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Happy New Year 2019

Happy New Year 2019

I hope you have all had a lovely time over the holiday season. Now that the celebrations are over, St Ives will take a break. Some shops will close for a few weeks, some will take this time to have a facelift and others will reduce their hours and take the time to refresh.

We will be open Wednesday to Sunday 11-4pm until the half-term holidays in February. We can always open out of hours if we know you are coming. 

This is the time when the residents enjoy the peace and quiet or head off to warmer climes. This is my time to pack the cottons, sandals and sketchbook and board the plane in search of unusual and beautiful finds and put some new ideas into work. First stop Thailand and then my home from home, India. 

It’s always good to stock the bestsellers, but it’s exciting to discover something new and different to offer our loyal customers. It’s fun uncovering some hidden treasures and bringing them back to add to the mix. I will also be sourcing fabrics and trims and creating some new pieces.

I am hoping to focus more on jewellery this year as this is my first love. Our wide and varied selection has been so well received that we need to offer even more this year. I will be on the lookout for semi-precious stones; embroidered ribbons; interesting beads and pendants with the intention of creating some unique pieces and limited edition pieces.

To follow me on my journey, please follow us on Instagram @sweetlimeuk and see what I discover on the way.

With love, Elspeth

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Monthly inspiration, December 2018

Monthly inspiration, December 2018

The holiday season has arrived and we are celebrating in the style of Sweetlime. It wouldn’t be Sweetlime if there wasn’t a fiesta of colour on offer. We have bright multi-coloured pom pom garlands, lights and Christmas decorations and an array of Mexican mirrors, wall hangings and artefacts to brighten any interior. Carnaval coloured cushions and embellished and embroidered accessories make great gifts. For those who prefer a more traditional approach, our mixed metallic Christmas decorations, homewares and lights will add a little sparkle to your tree or for your table setting. 

This month, white seemed like a good choice for our December colour and we go to Goa in search of some winter sun. 

We can’t feature everything on our website, so if you’d like to take a look around our store, please contact us and we can take you on a virtual shopping trip. We are happy to do this before and after opening hours if necessary.

Thank you for supporting Sweetlime in 2018 and have a wonderful time over the holiday season.

With love, Elspeth


FOCUS

White, the colour of purity, clarity and peace. White is often considered to be a non-colour, however white is the sum of all colours. In the East, white represents death. In India widows wear white, white is seen at funerals and many Indian politicians wear white. It is a symbol of simplicity and represents the act of giving up luxury. Gandhi wore white clothes made of khadi cloth to show his rejection of British dress and encourage the production and development of clothes woven and made in India. 

White is also a sign of cleanliness and the symbolic colour of the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur. In the West, it is a symbol of purity as seen in christening and wedding gowns. Many Mediterranean villages are a sea of white buildings. They were whitewashed to reflect the sunlight in order to keep them cool pre.air conditioning. 

A few things to love about white: crisp white bed linen; food presented on a large white plate; a fresh white canvas or sheet of paper; white linen clothes on a sunny day and untouched snowfall.


TRAVEL

Goa, India

After many many visits to India, I decided that I should take a trip to Goa. Reluctant to go as it was, in my opinion, not India, I finally made the decision to add it to one of my work trips. There are various faces of Goa and yes, it has its own identity, but I was pleasantly surprised to find culture, charming architecture, great food, wonderful places to stay and a few markets, which are always a plus in my book. 
There are some fabulous boutiques dotted throughout the state, so I will just mention a few destinations. Take a look at the “Hippie-in-heels”  website for some interesting little shops in Panaji (Panjim); visit Private Collection boutique in Candolim for simple, but beautiful clothing and if you make up to Ashwem, then the beach tented boutiques are simply the best. Sweetlime jewellery can be found in Nana-ki alongside beautiful and colourful kaftans and beachwear. 

There are various markets to explore and this is where I have found some beads and precious pieces to incorporate in many of my unique and special statement necklaces.

With regards to where to stay, there are many hidden treasures throughout Goa, so I will highlight only a few gems. Vivenda dos Palhacos is a one-hundred-year-old house located in a little village called Majorda, in South Goa. It’s small and charming and each room is uniquely decorated. Charlotte, who is one half of the brother and sister team who own and run this boutique hotel is an absolute joy and having grown up in India, is a wealth of information. The hotel is also a short bike ride to an extensive and relatively quiet beach.
If you feel like treating yourself and want to escape to the hills, then Nilaya Hermitage is the place to go. It is a little remote, but their cars are available to ferry you around. The architecture and interior design are a mix of Moorish, Hindu and Gaudi-esque.  Shades of blues and hues of turquoise enhance the calming nature of this place.

Many grand mansions have been converted into boutique hotels. Often the owners are on site and they usually add to the experience. Sunbeam in Assagao and 1265 Crescent Villa in Candolim are fine examples of this.


NOTES

Sweetlime will be open every day through to January 6th. We will have reduced hours from the 7th of January to February 15th. Please check our website or call 01736 791 434 for more details.

 

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Celebrating three years in St Ives!

