I’m going to say it’s Late Summer.

And the sights and sounds and smells are something to savour!

Stray leaves tickle the back of my dress as I walk through the woods in sandals and a big jumper. Some of the brambles still have ripe blackberries as well as faded blossoms and crispy leaves. Season’s change on a branch.

My local park has a new rose bush and there’re a few new buds bursting forth. The velvet peach scent of these late bloomers in the waning sunlight is a rare treat.

Adolescent gulls parading around in new plumage, spiders jumping into the bathtub, mornings darkening as my big dog develops a limp.

There’s the smell of elderberries and fallen leaves in the downpours. And horse chestnut shells showing off their white velvet insides after the conkers have been pilfered. It’s just the right weather for rainbows shimmering bright in black ink skies. It all changes so fast that not even the best of us can guess whether to wear our sun hats or our rain capes.

And we are all part of this big nature story. Sometimes up sometimes down. Tired and fading maybe, yet busy still, creating exciting plans and new ideas. I don’t know about you but I’m not quite ready to succumb to my winter hibernations. But soon.

After a year of creating and feeling I have ‘plenty of time’ my Big Show has come upon me all of a sudden. It’s like opening the window one morning and there’s a sharp-crispness to the air when yesterday it was all softness. 

A Small Window of Lightness is at Panter and Hall, 11-12 Pall Mall London SW1Y 5LU from 8-18th November and I hope a few of you may be able to visit? It’s a dog friendly space of course!

I realise that many of you live far from London and so I’ve been making a few other plans as well.

I hope to see some of you at the Show, but if not at the Little Mustard Club Studio Sale in the new year.

Until then, can I ask, how many of you are doing the socks and sandals thing… is it just me?! And will there be a few more beach days before we need to get the warm boots out?

Big Love!

Sam Toft x