The books I have most enjoyed in 2023

I have read some wonderful books this year. I have put a small selection below that might catch your interest. Snuggling up with a book in is one of my favourite winter pursuits. There are some more gritty reads that I have found brilliant, but I am not sure that January is the right time of year to be broken by a novel !

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Ann Patchett is one of my absolute favourite authors and this book did not disappoint. I would love to visit her bookshop in Nashville one day. Anyway this is a story within a story. Lara, her husband and daughters are living through the Covid lockdown on the family cherry farm. After much persuasion, Lara (Mother) narrates the story of her past life as an actress and relationship with a famous actor. Lara has no regrets about her past but simply enjoys telling her story to her enthusiastic daughters. This is a lovely book.

Hello Beautiful Ann Napolitano

This is a gorgeous big hearted story about sisters who essentially rescue a broken man. William has a horrible childhood which inevitably ends in a breakdown. Despite the fact that he ends up marrying two sisters within the novel, this is a story of love, loss and the warm embrace of a family.

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue

This is a spicy book about complicated relationships and friendships set in Dublin. It’s a funny novel that brilliantly dissects the messiness of young adulthood and finding out who you are and who are your real friends.

The Twat Files by Dawn French

For anyone wanting a good laugh this January, this is the book for you ! Dawn French tells us about her most embarrassing moments to date and they are utterly hilarious. Perfect for French and Saunders fans and a little reminder not to take life too seriously.

Please share the books that you enjoyed in 2023 below.

Wishing you health, joy and peace in 2024

Sophie xxx

Just a reminder that longer lighter days are coming. We’re on the flip side of the Autumn Equinox ! Hooray.

Handmade bedding in ‘Penzance Linen.’ Available in sizes from Cot Bed to Super King :

Duvet Cover ; Ruffle PIllowcase :Lumbar Cushion : Ruffle Sheet : and Fitted Sheet.

Poppy and Honesty's Little Gift Guide

Meaningful gifts are hard to choose. Thinking about a present that will give joy to one person may end up in the charity box of another recipient. I particularly enjoy giving experiences but these can be sometimes be hard to organize. Here in our little Poppy and Honesty studio, we have some gorgeous things that when given some thought, might just be the perfect little handmade treasure for your loved ones this Christmas.

Ruffle Pouch in Seaside Stripe.

The Ruffle Pouch

These beautiful pouches are handmade from linen and lined with a contrasting floral Liberty fabric. We have finished the pouches with a small frill and added a brass zip. As someone who is always rummaging around in a big bag, I think these pouches are supremely useful. Instead of emptying the contents of your bag onto the car boot to find your car keys, you simply pull out your pouch which contains the essentials and not the dog-poo bags, snack wrappers or something worse.

You can add little things to the pouch like a favourite chocolate bar or a nice lippy. I plan to print out some photos from the year and put them inside with a few little treats for a couple of friends. The ruffle pouches are a generous size, so they are practical enough to fit a small tablet, book, kindle, wallet and other things too.

The Pillowcase

Bedding is extremely personal. Some people want their bedrooms to be neutral sanctuaries with natural colours and textures, whereas others want bold pattern and more drama. We have such a wide variety of pillowcases which you can easily mix and match. For a very neutral colour scheme, our linen pillowcases in Florence will add warmth and texture with their pretty terracotta and olive stripe. For more maximalist friends, they might enjoy a couple of bright pillowcases in Liberty fabrics ‘Betsy Pink’ and ‘Thorpe Green’. Finally for your more traditional recipients you cannot go wrong with delicate floral pillowcases in Liberty fabrics ‘Poppy and Daisy’ Blue or ‘Felicite’. Please note that all our pillowcases are available to purchase individually or as a pair of two.

From top to bottom:

Pillowcase in Liberty fabric ‘Capel’, ‘Wiltshire’ and Marmalade Linen.