Celebrating three years in St Ives!

Join us to celebrate three years in St Ives. As a thank you to our loyal customers, we would like to share our anniversary with you. Come and have a drink and pick up a few gifts for friends and family or perhaps for yourself. Grab a goody bags if you spend £20 plus. We will also be giving away a gift box of goodies to the lucky winner of our Insta giveaway. Follow us@sweetlimeuk on Instagram for details.

Sweetlime, Wills Lane, St Ives TR26 1AF

Thursday, November 29th 5–8pm
 
We are looking forward to seeing you then.
Love, Elspeth

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Monthly inspiration, November 2018

Monthly inspiration, November 2018


November brings shorter days, darker nights and the desire to either close the binds, bring out the cookbooks, and start the search for the perfect gifts online or when the sun comes out and the sky is blue, take a walk and visit your local independent shops. This is the time to support your local shops and cafes. 

Here at Sweetlime, we are celebrating three years since we opened our doors in the lovely coastal town of St Ives. As we become a little more known, we have gathered loyal repeat customers and are always happy when we are discovered by locals and tourists alike. As a thank you, we are having a little party on Thursday, November 29th between 5–8pm. Drinks will be served and goody bags will be on offer to shoppers on the day. Take advantage of our gift wrapping service. Choose your gifts, choose your wrapping preference – traditional or boho –, leave them with us and pick them up a little later. Each gift is wrapped for a small additional cost of £3,50. 

This month we go Gold and Bangkok is our golden destination.

With love, Elspeth
 

FEATURED

Gold is the colour of reverence, achievement and triumph. A gold medal denotes first place. It is the colour of the winner. Confident and eye-catching, gold draws attention to the wearer.  Gold holds great importance in Indian culture, as it is the symbol of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, who is considered to be very auspicious and hence buying gold for an Indian bride will bring them good fortune.

Gold’s rich shimmer, combined with its resistance to tarnishing, have made it the metal of choice for religious buildings around the world. Many religions have chosen it as their chosen metal for religious artefacts and decoration within its churches and temples. Gold is associated with royalty as well as religion. 
The Golden Buddha, is a gold statue, weighing 5,500 kilograms. It is located in the temple of Wat Traimit, Bangkok, Thailand. At one point in its history, the statue was covered with a layer of stucco and coloured glass to conceal its true value. After 200 years, during the relocation of the statue in 1955, the plaster was chipped off and the gold revealed. 
 
Although most gold is found in Africa and the East, traces of gold have been found at the South Crofty mine, near Cambourne in Cornwall.

TRAVEL

Bangkok, Thailand

I think one of the most striking things about Bangkok is its contrasts and its juxtaposition of old and new. Sadly, the old is being raised to the ground as building high rises becomes the most important issue when the cost of real estate is so high. The sharp, clean and super modern architecture sits beside traditional temples. The simplicity of the new contrasts against the ornate nature of the temples and palaces of the past. On my first visit, over 25 years ago, I managed to squeeze a few tourist destinations into my business trip. I was there to work with silver suppliers, but after my work was done, I’d grab a tuk-tuk and visit the temples such as Wat Pho, home of the reclining Buddha or a crowded night market. One being completely serene and the other an assault on the senses.

I can’t talk about Bangkok without mentioning the food. I love the street food. Never afraid to try something new, I can happily eat my way around the city.

In contrast to the wonderful street food, I have a favourite restaurant, Issaya. This restaurant is partly owned by a renowned chef, Chef Kittichai, who proudly brings food from farm to table.  The setting is beautiful, the interiors are exquisite and the food faultless.

I found a lovely boutique hotel, called The Cabochon. It’s hard to believe that it was only built in 2012, conceived by interior designer, Eugene Yeh, it feels like a colonial building of the 1920’s. Combining reclaimed architectural features and collected artefacts, this hotel brings together old and new. It’s like stepping back in time, but with all the modern conveniences to hand. My only criticism would be that it’s a little too dark and moody if work needs to be done. If you wish to keep your stay in Bangkok, smart, modern and efficient, then I suggest the COMO Metropolitan. For something with a modern edge, but for a keener budget, Ad Lib is great.

I am always impressed by the design and attention to detail in this city. Designers take traditional techniques and crafts and make contemporary items which can work in most western interiors. Sweetlime showcases both traditional Thai designs as well as clean and sculptural items, such as ceramic and wooden vases.   

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Monthly Inspiration, May 2018

Monthly Inspiration, May 2018

May looks like being a busy month with bank holidays and half-term in the mix. We’ve already had a couple of beach days in St Ives and hope for many more this month. With that in mind, we’ve introduced in store our hammam towels, beach bags, festival-inspired jewellery and an exclusive range of tops, kaftans and jackets designed by Marlyn Clark. Sparked by the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the V&A next month, the colour red and Mexico had to be the sources of inspiration this month.

With love, Elspeth


FOCUS

Red, the colour of love, passion, festivity and danger. Red is the colour of life, blood and your heart. Traditionally, Indian, Indonesian and Chinese women marry in red. The Chinese consider red to be a sign of good luck, success and loyalty and wedding invitations are sent out in red envelopes. An Indian bride wears a red bindi or tikka to demonstrate her marital status.

