Lucy Patterson HANDS-ON » Travel

Colour palette: the women of Chefchaouen

Lucy Patterson — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:03:43 +0000

Here are some more photos from my visit to the northern Moroccan ‘blue town’ of Chefchaouen. The local Rifian women wore stripy cloth wraps in a beautiful colour palette: cherry red, mint, cream, salmon, sea green with burnt orange…all set against the chalky blue backdrop of the medina itself.

Click here and here to see my series of photos of the blue doors in the old town of Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen blue doors PART TWO

Lucy Patterson — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:39:01 +0000

Part Two in my series of blue doors from the Moroccan town of Chefchaouen (here’s Part One). This post’s all about the little close-up details: handles, locks, carvings, rivets, textures…and all those different shades of blue. You can see more of my Moroccan photos here and my other blog posts about my trips to Morocco here.

Chefchaouen blue doors PART ONE

Lucy Patterson — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 03:37:41 +0000

When I was last in Morocco we visited the ‘blue town’ of Chefchaouen (pronounced shef-shao-wen) in the mountainous northern Rif region. The whole of the old town is painted in shades of blue. I got obsessed with photographing doors and doorways! Each one seemed to have some unique, exquisite detail or colour, shape, material, carving, tiles, handle or lock. I’ll let the photos do the rest of the talking…

You can see more of my Morocco photos here.

Hong Kong polaroids

Lucy Patterson — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 04:28:42 +0000

I took these photos in Hong Kong a few years ago. I came across them by accident today when I was looking for something else on my computer, and thought it would be fun to turn some of them into polaroids.

Giant red incense sticks and lanterns for New Year.

Yellow tiles at a metro station and goldfish for sale in the market.

The harbour at night and a temple door handle.

Chrysanthamums in the flower market and a temple incense burner.

Hill Tribe pouffes

Lucy Patterson — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:05:16 +0000

I made four pouffes this week using fabrics that I brought back from my recent trip to Vietnam.

Step One in the project was choosing which fabrics and embroideries to use. I just adore the neon, vintage Hmong embroideries from the Hill Tribe markets of North Vietnam. For the pouffes I matched them with some brightly coloured floral prints that I found in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. (The scissors are also from Hanoi.)

I backed the fabric with plain felt, and cut out a 45cm circle for the top of each cushion and a long strip of contrasting fabric to go around the sides. I then ‘patched’ a piece of the vintage embroidery onto the top of each cushion.

Here are the pouffes ready to be stuffed. I like to use fabric scraps as filling for the pouffes for three reasons: 1. the pouffes become surprisingly and pleasingly heavy, 2. the scraps are saved from ending up as landfill, 3. the scraps are free! I get them from a local fashion design studio. So much better than using those nasty polystyrene balls you find in bean bags, which are a) too light, b) hideously un-environmentally friendly, and c) expensive. Yay for fabric scraps!

Here are some details of the finished pouffes. I used a heavy-weight denim for the bottom, with a zip fitted through the middle. I reinforced either end of each zip with small squares of felt.

And here are the pouffes for sale on my stall yesterday at the Devonport Craft Market!

Moroccan donkeys, mules and horses

Lucy Patterson — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:59:33 +0000

Morocco is a land of donkeys, mules and horses. I fell in love with donkeys the first time I visited Morocco and I’m still trying to persuade my fellow householders that we need one…
In the old part of the city of Fes, in the walled medina where the streets are narrow and cobbled, the only traffic is by foot and hoof.
It’s so nice to have all traffic moving at ‘leg’ speed and to be free from the noise and pollution of mechanical vehicles. I loved lying in bed in the early morning and listening to the sound of hooves clip-clopping below our cantilevered bedroom.
I also found it an absolute joy to regularly meet these beautiful animals while wandering through the streets of the medina.
You have to keep on your toes though! Sometimes I’d be in my own little world, browsing from shop front to shop front, when suddenly a shout would alert me to the fact that a heavily loaded mule was barrelling straight towards me!
Horses, donkeys and mules transport everything in the medina. From bags of cement, to…crates of Coca-cola! (I took these two photos on my first trip to Morocco, back in 2007.)
And of course the early morning rubbish collection in the medina is done with donkeys too.
Sometimes people hitch a ride too…

We were often struck by the endless calm patience of the animals we saw.
So many times we came across a mule or donkey quietly standing by itself – not tied to anything – simply waiting for its person to return. Or, in the case of the donkey below, waiting for its person to wake up from an afternoon nap!
Such gorgeous animals.