The Cushion

Everyone loves a new cushion. Whether it’s for a lonely armchair or to compliment an existing collection on the sofa. Think about your recipient and their favourite colours. Lots of people have a dark blue sofa which would suit our Ciara cushion perfectly. Our velvet cushion in Capel will look wonderful on an armchair of similar Autumnal tones (orange, green, rust). In many homes you will find grey neutral furniture, throw in a cushion in Thorpe with a stripy trim to add some seasonal joy. Remember, cushions do not have permanent homes and often need to be thrown around until they find just the right spot.

Velvet Ruffle Cushion ‘Capel’

Please remember to shop from small, independent brands this Black Friday Weekend and have fun choosing some special, well thought out presents.

Love

Sophie x

Non Drinkers and Christmas Parties

I don’t drink. I don’t mind if everyone else does, in fact I want them to have a jolly good time ! But for the love of Aperol Spritz, please stop asking me why I don’t chose to participate. This is particularly difficult over the Christmas season, the television is full of ads for special sparkly wines and cocktails. It appears to be a national expectation that we all get sloshed at Christmas.

As a non drinker at a boozy party, I often feel like a party pooper. It’s true, I can’t stay up late with a bunch of tipsy revelers having fun until the wee hours. However I love a canape and a loaded karaoke machine. i recently heard from a non drinker that they were offered orange squash at a dinner party. (She wasn’t 10 years old by the way). Perhaps this year we can do better and offer the non drinkers something nice in a fancy glass like the coupe’ based on the breast of Marie Antoinette with some sort of frosting?

Shloer does not cut the mustard and neither do regular soft drinks. Fanta with your Caviar ? No thankyou. I recently enjoyed a very nice Seedlip Garden Non Alcoholic Spirit and I intend to try out their Citrus Fizz this season. Otherwise a glass of fizzy water is fine by me. But please don’t ask me why I am not drinking.

Bottoms Up!

Sophie x

Bow in Liberty Fabric Capel

Bow in Liberty Fabric Wiltshire

Bow in Marmalade Linen

Give Back Weekend

Over the past few posts, I have talked a lot about the value of small business and how in fact you are getting a good bang for your buck when you buy from small brands. Their businesses are often built on high quality craftsmanship, good materials and a little mark up to keep the ball rolling. Many small brands including ours, are not able to offer Black Friday Discounts, as you are getting the best price we can offer every day.

As in previous years, we have decided to support our local food banks this long weekend. Basically, for every purchase you make, we will buy two essential items for Penryn Foodbank in Cornwall. Most Foodbanks will provide you with a list of required items if you give them a ring.

Don’t forget about the little guys in over this crazy commercial period. If you go back a couple of posts, you will find some of our favourite small brands. Also remember, the best gifts you can give your time and experience (and maybe some nice ceramics… hint, hint).

Have a great weekend and don’t get sucked it ! If you know of any businesses that are trying to make a small difference this weekend please put their details in the comments.

Sophie xxx

Tablecloth, Napkin and Placemats in Florence Linen

Oh We Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside!

Poppy and Honesty is based in Falmouth, Cornwall on the far west coast of the UK. Our studio is a sail loft and I can see the waves lapping at the quay as I type this post. We receive so many messages asking us where we have a shop front or offer wholesale, however for the time being the only place that you will find our lovely products is by the sea here in Falmouth. We love to welcome visitors for a look around our studio, have a chat and a cup of tea. Please contact us for an appointment first (so that we can have a bit of a tidy up a bit and make sure we are actually here).

Photo : Sarah Jane Humphries

Falmouth is a vibrant town during all times of the year. In the summer the streets are crowded with pasty eating holiday makers or enthusiastic shanty singers, however for the rest of the year Falmouth hosts university students who bring creativity and fun to an otherwise sleepy town. My preference would be to avoid the crowds and visit Falmouth out of season. Here are some of my top recommendations,

Eating

Stones Bakery : The towns finest bread and pastries. Carb-load in their cosy cafe until 4pm.

