Now the magnificence of beautiful sunshine has broken; dribs and drabs of rain and oppressive cloud hovering and ready to strike, it seems like the perfect epoch to diatribe about umbrellas.

I have had a turbulent relationship with umbrellas in the past, and for the last year or so, have shunned their brittle frames and inadequate waterproof canopies for the reliable services of my trusty black trilby. Oh yes, as others struggle to keep their brollies right-side out, buffeted by high winds and dodging other umbrella-flaunters with their lethal spokes, I stride purposely, unhindered, hands free and just a little smug.

Cutesy-Whimsical from Paperchase

That was until I visited Paperchase in Waterstones. It had been a while, so instantly I fell in love with their delightful, quirky designs and needed a reason to buy. Function perhaps? Then I saw it – transparent stick-together vinyl with a red plastic handle, red edging and cutesy Japanese print. It’s really a child’s umbrella but then I think of myself as a bit of a child. Their stuff appeals to me, despite being rather giraffe-like; I love small things. Teensy teapots, children’s books (and umbrellas!) and I always eat with a small spoon. It makes things last longer. Only nice things. Like ice cream, jelly and multitudinous desserts. Mmmm.

Anyway, so I’ve not had an umbrella for a while but I just had to have this one. It is a long-handled affair, the kind you take out on a day when it is already raining otherwise you just end up looking like a buffoon carrying a long-handled umbrella .The kind of day you might leave it on a bus? Read more …

2 Comments | In: Lifestyle, Shopping, Wannabe Journalist | tags: fox frame, le chat noir, marks and spencer, paperchase, paris, tiffany butterfly, tokyo trippers, umbrellas. | #

So the story is, I’ve been engaged over two years and done very little actual wedding planning.

As a surprise gift, my wonderful, thoughtful, romantic fiance picked out a Smythson wedding planner, personalised with my ‘transitional’ initials: RHJ- Rebecca Holland-Johnstone. It is hot pink, the perfect colour for me, and its specially ‘Smythson’ super-fine milled paper pages, real leather cover and silvered edges, reassure me it is the platinum of the wedding planner hierarchy. Not only that, it likely cost a pound per page, so I now feel terrified of actually using it, and just want to adore it from afar, as it peeps out from its beautiful periwinkle box and matching fluffy sleeve. Bless, it may even graduate to family pet status.

It is sub-zero on the scale of cool, reigning high above the funky ‘Vegas’ theme device I purchased on a whim one lunchtime in Paperchase. Having brimmed with pride and delight while staring at it on our double whammy Billy’s, as if it was my first-born child, I have now decided to do the day-to-day planning using ‘Vegas’, and once a plan is final and firm in our minds, and the motherships consulted, I will feel able to write out it out in the planner, in a neat, smudge-free scrawl.

Phew, glad I’ve planned out using the planner. That’s quite enough for one month!

No Comments | In: The Wedding | tags: paperchase, smythson, wedding, wedding planner. | #