Appreciating Chagall, Hockney and colour

Hockney at Serpentine North Gallery, viewing the solar eclipse, sketching sunflowers, Chagall’s windows, Inkwell Designs notepads for sketching and an organic T shirt featuring the word LOVE

Wow what a week it's been with another heatwave and the amazing 96% solar eclipse - we went to a park with neighbours and experimented with different ways of projecting the sun on to white paper, including a lemon squeezer, an Ikea cutlery container and I scrambled together a cereal box projector too. We even caught some of the meteor shower the same evening, watching the star-like objects flying across the night sky, just one or two at a time.

Last week we took a trip to Tudely to visit Chagall's 12 beautiful stained glass windows in the Parish Church there, he's one of my inspirations for making stained glass and it was a trip I'd wanted to make for a long time, and when it came to it reasonably easy to achieve. I enjoy his combinations of blues and free sketchy style. I just love colour - both in glass and in textile design, it's always meant a lot to me. I’m also mentioning the Hockney exhibition at Serpentine Gallery North, his A Year in Normandie is a nod to the Bayeaux Tapestry, and is a treasure of mark making and colour, we didn’t give it long enough when we visited so will be going back before it ends on 23 Aug, and it’s free.

With that in mind, these colourful limited edition organic cotton scarves have continued to feature a lot in my outfits this summer, I keep one tied to my bag for when I need it - the patterns and colours are designed to bring joy to your day!

My latest sketches have been of sunflowers, these might feature one day in a pattern, but for now I'm happy with the process of scribbling and mindful observation. There is still time this summer to get out and about with your notepads - for drawing or writing and capturing some sunny memories, or for using as a gratitude journal.

I won't be taking part in Creative Mile this year but will try to take a look around instead for a change. The theme this year is Love - which features on one of my organic cotton T-shirts, printed on demand in a size and colour of your choice. Check out the other designs and matching patterned ceramic mugs while you're there too.

Find shortcuts here for: organic cotton tea towels, zero-waste cutlery bags, organic jersey hair bands, luxurious organic cotton cushion covers, vintage scarf rings and greetings cards.