January Seedling
Happy, Happiest 2025!
Happy, happy 2025! I love a new year. A new start, new chapter, new you etc. I hope you had the happiest of Christmases. I spent it in Wales en famille, with lots of tiny people, lots of excitement, lots of unwrapping and lots of joy. We then went to the Alps for New Year to soak up the snow and fresh mountain air. Later this month, I’m heading to Nashville for a very exciting flowery adventure which I can’t wait to share. I’ll be with Shane Connolly and Margot Robshaw and hoping to get a glimpse of Brooke Shields and Sheryl Crow who are speaking at the same show… polishing my cowboy boots as we speak!
In this edition, I share my January Willow Loves - dopamine-hitting colour, comfort & more; an edit for getting hygge at home; forced bulbs to play with; a wonderful cake recipe (I fully believe cake will get us through long, dark January); my wellness and beauty staples for this time of year (apart from cake!); we share our interview with the wonderful Ulla Johnson (from our Christmas print edition); and finally, round up things to do (and book ahead for) this month.
Happy January! Happy New Year…
Love, Willow
PS. this is a long read so might be best to read in web browser (just in case it cuts off in your email).
Willow Loves
What I’m loving for this new month in a new year! Comfort and colour, texture and details, to bring joy to this first month of the year, and the one that needs it the most…
Top row, left to right
Fringe AND paisley?! This jacket was made for me…
Framing 2024 memories in our block print posie beauties
My faves, in a new cropped length, perfect for January puddle dodging
Updating my green sneaker essentials with these gems
Manifesting summer with this dress
Elevating everyday denim with crystal ballet flats…
Willow Loves… (6 more!)
(scroll to the end for our paid subscribers)
January Bulbs
There is no better January past time of the gardening/flowering variety than playing with, potting and planting bulbs. For colour and life indoors, you can’t beat forced bulbs.
Layer some gravel/grit into a container. Pretty much anything can be a container - cereal bowls, pretty tins, jam jars, baked bean tins, wooden wine crates… (our green floral Loving Cup, Romanian rustic vase and bowl are in these pics above).
Add in the bulbs - look out for iris reticulata, forced hyacinths, paperwites, or dig up some snowdrops (you can replant them again after).
Add a layer of moss. I find mine from the garden and tops of stone walls at this time of year but you can also buy it. Use twigs to support hyacinths and papwerwhites at they can get quite leggy…
Happy potting!
A Cosy Edit
Getting Hygge at Home this month…
Clockwise, left to right…
BRORA x WILLOW CROSSLEY Wool Blanket Jacket, Storm
ATLANTIC BLANKETS Stripe Recycled Blacket, Pink
JIGSAW Compact Wool Slipper, Blue
SIAN ESTHER Alpaca Bedsocks, Pink
MAISON DEUX Candy Wrap Blanket, Lilac Green
NINA CAMPBELL Blue Heart Breakfast Cup and Saucer
PIGLET in Bed Berry Gingham Linen Blend Pillowcase Pair
THE WHITE COMPANY Borg Ballet Slippers
YOLKE Hot Water Bottle, Vine Print
WILLOW CROSSLEY Wisp Scented Candle
NOT ANOTHER BILL Cashmere Hot Water Bottle, Pink
A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier
OLVERUM Bath Oil
H&M Cotton Pyjama Bottoms, Powder Pink Striped
Recipe - Lemon & Olive Oil Cake
First opened in 1944 by Lina, a formidable lady from Genoa, Lina Stores
is London’s most iconic, Italian delicatessen and restaurant with multiple locations around London. Over 80 years later, Lina Stores is still known for its high-quality, authentic produce from regional Italy, including
fresh, handmade pasta and homemade dolci, as well as cured meats and cheeses. (Look out for their beautiful pistachio and white stripe packaging too!)