Espressini : The all day breakfast menu is always creative and the coffee is superb.

Nude Canteen : For healthy poke bowls and not-too-naughty cakes head to Nude Canteen up on the Moor.

The Star and Garter : This pub has a gorgeous view over the harbour and serves food that is sourced locally for lunch and dinner. One of our favourites,

Shopping

Love and Honor : Beautifully curated homewares shop with treats from Amuse La Bouche and Casa Cubista. Marie Clare also pours her own candles and there are often beautiful bunches of flowers for sale outside.

Willow and Stone : If you are looking for a gift for a tricky person, this is the best place to go. They also have a fantastic range of front door furniture and their Christmas window always rivals those on Regents Street.

Bosuns Locket : This outdoorsy sailing shop for ruggedy types, offers high quality goods and I love their Scandinavian jumpers and backpacks.

Things to Do

The Poly : Our independent Arts Centre hosts local artists and regularly shows films and bands. The Poly Shop offers a gorgeous selection of handmade treasures by local artists.

The Cornish Bank : This vibrant venue is the place for fun in the evenings. As well as pop up food vendors, they host a range of bands and stand up artists.

Morgans : Art and Design gallery in a beautifully restored Georgian building. Stunning selection of contemporary art and ceramics from local craftspeople.

Obviously the best thing to do in Falmouth is walk along our beautiful harbour and discover the pretty coves. Please come and visit our Cornish town and say hello to us at our Sail Loft.

Sophie xx

From top to bottom.

Ruffle Cushion in Florence, Ruffle Cushion in Liberty Fabric Wiltshire and Ruffle Cushion in Granny Smith.

Small Shop Directory : Home

Ceramics

Marigold and Lettuce create beautiful chunky white china. I love the way you can see the potters’ thumbprints in each piece. Best of all you can throw everything in the dishwasher which is a massive win in my book.

Florence Mytum. If you are a fan of wobbly china you will love Florence Mytum’s mugs and candle holders. I have the gorgeous wiggle mugs in the studio, they are robust and everyone admires them. Florence is a ceramic artist based in East London.

EOT Ceramics are all handmade in Cornwall. Emily’s designs are perfect someone who favors a paired back Scandinavian aesthetic. We particularly love the dimple mugs. Keep a look out for EOT’s winter collection launching on 13th November

Textiles

In Casa by Paboy : Paboy crafts the most beautiful cushions, towels and other accessories from vibrant cottons expertly patch-worked together. Each piece is a work of art. Paboy has the most astonishing and inspiring story and this is definitely a fantastic small business to support this Christmas.

Sunday and Story : Alongside sourcing amazing rugs from around the world, Josephine has a lovely selection of smaller pieces such as wool pouffes, pretty jute placemats and Kilm Cushions.

Poppy and Honesty : From pouches to huge scalloped edged quilts, we have a gift for almost everyone. All of our textiles are handmade from start to finish in Cornwall from Liberty fabrics, our exclusive linens and velvets. Please check our lead times for bedding sets and quilts.

Cards and Art Prints

Mimi Dickson : Mimi is the queen of beautiful tiny illustrations featuring little nostalgic joys such as Penguin Classics and jars of Marmite. Mimi makes beautiful cards and personally I would rather send x5 of her special creations that x50 generic Christmas cards from Tescos.

Charlotte Farmer : Bold coloured screenprints and wild designs (some even glow in the dark). These prints would be the perfect gift for someone with a sense of humour and a colourful home.

Rosie Harbottle : Gentle watercolour and pastel prints of still life compositions and more stylised images. Based in Dartmoor, Rosie’s beautiful paintings and prints are so pretty and nostalgic.

Other lovely things

The Appreciation Project : Natasha stocks the most beautiful selection of dried flowers which will look lovely and delicate on your mantlepiece even when the fire’s roaring and the heating’s wacked up. The Appreciation Project also sources the most exquisite marble vases.

