Handycrafted: The Sunflower - my flower of 2011

Palladio Sunflower
Picture courtesy of Sanderson

Last year it was dandelions. This year I’m into sunflowers. It’s been bubbling under for a few years now. I was first inspired by some dried sunflower heads that I saw while shooting the home of Emily Chalmers (owner of the wonderful Caravan shop in East London) about five years ago. Around the same time I first met the designer and Very Inspiring Person, Clare Corrigan (now Senior Styliste de Bijoux Fantasie at LouisVuitton – what a job title) and she introduced me to Briglin Pottery which often features sunflowers. There are sunflowers dotted around my house on vases, cushions and throws but my favourite sunflowery thing is the Palladio Sunflower pattern by Sanderson, which I've got big plans for - watch this space. I’m drawn to sunflowers because on the one hand they’re the simple, classic flower shape that a child draws, but their extreme size and twisting petals give them a surreal aspect too. They're sunny, optimistic and unpretentious and because they have a purpose, in terms of providing food, they feel quite right for a time when frivolity feels somewhat inappropriate. Oh and they’re yellow.