Zelij: The art of Moroccan tiles

Lucy Patterson — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 03:21:03 +0000

In the old, walled Moroccan city of Fes, you never have to look far to find examples of the traditional tile art of zelij. Gateways, mosques, courtyards in private homes, public fountains and the walls of Islamic schools are all decorated with these glazed cut tiles.

The great blue gate of Bab Boujloud is covered in intricately carved midnight blue tiles, framing a dramatic entranceway into the medina.

Here, zelij on the walls of Medersa Bou Inania (an Islamic school) features panels of Qur’anic calligraphy and complicated interlocking geometric patterns.

Zelij marks the moment you step off the dusty cobbled main street of Tala’a Kbira, and into the calm of the medersa.

Sahrij Medersa (in the Andalusian quarter of the city), was built in 1321. Now, after centuries of foot traffic, many of its tiles are worn bare.

Zelij often has a limited, striking colour palette, in this case: black, white, dark green and mustard yellow, with the natural colour of the fired clay showing through where the calligraphy has been carved out.

Patterns vary from simple checks to highly complicated combinations of geometric shapes and Arabic calligraphy.

Fes is also famous for it’s many public water fountains which are often completely covered in tiles.

I love this brass tap!

Less traditional, but graphically eye-catching was this bright pink plastic cup against the tilework.

Public fountains also often have built-in seating where old men gather to gossip and watch the world go by. I love the colours of this cushion against the simple tile pattern.

Donkeys tomorrow…!

Sharing Morocco with you

Lucy Patterson — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:23:02 +0000

I’ve been promising posts about my recent trip to Morocco for weeks now! The problem is that I have so much I want to share with you about my trip, I’ve not known where to start.

Overlooking Fes Medina, from the rooftop of our guesthouse Dar El Hana.
(photo by Amy Tonkin)

At first I thought I’d show you what we did chronologically (we did this, then this, then this), but I couldn’t seem to get that to work somehow… So instead I’m just going to show you some photographic ‘stories’ of things that particularly inspired me or caught my eye while I was there. I especially want to show you some of the traditional crafts we saw in action.

Enjoy!
Lucy : )

2010: My year in blogging

Lucy Patterson — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:05:32 +0000

I started this blog back in April. Over the past months there have been many times when I haven’t managed to blog as often as I wanted (or, let’s face it, at all!), but looking back over all the posts I’ve done since I started, I have to say there are many things that I’m really proud of. So I thought I’d put together three little photo albums of “post thumbnails” for you to look at (with numbered clickable links below). Enjoy! And here’s to an even better year of blogging!

1. Matryoshka Kimono Dolls, 2. Colour palette: Green, 3. Tamarillo chutney, 4. Cutest of cute hats!, 5. West Coast adventure, 6. Hands-on dog food!, 7. Pirates treasure bag PART TWO, 8. Autumn, 9. My new crafting space, 10. Friendly cat toys, 11. Birthday pancakes, 12. Magical toadstools, 13. Bush bath bliss, 14. Coral, shell and bone, 15. Autumn Blues, 16. Big skies, 17. Garden meditation, 18. The joy of wood, 19. Gratitude, 20. Birthday bunny

1. My shop is now open!, 2. Cosy Friday evening, 3. Kimono paper tape PREVIEW!, 4. Happy weekend papercut, 5. Colour palette: Red, 6. Tin can lanterns, 7. Shop update: Tom Cats, 8. Spring love: magnolia blossoms, 9. Poultry PS, 10. …and the winner is…, 11. Display jars for treasures, 12. Pin board inspiration, 13. Monday’s inspiration: Honour, 14. Happy Equinox!, 15. Fresh start and a GIVEAWAY!, 16. Paper Fan Inspiration Cards, 17. Morocco on my mind, 18. Midwinter mandarin lanterns, 19. Rainbow eggs and a basket of flowers, 20. Vintage kimono palette

