Having canine pets featured on cushions, fabrics and wallpapers, as I mentioned before, is a very popular trend this season and I’m loving these new cushions by Yukari Sweeney.

The name for cushion#9 was inspired by the house that was designed for Eames, named Case Study House#9.  The perfect size for tucking behind the small of your back when sitting on an elegant rocking chair and accessorises it perfectly when you’re not sitting on it.  ‘Henry in the Rain‘ is a Boston terrier who gets caught playing out in the rain – wouldn’t you just love to give him a warm snuggly home?

Wolfgang is a friendly and striking wolf who enjoys singing and howling at the full moon from his woodland clearing where he enjoys playing and sleeping in the hollows. Isn’t this a beautiful cushion?

It’s been a pretty hectic few days as I’ve been delivering talks on social media at a couple of events and although I didn’t feel nervous beforehand, I was pretty tired afterwards so I think the nerves were subconsciously ebbing away at my energy levels.

Hasn’t it gone cold? It was so blustery today. I spotted this picture by Lene Bjerre and thought that the chunky knitted slipover complete with tassels is just so cosy for nestling in with a book – perfect for when the wind is howling outside as it is tonight.

Up for a challenge? Knitting that might be a tad challenging for most of us but think how warm and cosy the finished product would be.

Happy Monday to you. Hope you had a lovely weekend, we celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary (yes, I was a child bride!) but as hubby was so busy drawing in straw for the winter and our babysitter was away, it ended up that the four of us went out on Saturday night to celebrate! The children enjoyed their first pints – of rock shandy!

Maybe it is because the weather is feeling decidedly autumnal but this post feels very right for my mood at the moment. Quaint cottagey florals are very much ‘in’. Dara Flynn wrote about this in the Sunday Times a couple of weeks ago, how people in the depression-era of the 1930s turned to cosy florals to cheer up their homes and hey, we seem to be doing the same.

Vanessa Arbuthnott fabrics

Fabrics from Vanessa Arbuthnott

A comfy sofa, a throw, a woollen blanket and lots of cosy cushions, a rug on the floor, a fire in the hearth, lots of books, floral curtains, a couple of lamps, a teapot and I am set for the winter – and if they are all in chintzy quaint florals, well, you can double the comforting factor (In fact, I think I am coming down with a cold and am feeling sorry for myself and want to curl up on said sofa in front of said fire with that book!)

Cabbages & Roses

Dara was kind enough to mention our Sophia teapot in her article so I thought I’d share it with you here too and check out all our Sophia tableware and crockery.

Sophia Teapot

Sophia Teapot by Greengate

And here’s a sneak peak of what will be coming to our online shop mid September – Greengate’s new Nordic range is lovely, I particularly love the mix and match crockery of the Valery white and Naomi plum

Valery White and Naomi Plum

And that cake looks scrummy too! Just what the doctor ordered!

Greengate Millie

Hope you have a lovely week and that the sun is shining where you are!

I actually wanted to order absolutely everything from the Greengate catalogue but had to restrain myself!!  I am in the process of adding the new Greengate products to the online shop – lovely cushions, beach mats, table runner, cake plates, luggage tags, stoneware jugs, pretty napkins ……

Just looking at them makes it seem like a beautiful summer day.  Click here to see all the latest Greengate arrivals.

I almost forgot that it is Wednesday!

Yukari sent me this photo this morning of her gorgeous Manor House Damask Wallpaper.  In keeping with the Japanese tradition of working with the seasons, each colourway is named after a different season and this one is Spring and has been really popular lately.

Featuring elegant candleabras and chandeliers, it really is whimsical and exquisite and of course, you can purchase it here at Garrendenny Lane!

And there is now a cushion available in a matching fabric. Isn’t it gorgeous.

60 cm x 40 cm €82 and available here.