Folie Chambre : Alongside beautiful bobbin mirrors and lamps, Natalie also makes candle holders and christmas decorations. Folie Chambre is known for amazing British craftsmanship as beautiful antique treasures.

I totally understand that shopping exclusively from small brands is not budget friendly for most families, however I hope that there is a small way you can support little independent businesses this Christmas. Please add your favourite small brands to the comments below, we’d love to know where you find your treasures.

Sophie xxx

Shop Early and Shop Small

According to everywhere, Christmas is on. As someone who won’t put up the tree until mid December and is likely to punch a box of mince pies if Maria Carey sings in the supermarket before next month, the prospect of Christmas shopping seems very premature. However if you are planning to support small independent brands it is important to get ahead with gathering your Christmas haul.

Small shops like Poppy and Honesty don’t have the capacity to stock all of their products as many of these are handmade to order. We offer such a huge range of sizes, that we ask our customers to allow 2-3 weeks for bedding sets and quilts to be handmade. Other small retailers will need longer lead times as they will possibly need to source materials to make your beautiful orders

The joy of shopping from small businesses is that there is no big guy in a shiny office taking a handsome cut from profits. Therefore your hard earned cash is more likely to be reflected in the quality of the product and will find its way more easily into the pockets of makers and small business owners. Think of it this way, your Christmas pounds could be paying for someone’s ballet lessons, school holiday, electric bill or even turkey!

I am absolutely no expert in economics but including shopping from small brands when you are gathering your Christmas loot seems like a pretty good idea. Over the next few weeks, I will be creating some mini directories of my favourite small businesses. If you have any suggestions, it would be lovely if you could add them to the comments below.

Happy November

Sophie

Quilt in Liberty Fabric ‘Ciara’

Duvet Cover in Liberty fabric ‘Poppy Forest’

The Small Joys of Autumn

Let’s be honest, Autumn and Winter can be grim : the longest term ever for the kids under low grey skies and the assault of Halloween and Christmas marketing in parallel with a cost of living crisis. However, all is not lost, I have been in cahoots with my family and friends and we have come up with a list of the tiniest things that may bring you a little touch of joy this time of year.

I find that short days provide the ultimate excuse to be lazy, there is no laundry to bring in and it’s too dark to possibly go out. Autumn really is the perfect time to snuggle up with your books, films and listen to music as soon as the sun goes down. I have put a few ideas below and hope that I have included some small joys that are accessible to all.

1. Sunrise at an acceptable hour.

2. Hedgehogs. Help them to hibernate successfully, build a hog house or maybe even get a camera !

3. Eating bowls of custard with or without crumble (Birds is fine)

4. Candle light, firelight and fairy lights.

5. Sparklers (fireworks too scary for dogs)

6. The lingering smell of bonfires.

7. Hanging up food for birds. Recipe for Fat Balls here

8. Sunday roast at home or in a pub after a long walk

9. Bright orange tangerines in the shops

10. Soup … think of all those poor disgarded Halloween pumpkins. Recipe here (I love mine with ginger and toasted pumpkin seeds.

11. Plant as many spring bulbs as possible (dig them deep into the soil- it will be worth it..)

12. Corduroy

Once you put your mind to it, I am sure that you will find other pleasures suited to this time of year. Please add them to the comments below for everyone to enjoy.

I will leave you with this beautiful quote that we can all aspire to, although in my opinion it is perfectly acceptable to moan and bitch throughout the whole season.

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger – something better, pushing right back.

Albert Camus

Sophie xx

Linen tablecloth and napkins in Florence.

Introducing 'Florence'

Finally our beautiful linen is here; just in time for the cosy season. There have been many hurdles launching our new starlet out into the world, but we think she’s an absolute corker. ‘Florence’ is a 100% Oeko Tex Certified Linen and features a gorgeous pinstripe in terracotta, olive green and soft white. We think she looks soft and cosy alongside our resident linen ‘Rose Gingham’ and feels wonderfully romantic with our Liberty fabrics ‘Poppy Forest Rust’, ‘Wiltshire’ and ‘Capel’. I am sure that our creative customers will come up with some fabulous bedding and table linen combinations.

