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.’

Motherhood doesnt make you a super hero - being a magnificent woman does

Mothers’ Day is fast approaching and whilst this is a happy, stress-free event for me, I understand that it can be very difficult and problematic for other women. Mothers’ Day must be excruciating for those who have experienced loss or were unable to have children; or for women grieving their own mothers or poorly parented childhoods. However, for women who have chosen to be child free, Mothers’ Day must feel like a rather exclusive party to which they weren’t invited.

Despite the fact that in this day and age women achieve the most incredible things, reproduction is still frequently considered to be the most life changing and rewarding event in a woman’s life. Whilst I adore being a mother and holding those little precious bundles in my arms was indeed life changing and amazing, I think it’s naive and almost verging on arrogant to consider this experience the ‘pinnacle of life’ for every woman. There is no one-way route for happiness and fufillment, just look at Dolly Parton and Oprah (two amongst many fabulous, child-free women).

There is a widely felt assumption that motherhood generates more empathy, compassion and ultimately makes you more evolved as a human being. In light of the number of cases of neglected and abused children, this notion is frankly absurd (Remember Rose West?). Conversely, this prevailing generalization suggests that child- free women have less empathy. I have to say that the fabulous women I know, who have chosen not to have children, are just as insightful and fully briefed on life, as those who know that pain of staying up all night with a teething infant. It was once suggested that Teresa May was less qualified to act as Prime Minister as she had chosen not to have children. I’m not entirely sure how wrangling toddlers makes you any better prepared to negociate a flailing Brexit Deal but I might be wrong there!!

Motherhood can often be exclusive. I have heard of so many cases where mothers have dropped their child- free friends because ‘they don’t understand.’ This is a mistake; for they can bring news on the outside world and a fresh perspective on your potty training woes. (I have to confess a tiny part of me was selfishly disappointed when my long term child-free friend announced her pregnancy: who would provide that great big dose of reality and potty free discussion?) The thing is, motherhood can be divisive and it’s hard to smash the patriachy when there is so much infighting; so let’s just agree that all women are different and equally magnificent.

To the Mothers; I wish you a Happy Mothers Day. (I, for one will be milking it for all it’s worth). To my child-free pals, thanks for all your support, I bloody love you. And for the love of God, can we all leave Jennifer Aniston alone, she’s not having a baby and allegedly she’s cool with that!

Sophie xxxx

Bedding in Liberty Print ‘Wild Flowers’

Insomnia : the all night rave that isn't fun

When I started to write this blog, I promised myself that I would only write about things that I am very familiar with and unfortunately insomnia is one of those things. Generally accompanied by its best friend Anxiety, insomnia usually sticks around for a couple of weeks, two or three times a year. Even though it’s appearance is relatively brief, this all night rave of worry and stress is all consuming and extremely debilitating. In this blog I thought I’d write about the things that help me get through these dark and lonely times and come out the other side feeling weary, but with a little more perspective. I’ll try not to regurgitate the same old tips on exercise and caffeine limits, but include some practical ideas that have helped me.

Get up , Get Out

No matter how little I may have slept, I try really hard to get up, make my bed and start the day. I find this helpful to try and reset my body clock and impose a routine on my sleep habits. If I really need to nap, I grab half an hour on the sofa, so that my bed is only associated with night time sleeping.

Run List for the day.

When I get up after a poor night’s sleep, I often feel rather hopeless and loosy-goosy about what I am going to do with the day. Anyone who has suffered from anxiety will know how hard it can be to make decisions. In order to reduce night time worry and avoid the ‘how the hell am I going to get through the day?’ feelings, I compose a ‘run list’ the night before. The ‘run list’ is very basic and includes little chores like dropping off the boys, walking the dog, work and also nice things such as reading a few chapters of a good book and having a bath. At the end of the day, I tick these off the run list, which makes me feel like that I am bossing it, in spite of the unwelcome anxiety and insomnia raving in my head.

Sleep Apps

Using sleep apps obsessively is counter productive in terms of giving too much time and energy over to ‘fixing a problem’ that can ultimately only fix itself. However, I do find sleep tracking technology quite useful with limited use (Sleepio). By looking at the quality, duration and time span of my sleep problems, I can see that my insomnia isn’t as drastic as I thought it might have been. It is clearly evident that my sleep goes through cycles and that I have made an excellent comeback from periods of insomnia. This helps me to challenge the irrational thoughts that scream ‘you will never, ever sleep again’ very rudely and loudly at 3 in the morning.

Meditation

In Russian, they don't say "I can't sleep." They say: "It isn't sleeping to me”. I really like this idea of not trying to sleep, but waiting for sleep to arrive. In order to welcome the elusive sleep, I use meditation to put myself in the most relaxed and calm position possible. I have to admit that I find quite a lot of meditation, in particular visualization, quite challenging. When I’m feeling anxious and wobbly, I find body scans and breathing meditations more accessible (Calm). In order to use meditation effectively at night, I try to practice once or twice during the day and attempt keep these sessions quite succinct, so that I don’t drift off to the ‘worry party’.

Insomnia can be really miserable and tricks you into thinking that it will never go away, but IT DOES. Rather like committing to a mantra, sometimes I find it helpful to write this down and repeat it often. Sleeplessness tends to ease once I have accepted its presence and worked out how I am going to manage it without being too controlling and obesessive. I don’t doubt that there are millions of others at this all night anxiety rave, and if you’re one of those party go-ers, please know that you have a friend (I’ll bring the vodka, you bring the whistles).

