The words you are searching are inside this book. To get more targeted content, please make full-text search by clicking here.
Discover the best professional documents and content resources in AnyFlip Document Base.
Search
Published by , 2018-08-13 07:52:32

ACTUALSIZE-PAGES001

ACTUALSIZE-PAGES001

A NEW MAGAZINE FOR CREATIVE INDIVIDUALS

£6.00 GBP



NICE TO MEET YOU!

HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE FIRST ISSUE OF ACTUAL SIZE MAGAZINE.

First and foremost, thank you for reading: whether you’ve picked up a copy in
a shop, bought it from our website or have nabbed a friend’s copy to have a
sneaky peek while you sit down with a cuppa, we’re delighted that you’re taking

a look.

So, what exactly are we all about? Actual Size is an independent publication,
founded and edited by yours truly and involving the work of many fantastic
humans throughout all areas of the publication. It’s a magazine for creative,
intelligent, culturally clued-up, design-conscious women who, as citizens of the
world (and you can pick up a copy literally all over the world!), are interested in
far more than the narrow parameters of most women’s magazines would have

us believe.

We will never comment negatively about a woman’s shape, size or appearance,
what she chooses to wear or her personal life choices. We are also firmly non-
ageist. We think it’s time for all of that to stop. We will, however, seek out anything
and everything that we think you may be interested in, as well as showcasing
astonishing individuals, inspiring lives and careers, glorious locations, art, food,

culture and creative ventures, and make it our mission to tell you all about it.

We could do this online only, but we love print too much for that. There’s just
something so glorious about leafing through a printed publication; it’s the feel
and physicality of the paper: the touch and the scent of it, the all-important time
away from a screen, the fact that somebody else has chosen and put this stuff
together for us, in a certain order, the excuse it gives us to take a pause in our

hectic lives and let the words and images wash over us…

We hope that you appreciate what we’re doing here, and the sea change that
we hope to help to create in women’s magazine publishing. But we can’t do
this on our own: in order for us to be able to feature as many stories, voices
and visual artists as possible, we need to know about them. Please don’t be shy
about contacting us, either via email or on social media and showing us what
you’re up to, or pointing us in the direction of other people, places or things that
you think we should know about. This is very much a collaborative effort: your

magazine needs you!

Until next time…

SUZY

VISIT ACTUALSIZEMAGAZINE.COM TO
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

3

20TH CENTURY CLOTH - P68-70

HEIKE SCHNEIDER-MATZIGKEIT - P61-63

DESIGN INSPIRATION - RAY EAMES - P27-29

THE PRINTED PEANUT- P50-51

INCREDIBLE EDIBLES - P57

4 CLÉO FERIN MERCURY- P39-41

1 INSIDE THIS ISSUE

3 HELLO 59 BALLS TO BODY POSITIVE
Just one more thing to think about?
6 MAKING IT HAPPEN & CONTRIBUTORS
60 TIPS FOR LIFE
8 A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS Things to consider
What’s floating our boat right now
61 BERLIN TYPOGRAPHY
18 STATIONERY ADDICT Seeing the signs
We just can’t get enough
67 OUR DIRECTORY
20 BANTON FRAMEWORKS
The eyes have it 68 20TH CENTURY CLOTH
Design for now
24 GIRLS WHO GRIND
Spotlight on Start ups 70 ILLUSTRATOR
Freelance life
27 RAY EAMES
Design Inspiration 72 ART IN OFFICES
No more plain white walls
30 MISSING MEXICO
Roxana Allison’s personal journey 74 KNITSONIK
Sound and Vision
39 CLÉO FERIN MERCURY
Scarf Queen 78 REVIEWS: GOING OUT
Places to go, things to do…
42 THE PALESTINIAN KITCHEN
Yasmin Khan’s Zaitoun 85 REVIEWS: STAYING OUT
A rural retreat…
46 SPOTLIGHT ON SUSTAINABILITY
Living well 86 REVIEWS: STAYING IN
Curl up with a good book…
50 THE PRINTED PEANUT
Future Design Classics 88 ACTUAL SIZE GUIDE TO MANCHESTER
Let’s show you around our home
52 LAURA RUBIN
Warhol’s muse 95 REVIEWS: MUSIC
Sublime sounds
57 DARE TO EAT
Would you eat insects?




5

MAKING IT HAPPEN CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR IN CHIEF CLÉO FERIN MERCURY
Suzy Prince www.cleoferinmercury.co.uk
[email protected]
KATIE ALLEN
ART DIRECTOR & DESIGNER apositivefashion.wordpress.com
Jenny Parkington
[email protected] RACHEL JOHNSTON
www.scratchyhen.com
ROXANA ALLISON
DISTRIBUTION www.roxanaallison.co.uk
Pineapple Media
www.pineapple-media.com HEIKE SCHNEIDER-MATZIGKEIT
splendidberlin.tumblr.com
PRINT
Warners Midlands PLC CHARLOTTE BRETT

www.warners.co.uk ROBERT COCHRANE
thebadpress.co.uk
COVER IMAGE
20TH CENTURY CLOTH
Carrie Maclennan by Garry Maclennan. www.20thcenturycloth.com
www.garrymaclennan.com
KAY WIDDOWSON
www.kaywiddowson.co.uk

PENNYCHOO
www.pennychoo.com

IAN LOWEY
www.ianlowey.co.uk

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACT

FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM: [email protected]

@ACTUALSIZEMAGAZINE

TWITTER

@ACTUALSIZEMAG

6

FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS Photograph: Leonie Morse

KATIE ALLEN is a freelance writer and web editor based in London. She
loves chatting to creative people and anyone who’s trying to make the
world a better place. Her favourite things include BBC4 documentaries,
tea and talking to cats in the street. On Twitter: @KatieFQ.

HEIKE SCHNEIDER-MATZIGKEIT is a visual artist, photographer and
graphic designer based between Berlin and the UK. Her editorial shoots
have focused on artists including Suede, Primal Scream, Aimee Mann,
Gary Numan, Sonic Youth and The Kills whilst her Amy Winehouse portrait
appeared on the cover of the NME. Her first solo photographic art book
Berlin Reflections - Antlitz Berlin was published in 2016. Academically,
she studied at London College of Printing and University of Westminster
(BA Hons Film, Video & Photographic Arts) as well as RMIT in Melbourne,
Australia. She is currently studying on the MA Graphic Design & Art Direction
at Manchester School of Art.

ROXANA ALLISON is a photographer of Mexican-British origin, living
and working in the UK.  She graduated from the National School of Fine
Art at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico
City in 2006. Her work has been exhibited predominantly in the United
Kingdom. Her photography practice is often centred on themes of
identity, migration, memory, belonging and cultural dislocation. Currently,
Roxana alongside her brother, photographer Pablo Allison, is working on
a self-publication of their most recent long-term project titled Operation
Jurassic, a personal photographic essay focusing on their journey through
Pablo’s imprisonment in November 2012 that raises issues on freedom of
expression and the criminal justice system in the UK. The book is to be
released in October 2018.

ROBERT COCHRANE is a Creative Writing graduate of Manchester
Metropolitan University. His poetry first came to public attention when
the singer Ian Dury selected his work for inclusion in Faber & Faber’s Hard
Lines 3. His debut collection The Thin Man In Our Compartment Looks
Like Charles Hawtrey appeared in 1988, of which Morrissey declared ‘I
heartily approve’. Since then his journalism has featured in Mojo, Attitude,
Dazed & Confused and he is the UK correspondent for ‘culturecatch’. His
collection Colly McGurk & My Interest In Girls appeared in 2016 which Stride
described as ‘deeply empathetic in its accounting of human experiences’.
In that year he also edited and published Dream Come True the selected
poems of cult poet and artist David Robilliard. He has just published Do
You Remember a collection poems by the forgotten World War One poet
James Lyons 1896-1918

WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO ACTUAL SIZE? We work with a mixture of talented writers
and visual artists in many fields to achieve this mix, some of whom are longstanding industry
professionals, others who haven’t been previously published but have something wonderful
to say. Please take a look at www.actualsizemagazine.com/contributors for information and
submission guidelines.