We named our fabric ‘Florence’, as it reminded us of the pyjamas worn by Grandfathers and bygone war time heroes. Thus we made the very tenuous link to Florence Nightingale and it also happens to my middle name! Bringing the collection together at the last minute due to an oil spill in transit (****) was an herculean effort and we couldn’t have made it all work without my tribe of warrior women (Kate May, Rhona McDade and Fliss Lincoln) as well as ‘got it in one shot, Rob Herron’.

Ruffle Edge Table Cloth in ‘Florence”

Alongside our bedding range we have also created a table linen collection showcasing our beautiful new ‘Florence’. Not only does this fabric look gorgeous but it is also incredibly absorbent and durable. I am very much of the mind set that things should not be kept for best. Laying the table beautifully for your chippy tea and lighting a candle will simply make you feel better about the long Autumn evenings. Greasy fingers on linen are no problem, as you can hurl your tablecloths and napkins into the washing machine and ironing is entirely optional. We recommend combining the Florence Table linen with napkins in Rose Gingham; these are available with or without crochet edging.

Large Linen Tablecloth in Florence

Finally, it is definitely worth mentioning that as well as being a mega babe, our linen in ‘Florence’ has eco- friendly credentials. As the flax for our linens is grown in the fertile soils of Northern Europe, it requires very little water and virtually no fertilizers or pesticides. Every part of the flax plant is used for making linen as well as linseed oil, food for livestock and soap. Our linen requires very little dye for colouring and is completely biodegradable. What’s not to love about Florence?

Sophie xx

Location : The Harbour House Flushing

Photography : Good Rest Studios

Styling : Otti Styling

Taking a walk on the wild side with House of Hackney

We are so excited to be working with House of Hackney who are launching part two of The Market Garden: their marketplace bringing together a collective of craftspeople inspired by a joint muse; Mother Nature. 

From handcrafted ceramics and original artworks to decor accessories and textiles, House of Hackney carefully curated The Market Garden to bring the beauty of Nature into your home.

I first visited the House of Hackney Flagship store ‘St Michaels’ back in February 2023 and although I was not greeted by a tiger or cobra, I was absolutely blown away by their incredible use of colour and pattern. I think I might of counted at least 5 paint colours and 8 patterns blending together perfectly in one of their exquisite rooms. Needless to say we were thrilled to be invited to join The Market Garden.

Our first project in May, was to work on a stunning tablecloth, handmade from House of Hackney’s ‘Floribunda’ fabric. Our head seamstress Kate literally squealed when she clapped her eyes on the pattern which is brimming with meadow flowers.

POPPY AND HONESTY Floribunda Magna Table Cloth

This season, House of Hackney enters the dark side of the Garden; the Gothic Garden. Featuring a carefully curated collection of artworks and homewares. We were delighted to be asked to contribute some beautiful linen bedding to the collection. The classic green and white stripe duvet and pillowcases contrasts beautifully with the patchwork throws and bespoke made headboards crafted in Devon.

Photo Credit Rosie Woolman

Photo Credit Rosie Woolman

We are so grateful to House of Hackney B Corp for generously extending their platform to make opportunites to craftspeople like Poppy and Honesty and hope that you enjoy looking at their stunning curation in The Market Garden.

Sophie x

Bows to bring joy

We have been busy hand crafting huge bows in the studio to be launched on October 8th. Each is carefully handmade from either Liberty fabric or linen and lined with soft cotton wadding to provide some structure. We have added a ribbon for hanging and also provided a little square tag if you would prefer to pin or nail your bow to any surface.