The Hindu-Urdu word “Lal” means red, but is also a surname meaning precious or beloved. Crimson and scarlet dyes come from the cochineal insect, which products carminic acid. It has been used as a dye in Central and South America since the second century. The Spanish shipped tons of cochineal from Lima to Spain and it was used to dye fabrics, paint towns and colour woman’s cheeks. Today, cochineal is still used to colour food and cosmetics but is hidden under the label of E120.


TRAVEL

México

I visited Mexico many years ago on the lookout for silver and textiles and to take a little time out. I’m hoping to revisit soon in search of new artefacts for Sweetlime and to take inspiration from the many arts and crafts of the country including its fabulous embroideries, folk art and metalwork.

The vibrant colours of Mexico extend to its architecture, with Luis Barragán being the country’s most famous architect. He worked alongside Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn and combined the simplicity of modernist lines with the intoxicating colours of Mexico. His home in Mexico City is now a national museum.

Of course, I can't talk about Mexico and not mention Frida Kahlo.
One of Mexico's greatest artists, Frida's life is portrayed by Salma Hayek in the 2002 movie Frida, directed by Julie Taymor. This movie is a visual feast and a wonderful insight into her life's loves and her highs and lows.

For a taste of Mexico, take a look at the beautifully presented Mexico: the cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte. Over 650 delicious and authentic recipes sandwiched between paper cut-out graphics and lively photographs evoking the spirit and energy of everyday Mexican life.


ART

Open Studios Cornwall
Susie Chaikin

I first met Susie Chaikin at Open Studios Cornwall. I was thrilled to find someone with a Frida Kahlo obsession, which outshone mine. Susie is a mixed media artist, who after living and travelling in Central America for a year, started creating Frida Kahlo-inspired mosaic figures and paintings. Her love of colour and pattern translates perfectly into her work. Enter her world and see her work at Open Studios this May.

Visit Susie's studio

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Fiesta With Frida

Fiesta With Frida

Celebrate everything Frida at Sweetlime. Frida has always been a Sweetlime icon, so with a nod to the forthcoming exhibition Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up at the V&A, we are having a little party.

Join us for an evening of Mexican music, drinks and an array of Frida inspired goodies. Goodie bag giveaway and discounts on the night.

Bring friends!
Elspeth


5 – 8 pm, Friday 1st of June 2018
Sweetlime, Wills Lane, St Ives 

 
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Monthly Inspiration, April 2018

Monthly Inspiration, April 2018

April doesn't always bring blue skies, but it's springtime and we hope, a change of seasons. I've chosen the colour blue and the coast as this month's source of inspiration. As the season begins in St Ives, the restaurants and shops open their doors later and longer and the town begins to buzz a little.

With love, Elspeth


FOCUS

I can honestly say that blue has never figured highly in my life until recently, but seaside living means it’s unavoidable and it has crept into my wardrobe and into my homewares offer at Sweetlime. I’m even wearing denim on occasions, which has always been a big “no-no” in my dress code. How things can change. Natural blues derive from four sources, azurite, lapis lazuli, cobalt and indigo.

I was fortunate enough to witness indigo-dyeing in a remote Chinese village, where one of China's minority tribes, the Dong tribe, keep this tradition alive. Jodhpur, a Rajasthani village in India, is known as the "blue city" as many of the central buildings are a beautiful shade of blue, which is a mix of indigo and whitewash. It is believed that indigo works as a natural insect repellent, which can help as a protection against termites and mosquitoes. The Tuareg nomadic people of the Sahara wear indigo-dyed robes and turbans as a sign of wealth. Blue skies can lift the spirits and blow away the blues.


TRAVEL

The Coast

I consider myself to be a city or sea person and nothing much in between, so many coastal destinations have been sources of inspiration and places of contemplation. I have fallen in love with many seaside towns and places, including Essaouira, Collioure and Pondicherry, but there have been two places which hold a special place in my heart.

I suppose it’s fitting to start with St Ives, Cornwall. My first visit to St Ives was almost five years ago. It was a fleeting visit, which became life-changing. Beautiful beaches, incredible luminosity and a creative spirit, which lured me in and I became hooked. I moved to St Ives close to three years ago and established an environment for Sweetlime to flourish.

An island, which has been a part of my life for over 30 years is Lanzarote. Its coastline is varied and dramatic. This island was a dry lunar landscape with little greenery other than cacti and the paintwork of the windows and doors of the buildings when I first visited, but now with a change of climate, it has become lush at times. The simplicity of island and the influence of architect Cesar Manrique was a big part of the island’s appeal and some villages still hold their charm and character.


ART

John Greig

The seascapes of John Greig are shown and sold in Sweetlime. Surrounded by cushions and ceramics in a homely setting, it's easy to visualise how his paintings can work in your own home. John takes his inspiration from the beaches in and around St Ives and he captures the light and sensibility of this coastline.


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