7

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS
HERE ARE SOME OBJECTS OF DESIRE THAT ARE FLOATING OUR

BOAT RIGHT NOW

BORSA DOUBLE FACE BAG. FOREST GIN.
This reversible bag is made with materials that Family company (Lindsay, Karl and their 10
were intended to be discarded: in this case, the year old daughter Hattie) are on a mission,
faux leather produced for armchairs and sofas. deep in the Macclesfield forest, to make
Because of the sourcing of materials, products the best tasting gin they possibly can, from
change constantly so it’s well worth keeping an the finest locally-sourced ingredients.
eye out. €97 www.messaggidaindossare.it Distilled in batches of just 85 bottles at a
time, bottled in Staffordshire Porcelain by
Wade Ceramics, with papercut Artwork
designed by Suzy Taylor, the attention
to detail in every part of this process is
impeccable. £52 www.forestgin.com

THE STEREO-TYPIST
Alex Borg, AKA The Stereo-Typist, has long
been a fan of the poster as a collectible
piece of art in its own right. His prints take
a classic moment in Rock ‘n’ Roll history
and commemorate the gig in the style of
a retro book cover. Here’s Françoise Hardy,
but you could also select some Stereo-
Typing of Johnny Cash, Otis Redding,
David Bowie and others. Unframed prints
from £18 www.notonthehighstreet.com/
thestereotypist

8

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS

FRIDA KAHLO CERAMIC MUGS.
If Frida Kahlo were alive today, we suspect
she’d be delighted by the enormous amount
of memorabilia dedicated to her image. These
glazed ceramic Frida mugs are a fine way to
show your appreciation of one of the world’s
best-loved artists. £15.50
www.bespokebarware.com
BICYCLE BITS.
Sitting on a wet or cold bicycle saddle doesn’t
improve anyone’s mood, and wiping your
saddle with a sleeve or covering it with a
plastic bag makes things even worse. So since
2011, Pedalshed have been busy sorting out
your saddle covers: adding comfort and style
to commuter’s journeys all over the place.
Designed by Danes and produced in London, the
production process is made by hand in Europe
and produced with as much sustainability as
possible. Prices range from about £15-£50
www.pedalshed.com
9

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS

HAND AND FLOWERS PIN.
Over the years, Rosie Wonders has
produced some truly great pins. This one is
no exception. £8 www.rosiewonders.co.uk

SNAG TIGHTS.
Finding tights that actually fit is an ongoing trial
for many of us. But odds on hardly any of us knew
that this is because almost all tights are the same
width: they differ only by length. This strikes us as a
ridiculous state of affairs, and thankfully Snag tights
are tackling it head on. From £6 snagtights.com

PRETTY USEFUL TOOLS.
This coral reef manicure kit by Wild & Wolf
is a perfect gift idea for your nearest and
dearest if they’ve caught the travel bug.
£32.95 www.hurnandhurn.com

EXFOLIATING PINK CLAY FACIAL MASK:
This facial mask contains French pink clay which
is used to cleanse and detoxify sensitive skin. It
will also look mighty fine in your bathroom. $25.95
www.upcyclestudio.com.au
10

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS

SPIRA CUSHIONS.
Add a pop of colour and pattern to your home Scandinavian style with fabrics and cushions by
Spira of Sweden. Pattern clashes and unusual colour combinations brighten up your home without
breaking the bank. From £18.95 www.husandhem.co.uk

SILK EYE MASK.
Sleep in style in this silk mask, which has super
soft wadding, piped trim and the softest of
silks. Other letters are also available. £32.
www.jessicarussellflint.co.uk
11

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS

ORIGAMI BOAT LAMP.
Everyone has a warm, rosy glow when they think of
days at the beach, and Lorena Canal designed this
paper boat LED lamp with this firmly in mind. £69.99

www.oliolsen.com
TYKHO RADIO.
The Tykho radio, designed by Marc Berthier,
comes in nine shades and is intended for even
the wettest of rooms; the entire device, including
the operating elements like the speaks, is
rubber/silicone-coated making it fully splash-
proof. £59 www.stonegift.com

12

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS

MEMOBOTTLE.
This flat, resuable water bottle is designed
to fit where other bottles don’t: right there in
your bag alongside your laptop, books and
documents. Memobottle's aim is to change the
public perception of resuable water bottles and
encourage a more reusable society. We’d say
they’re doing a pretty good job. Items range
from £19.95 to £29.95 at www.stonegift.com

STOW AND HANG FRAME.
Why hide your carefully-chosen crockery collection away in a kitchen cupboard? We say show off
the best bits with this ingenious frame. €29.95 www.einrichten-design.de

13

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS

LEE MILLER TABLEWARE.
The exhibition Lee Miller and Surrealism in Britain is currently showing at The Hepworth Wakefield,
before touring to the Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona. And if you’re going to feature one of the
most original and iconic photographic artists of the 20th century, you’d better make sure the
accompanying merchandise in the gift shop is up to scratch.
So, to that end, the gallery has collaborated with British Designer Melody Rose and the Lee Miller
archives on a range of tableware featuring a photograph from a Vogue Fashion shoot, shot by
Miller in 1941. They then worked closely with Ami Bouhassane, Lee Miller’s granddaughter, to source
tableware shapes that are reminiscent of the crockery owned by the photographer. These pieces
were then edged in platinum and crafted by a third generation pottery studio in Stoke on Trent.
Items range from £32-£75 www.hepworthwakefield.org

14

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS

POLAROID ORIGINALS.
The Polaroid company, founded by Edwin Land in 1937, created instant photography as we know
it today, with the launch of the Polaroid SX-70 camera in 1972. By the late 1990s, the swift rise of
digital technology eclipsed instant photography and Polaroid announced the end of instant film
production in 2008. A group of instant photography fans called The Impossible Project stepped
in and bought the last remaining Polaroid factory: since then they have been the only people in
the world making film for vintage Polaroid cameras. The acquisition of the Polaroid brand by The
Impossible Project’s largest shareholder in Spring 2017, created the opportunity for Polaroid to return
to analogue instant photography and for The Impossible Project to declare mission accomplished.
The Polaroid OneStep 2 camera is a worthy successor to the original camera. Like its predecessor,
it can’t connect to the internet or post to social media. But the 5000 chemical reactions that take
place every time the shutter clicks create an original photo that’s impossible to reproduce. There’s
nothing quite like the alchemy of a Polaroid picture. £119.99 uk.polaroidoriginals.com

15

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS

TINT LONDON SHOES.
Tint London, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways… Actually, we’d be here all day. Just take
a look at these gorgeous shoes, designed by Nina Jovanovic and beloved by many. From £129
www.tintlondon.co.uk

16

KAY WIDDOWSON ‘AUTUMN BIRDIES'

DARLING CLEMENTINE NOTEBOOK.
Simple and effective. This textile-bound journal
has patterned lining and blank pages. $23
www.darlingclementine.no

FELT LETTERBOARD. WALNUT MAGAZINE HOLDER.
Handmade in France by The Cool Company, The way we look at it, magazines are glorious
these boards are available in a variety of colours. objects and deserve a beautiful home.
We want them all. £49.99 oliolsen.com £80 www.iwoodesign.com

PENCIL POUCH.
They’re not just for kids: this simple pouch by
Walk With Me will appeal strictly to the grown
ups £19 www.comisario.co
18

STATIONERY ADDICT

WE’RE ADDICTED TO STATIONERY AND WE THINK IT’S SAFE TO ASSUME THAT YOU ARE TOO.
HERE’S SOME OF THE BEST.