For me ‘the bow’ is a symbol of joy. From the sickly cellophane bows around bouquets to wedding cars, gifts and lavish 80’s bridesmaid dresses. Put a bow on anything and it makes it feel special. When I was about 9 years old I was obsessed with making Fergie bows, the larger and more gaudy all the better ! A little cottage in a village we used to drive through, was seasonally dressed in a huge pink ribbon with a large bow. The treat of seeing this gift of a house was source of fun and anticipation for my family.

Perhaps you will keep your bow wrapped up with your Christmas decorations and treasures to bring out ceremoniously every year. I am sort of girl who never keeps anything for best and would probably hang a bow over the downstairs loo or on the end of the bed. A little reminder that life is a gift, even though it doesn’t always feel like one.

Sophie x

Beep Beep ! Here come the bows…

Pudding for One

I find myself at home alone on Friday nights with increasing frequency. To be clear, I am absolutely fine with the situation as I am always knackered and don’t have the energy to create a meal , go out (what?????) or compromise on my Netflix choices. To optimize these quiet and wonderful evenings, I like to indulge in a personal pudding. There is no need to share and there is something a little rebellious about having ‘just a pudding’ for supper. If this is also your Friday night situation, I have put a couple of VERY simple recipes below to cover both chocolatey and carby cravings.

Chocolate Soufflé for One

50g dark chocolate

A pinch of sea salt

2 heaped tablespoons caster sugar,

25g butter,

1 large egg separated

1 tsp vanilla extract

• Set a fan oven to 180°C and grease a ramekin or small oven proof dish with butter

• Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and melt slowly.

• Whilst the chocolatey mixture is melting, whisk your egg whites until they become snowy peaks and then whizz in the sugar until it all becomes glossy.

• Take the bowl of chocolate and butter off the heat and cool slightly. Then stir in the vanilla extract and egg yolk.

• Fold the stiff egg whites into the chocolatey mixture and delicately spoon into the ramekin.

• Cook for 18 mins and scoff with cream and or ice cream.

Individual Bread and Butter Pudding

x2 small slices of any bread or brioche

a handful of sultanas, cranberries or choc chips

x2 tbsp caster sugar

x2 tbsp double cream

60ml whole milk

Butter to spread

x1 egg

• Set a fan oven to 180° C and grease a ramekin or small oven proof dish with butter

• Spread the bread liberally with butter.

• Layer the bread (you may need to cut it down) into the ramekin sprinkling the dried fruit or choc chips between the layers as you go.

• Meanwhile whisk the egg, cream, sugar and milk together in small jug.

• Pour the creamy mixture over the bread in the ramekin, sprinkling nutmeg or cinnamon on the top if desired.

• Bake for 35 minutes until the top is golden and delicious.

YUM YUM and no need for mind-bending ‘Ottolenghi-style’ 15 ingredient and 25 step instructional methods for total delicious decadence.

Sophie xx

One spoon please?

How to Autumn - Part 1 BOOKS

I woke up this morning and felt the very specific cool breeze that always comes at the beginning of Autumn. Whilst it was a billion degrees last week, the new season will sneak up on us quickly and I like to be prepared. Like many of you, I find this particular time of year quite tricky. I think that it is the combination of being frankly quite exhausted after the school holiday juggle but also mourning the longer days and time spent outdoors. To avoid that flat feeling, it’s nice to have a few little plans for Autumn to welcome and embrace the new season.

Reading is vital to me, however I don’t always find it easy to find the right book for my particular mood or circumstance. In order to soothe the malaise that comes with the loss of summer and ease ourselves into the colder months, we need books that will warm our hearts as well as keep us engaged. Below I have compiled a little list of books that I find both cheering and comforting.

One Day I Will Astonish The World - Nina Stibbe

I have chosen this book because I thought it was so funny, full of wit and irony. The story follows the rather dull life of Susan in rural Leicestershire and her extraordinary friendship with bizarre Norma. I found the book a little hard to get into but ultimately loved the eccentricities of the characters alongside the frequently dark humour.

