the linen garden

Mary Moses

...a little apology for the lack of my more personal input here

over the last few weeks - but I hope you have been

enjoying the continuing series of

The Filing Cabinet Interviews.........

I am a busy lady at the moment, working on orders,

preparing for photo shoots, planning next years collections

and preparing for the launch of my new little blog.

The Linen Garden will launch on the 27th August -

but you can take a little stroll over there now if you fancy -

there is a giveaway happening too leading up to the launch....

If you have read my blog here over the weeks/months/years

you may want to follow this little new festival of floral fancies...

an inspirational journal - a place to stop by and make you smile,

a small nurturing community of flowers.....

The Filing Cabinet Interviews File#0014

Embellished, re-loved, french, creative, bespoke,

vintage treasures, homeware, beading geek,

lace lover, hand embroidery

I'd jump on Eurostar with my husband and travel to Paris

where I would wander around the beautiful antique market

of Porte de Clignancourt.

There, I would purchase beautiful antique textiles

and treasures before heading to my favourite

restaurant Robert et Louise.

If it was to be back here in England,

then everyone knows that put me at a car boot

and im a happy lady hunting for bargins!

Sewerby Hall where I have been escaping to since

I was a little girl when my parents took me,

and their parents took them there too.

I plan to take my children there, and grandchildren....

 

Drumstick sweets and youtube,

hunting old grunge bands from my youth

and pretending im 15 again.

I'm currently in love with the blog

All the luck in the world, 

I love Janes' use of colour and layout-

especially her vintage bird postcards

and pops of neon pink!

 

I adore lace and beads, so find the work of Emma Cassi

beautiful and unique, I hope that my birthday present

might be one of her necklaces!

My two biggest inspirations are my mum and husband.

My mum has dealt in antique textiles all her life

so being surrounded by beautiful textiles

growing up was pretty inspiring!

Plus she is a strong,loving wonderful person

who has supported me and encouraged me

all through my life.

My husband iIfind inspiring because he has forever

encouraged me to do my own thing and be creative.

He also puts up with standing on numerous

pins/needles/beads on a daily basis

in our home and lets me decroate our

home with my array of 'Mad Auntie style'.

I would love someone like Sophie Dahl

or
Scarlett Johansson

to play my leading role

and for the title soundtrack anything by

the band The Pink Monkey Birds

Website- http://www.sesameandlilly.com/

Blog- http://sesameandlilly.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/#!/Sesameandlilly

Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sesame-and-Lilly/135862066425268

Pinterest- http://pinterest.com/sesameandlilly/

Shop- http://sesameandlilly.bigcartel.com/

The Filing Cabinet Interviews File #0013

Feminine, Strong, Timeless, Elegant, Gorgeous, Satisfying, Special, Individual,

Exquisite, Dedicated

As a Born and bred Northerner living in the South, I am still mesmerised by the streets

of London.  We live so close that on a day off, I often drive into town and just wander..

I love to sit in cafe's and watch the world go by - gaining inspiration from ordinary,

everyday people and their diversity of style.  Perhaps meet up with a friend for a gossip, a mooch, perhaps an exhibition finishing  with a laid back dinner before heading home.

 

 

This would have to be a little village in the Southern French Alps called Montgenevre.  I have been going there for the past 18 years. I first travelled there at the age of 24 with all my worldly possessions packed into 1 holdall and worked for £30 per week, a ski pass, board, lodge and free wine!! (very important). I worked there for a few seasons but continued to holiday there and met my husband there on Christmas Day 11 years ago! He too had been visiting for years - so for both of us it is a sort of spiritual home. We go back at least once a year and my daughter has now been skiing there since she was 3 and a half..she loves it too.

image credit Shaneen Rosewarne Cox

Image Credit: Tux and Tales

 Image credit: Kerrie Mitchell Photography

image credit: Becky Mitchell Photography

image credit: Charlotte Griffiths

A good bottle of Red and a big pile of mags...ok, and perhaps Rupert Penry Jones!