TIJERAS BEAK: HAY.
These delicate beak scissors are crafted from
gold-plated steel. Decorative and effective: we
like that. 19€ www.aixo.es

MESSY BUN JOURNAL.
This A6 leather journal is ‘British Made, in a
rainbow of colour’ and comes complete with a
gold pencil. Looks pretty neat to us. £18
www.arkcolour.design

BLANCA GOMEZ PENCIL SET.
Extend the summer to all year round with
these great pencils from one of our favourite
illustrators. £7 www.ustudio.design

19

THE EYES HAVE IT

IT’S AN AMAZING THOUGHT THAT THE UK EYEWEAR INDUSTRY ONCE
PRODUCED OVER FIVE MILLION SPECTACLE FRAMES A YEAR FROM OVER A
THOUSAND FACTORIES, AND NOW ONLY A TINY HANDFUL OF THESE REMAIN.

BUCKING THAT TREND, CO-FOUNDERS OF BANTON FRAMEWORKS, LUCY

ROSS AND JAMIE BARTLETT, HAVE CUSTOM-BUILT A PRODUCTION FACILITY
ON THE SHORES OF BANTON LOCH ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF GLASGOW, WITH
THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF HAND-MAKING HIGH QUALITY EYEWEAR THAT
WILL BECOME PART OF YOUR IDENTITY.

YOU’VE FESSED UP NOW THAT YOU STARTED OFF BY BREAKING THE RULES: RETURNING ILLICITLY TO
UNIVERSITY WHEN YOU NO LONGER HAD ‘OFFICIAL’ ACCESS TO CREATE YOUR INITIAL PROTOTYPES.
DO YOU ENJOY THE FEELING OF STANDING APART FROM THE CROWD? YOU SEEM TO DO THINGS VERY
DIFFERENTLY.
For obvious reasons, we waited a while until it was a bit safer to admit our illicit beginnings.  In the
past, when people asked about how Banton Frameworks started, we used to just skip over the
section about sneaking back into University at midnight to use their equipment.
Our alternative approach was never a conscious one. Lucy and I are both quite hands-on and
making prototypes just naturally transitioned into making the real thing. Despite their hidden
complexities, I’ve always said that glasses frames are ‘figures of eights with two sticks on the sides’. 
It was that naïve foolishness that was and probably is still our best asset. If we knew how difficult it

“was going to be, we’d never have started: ha ha.
Once you experience proper quality,
it can change the frequency and indeed
the provenance of the goods we buy
JUST WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO YOU THAT YOU HANDMAKE YOUR FRAMES AND DON’T OUTSOURCE
WORK?
It wasn’t really a pride thing to set out and make the frames ourselves. Even last week I was
fantasising about outsourcing parts of our work. But the grass is always greener on the other side:
from speaking with machinists, the parts we were looking to have made were never a top-priority
for them. Our volumes didn’t really encourage any excitement from the specialists we’ve previously
spoken with.
Subsequently, we just kept making our frames ourselves. It meant we were in control and weren’t at
the mercy of MOQs {a balancing act between allowing the supplier to make long production runs
in order to realise economies of scale and ordering the minimum amount of material required to
sustain production and maintain low inventory levels-ed} or foggy lead times.

20

YOUR FRAMES ARE TRULY TIMELESS – AS IN, THEY AREN’T THE KIND OF FRAMES THAT GO IN OR OUT OF
VOGUE. WAS THAT A DELIBERATE POLICY ON YOUR PART?
In a nutshell, yes. We take huge inspiration from the heyday of 1950s UK eyewear industry. Frames
became synonymous with the post war fashion and burgeoning optical industry at the time. Those
acetate frames became so prolific, so easily accessed, that inevitably they formed into what we
would consider ‘classic’ eyewear design. It was this widely accepted aesthetic, resulting from the
industry itself, that inspires our design approach.
WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU BUILT YOUR OWN MANUFACTURING METHODS, DO YOU MEAN THAT YOU
LITERALLY STARTED FROM SCRATCH ?R OWN WAY OF DOING THINGS?
Yes. I’d say we spend more time building or designing the tools, jigs and fixtures than we do
making frames. Over the years we’ve had to teach ourselves about pneumatics, electrics, welding,
machining, moulding, casting… Just so we could take another step forward at becoming better at
what do each and every day.
We couldn’t afford the right machines for the job so we just made our own. This is the problem when
you’re alone in an industry that left for China about 40 years ago. It’s been an arduous approach
but now we have an array of self-built machines that we know how to fix: every nut and bolt.
THERE’S A GENERAL ISSUE AT THE MOMENT WHERE PEOPLE FIND THE IDEA OF GOODS HANDMADE IN
THEIR OWN COUNTRY APPEALING, BUT ARE RELUCTANT (OR UNABLE) TO PAY THE ADDITIONAL COSTS
THIS SEA CHANGE INCURS. HENCE THE MOVE TOWARDS BUYING LESS AND BUYING BETTER. WOULD
YOU AGREE WITH THAT?
That’s a tough one. Regardless of age or occupation, I think people’s priorities vary so much it’s
hard to  determine if buying locally made goods is back on the rise or not. As for 'reshoring' UK
manufacture, I couldn’t be happier. I can’t think of a better time than now for young people to
have exposure to locally made goods such as craft beer or artisan bread. Some call it hipster, I
call it better. Once you experience proper quality, it can change the frequency and indeed the
provenance of the goods we buy. Who likes shit coffee anyway?
I genuinely like to think that the next generation will be inspired by what can be achieved from
UK manufacture and skilled work. Being famous on Instagram isn’t a trade. Making products and
providing services from their own hand might be saved from becoming an alien concept. Less open
plan offices. More factory floors please.
YOU’VE HAD A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LONGEVITY NOW AND HAVE WEATHERED VARIOUS CHALLENGING
ECONOMIC CLIMATES AND SOCIETAL CHANGES. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEBODY
WHO’S AT AN EARLIER STAGE IN THEIR JOURNEY WHEN IT COMES TO RUNNING THEIR OWN BUSINESS?  
I’m no expert but I think ‘route to market’ has become so scattered that a product-based start-up
would need to really consider how and where they sell their commodity. Thanks to some internet
retailers and the financial crisis, traditional retail/wholesale has had its foundations completely
shaken. Buyers and retailers are less likely to take risks and that reluctance can really demoralise

21

“ It’s been an arduous approach but
now we have an array of self-built machines
that we know how to fix, every nut and bolt
22

and crush a new business. I think if you were to start a product-business tomorrow, with no
experience (as we did) I’d try to keep as many doors open as possible when it comes to making
money. Capitalising on your assets such as machines, tools and owning a small part of a niche
market would be my advice. It’s better to be known for doing one thing really well with a great
brand stance and customer service. That approach is way better than doing a few things not so
well with little purpose or meaning.
YOU’VE SAID THAT YOU INTEND TO HAVE A LARGER FACTORY ONE DAY, WORKING WITH OTHER PEOPLE
THAT YOU CAN PASS YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERTISE ON TO: AT SOME POINT IS THAT STILL SOMETHING
YOU HOPE WILL HAPPEN?
We don’t like to get too ahead of ourselves but yes, we want a factory. It’s our goal to have a larger
space where we can grow as one of very few eyewear manufacturers here in the UK. It’s still a seven
day-week at the moment but one day we’ll get there. When we do, we’ll be able to impart what
we’ve learned to those younger than we are. It’s a long haul flight for sure.
DO YOU WORRY THAT IF YOU GET ‘BIGGER’ IN THAT WAY THEN YOU’D LOSE A SENSE OF TRUE AUTONOMY
AND HAVING YOUR OWN PERSONAL STAMP ON ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING? OR DO YOU FEEL THAT A
NATURAL PROGRESSION DOESN’T NECESSARILY HAVE TO TAKE THAT AWAY?
It will take a while before that happens but when it does, it will mark the next chapter. BFW was
never supposed to be a craft exercise, but it certainly started like one. We’ve always looked down
the timeline and foreseen a factory and staff. It was never really about us. It was always going to
be a team of skilled people who make good things using machines, processes and good materials.
YOU MUST FEEL SUCH A SENSE OF ‘WE MADE THOSE!’ EVERY TIME YOU SEE SOMEBODY WEARING
SOME OF YOUR SPECS: DO YOU RECEIVE MUCH PERSONAL FEEDBACK FROM YOUR CUSTOMERS?
Regarding feedback, our Members are generally very kind. When we’ve had a really tough few days,
we get the odd email about someone’s order and our first reaction is ‘something’s wrong’ but in fact
it’s the nicest feedback on how much customers love their new frames. Lucy and I can’t describe
how uplifting these comments are when we make our frames each and every day.
See more and join the club at www.bantonframeworks.co.uk