Sophie xxxx

Brighten up the insomnia party with new bedding in Liberty of London’s Felicite

Planning prettiness : Poppy and Honesty Spring/ Summer 2020.

My imposter syndrome runs far too deep to describe myself as a designer. In my mind, this title refers to the couturiers of high fashion and creators of amphibious cars (yes they exist) and hover boards (it wont be long). I find pretty fabrics and put them together to make them look even prettier.

When I begin to plan a new collection, I think about it in the same way as interior design : How do I want it to feel? For our winter collection, I wanted to create the feeling of being warm, cosy and cocooning and I hoped to achieve this by using rich earthy colours and textures such as crumpled linen and velvet. In contrast, I wanted our latest collection to feel easy- breezy, fun and fresh by using stripes, florals and ginghams, like a candy coloured pick and mix.

Bedding in Suzy Stripe

Suzy Stripe

Suzy Stripe reminded me of the seaside and as a Cornish based business we just had to include it into our collection : it’s pastel stripes are reminiscent of beach huts, deck chairs and sticks of rock. Suzy Stripe has a classic vintage feel which combines perfectly with our floral prints. Lumbar cushions, pillowcases, bedding sets and fitted sheets are all available in Suzy Stripe.

Penzance

Distinguished by it’s checkered pattern, gingham conjures up memories of summer school uniforms, Dorothy from Oz and classic table cloths. With its timeless charm, I though ‘Penzance’ would sit well amongst the nostalgic Liberty of London floral prints in our collection. The vibrant mustard and white check is fresh, fun and full of sunshine. Pillowcases and fitted sheets are currently available in Penzance.

Pillowcases in Penzance, Suzy Stripe, Capel and Felicite

Felicite

The delicate rose trail pattern was designed for Liberty of London in 1933. ‘Felicite’ is part of the Liberty Classics Collection in 1979 which included re- worked and re-coloured interpretations of Liberty’s most iconic prints. With its tones of peach, orange and lemon, this particular version of Felicite felt perfect for our summer collection. Pillowcases, bedding sets and fitted sheets are currently available in Liberty of London Tana Lawn cotton ‘Felicite.’

Betsy in Pink

Also part of the Liberty Classic’s Collection,’ Betsy’is a well known icon from the Liberty of London archive. This beautiful re-worked and re-coloured print was launched in 2019 in a soft pallet of rose pinks and sage green. As it is available in a linen base, we felt it would be the perfect print for our day bed mattresses. Bedding sets, pillowcases and fitted sheets are also available in Liberty of London Tana Lawn Cotton ‘Betsy’ in pink.

Duvet cover in Betsy Pink and Capel Mustard (coming soon).

As I work alone for much of the time, I am always so very grateful for your feedback. I find it incredibly difficult to be thinking a season ahead, at this time of year I want to wrap myself in sheepskins, drink cocoa and cover the house in fairy lights. Whenever spring decides to make an appearance, Poppy and Honesty is ready and waiting with an array of stripy, gingham and floral gorgeousness.

Sophie xx

Dog Person : My love affair with a rogue spaniel

I wasn’t always a dog person. My eyes would inwardly roll when folks would swoon over their new doggie friends, sometimes even referring to themselves as the pooch’s Mama and Papa. Don’t get me wrong I liked dogs, but I couldn’t understand how and why they made their owners gush with babbling baby talk and impose their boring doggy requirements of walking, pooping and training on the already strained lives of busy families. Then in trotted Dotty, the naughtiest spaniel in the world and I completely changed my mind.

My Mum recently asked me why I liked the dog so much, to which I responded '‘because she’s so nice”. There is no rudeness, door slamming, passive aggression or tantrums; just a waggy tail and a willingness to please. She makes me get out and enjoy beautiful parts of the Cornish coast, providing much needed breathing space in the middle of my busy day. A GP and a psychiatrist have both independently told me that they wish that they could prescribe ‘dog’ to their patients. Not only do they impose routine and exercise on their owners but provide company to those amongst us who feel afraid and alone. I have to say that I have never felt lonely with the silky spaniel at my feet and those big doe eyed stares are the perfect antidote to stroppy teenagers and tax returns..

Of course doggy ownership is not without its challenges. The puppy phase nearly killed us and bad Dotty was sent off to boot camp/Borstal for 4 weeks intensive ‘correction’ (she only just graduated!). She destroyed the builders shoes, dug a hole in the sofa and would run away for hours, living it up chasing cats and raiding bins. Honestly there were so many times when I thought to myself that she would have to go.

Dotty has now given up being a badass, although she’s still partial to a sock and enjoys stealing sandwiches from toddlers as pastime. I am glad we persevered and can’t ever see myself without a canine friend for company; I guess that makes me a dog person after all.

Sophie xxx

PS. I really enjoyed ‘Everyone died so I got a dog’ by Emily Dean and ‘Lost Dog’ by Kate Spicer. In both of these brilliant memoirs ‘the dog’ is the steady, grounding and important element of the authors lives.

Spaniel (currently not for sale) Cushions in Liberty of London print Betsy and Capel.