Dries Van Noten on collecting, Will Fisher’s Camberwell home, Mel Campion’s shell studio in Anglesey, and permission to put the tree up whenever you want
Good morning, friends.
I scrolled through Instagram this week and realized I am not the only one who has been called a nut for wanting the tree up early. Let me be clear: there is not a sprig of holly, a pinecone (other than the ones in the yard), or a single ornament in this house right now. No tree either.
What I found on Instagram was something else. People with full holiday decor inside and out, in the bedrooms, the bathrooms, the kitchen, every room, on October 17th. Before Halloween. And I love it. Every bit of it.
I have been thinking about why people put the tree up earlier and earlier. Is it because they have artificial trees and it is simply easier? Is it the pull of social media? Is it that the holidays are so busy they want to stretch the joy out a little longer? Or is it just that it makes them happy? Studies actually suggest that people who decorate early tend to be happier. Whatever the reason, I say do what you like with the one life you have.
Some people take genuine joy from Halloween and want to enjoy every last minute of it before a single ornament appears. Some prefer to move through the holidays one at a time, savoring each before the next begins. And some are perfectly happy with a cheerful mishmash of pumpkins on the porch, a turkey centerpiece on the table, and colored baubles winking from the mantel all at once. None of it is wrong. It is your life, your schedule, and your holiday season. Do it however it makes you happy.
As for me, I am headed to Holly Fest (a Christmas fair) then to the farmers market this morning. Then home to make an apple crisp, or possibly apple blondies, with some of the apples from last week’s orchard visit. I may make something else depending on what catches my eye at the market. We shall have to see what is on offer.
Pour yourself a cup of something warm and let’s meander.
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Dries Van Noten & Patrick Vangheluwe on Collecting, Time and Living with Art
A quiet conversation filmed in an intimate setting, where the designer and his partner reflect on intuition, time, and the intelligence of objects chosen to last. At the center of it are two bronze sculptures, Mercury and Apollo. The pair talk about how artworks gradually become companions: shaping spaces, anchoring memories, reflecting a way of seeing the world. Collecting, they say, is less about possession than about attention, patience, and trusting your own eye.
Mel Campion — The White Sugar Cube, Anglesey
Mel Campion is a decorative artist who works in shells, which is fitting because her home and studio sits right on the oceanfront on the Welsh island of Anglesey. The house has been nicknamed the white sugar cube, and her decor is shaped as much by the coastline outside as by the shells she works with every day.
At Home with Will Fisher
Will Fisher has been obsessed with English country houses since he was seven years old. He grew up in southeast London, the son of two working-class teachers, and persuaded his parents to take him on country house visits. Today he is one of London’s most respected antiques dealers, and he and his wife Charlotte Freemantle own Jamb, known for its refined fireplaces, lighting, and furniture. Their home in Camberwell is exactly what you would expect: a lifetime of beautiful objects, each one earned. He also speaks openly about dyslexia, feeling like an outsider, and a difficult experience in his teens. This is a conversation about beauty, chance, and what it means to build a home around the things you love. I could have listened for hours.
You can read more about Will Fisher in Cabana.
Coming Soon — Maserati: The Brothers
Anthony Hopkins, Al Pacino, and Jessica Alba. That is all I need to say. The trailer alone is worth watching.
Something to Think About
This video spoke to me. I saw myself, as I think some of you will as well, in Jean. Worth watching, and worth sitting with.
And then there is this one, which I think you need to hear whether you are 25 or 65. Mel Robbins sits down with Ina Garten, and if you know Ina only as the Barefoot Contessa, this conversation will surprise you. Because Ina did not start with a plan. She changed direction. She walked away from things that were not working. She trusted her own taste before she had any proof that anyone else would agree. And she built something extraordinary by paying attention to what she loved and refusing to follow someone else’s idea of what success was supposed to look like. They talk about reinvention, confidence, marriage, ambition, failure, and what it actually means to create a life that feels good to live rather than one that merely looks good from the outside. I could have listened for another two hours.
In Case You Missed It
This week’s Monday Musings and Friday Favorites are both up on the blog. Come and have a look.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, friends. Don’t forget to visit Kim at Northern California Style and Juliet at Make Mine a Spritzer, they always have lots to share.
Tell me: what are your plans for the weekend? Is it cold or unseasonably hot by you?
You can find me on Pinterest and Instagram for more of what I am loving this week.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Anglophile Gifts for the Lover of All Things British
On My Radar
Enjoy this rainy autumn day! Finally cooler. I was scrolling through Wayfair for door mats and thought of you immediately when I saw the one with the happy dachshund puppy (I think she has a red Christmas bow, too).
Kelly, I am in heaven! I was just outside in my wellies with an umbrella held over my pups. The chill in the air, the sound of the rain and the cool breeze, along with the gray day is the perfect excuse to stay inside and make chili.
How kid of you to think of me! I am off to check out the door mats.