23

THE START UP: GIRLS WHO GRIND

THE FIRST IN OUR SERIES OF SHINING THE SPOTLIGHT ON IMPRESSIVE RECENT START
UPS. FIRST UP, WE HAVE GIRLS WHO GRIND : AN ALL-FEMALE COFFEE ROASTERY,
RUN BY FI O’BRIEN AND CASEY LALONDE FROM A FARM IN WILTSHIRE

With over two billion cups of coffee consumed worldwide every single day, coffee
is not only big business but is an integral part of most of our lives. Casey hails from
Upstate New York and began her coffee career in a coffee lab and roastery in
Vermont. Fi is originally from Melbourne and has always swayed between working
in design and café ownership or management. The universe dictated that they’d
both end up in the small, indie-led town of Frome in Somerset at the same time,
and they discovered a common desire to big up the women in what’s traditionally
considered a very male-dominated industry.

In truth, 50-70 percent of coffee-related manual or lesser skilled tasks related
to growing and harvesting coffee beans are performed by women, but female
plantation owners, decision makers and CEOs are few. Girls Who Grind source all
of their coffees from female producers and farmers as well as those who work to
support them. To Fi and Casey, the taste of the coffee is of the utmost importance
but so too are the stories and working conditions of the individuals involved in its
production and sale.

Fi develops the brand (she figures that too many coffee brands use brown in their
packaging, and too many female-led companies use pink, so she’s sticking with
her beloved black) and works on creative direction and marketing, while Casey
focuses on sourcing the perfect beans.
Since their first coffee launched in October 2017 – a Guatemalan Huehuetenango
(no, we don’t know what that is either – this is exactly why we need experts such as
these) – Girls Who Grind has gone from strength to strength, aided by their trusty
roasting machine: a bright yellow Giesen W6 which goes by the name of Aunt Edie.

See more, buy coffee and find out where to locate a cup of the finest GWG coffee
at www.girlswhogrindcoffee.com

THANKS TO CEDAR FILM CO FOR THE PACK SHOT PHOTOS AND BLOOMING SKULL COFFEE FOR
THE T-SHIRT PHOTO
25

THE EAMES HOUSE

Lucia Dewey Atwood
Eames Foundation

Director, 250 Year Project

Charles and Ray Eames designed and built the award-winning Eames House in 1949.
Architects, photographers, filmmakers as well as furniture, industrial and exhibition designers, the
couple designed their home “to make no insistent demands for itself, but rather aid as background
for life in work.” They lived and created there for the rest of their lives, in a space where work, play,
life and nature co-existed.

The Eames House is built on ideas. From its conception to its living, Charles and Ray’s home provides
a glimpse into how they approached their design. The home (known as CSH #8) was designed under
Arts & Architecture  magazine’s innovative Case Study House Program. The program challenged
the architectural community to address an urgent need: to house the millions of soldiers returning
home from WW II hoping to start families. It asked how the new materials and processes developed
during the war years could be used to build homes inexpensively and quickly, while expressing
man’s life in the modern world.

The response of the Eameses was to utilize mass-produced components ordered from catalogues
in their home, materials previously used for industrial buildings. We take it for granted now, but at
that time, it was a shock.

The house was the product of the Eameses’ deep explorations of the site and their needs, from
studies of light to sketches of intended activities. They created flexibility with two-story high great
rooms, which accommodated tea ceremonies, filming, product shots, and more. Nestled into a
hillside, bordered by trees, with the meadow green or brown depending upon the season, their
home was integrated with nature, serving as a “shock absorber”.

Even the objects in the residence, kept as they were at the time of Ray’s death, explore ideas. As Ray
stated “… almost everything that was ever collected was just because of an example of some facet
of design and form.”

Charles and Ray’s guidance is ongoing: their 1958 India Report inspired the Eames Foundation’s
conservation work under the 250 Year Project. When discussing design, the Eameses said “First, one
would have to shut out all preconceived ideas on the subject and then begin to consider factor
after factor.” Today, their rigorous approach drives holistic solutions for the site.

The Project’s goal is that when your great, great, great, great grandchildren visit, they have the
same authentic experience as you have today. We welcome your help in supporting our work.

Reservations are required to visit. Please contact the Eames Foundation via email at
[email protected] or by phone at (310) 459-9663.

Charles and Ray in front of the Eames House (c) 2018 Eames Office, LLC (eamesoffice.com),
(c) 2018 Eames Office, LLC (eamesoffice.com) photographer Leslie Schwartz

RAY EAMES

IN THE FIRST OF OUR SERIES OF INSPIRATIONAL INDIVIDUALS, GRAPHIC
DESIGNER JENNY PARKINGTON EXAMINES THE WORK OF RAY EAMES: THE

EAMES STUDIO’S JOINT CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Ray and Charles Eames were one of the most celebrated and enduring design teams of the
twentieth century. When people think of Eames it’s usually their chairs and furniture that spring to
mind: the designs are so iconic that the phrase ‘Eames Era’ has become one of the calling cards of
mid century design. In particular, Eames furniture designs manufactured and sold by Herman Miller
and Vitra had huge critical and commercial success and remain some of the best known and most
influential designs of the last century.

Ray and Charles were the perfect marriage of art and industry, collaborating on a design career
which spanned 40 years. The Eames design office in Santa Monica, where they employed a team
of dedicated designers, was an incredible circus of visual treats with a joyful and rigorous work
ethic. Both Eames had a hands-on way of working: they believed in ‘learning by doing’ and applied
this innovative approach to all of their work. Charles was always eager to credit Ray as his equal
partner — in fact, more than equal: he said ‘ Anything I can do, Ray can do better’. But of course this
was the era of Mad Men, when feminism was still very much finding its feet, and Ray was frequently
forgotten or overlooked. Nowadays her contribution to the partnership is increasingly recognised
as a vital life force, every bit as much as that of Charles.

27

All images copyright 2018 Eames Office. LLC

Ray had trained as a painter under the abstract expressionist Hans Hoffman and she was a
founder of the American Abstract Group in 1936. It was while studying at The Cranbook Academy
Of Art in 1940 that she met Charles. They sparked immediately and married in 1941. Ray stated that ‘I
never gave up painting, just changed my palette’. It was this sense of colour that she injected into
every design as if it were a painting. Her sense of fun and playful input gave the Eames designs
the human touch. The graphic and commercial artwork for the studio was undertaken by Ray. She
designed 26 covers for the influential Art & Architecture magazine and played a major part in the
Eames furniture advertising at Herman Miller. Her textile designs were produced by some of the
most renowned textile houses, won awards from MOMA and many of her designs can now be
found in art museum collections.

Ray designed her own clothes as well as textiles. She had all of her full skirts made with pockets
down to the hem so she could carry everything without the need for a purse. Affectionately known
as ‘Crazy Rayzey’, her office was jammed with bright clutter, with all the notes she drew on cigarette
cards pinned to the walls. She had a magpie’s eye for quirky curiosities and it was she that decorated

28

the famous Eames house which she built and lived in with Charles. Full of objets d’art and colour,
with paintings hanging on the ceiling, Ray softened the modernist minimal architecture of Charles.
Their home is now considered one of the most important modernist houses in the world with over
10,000 visitors a year.

Ray and Charles collaborated on work for over four decades, right up to Charles’s death in 1978. Ray
then completed all the projects they had started before the Eames office closed its doors. She died
in 1988, ten years to the day from her beloved husband’s death.

Ray Eames was an extraordinary and intriguing designer: despite often being overshadowed by
her charismatic husband, ultimately she found her voice as one of the most influential women in
design.

