Greeting cards

Fox-themed.

Oh the weather outside is frightful

and we don't have a delightful fire. But flu has made me appreciate the innings of the lovely East End flat. Sometimes I look out the window and the Victorian architecture staring back at me says it's still 1886. I like that.

Staying in and card-making. Candles and home made soups. Now I'm happy.
I always insist Christmas has no meaning to me. Consumerist, wasteful, stressful, full of false expectation (all that dreadful advertising). But being seasonal is something I'm truly embracing. The wind-down, domesticity, being cosy, festivities, any excuse for mulled wine (Yes I honestly like it. Lots).
PS. Listening to Nat King Cole. Now you can write me off.

from my sick bed

I dream of food, and I blame the Observer Food Monthly for that (this week). Yes I have a nasty cold but have by no means lost my appetite or wild imagination for concocting devilishly tasty food (my eyes are on Nigel's booze-soaked prune brownies).

As inspired by this lovely blog, I am getting into the habit of photographing breakfast and other proud culinary moments of the day. Mornings are particularly enchanting for the light pouring onto the dining table, and also for breakfast has a ritualistic presence in my life. There's nothing I like more than the first meal of the day with something inspiring to read. Often I run late for work following this.

Gift recipe ideas while I'm poor are the above: Dan Lepard's stem ginger macaroons and treacle pecan caramels. That, and oat rolls with a generous 'acompagnement' of cheese.

On the more literary and cultural side, on my wish list this winter are some more reading material by Bulgakov, preferably the Panther editions. I saw both stories recently adapted into fantastic performances. Speaking of which, I have seen some great shows this month, the last being Beasts and Beauties premiered at the Hampstead Theatre. Children's Christmas shows are of particular aesthetic glory.

I'm delighted to have caught the end of this season's run at the Museum of Everything. Always such a playful and inventive space. I just so happen to have shown up when the fabulous brass band started playing and, keeping with the collection's circus theme, two performers started hoola hoopin' like you've never seen.

The Model/Theatre

No original photos from me this week as a certain someone borrowed my camera to capture a certain festival. Awaiting results.

This week: model making at Tilt, looking at alternative and communicative architectural models. Participatory is the key - we're back to King's Cross Hub for some co-designing. And I have a deadline. Browsing and getting far too inspired by Green Design blogs and magazine. And lovely interiors I will one day be in possession of.

Beauty and the Beast tonight - devised by Katie Mitchell and naturally designed by Vicky Mortimer - Loved it! With a proper kid audience, some Panto moments, fabulous fuschia chairman costume, shadow puppets, glitterballs, all the fabulous gimmicks. Proper production value going on there too.. recommended.

A number of recent things

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1. Student protests in Trafalgar Square. This was at the time when it had all quietened down and the snow was beginning to fall once more. There was a certain merriment (perhaps relief) emanating from the police forces.

2. Teching and previews of Get Santa at the Royal Court Theatre. I've been loosely assisting the designer Miriam Buether who seems to effortlessly create wicked sets and costumes. The well-oiled machine that is the Royal Court runs techs in the smoothest way I've experienced...nothing like the amateur theatre - pah!

3. A Dog's Heart at the ENO. I love most things Russian. I love big dramatic spaces. I particularly love sneaking into one of the boxes with Liv and passing comments. Definitely quite an unusual piece to watch at the Coliseum.

Information CAN be beautiful

David McCandless is my rock right now. His publication Information is Beautiful is my latest bed-time read as I plough through week two at TILT. I've suddenly found myself trying to make lots of lots of data information into something visual, pleasing, comprehensive, amusing. He's my man.

feathers n dust

Yesterday I was on the art department for a short directed by photographer Charlotte Hadden and filmed by Justin Brown. Surprisingly our model was the infamous Luke Worrall. I got to cover him in dust, feathers, flour, talc, rubble, water and much other not-so-comfortable elements. It's amazing what high definition video one can shoot on a decent SLR. My next big want...

Making Believe at Goldsmiths

Farewell summer, hello autumn...I did not miss you.
But with this comes some exciting postgrad exhibtions: check out this year's MA Design Critical Practice, talents exhibiting at Shoreditch Town Hall basement.

Old work made new

Discovered long-lost images of Rhiannon posing as a paper monster during one of the many experimental first year workshops preceding the site project Behind Closed Doors at Shoreditch Town Hall basement.

Marvelous what can be done with an agreeable, paper and masking tape!

Welcome

Welcome to a truly inspirational mesmerational, occasionally procrastinational...nation of everything weird and wonderful.

To be more specific, this is where you can keep track of yours truly's current theatre design works.

Watch this space!