Games and Rituals - Katherine Heiny

This is a book of short stories and every single one is a gem. Each tale is a perfect little snapshot of ordinary lives and relationships with all their quirks and complexities. My favourite short story ‘CoBra’ is about a man living with his Marie Kondo crazed wife and his growing fear that she will ultimately ‘declutter him’ now that he is deemed ‘neither beautiful nor useful.’ This is a gorgeous little book.

Without Warning and Only Sometimes - Kit De Waal

Author Kit De Waal grew up with an Irish mother and black father in a very poor home in the 1960’s. Her mother became a Johovas Witness who convinced her five children that any naughty behaviour would preclude them from heaven when the world ultimately ended (1975). In spite of all of these very tricky conditions, Kit De Waal tells her autobiogaphy with such love and affection for her family. I have chosen to include this book because it is so of warmth and hope as well as documenting the most extaordinary childhood.

Darling- India Knight

This is a fabulous fast paced retelling of the ‘Pursuit of Love’ by Nancy Mitford. Staying true to the original story, India Knight follows the eccentric Radettes around Paris and London with perfect dead pan humour. Reflective of our times, this book feels like eating a big box of expensive chocolates. I would definitely recommend reading the original for full appreciation of this decadent new version.

If you have any book recommendations for Autumn please put add them to to the comments.

I hope everyone is settling into the new season

Sophie x

Our wonderful team

Here at Poppy and Honesty, I am lucky enough to work with the most wonderful group of women. I started this business from the kitchen table, sewing cushions and bedding around the demands of two small children. Now we have a team of seven ! We all work from our own homes which has been fantastic as we have been able to carry on through all the lockdowns. Next year, I dream that we will have a larger studio so that we can come together and share skills and ideas.

Flexibility is key to operations at Poppy and Honesty. Our team have other commitments and some are carers or have young children. They complete their work around their responsibilities which makes the whole Poppy and Honesty system go round. Our team all have different skills and strengths and it wonderful to be able to draw on these so that we can bring you a fantastic collection of homewares.

Anyway, I thought that it is high time that you metsome of our team. A few of them are camera shy even though I think they just splendid.

Marvellous Mo

Super Steph

Incredibly talented Kate ( no alliteration worthy)

Lovely Lee

Yours truly, spinner of plates !!!

Happy December 1st

A big warm covid free hug

Sophie xxxxx

Flexibility

Food bank donations over Black Friday weekend.

Here at Poppy and Honesty we will not be offering discounts during Black Friday Weekend. We are a very small business, with narrow profit margins and employ a small team of local seamstresses. It is therefore impossible for us to compete with the big guys this Black Friday and participate in the biggest shopping bonanza of the year.

Instead we have teamed up with the beautiful stationary brand ‘Pogofandango’ to give back to our local community. For every item ordered on our site or over at ‘pogofandango’ this weekend, we will both donate an item to our local food-bank. They have given us a list of specific items that are in great demand at this time of year, which will ensure that our donations will be valuable to those who need them most.

We hope you will join with us and support other small businesses when you gather your Christmas haul. Remember to shop well and know that recipients will treasure thoughtful gifts that have a happy provenance.

Have a lovely week

Sophie xxx

Stocking in Marmalade. Duvet Cover in Liberty Fabric

Thorpe Crown in Rose Gingham Cushion in Seaside Stripe

Our beautiful Christmas collection that's made for all year round

Recently I was lucky enough to hang out with glorious Interior Designer Dee Campling and Floral stylist extraordinaire Ness. I have worked with this particular dream team on a few occasions creating whimsical and enchanting scenes, that draw you into a world of twinkly lights, dreamy floral arrangements and featuring some pretty quirky pets. This magical aesthetic is the perfect backdrop for our beautiful liberty fabrics and laundered linens.

