Shed stories and a gift for you today. I have been busy painting down here and adding new pieces to our reclaimed wood wall. Say hello to my new favourite lady the beautiful Boreas – painted by John William Waterhouse and named after the Greek god of the north wind. Perfect for my creative hideaway at the bottom of our garden up on the blustery cliffs.
I have had my eye on this print for ages, I love the layers of her shawl, the deep blue of her dress, the spring flowers and the pose. It was kindly gifted to me to add a little autumn cheer to my Tea Shed by the folks over at King & McGaw. I also have a little gift for you too, if you are looking for something to adorn your home (or shed walls?!). Use the offer code JESKA20 for 20% off any order at King & McGaw – valid this weekend from Friday 16th until Monday the 19th November. So, want to see what else I currently keep in my creative hideaway?
I cut these hydrangeas back in the summer and left them in here, well I forgot about them for two months, then when I came back their brown petals made the perfect autumnal welcome.
This little wreath has been with me for an age and I love its rusty ways – it used to be a heart shape but then I had a whim to reshape it and an oval appeared. I love the old silver inside the glass beads that has a barely there twinkle.
This was also the year I decided to tackle some Virginia Woolf reading. I feel like the coast is a part of me as I have lived here my whole life so you can see what influenced my first choices – vintage copies of To The Lighthouse and The Waves.
As well as reading I have been trying to get back into watercolours, making simple marks, colour washes and patterns on paper, not quite ready to share. But, I spent months painting when I was at art college and my first watercolour paint set was given to me by my dad when I was 18. This really old tin with a ceramic palette and tin water pot was an exciting eBay find!
I just adore this picture, I have loved these ethereal paintings by John William Waterhouse forever and it was really hard just to choose one, The Soul of the Rose, Miranda – The Tempest and The Crystal Ball are also on my wish-list, but the colours in this one just called to me.
I love hiding down here on stormy days, bundled up in layers of knitwear with the rain drumming on the roof. Reading with a cat (if they grace me with their presence) and a cup of tea. 
This beautiful old book is called Winter Blossoms From The Outdoor Garden and it shares lots of flowering plants and blossoming shrubs for sparks of winter happiness when everything else is bare and dead looking. I have wanted to plant a winter flowering plum forever and a witch hazel too, I love their straggly flowers. 
With this old book to leaf through and my stack of Great Dixter journals to make plant wish lists from, I as am happy as anything down here, Planning and painting our garden for another year.
Hopefully, I’ll get time to have one more creative decorating day in here this year and add a little festive sparkle for Christmas! ✨ Here is that offer code again – JESKA20 for 20% off any order at King & McGaw – valid from Friday 16th until Monday the 19th November ✨
