Home to Roost

I'm heading back to the UK tomorrow morning for a cheeky visit with my family. Apart from being excited about spending quality time with my nearest & dearest (Christmas was a whirlwind tour!) I am also looking forward to some retail therapy

I love to hit the charity shops when I'm back in the UK - this is where I source many of my materials for the Get Smitten collections. It's so important to me to make the effort to reduce the amount of textile waste the Western world produces with its quick & easy, high turn around fashion culture. More about that another time though! Plus it's nice to support the charities too. I also love to scout for interesting items to use when I'm styling - be it books, vases, vintage patterns or kitschy ornaments. Here's a quick run down on what I'll be hunting for this trip

• retro sewing patterns
• vintage crochet patterns
• odd balls of yarn
• suitable jumpers to unravel for the yarn
• retro bedlinen
• cut glass vases
• books with interesting covers
• vintage sewing/haberdashery notions

 Mum & I are heading to the Victoria & Albert museum - to see the much talked about Quilt: 1700-2010 exhibition. I adore the V&A and am beside myself at the thought of seeing all the amazing quilts they have on display. I have spent many hours checking out the textiles at the V&A  over the last 20 years, although mostly in darkened rooms through flat glass plates, so it will be a real treat to see them in their full glory. You can find out all about the exhibition here

And lastly, I will be making the most of my trip to London by swooning at the gorgeous items in Anthropology. Can't wait to see what they have done for their displays - I totally LOVE their visual merchandising

There's always such a comfort in a trip back to see family - having lived abroad for so many years now I really treasure those moments of laughter, reminiscing & unconditional love. I have several items back there that I want to photograph so I can tell you about them in future posts here. I want to dig out my old ballet shoes so that I can take a dance class here. I want to find my A-Level copy of Pride & Prejudice - the one with all my course notes in. I want to look through the old photo albums of when we were kids. I want to feel that feeling you get when you're surrounded by your favourite people in the the whole world. Home is where the heart is. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to pack!

Happy 10th Birthday Inside Out!

The blogosphere is currently awash with birthday wishes to super cool Australian interiors/lifestyle magazine Inside Out - they are celebrating 10 years of fabulous design, inspiration, ideas, recipes, colour and style.

Now, it is a little tricky for me to rave on about this celebrated birthday issue as I have not yet got my hands on a copy - although I have begged my Aussie mates to post me a copy toute-de-suite! (is part of my need linked to the fact that this issue comes with a screen printed Rob Ryan T-towel????? I'll let you judge me on that one!) So instead I shall link you over to one of my fave Australian design blogs, The Design Files, where the lovely Lucy interviewed Inside Out's editor Karen McCartney, who launched the mag back in 2000

And for a greater appreciation of the talent that goes into such a brilliant monthly mag, you must visit the Inside Out blog, where "the staff happily reveal a few of their favourite things". The Inside Out team totally inspire you to inject style into your life... it's contagious

I had originally thought that this would be the end of this post but then I realised that it is in fact thanks to Inside Out that I have my work now as a stylist. Back in about 2003, when I was living in Sydney, Australia, I found myself assisting various stylists in order to pick their brains about the job & get some hands-on experience of working on a shoot. The first kind soul to give me a break was English stylist Lynsey Fryers & the majority of the jobs we worked on together were for Inside Out with the hugely talented photographer Amanda Prior. Ah, happy paint-fumed, gluey-fingered memories!

I continued to assist various established stylists even when I started to get my own gigs (thank you at this point to kind soul no.2 - Art Director Caroline Sherlock) - it's such a great way to learn a trade, pick up tricks & secrets and meet other people in the industry. Plus it's fun - they tend to get the really good gigs which you can then become a part of. I remember in particular a 2 day shoot with stylist Sam Beer & photographer Lucas Allen - we took over this wonderful home up near Centennial Park & the entire front room was filled with props that Sam had called in from numerous stores and boutiques in the city. I was busy ironing creases from out-of-the-packet bed linens & decorating oranges with cloves (oh, yes - did I mention how glamorous the life of a stylist's assistant is?!) when they suddenly decide that the bed shot would look so much better with a body in it.... cue me, stripped down to my essentials & in a nightie, frolicking on a luxurious bed of throws & blankets with lights & cameras pointing at me. I can assure you I am not accustomed to this type of behaviour! Here, I have just dug out the clippings for your amusement!

So I guess that just leaves me to wish all at Inside Out a very happy birthday & here's to another 10 years of style inspiration for the home & for living!

photos of selected Inside Out/Home Beautiful magazine clippings by Lisa Pocklington