See more about both Ray and Charles Eames at www.eamesoffice.com

29

Thanks to Rod Allison for additional proofreading and editing “ For many years, it was a little
hard for me to feel I belonged to the
country I loved and spent most of my
childhood, adolescence and early adult
years, merely because I didn’t blend in.
I was always somewhere in between
belonging and not.

30

ALL THE CAMINOS ME LLEVAN TO MEXICO

I WRITE THIS FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT WILL
RESONATE WITH WIDER AUDIENCES. EVERYONE WITH A STORY OF MIGRATION OR
MIXED BACKGROUND WILL FIND COINCIDENCES AND DISCREPANCIES. IT IS ONLY
MY ACCOUNT BUT I HOPE IT WILL FUNCTION AS A MIRROR OF OTHER PEOPLE’S
LIFE STORIES.

Text and Photography by Roxana Allison

My relationship with Mexico, my homeland, is both Mexico and Britain; today I will say that
complicated: almost conflictive. My relationship I am definitely from Mexico, although I feel I
with Britain, the place where I was born, is similar. need to give them an explanation on my non-
Writing this in English feels a little strange but at Mexican look or my non-pure British spoken
the same time makes sense. Somehow it doesn’t word (depending on where I am) in order to ease
feel right but neither does it feel entirely wrong. It them into my identity.
would be better if I wrote it in Mexican Spanglish
but not everyone would understand. I’ll try to Mexicans don’t see me as Mexican straight
explain myself… away; it takes them time to make sense of my
perfect chilango (the spoken Spanish from
My first name is the third generation of Mexico City) and pair it with my Anglo-Saxon
Roxanas on my mother’s side of the family. I foreign appearance - I am normally considered
am a photographer. My mother is Mexican: güera (fair-haired) over there. At first sight,
a sociologist who lived in Britain for almost Mexicans generally predictably think I am a
fifteen years; she behaves as if she were British gringa. Once they have got over all of this and
sometimes. My dad is British, is an economist accepted me as Mexican they will move on to
and over thirty years ago, a few years after inevitably think that I belong to the middle or
marrying my mum, was persuaded to move to upper class and will proceed to label me as
her hometown, Mexico City. I have a younger fresa (snob). Both perceptions of my persona
brother; he’s a photographer too, previously make me uncomfortable. Firstly because I do
lived in London for many years and loves Mexico not want to be considered as being from the
as much as I do. USA and secondly because I do not fancy being
associated with the Mexican privileged classes
I wasn’t born in Mexico but it is where I spent who tend to be the dominating elite who run
my formative years from the age of five. I grew the economy and dominate the politics of the
up there. I am Mexican. I feel that way and country.
will usually associate my cultural identity with
Mexico. When I was little, I didn’t know I looked foreign
until someone pointed it out; I didn’t perceive
In the past, when someone asked me where myself as any different to the rest although
I was from, which happens a lot, I would have people would make sure I became conscious
doubts and say I wasn’t sure, that I was from of it. For instance, schoolmates would stroke

31

my light thin hair gently to compare it with their Although I grew up in a dual nationality
dark, thick hair. This was very odd for me at first household where I learned what being British
but I got used to it over time. was more or less from my dad, I hadn’t been
immersed in the culture as much as I had in
For many years, it was a little hard for me to feel I the Mexican one. I wasn’t used to the different
belonged to the country I loved and spent most English accents, the utterly different weather
of my childhood, adolescence and early adult and the food that always seemed very bland,
years, merely because I didn’t blend in. I was and more than anything I had to start from
always somewhere in between belonging and scratch to make friends and social connections.
not. Therefore, the idea of coming back to Britain This last factor has proven to be the hardest.
was permanently present in the back of my mind However, it would be unfair of me if I didn’t say
despite the fact I didn’t have much connection I have met good people and friends who have
with British culture except for my dad and the helped me to navigate and understand British
very few relatives we kept in touch with back in culture.
the United Kingdom.

Twenty three years after permanently living Relatives supported us with settling in as much
in Mexico City, as an adult in my late twenties as they could. They offered their homes and gave
and married to my Mexican husband who had us advice on how to integrate into the system
warned me he would never ever leave his beloved and start looking for work and a home of our
hometown, I finally moved to Manchester [with own. Slowly but surely we moved on to finding
him] thinking that somehow I would settle in our first rented house, got jobs, filled mountains
easily and would immediately have a sense of of paperwork for my husband to become a
belonging. Little was I to know that I would face resident and later acquire British citizenship,
similar issues to those I experienced in Mexico. and progressed in life. Nonetheless, I still had the
same feeling of not completely belonging.
At first everything was part of the journey of
moving to a different country and I attributed To reinforce this sensation, people would ask
my sense of not belonging here to the time I had me where I was from and say that I had a funny
spent away. accent, even though I don’t have a Mexican one,

32

“To make my life ‘easier’ I resolved
that I belonged to both cultures and
that it had more pros than cons
33



though most people would consider I sounded and I knew that this was definitely the place I
English enough. They saw my appearance as wanted to be.
British but something didn’t quite match up
when they heard me speak. They were able to Before setting off, my husband and I had
see beyond my skin colour and overall facade. assured ourselves that we would never, ever
move back to Mexico. Its many political, social
What was surprising for them was to discover and economic issues annoyed, frustrated and
that I was Mexican (as well as British). Their shock worried us. We knew them well and were aware
was immediate and obvious. They didn’t see me of the many battles you are forced to fight
as Mexican in my appearance or purely British on a daily basis. We had almost reached the
when I spoke. For me this was very confusing conclusion of staying in the UK forever. So, the
and disappointing, it meant that I didn’t entirely revelation of our trip took us by surprise.
belong here (nor there), and that wasn’t the
answer I had anticipated. Someone said to me once: ‘Mexico City is like
a very colourful yet slightly ugly soup but when
I came to Britain in search of clues that would you taste it, its flavours are beautiful’. I couldn’t
give me responses about where I felt connected agree more.
and comfortable to live. The reality was
completely unpredicted. To make my life ‘easier’ For the first time in a very long period I was at
I resolved that I belonged to both cultures and peace. A heavy weight had finally fallen from my
that it had more pros than cons. There was no shoulders, I was ready to accept that integrating
point in struggling to adapt to one culture only, into a given culture isn’t determined by the
yet I thought it would be merely a matter of time place you were born in and that the sense of
to understand the British and feel British. belonging is not always obvious, it takes time
to recognise and assimilate and sometimes
Time passed quickly and it wasn’t until four years you need to take a step back to move yourself
after moving to Britain that we were able to forward both, mentally and physically.
visit our homeland for the first time. Going back
wasn’t revealing in terms of feeling the need to My ideal country would have the best of both
stay, although I enjoyed the familiarity of the worlds in one place, and I am uncertain as to
place and the ease of its people to engage when I shall be leaving Britain but that hardly
socially. The second time round was another matters right now, the fact is: one day I will be
four years later and the experience was similar. going home, I will be going back to mi querido
Mexico.
A year and a half after that visit, going back to
Mexico was totally different. As soon as I landed Roxana’s cultural identity dilemma has been
there I felt I was back home and belonged part of her photographic practice for the last
like no other time. I felt like a fish in water, an ten years. She has undertaken several projects
extremely convoluted one but one that was related to migration, sense of place and
familiar and that connected with me straight cultural dislocation.
away. Everything seemed to make sense again See more at www.roxanaallison.co.uk

35

PENNYCHOO ‘JAZZ CAT'

ACTUAL SIZE MAGAZINESUBSCRIBE TO ACTUAL SIZE

TAKING OUT A SUBSCRIPTION TO ACTUAL SIZE MAGAZINE WILL ENSURE THAT SIX COPIES
OF THIS NEW MAGAZINE FOR CREATIVE, INTELLIGENT, CLUED-UP HUMANS ARE DELIVERED
DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR (OR YOUR INBOX IF YOU PREFER IT THAT WAY). EVERYONE’S DIFFERENT
AND THERE ARE MANY REASONS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO SUBSCRIBE TO ACTUAL SIZE. HERE
ARE JUST SOME OF THEM:

1: YOU WILL ENSURE THAT YOU NEVER MISS OUT ON AN ISSUE OF THE MAGAZINE
2: THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO SUPPORT A NEW, INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION TO TAKE ITS FIRST STEPS

INTO THE WORLD
3: A GIFT SUBSCRIPTION IS A TRULY FANTASTIC GIFT FOR ALL OF THE BEST PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE
4: AS IS A ‘GIFT TO SELF’ SUBSCRIPTION - (OK, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS A ‘SUBSCRIPTION’). WHY NOT
REWARD YOURSELF FOR JUST BEING GENERALLY WONDERFUL, OR FOR A RECENT JOB WELL DONE?