1. London by night, 2. Travelling feet, 3. Poultry Show, 4. Kimono paper tape PREVIEW!, 5. New things, 6. A new season…, 7. Hand carved stamps: lanterns and blossoms, 8. Monday’s Inspiration: Creativity, 9. Rob Ryan’s shop on Columbia Road, 10. Happy Christmas!, 11. Happy New Year!, 12. Plant skeletons, 13. Header artwork, 14. Paper Fan Inspiration Cards, 15. Earth Hour 2010, 16. Contact me, 17. Monday’s inspiration: Communication, 18. Pirate’s treasure bag, 19. More gratitude, 20. Olive Harvesting

Columbia Road

Lucy Patterson — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 04:19:01 +0000

One of my absolute most favourite things to do in London is go to the Sunday morning flower market on Columbia Road in the heart of the East End. I usually walk from Bethnal Green Tube station, and know I’m getting close as more and more people pass by with armfuls and bagfuls of flowers.

The market is great at any time of year. I remember Springs when I’d struggle home on the Tube with great awkward bundles of cherry blossom branches. This time I bought shopping bags full of potted cyclamens in pinks and reds for my sister-in-law.

The prices are always extremely competitive, and descend sharply as the morning progresses. As you move among the crowds, the Cockney stall holders entice you in with shouts of “any free [three] for a tenner!”, or “potted colour, any six for a fiver!”

Columbia Road isn’t just about the flowers though. On either side of the street, the little shops offer a delightful mix of local, handcrafted designs; quirky artworks; retro and vintage finds; upcycled coolness; collections of Mexican, Vietnamese or Indian treasures; and crafting supplies.

…And of course there are also plenty of delicious food options – think bagels with yummy fillings; or exquisite, miniature decorated cupcakes; crispy battered prawns and vegetarian spring rolls served in paper cups with sweet chilli sauce; traditional English sweets; or indulgent pastries and coffee. There’s so much to love about Columbia Road!

This isn’t a great photo, but these cupcakes are the best! No visit to Columbia Road is complete without one of Treacle’s mini cupcakes. Mmmmmmmm!

The first shop I went into was Elphick’s, which sells very cool prints, cards and books. I bought these super cute owl badges by Kate McLelland there.

One of the shops I was most excited about visiting was Rob Ryan’s shop Ryantown. I absolute love Rob’s whimsical papercuts, prints and illustrations. His shop didn’t exist when I lived in London three-and-a-half years ago, so I was extra excited to visit it.

The day I went to Columbia Road was the last full day of my trip and I was running short of everything: time, money (and frames on my camera’s memory card, dammit!). I was determined to get something from Ryantown though…

So I bought this periwinkle blue, screen printed card of a couple standing on a hill looking out to sea together. It says: “Can we? Shall we? One day, very soon, let us go away together just you and me, call in sick and go to the sea and hold hands all day, eat our sandwiches on the train, get drunk on fresh air and come home tired and never tell anyone…ever.” I love it.

Ahem, I also asked if I could have a carrier bag as well as a brown paper bag (for the one £3 card I was buying!). Both bags now live on my notice board and make me smile every time I look at them.

My other purchase was from Nom (another of my long time favourite Columbia Road shops). Nom sources beautiful ceramics and lacquer-ware directly from the crafts people of Vietnam and Cambodia and sells them at very reasonable prices. I’ve bought many a crackle-glaze bowl from them over the years. This time I bought a box made out of natural cinnamon wood as a present for my man. The box smells divine and will flavour anything you keep in it (sugar, coffee, chocolate…). My man’s the pancake-making king and I thought this would be the perfect sugar box for those lemon and sugar pancakes… You can buy your own cinnamon box from Nom’s online store.

I’ll leave you with these images of bright window displays and doorways along Columbia Road. Everytime I visit there I come away inspired, relaxed and happy. If you’re in London, go there! You’ll love it. You can tell I do!