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August has been a long month, one thing and another, and I'm ending it with the kind of low-level viral feeling that gives you a headache and sore eyes. So feeling more like onwards to September. This is a picture of our hallway -- this coving was one of the first things to catch our eye. We talked with the woman we bought the flat from about how it was the evidence so much careful labour by the craftsmen that built these old tenements (and her own in refurbishing them). I love this space now -- it's cool and airy when you come in. I've been doing a decor project for it, but the pictures didn't come out well today. For now though I want to keep this big-but-soft light in mind as a beacon for the next few months.

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A combination of two of my loves, fonts and sewing. This is an old typesetters tray that I bought from ebay and have put up on the wall to hold my cotton reels. I've converted the cupboard off the front room into a wee sewing space -- so hope to be able to get on with some creations. While on the nice subject of fonts and setting, here is an invitation to a lunch we had to celebrate our wedding, using a new favourite font, 'Saltpetre'. You can get it here. It's all very seafaring and 18th century, which suited us as the restaurant was by the docks and we are very pro Enlightenment-period print culture. Who isn't?

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Although it's known for intricate tiled buildings and crumbling opulence, Lisbon and surrounding area has a really cool, modernist side too. Smooth, flat concrete slabs look beautiful in the muted sunlight. And the sculpture (old and new) has a heaviness to it that is really striking and impressive. The lady at the top had an enormous bottom.

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A life line: long sunny days on the beach at Estoril.

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Some little details that make Lisbon such a beautiful city for design (they have a fantastic design museum in fact: MUDE. It's such a good city to visit. And probably to live in too. Swirling road cobbles, tiled buildings, trams, shops that sell one thing (hats, or gloves), quirky shop fronts and signs, beautifully packaged soaps... and sardines.

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We were exceptionally lucky to have the very lovely Cara, from Lillian and Leonard, take photos on our wedding day. Although we were a tiny party, she was as warm and congratulatory as if it had been a big day -- she is a star photographer, as you can see from this picture of us on our doorstep. And best of all, she got doglet. Thank you so much, Cara. More here.