5: YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. AND WE’LL LOVE YOU FOR IT
6: FOR UK SUBSCRIBERS, A SUBSCRIPTION MEANS FREE DELIVERY. FOR EVERYWHERE ELSE, OUR

DELIVERY COSTS ARE FAIR AND ALWAYS KEPT AS LOW AS POSSIBLE

SUBSCRIPTION COSTS FOR SIX ISSUES

(PLEASE NOTE, THESE COSTS ARE IN ENGLISH POUNDS. THERE ARE MANY CURRENCY CONVERTERS ONLINE WHICH
PROVIDE UP TO DATE CONVERSION RATES.

UK: £35.00
REST OF EUROPE: £55.00
REST OF THE WORLD: £65.00
WE ACCEPT PAYMENT VIA CREDIT CARD OR PAYPAL USING OUR SECURE ONLINE WEBSITE.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND SEE FURTHER INFORMATION AS WELL AS TERMS AND
CONDITIONS AT: WWW.ACTUALSIZEMAGAZINE.COM/SUBSCRIBE

WEBSITE:
ACTUALSIZE
MAGAZINE.COM

ISSUE ONE £6.00 GBP A NEW MAGAZINE FOR CREATIVE INDIVIDUALS
1

ACTUAL SIZE NEWSLETTER

PLEASE SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER (VIA THE WEBSITE) FOR INFORMATION ABOUT
NEW ISSUES OF THE ACTUAL SIZE, NEWS, EVENTS AND COMPETITIONS. WE PROMISE NOT
TO BOMBARD YOU WITH EMAILS, AND WILL ONLY EVER CONTACT YOU WHEN WE HAVE
SOMETHING OF INTEREST TO SAY.

37

FOREST GIN IS THE ONLY GIN TO HAVE EVER BEEN AWARDED TWO SEPARATE
DOUBLE-GOLD MEDALS AT THE SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRIT AWARDS
WWW.FORESTGIN.COM

CARRY ON CLÉO

DESIGNER CLÉO FERIN MERCURY SPECIALISES IN SILK SCARVES, COLLARS AND CLOTHING,
ALL UNIQUE, WONDERFUL AND BURSTING WITH COLOUR AND CHARM. HERE SHE TALKS

ABOUT WHAT MAKES HER TICK…

39

1: HOW:
I started the label in 2010: the year after I had graduated from uni. I made a small collection of
printed scarves for my degree show and all of my friends wanted to buy them which made me
think I could maybe do more and approach shops. I’ve always been into making things from a very
young age, and once I learnt to screen-print at uni, I just couldn’t stop: t-shirts, stickers, posters etc.
One of my favourite tutors Aida Wilde had a shop just off Brick Lane [in East London] at the time.
We’d print things in the evening in her basement and the next day they’d be in the shop: I love that! 

2: WHY:
I chose scarves because as a print designer and illustrator I thought it was the best way to show
visuals. I love the square format of the scarves: it’s very much like a canvas. Also, I was (and still am)
a big scarf fan. I find them very versatile: they fold very tiny in your pocket and you can wear them
around your neck to keep warm, you can quickly put them in your hair if needed, fold them into a
carrier bag if you happen to stumble across things to pick up, knot them into tops and dresses in
Summer… Scarves are so practical! Other things I love about them is that they don’t need to follow
trends, the variety of prints you get is immense, and you can find scarves at every price point, fitting
any budget.

3: DAY BY DAY:
Working for yourself is great because you get to work at your own pace, you get to decide on the
identity of your project, and its artistic direction. The main challenges I find are having a good
balance between social/personal life and work: it’s easy to lose yourself in your endless to-do lists,
and running a fashion label means sticking to a strict calendar with regular releases, trade fairs
etc. so it can be quite stressful. One other thing I find a challenge, but I also quite enjoy, is having to
supervise and keep an eye on all aspects of the business. Although my speciality is designing prints
and accessories, I like the fact that I’ve had to learn to communicate with factories, learn about
marketing and e-commerce etc.: you basically never get bored nor stuck in one task. I’m very lucky
to be working with a great friend of mine, Chris, who is my business partner: we take every decision
in the company together, although we both have different roles and responsibilities. It’s so nice to
be able to bounce ideas off each other.

40

4: INSPIRATIONS:
When I started the label, I liked the idea of revisiting
classic accessories such as square scarves
and detachable collars, updating them with fun
colourful prints. We then came up with the idea
to revisit the animal fur stole. Chris and I are both
huge fans of 1940s film noirs, where you often
see actresses wear the fur version, only we wanted
to make an animal-friendly version that animal
lovers like us would like to wear. We gave it a try
and really quickly started selling more and more
of them! We had no idea how popular they would
become: it’s been a great surprise!

5: WHERE:
I’m Parisian, but I’ve been living in London for 13
years and I love this city, it’s very freeing, it’s full of
things to do, always! And Paris, I love too, I go there
every month, I’m lucky really: I could never choose
between them.

6: ATTENTION TO DETAIL:
It’s very important for me to create things that are
well made and can last. We get all our clothing
made here in London, and I love how I can
communicate very quickly to the people I work
with, and I know the factory has great working
conditions etc. Same with our factory in South
Korea, where we get all our animal scarves made,
although I don’t visit them often. Of course working
in these two countries costs more money, but it’s
very important to us to know that our products are
made in good conditions, I wouldn’t be able to do
this otherwise. I think it’s something our customers
care about too, spending a bit more money on
quality products and buying less disposable items.

See more at www.cleoferinmercury.co.uk

Portrait of Cléo by Ashanti Jackson

41

FOOD: TRAVELS IN PALESTINE

FORMER HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER YASMIN KHAN IS NOW A BEST-
SELLING AND AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR, CAMPAIGNER AND COOK AND
SHE’S PASSIONATE ABOUT SHARING PEOPLE’S STORIES THROUGH FOOD.

Her debut book The Saffron Tales explored her culinary adventures through Iran and was named
by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and BBC Radio 4 Food Programme as one of
the best cookbooks of 2016. Now she turns her attention to the Palestinian kitchen: amidst the
olive groves of Nazareth and the fishing ports of Gaza, Khan falls in love with the flavours and

fragrances of modern Palestinian cuisine.
Her journeytakes her from the pomegranate juice stalls ofAkka, on the coast ofthe Mediterranean
Sea, to the home kitchens of refugees, via the knafeh sweet shops of bustling downtown Nablus.
On her travels, she learns how to hand-roll maftool: the plump Palestinian giant couscous,
harvests black olives from the groves of Burquin in the West Bank and sinks a pint with workers
at the Taybeh brewery who are producing the first Palestinian craft beer. In a region that much
of the wider world tends to associate with conflict right now, the humanity seen in this book

serves as an important reminder that lives are being well-lived, as much as is possible.
Here are three of our favourite recipes from the book, but (trust us on this one: we’ve tried several

others) they’re all great.