On a personal level, I am inspired by strong women. From an early age I was brought up surrounded by hardworking, self respecting women and this has definitely affected my thought process and the way that I live my life.  I hugely admire and respect women who, against all the odds, make successes of their lives - and to me, success is not just measured by what is in their bank account. I gain constant inspiration from the incredible, talented women I meet daily through twitter (which includes you Vicky, of course..!!) and other social mediums and am constantly overwhelmed by the infallible support I receive. Rose & Aster takes inspiration from a hugely diverse playing field. I am currently researching for my new blog and have studied Jewellery Icons throughout the years. From the Hollywood Glamour of Marilyn, Grace & Elizabeth, From Eva Peron to Coco Chanel right through to our current favourite muse Catherine Middleton. I take huge inspiration from how a piece of jewellery can give a woman the confidence to shine and I constantly endeavor to offer inspirational, often timeless collections that enable women to do just this.

Soundtrack to the film of my life would be 'Feeling Good’ by Muse - Turn it up loud  and sing!  Rose & Aster is a new life for me and I am most definitely Feeling Good!!!!

I suppose if I had to choose someone to play myself in a film it would have to be Brooke Shields. For years and years, my best friend Kate Fletcher (@vintagehire) and I have called each other Brooke and Bo (Derek) and even now still sign our emails/cards etc with those names!

Rather than words, I am obsessed with visuals and spend hours trawling photography blogs/instagram/flickr/tumblr which encourage you to look at the world around you differently.  It is my little bit of escapism. There are just too many sites to mention although I do check in at Chromasia.com and thesefleetingmoments.com regularly. I have completed the first module in a photography degree through the Open University and really hope to revisit this in the future when hopefully I have a little more time!

 

I am only just getting into Pinterest as I have always been more of a Tumblr/Instagram addict. I have a new favourite image on a daily basis but it usually involves something with a hint of love in it...total softy at heart!

 

 

Website :

www.roseandaster.com

Facebook :

www.facebook.com/RoseandAster

Twitter : @roseandaster

Pinterest : www.pinterest.com/roseandaster

Instagram :

http://statigr.am/roseandaster

The Filing Cabinet Interviews #0012

...flowery, beautiful, effortlessly glamorous, dedicated to making ever bride feel extra special. Using the simplicity and beauty of flowers to create stunning, simple English country garden arrangements...

above photograph by Becky Mitchell

 

...when you are not working what would be your perfect day to escape…. I would spend the day on my father in laws farm – in the lake district. Walking, cooking on the AGA, gardening, eating and drinking with my family and generally looking after and caring for them. The farm holds wonderful memories for me – not only all the happy times me and my husband have had there over the years together alone and with his father and sisters and friends but we also got married there... which was the best day of my life!

image credit Katy Melling

...Paris – my favourite city – so beautiful, full of romance with a sense and air of contentment

Unfortunately I don’t get much time to catch up on blogs but when I do I love to look at Love My Dress and Style Me Pretty – as well as Flowerona and By Appointment Only’s blog. I also love looking at photographers blogs – I’m constantly amazed by photography - it’s such a talent.

-fizzy sweets! The more zingy and sour the better!! Or a piece of toast with honey on – I don’t eat bread so that’s a big treat!!

...the people around me – I’m currently working with a lot of very inspiring people – including Vicky!! I love to pour over magazines - Vogue, Harpers Bazar, Country Living.... and my niece – the way she sees things, the way she asks about everything and sees more in things than adults do, her enthusiasm for life and fun – 2 and half year olds are very wise!! Last year I was so busy I didn’t have time to sand back and see the creations that I had made. I’m inspired when my flower delivery comes and I see all the colours and shapes and textures – this year I’m making sure I take the time to cherish the process of making these flowers into the fabulous end creations.

 Great question!! I love the song Sweet Disposition by Temper Track – the whole sound track to 500 days of summer is brilliant. But I also adore the song Tears Dry on their own by Amy Winehouse – seeing her a Glastonbury singing this with all my best friends was up there with one of the happiest days I’ve ever had!

image credit: go for celebrity

And I’d probably have Zooey Deschanel playing me!! She’s got such a warm, intriguing nature – and is very beautiful! Girl crush!!

I need to get involved in this!!

 

...and actually the song lyrics to the baywatch theme tune are very thoughtful! I’m always here – wish someone would make a nice acoustic version of that!

LINKS

http://www.belsflowers.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/#!/belsflowers

https://www.facebook.com/belsflowers