Pretty, pretty peonies

It’s Monday, it’s HOT, and my sexy new sandals have already given me a blister the size of a golf ball. How very GLAM. It’s too hot here to do anything really except sit back and drink in a load of lovely pictures – here are some to quench your thirst for loveliness…

This is a shot from Debbie Bliss‘s gorgeous new craft book, The Knitter’s Year (£18.99, Quadrille) – well worth a peep.

And here are some gorgeous pictures from Ideal Home‘s sister site, House to Home. Oh, to be gathering fresh peonies in the sunshine, today! Perhaps though, what with my blister and sunburnt nose and all, it’s just as well I’m not…sigh.

On a scale of one to ten, (one being not-at-all-excited, and ten being about-to-lit-er-ally-pop-with-excitement), how excited do you think I was when I spotted this stunning vintage Chinese Peony tea tin in an otherwise bleak junk shop at the weekend for less than a fiver? Erm, yes. Ten. Of course, then I had to treat myself to an actual peony at the florist’s – for important work-related styling purposes:

Our stunning new July issue has just appeared in the office and, appropriately, the cover is a lovely rich raspberry/peony pink – beautiful! Now, where’s that Elastoplast…– Ellie