ZAITOUN: Recipes and Stories
from the Palestinian Kitchen by
Yasmin Khan (Bloomsbury)
Hardback: £26.00, E B4o2ok: £22.99

ROAST CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Cauliflowers are a prized vegetable in the Palestinian kitchen, where their sweet, earthy flavour
is celebrated. The most coveted varieties are known as zahra baladi (wild flower); they take
a year to grow and, when harvested, are the size of my forearm. In Palestinian folklore, they
are believed to cure everything from respiratory problems to post-natal pain. In this recipe,
cauliflower is cooked into a thick and creamy soup, with just enough warming spice to make you

feel as though it is indeed warding off all potential ailments.
Serves 4–6

1 large cauliflower (1kg)
2 onions, sliced into half moons

extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
30g salted butter

4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large potato (400g), skin left on, roughly chopped into 3cm squares

1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 litre gluten-free vegetable or chicken stock

2 tablespoons flaked almonds, to serve
chopped parsley leaves, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6. Cut the cauliflower into equal-sized florets and place
them, along with any leaves, on a baking tray with the onions. Drizzle over a few tablespoons of
extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle on the cumin and coriander, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon
pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together, then bake for around 20 minutes, or until
the cauliflower is cooked through but still has some bite. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large
saucepan and sauté the garlic for a few minutes over a low heat. Add the potato, turmeric and
stock, cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the potato is soft. When the cauliflower is done, reserve
a few spoons of it for the topping (including leaves, if you have them) and add the remainder
to the soup. Simmer everything together for 5 minutes before blitzing with a hand-held blender
until it is smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Toast the flaked almonds in a dry pan over a
low heat until they turn golden. When you are ready to serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls
and top with a spoonful of roast cauliflower florets and a scattering of toasted almonds and

parsley.

43

SPICED PUMPKIN, OLIVE OIL AND ORANGE CAKE

This is a cake you can turn to when you need to lift your mood as, while it bakes, it fills the kitchen
with the uplifting scent of sweet pumpkin married with the warming fragrances of cinnamon,
ginger and cloves. It is a dense and supremely moist cake, using olive oil instead of butter for
a wonderfully soft, tender crumb. I use canned pumpkin for this recipe but, if you want to make
pumpkin purée yourself, roast around 400g peeled, deseeded and chopped pumpkin for about
30 minutes or until completely soft. After it has cooled, push it through a sieve to get rid of excess

liquid. The cake keeps well in an airtight container for a couple of days.
You’ll need a 25 x 13cm (900g) loaf tin.
Serves 6–8

for the cake
150ml light olive oil, plus more for the tin

200g caster sugar
50ml extra virgin olive oil

finely grated zest of 1/2 organic or unwaxed orange

3 eggs
200g plain flour

11/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

pinch of ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

250g cooked pumpkin puree, canned or home-made (see recipe introduction)
1 teaspoon lemon juice

for the icing
250g icing sugar

finely grated zest of 1/2 organic or unwaxed orange

2–3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice

unsalted pistachio nibs, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4. Lightly oil a 25 x 13cm (900g) loaf tin and line it with
baking parchment. With electric beaters, beat the sugar, both oils and the orange zest until
combined and smooth. Gradually beat in the eggs, one by one, until the batter turns paler. Sift
all the dry ingredients and gently stir them in. Finally, fold in the pumpkin purée and lemon juice,
being careful not to lose too much air from the mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared tin
and bake in the centre of the oven for around 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake
comes out clean. Remove from the oven, leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then tip it out on
to a wire rack. When the cake is completely cool, make the icing. Mix the icing sugar with the
orange zest, 2 tablespoons of orange juice and the lemon juice until you have a thick paste. If
you need to loosen it a bit, add 1 teaspoon more orange juice at a time; you want a thick paste,

so don’t make it too runny. Spoon the icing over the cake and finish with a sprinkling of
pistachio nibs.
44

ROAST RAINBOW CARROTS WITH HERBED YOGURT

This recipe is inspired by a meal I enjoyed at Tawla, a Palestinian-
owned restaurant in San Francisco that serves up innovative and
tasty adaptations of Eastern Mediterranean cuisine. Rainbow carrots
are a particular addiction of mine and I adore how they brighten up
my table with their purple and golden hues. If you can’t find any,
fear not, regular carrots will do, just try and buy organic if you can
as the taste is so much better. This salad is best made an hour or
so in advance, then left to rest so the carrots soak up all the herby

flavours from the dressing.
Serves 4 as part of a spread

1kg mixed rainbow carrots (ideally purple, white and orange)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons natural yogurt
1 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill, or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon dried mint

1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6. Peel the carrots and slice
them diagonally into thick wedges. Toss them with 2 tablespoons
of the extra virgin olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and roast for 30–35
minutes, until they are tender, but still have some bite. Meanwhile,
whisk together all the remaining ingredients, except the seeds,
(and not forgetting the final 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil) with
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. When the carrots are ready,
transfer them to a serving dish and leave them to cool to room
temperature. Pour over the yogurt dressing, mix well, then taste and
adjust the seasoning. Scatter with the nigella and sesame seeds.
You can tuck in immediately or, for best results, cover and leave to

rest for about 1 hour before serving.

45

TEXT BY KATIE ALLEN

Pictured in her sustainable (vintage) wedding dress on a
London Bus.

“ It’s a mindset that we all need to

embrace more often – the ‘make do and mend’
attitude of generations past, who cherished
everything they owned far more than we do
now

46

SUSSTTEAPPIINNGAUPBTIOLITY

IT’S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO THINK ABOUT THE EFFECT WE, AS HUMANS, ARE HAVING
ON THE PLANET. FROM DIRE WARNINGS ABOUT BEES AND OCEAN PLASTIC TO
MELTING ICE CAPS, THE SITUATION CAN FEEL IMPOSSIBLY LARGE AND FRIGHTENING.

ESSAYIST REBECCA SOLNIT HAS WRITTEN: ‘OPTIMISTS THINK IT WILL ALL
BE FINE WITHOUT OUR INVOLVEMENT. PESSIMISTS TAKE THE OPPOSITE
POSITION; BOTH EXCUSE THEMSELVES FROM ACTING.’ HER ANSWER IS
SIMPLE: WE MUST BE HOPEFUL, AND WE MUST ACT.

HERE ARE FIVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE EXACTLY THAT.

LUCY, WEST LONDON past, who cherished everything they owned far
OWNER OF THE WISE HOUSE ECO STORE more than we do now.
See more at www.thewisehouse.co.uk

I started The Wise House out of a desire to find KATHY, WEST OXFORDSHIRE
products that weren’t mass produced and
that had their own story and integrity – like our I’m a cook and a grower so living more
beeswax food wraps which you can use instead sustainably is about food and the outdoors for
of clingfilm, as well as treats like natural skincare. me. At home I try to grow most of my own fruit
and veg, and our compost feeds the veg patch.
Running the business keeps me sane and is
something I do for myself. The hardest part is When I was little I had a folder of letters I’d
the juggling act: there are times when I take written to big brands complaining that they
things far too seriously and cannot imagine were killing dolphins/using up trees/not paying
how I will finish my tax return, send the orders, fair trade prices: I was quite precociously ‘right
unpack boxes of stock, hoover the carpet, plan on’! But once I was grown up and we moved
something for dinner and drink a cup of tea to the countryside from London 10 years ago I
while staring into space (one of my favourite could really see what good was done when
pastimes). Instagram has put me in touch with agriculture was sustainable. Then I started
a network of likeminded people, all of whom are growing my own food and it just felt so wrong to
doing their bit to help the planet and reduce be using chemicals covered in warning signs on
waste in different, creative ways. Hopefully it has things I was going to eat that I just instinctively
a sort of wave effect, as more people jump on went organic.
board and make simple, small changes in their
lives. I previously spent 12 years as a brand strategist
for London advertising agencies. After quitting,
I’m inspired by the intellectual and political I retrained and worked in growing and cooking
thinkers who understand how businesses and for other people. I started Gluts and Gluttony
governments tick, and who petition for change as a blog five years ago. It’s part supper club,
at the highest level. The premise is to move us part cookery classes and part private chef-ing.
from a linear economy (we make it, we use it, we It’s built on offering homegrown, organic and
throw it away) to a Circular Economy (we make seasonal food that’s inspired by the Cotswolds
it, we use it, we reuse it, we share, we mend it, countryside where I live. Most of my cookery
we repurpose it, we make it again). It’s a mindset classes are about encouraging people to
that we all need to embrace more often – the reconnect with nature and slow down by
‘make do and mend’ attitude of generations

47

“You can grow tomatoes, salad or herbs in a window box or on a balcony

– it will save you money and it tastes so much better
learning practical skills about food growing and
natural building. I couldn’t even light the fire, let
alone chop the wood, at first. I went on to study
Organic Horticulture in Ireland. When I came
back, the opportunity came up to rent some
land on an organic farm. I had some savings,
so I went for it, although it wasn’t really enough
money to set up a farm so the first few years
were very tough. I learnt a lot from my mistakes. 

