Rebel! To languish and rest is an art form to master
January schmanuary. It's time for comfort, ease and retreat from whatever you want.
January is for the dreamers.
A month for Not Doing It. Dream intentions, write down lofty goals, lose hours plotting trips and things that will light up the year.
But day-to-day ambitions, for us at least, won’t be much bigger than eat, sleep, work, do nice things, repeat.
If we start like this, it’s going to be a good year.
You might have spotted that things look a little different around here. New year, new us? New year, same us, but we’ve resettled this part of our newsletter here on Substack. Here’s to community and inspiration in 2025.
But enough about us. A happy new year to you all.
Have fun not doing it this month.
Things that caught our eye
> Are you curious?
> Raves in 2024
> 30-minute dinner. Squashy, parmesan-y chickpeas, with brown butter-fried eggs.
> Modern-day hermitage. Solitude and retreat.
> An argument for work-mandated naps.
> Covet the most delicate of them all
> Workshop earlybirds
Relearn
Rest is resistance—a tome on how to escape the grind. Tricia Hersey gives lessons in life.
Illustration : Daniella Morgan
Do
A place to collate all the madness and beauty. Gather notes, quotes and words in your commonplace book. Will you make one?
Discover
Visionary Josiah Wedgwood is credited with pioneering today’s common retail and marketing strategies. Lose yourself in his journey to perfect the Wedgwood Blue.
Forget
“It’s hip to focus on getting things done, but it’s only possible once we remove the constant static and distraction. If you have trouble deciding what to do, just focus on not doing.” Drop the to-do list. It’s time for the Not To Do list
Illustration: Lorenzo Sangio
Eat
January Comfort Food. Chicken soup with Rice
Picture
Defying convention - how photographer artist Deborah Turberville turned fashion photography into avant-garde art. Melancholic and dreamy.
Wear
Warm ears = happy heart. And a New Year craft tick to boot. Wool and the Gang do it every time.
Read
Impervious to ice. Protected from chill. Bringer of death, ill fortune and heat. The tall tales of snowdrops. ‘A tiny, fragile milk flower clustered resolutely in the bitter and frosted winter’s soil - bringer of hope to some yet loathed by so many.’
Image Annie Spratt
Events at the Forge
‘La Basketry’ Basket Weaving Workshop
April 6th 2025
Join us for an exclusive basket-weaving workshop with Tabara N’Diaye of La Basketry and discover the timeless art of coiling - a basket-weaving technique cherished and passed down through generations.
Flower bundle dyeing workshop & plant-based lunch with Babs Behan
May 11th 2025
Learn to create mesmerising patterns on cloth, using a contemporary natural dyeing technique, also known as "bundle dyeing"
This technique is one of the many found in Babs Behan's book "Botanical Dyes" (Quadrille books 2024) and one which she practices professionally from her Botanical Inks natural dye studio, with a range of organic silk garments and accessories.
A delicious seasonal plant-based lunch will be served.
This newsletter is curated by Silkie (pictures) and Daisy (words).To keep it going and growing, we'd love you to share it with someone you think might like it.
So fun to see you here lovely!