A single image often sets the tone for my year. Last year it was a magazine cover of denim and navy (and the interior featured within, pictured, inspiring me to keep paring things down) and my year turned out to be pretty much dominated by the same. This year it’s an old image of jeweller Pippa Small (found whilst tidying up) that’s seeped into my consciousness. Not a huge departure from last year’s navy/denim tones but prettied up with a jangling arm of bangles and tiny ear cuffs. The sentences of the article have helped too in conjuring up my mood for the year (as does the featured recipe, spicy chickpeas and shallots with prunes – yum):
‘Food, for Small, has to be uncomplicated … When speaking of food, she keeps returning to a few key words: simple, natural, authentic.’
‘She is beautiful, tall and exotic-looking with hair in wild tendrils, and a shirt made from gossamer-like fabric bought from a market stall in India.’
‘She is not remotely interested in MagiMixes or Kitchen Aids. “It’s very relaxing to switch off and methodically cut, boil or peel,” she says, slicing a banana shallot to a chorus of crystal and gold.’