I ran Reddy Lane Market Garden for five years,
and after a few adventures and a crowdfunding
campaign we’ve recently opened a new site.
Everything we grow is totally organic. Things like
fruit and potatoes and carrots work better on a
bigger scale, so we grow higher value things like
kale, purple sprouting broccoli, garlic, beetroot,
squash, French and broad beans, tomatoes and
cucumber. We sell at a market and do veg boxes
too.

growing their own, cooking seasonally and Market gardening is pretty balanced in terms of
buying food more thoughtfully. Someone once gender, unlike farming which is male dominated.
said that ‘nature isn’t somewhere you visit’. I encounter a lot of sexism daily: people ask me if
it’s my hobby or ask who the farmer or the owner
I think cooking and eating responsibly has is. I have to say: ‘Me!’.
had a knock-on effect in other parts of my life.
I’m looking for organic cotton more when I go In terms of eating more sustainably, do have a
clothes shopping and trying to ‘buy once and go at growing your own: that’s how I got started.
buy well’. In the house, I’m trying to use plastic You can grow tomatoes, salad or herbs in a
less and to look at more environmentally friendly window box or on a balcony – it will save you
cleaning options too, but I’ve a way to go there. money and it tastes so much better. Then you
See more at www.glutsandgluttony.com could take on an allotment or raised beds in
Instagram: @gluts_gluttony your garden. You might get into it!
See more at www.reddylanemarketgarden.com

ZAHRA, NORWICH

LINDSAY, GREATER MANCHESTER I am a PhD film student and  I also do lots of
blogging: I write a column on sustainability for
When I was 27, I quit my job. I had been working the Muslim Girl blog and I am responsible for
for a magazine about ethical consumerism for most of the content on our family e-commerce
four and a half years, but it was very desk-based. site  ‘Living Life Natural’  where we sell ethical
and eco-friendly products. In fact, that’s how I
became inspired to change my own lifestyle.

Writing about genetically modified food, factory When we started the family website, I was in
farming and pesticides drew me to food growing. charge of the content. My research was first
I spent a year living and working in Spain, and based on natural and organic products and

48

their benefits. I soon realised that everything
is connected: what we consume affects us,
our health and the planet. I started to seek out
books and documentaries to learn more. That
led to me becoming zero waste, adopting a
vegan diet, and de-cluttering my life as much
as possible. I truly believe that our daily choices
make a lot of difference.

For my wedding, I wore a dress from sustainable
brand Minna and my shoes were from Beyond
Skin. It was important that I keep true to myself
and my values, but also find a way to honour my
culture. As a Muslim-Iranian-Canadian marrying
an English man, this wasn’t always simple. But we
tried to think about how the different parts of our
culture and identities intersect, and sometimes
it was about putting a twist on traditional things.
For example, Islamic weddings require that the
woman asks for a ‘dowry’ - which is a gift given
to her by her husband. I wanted to make this
tradition my own, so my partner and I decided
that instead of something monetary we would
plant 100 trees. This way, we held onto our
traditions but also made the wedding true to us. 
See more at www.livinglifenatural.com

when I went to secondary school. As I’ve got
older I’ve definitely become more interested in
sustainable living, and because I’ve edged into it
slowly it’s an easy habit now.

At the moment I’m trying to lessen how much
plastic packaging I use. In the past I’ve tackled
composting, growing my own food, using eco-
friendly household cleaners, abandoning shampoo
and going vegan. I try to buy organic when I can
and make use of my local market for fruit and veg.

SUSIE, TELFORD For more specialist stuff I generally put in a big
order at Ethical Superstore online a couple of times
It’s really important to me to live a sustainable a year – it’s good for things that I can’t get in my little
life, because I want the world to be nice for town like eco-friendly cleaners, feminine hygiene
future generations, and to try to stop the scary products, toiletries – and vegan chocolate!
effects of climate change. The thought of all
the world’s environmental problems makes me I’ve done my fair share of service industry jobs, and
feel quite anxious, but breaking it down into while there’s definitely no shame in that, working
manageable things, like finding an alternative in retail made me realise how much waste can
product or writing a letter to my MP, makes me involved. I’m lucky to have worked for my local
feel that I can do something about it. library service for the last eight years; there’s
nothing eco-friendlier than sharing books!

See Susie’s Blog: secondhandsusie.blogspot.com
Instagram & Twitter - @secondhandsusie

When I was a kid I remember going to a protest Text by Katie Allen. See more at
in my local park when the land was going to www.apositivefashion.wordpress.com
be sold for housing, and I stopped eating meat

49

ACTUAL SIZE LOVES:

THE PRINTED PEANUT

THE PRINTED PEANUT IS AN IMPRESSIVELY LARGE COLLECTION OF
ILLUSTRATED ITEMS, DESIGNED BY LOUISE LOCKHART. THIS ONE-
WOMAN OPERATION IS BASED IN AN OLD COTTON MILL IN YORKSHIRE
IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND, WHERE LOUISE SPLITS HER DAYS
BETWEEN DESIGNING FOR THE PRINTED PEANUT (AND RUNNING THE
BUSINESS) AND ALSO OPERATING AS A FREELANCE ILLUSTRATOR FOR
THE LIKES OF BODEN, ANTHROPOLOGIE, LIBERTY AND HEAL’S.

WE LOVE THIS WORK ON MANY LEVELS. ALL PRODUCTS ARE MANUFACTURED IN THE UK AND AIM TO
USE ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIALS WHEREVER POSSIBLE. IT’S IMPORTANT FOR AN ILLUSTRATOR TO HAVE
A STRONG, DEFINED AND UNIQUE STYLE, AND THE PRINTED PEANUT WARES SHOW THIS OFF TO GREAT
EFFECT. WE ASKED LOUISE TO TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT HER WORKING PRACTICE.
Could you please tell us how The Printed Peanut came about? What was your first product?
I studied illustration at Art School but after I graduated I wasn’t sure I wanted to be an editorial
illustrator, which is all I assumed was available as a job. This was in 2009, way before Instagram
and Pinterest had become what they are today. I think things are a lot more accessible now and
illustration is quite fashionable these days. I travelled to Canada on a work-holiday visa for one
year in 2012. I worked in an amazing stationery store there, which is where I saw that you can apply
designs to merchandise to sell. It was a bit of a eureka moment; I learnt so much in that year. I set
up my own screen printing studio in my bathroom (the bath was a different colour every day) and
I began to print  patterns onto paper. I had always made the game Pass the Parcel since I was a
little girl but I had never seen a ready-to-play version. I came up with one that was made from really
nicely printed paper on each layer and sold them in the shop.
You’re based in a mill in Yorkshire, which strikes us as a beautiful place to work from. Do you find
that your surroundings are a big influence on your work?
I grew up in Hebden Bridge (Yorkshire) and I never thought I would settle back here, but it’s such
a creative and close community, it’s hard to resist. I’m about to move into a house me and my
husband have been renovating for the past three years. The whole ground floor will be my studio,
I’m so excited about it, to have a real dedicated space for my business. I feel that I could work from
anywhere (Caribbean island next?) but I’m also sure there’s something very grounding about being
in this beautiful valley.

50


Click to View FlipBook Version