Table cloth in Rose Gingham, Ruffle Stocking in Marmalade, Celebration Crown in Seaside Stripe

Aside from the stockings (for which I challenge you to find an annual purpose - possibly peg bag?), all of our table linen and our celebration crowns are designed to be used all year round. Just add seasonal feasts and flowers and you have a wonderfully inviting dining table.

Ruffle Pillowcase in Marmalade, Duvet Covers in Liberty fabrics Thorpe and Wiltshire Bud

Storage bag in Danjo Rust

With regards to our celebration crowns, these are to be used anytime at all. Filled in your tax return ? Taken the recycling out on the correct night ? Got through the worst 18 months ever ? It’s time to wear your crown. Put them somewhere prominent and remember to celebrate every little achievement.

Celebration Crown in Rose Gingham and Wiltshire Bud

Cushion in Seaside Stripe.

Our crowns are handmade with care in Cornwall. One side is made from Liberty fabric and the other is crafted from a beautiful laundered linen. The crowns fasten with a generous ribbon which will accommodate every noddle in the land. We’ve attached a little brass bell to make our crowns a little more jingly and special.

I can’t believe that we will be shutting our studio in a months time (19th December). As many of our products are handmade to order, please shop early as we would hate you to be disappointed. This year I am Christmas shopping for heirlooms and experiences. Let’s try to buy less and better this Christmastime,

Big November Hugs

Sophie

xxxx

Rage, guilt, shame and other Coronactivities

The reason I haven’t written many posts recently is because I feels callous to write about anything other than Armaggedon. Musings on my rather privileged and boring lock-down seem in bad taste, given the current state of the world and the fact that lots of people are having a really awful time. Even though psychologists and great thinkers suggest that we retreat into our smaller interior worlds to help us cope with waves of bad news, I still feel guilty about scrolling through Kardashian lock-down fashion and fixating on peoples’ interior design choices at Zoom meetings. There is a sense amoungst us that we shouldn’t be enjoying life when there are big bad serious things happening.

Guilt and Shame are big power players in the pandemic. On a day to day basis I can generally identify about 6 things that I am ashamed of including: being able to work, sitting on a park bench for 5 minutes, not spending time with my children, scoring ‘appallingly’ in an imaginary Ofsted inspection of home school, not volunteering for the NHS and being fit and healthy. These are the main ones, but I haven’t even touched the shame of slightly fancying the Chancellor Rishi and looking up his personal details on Wikipedia, during his delivery of the ‘daily update of doom’ at Number 10.

During lock-down, we are not only harder on ourselves but everyone around us, casting judgement and scoring people for their ability to social distance. Every time I get back from the supermarket, I get corona-rage about my ‘two metre’ space being invaded and rant about how I am going to get a megaphone and disgrace people for not following the ‘very simple’ rules. Later, I invariably feel guilty for my corona-rage because you don’t know everyone’s situation and it’s not very nice to be so judgemental. From local reports of nasty notes on cars, blocking off public footpaths and vandalism, it would seem that the general public have also got massive corona-rage and feel that it is their duty to shame the public, judging them for their lock-down failures.

I was considering how I could look after my friends when they are going through a really hard time; I try to treat them gently, listen to them, take them chocolate and hold their hands. Given that lock-down is a very hard time (and much harder for others) it seems totally bizarre that we are treating ourselves and our fellow humans with such harshness. It’s natural to want to assign blame for this grim situation and since we can’t actually shout at the Coronavirus itself (well we can if you want), we tend to be angry with ourselves and others instead. Maybe if we could be a little more aware of this behaviour, we will feel a bit better. Similarly we need to remind ourselves that it’s absolutely ok to laugh at Jo Exotic home haircuts, have some nice times during lockdown and not so feel guilty about our own ‘perceived’ failures.

Go easy on yourselves,

Sophie xoxo

Bedding in Blue Grey Linen (on sale). Pillowcase and quilt in Liberty oF London print ‘Capel.’