup of coffee...

At the moment it is just in beta stage 

(don't ask me what that is)

so if you want an invitation to join

just send Pinterest an email and they will hopefully oblige.

Thanks for dropping by and hope we can get pinning together soon.

I Am A Girl - The Girls With Glasses Theme Song

I just happened across the blog of Imedagoze today 

and stopped to watch this video.
Just love all their poses and the fun they are having taking photos.

 Made me think of Alice and Gemma (here's her new blog)

and all the cute girls I know who sometimes wear glasses.

Hope it brings a bit of sunshine to your day ... Beijing is very cloudy today!

Ethics of strangers

Our very lives depend on the ethics of strangers, and most of us are always strangers to other people. --Bill Moyers 

This was the thought for the day when I opened my mailbox 5 minutes ago. 

What a coincidence that it should arrive for me today when I had just committed a blogging faux pas.

I had forgotten to ask a fellow blogger's approval before I used her photo in my last blogpost.

 I quickly sent an email to ask her permission and I was so happy that within a couple of hours Solveig had written back saying she was happy to be included.  What relief - I would have been so sad to remove her gorgeous label bag.

Now I am wondering how many strangers are reading this post of mine ...

and how much I would like to connect with everyone who drops by here. 

Thanks so much for being here at this moment 

and hope our paths will cross -

 if you drop me a comment,

 then we will connect more easily :)

But just being here is great too. 

Thanks for joining me on this journey.

Labels for The Fable of the Table

I have been looking into labels recently....

This label bag was my starting point, posted by Solgrim. What a fab idea.

But I was on a search for inspiration for just one - my own label.

Skating sheep, love them but not for tablecloths!

Japanese match boxes certainly have a style I love.

But maybe it was just words I wanted, like these.

If you want to try printing your own labels read this helpful tutorial

In the process of designing a range of table cloths and runners,

 I need to have a unique and memorable tag for them.

A bit of research has thrown up some great ideas but 

I did not want my label to conflict with the design.

Finally I decided to just use colour and shape 

and make my own with red cotton tape and a black pompom. 

What do you think of my first one?

(I will add a card label to give product details in due course.)

Hemp runner with japanese fabric trim- see here for more on creating the look.

More labels in my Flickr gallery! 

Collection 5 - Ornamental Bamboo rice containers

Bamboo in blue, originally uploaded by rufusandco.

Bamboo vessels are a speciality of the Chiang Mai region, I love this modern twist in blue.

bamboo containers, originally uploaded by rufusandco.

Three more of these large bamboo ornamental rice containers that were originally used to store sticky( glutinous rice) in Thailand.

Mega bamboo in corner, originally uploaded by rufusandco.

This big Bertha is over 3 feet tall and I love the way it fills a corner. It was too big to bring back on the plane - so it is here in Chiang Mai to stay!

Ceramics - collection x 4

Ceramics add instant character to a home and when we first started decorating our apartment here in Chiang Mai, they were some of our first purchases.

Chiang Mai has some beautiful and innovative ceramics on offer. 

The 3 large pots on our balcony are locally made - I just love their salt glazes and shapes. The smallest reminds me of a poppy seed head.

Back again tomorrow -

 hope this little interlude is making you gather together some collections too.

PS. Don't forget to check back on the blog that got me started on this, A Collection a Day, it really is fascinating.

PPS. If you are interested in Thai textiles then check out my post here

Collections 3- quilted hangings

Today you are getting two collections in one!

First ~ two quilts I have made to bring some colour to the walls of the apartment here in Chiang Mai. 

The top one is just strips of plain colours that I love and randomly sewed together- not the flattest quilt on the block but I could pretend the waviness signified something!

The second quilt was made after I returned from our fab holiday to Santa Fe, Taos and Seattle last summer. Many of the fabrics were bought in quilt shops in those 3 cities.

Second ~ a collection of old Thai teak temple timbers that we have been gathering here in Chiang Mai. We were looking for one piece to hang the Santa Fe quilt from 

but discovered this treasure trove of timber and came home with 10 or more! 

Most not hanging anywhere yet!

Footnote- we returned this time and sadly the salvage yard is gone - a new warehouse is being built there. 

Collections 2 - Thai Hill tribe bears

Hmong bears, originally uploaded by rufusandco.

These 3 little bears are a bit silly but I love them. They are dressed in traditional costume and I bought them from the Sunday market in Chiang Mai several years ago. I look for more every time I am here but no more bears have made it down from the hills. So it remains a collection of three.

A collection a day - from Chiang Mai

Hill tribe jackets in hallway x1, originally uploaded by rufusandco.

Love the idea of a collection a day that I came across when I was happily wandering round blogs this week.
Here are a few hill tribe jackets that are the start of a collection, from our apartment in Chiang Mai where we are staying this week.

Hill tribe jackets in hallway x 2, originally uploaded by rufusandco.

Hill tribe jackets in hallway x 3, originally uploaded by rufusandco.

Hill tribe jacket above our bed, originally uploaded by rufusandco.

Hill tribe jacket, originally uploaded by rufusandco.

Hill tribe hat, originally uploaded by rufusandco.


Apologies for picture quality - iPhone not so good in lowlight!