To be honest, these spiny little fellas freak me out a bit. But I keep seeing them. So, what do you reckon – succulent, or sucks?

Exhibit A. This picture on Intelligent Clashing, a kind of trend website with no words but weird and inspiring picture combinations. Today’s clash, BTW, involves an afro and a loaf.

Exhibit B. They might be selling cosy socks and Mum-friendly dresses but Toast are all over the cactus trend.

And exhibits C and D. From Ensuite, where a mere moment of browsing reveals artistically inclined Parisians love succulents and pot plants.

Cacti chic? For as long as the rain holds off, I pronounce…. Trend.

Boiled leather furniture

Did you see that the New Designer of the year award at this year’s New Designers, went to Tortie Hoare (that name!) for furniture she created using boiled leather? Boiled leather. That does not have a good ring about it. However, on further investigation, it turns out UK designer Simon Hasan has been working with it […]

My desk: Lisa Whatmough

Lisa Whatmough of Squint The horror which is my desk, utterly chaotic and not creative in the slightest I’m afraid! Where is your desk from? I have no idea I think it was originally a decorating table from my art studio. That’s a lot of paper on your desk, what kind of thing does it […]

Polish paper craft

A moving-in card arrived from my friend in Poland, a card which she claimed had been ‘made by a Polish granny.’ What else could your roving reporter do but investigate? And when I say investigate, I mean it. I think I read someone’s phd on the subject. It’s wycinanki, Polish paper cutting, and also part […]

Kitchen wallpapered – result

So, Mum and Dad came to help for a weekend. They worked so hard they put me to shame, clearing weeds and bushes and attaching various heavy things to the walls. Best of all, some wallpaper finally made it off the floor. Here, I present the before of the kitchen. The pondering stage… And finally, […]