SERVES 8
200g (7oz) whole almonds
50g (13⁄4oz) polenta
50g (13⁄4oz) plain flour, sifted 5g (1 tsp) baking powder, sifted 100g (31⁄2oz) unsalted butter 140ml (43⁄4fl oz)
extra virgin olive oil
50ml (2fl oz) milk
4 medium eggs, at room temperature
200g (7oz) caster sugar
zest of 2 lemons
juice of 4 lemons
icing sugar, for dusting
TIP — Drizzle our Lina Stores oregano-infused limoncello over the top of the cake, instead of dusting with icing sugar, for an extra flavour kick.
Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan/325°F/gas mark 3). Grease a 20cm (8in) round cake tin and line with baking paper.
Grind the almonds in a blender or food processor to a coarse breadcrumb- like consistency. Transfer to a large bowl and add the polenta, flour and baking powder, stirring to combine.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat, then remove from the heat and add the olive oil and milk.
Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, then slowly add the butter mixture to the egg. Add the dry ingredients, followed by the lemon zest and juice, and slowly mix to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or until the centre is still slightly underdone, when tested with a skewer.
Allow the cake to cool to room temperature, then remove from the tin and dust with icing sugar. Cut into slices and serve.
Recipe from Brunch in London by Thérèse Nichols
100% of the profit from the sale of this book will fund OnePlate's sustainable food projects and farms in Africa and Asia to nourish and enrich the lives of children in great need.
Willow’s Winter Wellness
For me, January is not a month for making big plans and punishing resolutions. For years, it was. I loved the idea of new challenges; a clean, blank slate for a brand new year. However, as time has gone by, the last few months of the year push me to my limits and I actually long for January.
I treat it almost as a present to myself; a time to slow down, heal and replenish. A month to be calm, to hunker down and be kind to myself. Do the things that I've wanted to but haven't found the time to do.
I try to be at home more so I can sort and organise; restocking cupboards, printing off photos and making albums, finding new recipes to nourish the family; I want to spend time pouring over the seed catalogues that are stacking up on my desk. Sow my sweet peas, leisurely choose which dahlia tubers to order and finally sit down to write my new book!
I’ve got this great new tool from ISAMAYA, which is rather terrifying to look at - a serious guasha gadget that really gets the circulation going and one hopes, does a little sculpting too. Either way, I’m sure it helps move the toxins on and get the products deeper into the dermis and I enjoy the daily ritual; I find it quite meditative.
I find the concept of supplements a little overwhelming - what and how often to take and don’t love swallowing loads of pills. So I am loving the ease of these Better You Vitamin Sprays - I am taking Complete B and K. I’ve also been taking Lumity for over six months now. A multivitamin for women that you take morning and night and I think it’s really good. Definitely helpful in the sleep department. I get a bit panicky when I think i’m running out which I think has to be a good sign?!
For focus and memory- both of which have been shocking recently - I’ve started taking these mushroom gummies which claim great things, so far so good. If nothing else, they taste delicious - I look forward to taking them as a sweet, mid morning pick me up.
This time of year is particularly harsh on our skin and a combination of that, stress after the busiest time of my year and Christmas on top, means my skin suffers a little. I love to take the time to look after my skin in January - lots of long dark evenings spent indoors means I can face mask et al! Top of my list at the moment are Sisley’s Velvet Sleeping Mask, Dermalogica’s Hydro Mask, Angan’s Black Lava Skin Mask and De Mamiel’s Skin Recovery, of which I rotate on a loop. I also love Aussie brand, MV Skintherapy’s Rose Boost Plus. A pure rose oil that I slather on when my skin’s feeling troublesome or hormonally imbalanced. I’m told it’s a major cult product down under!
I am making a daily habit of taking this Collagen which looks and feels like it means business. For a more affordable option, lots of my friends swear by this Ancient and Brave one.
Every time I have nice nails, I marvel at how just how life enhancing they are. Totally worth the effort and as an antidote to this January grey, I go bright. I love this deep blue , this forest green and this burgundy.
Despite a very annoying slipped disk in my back, I have promised myself I will play tennis at least once, every week this year. I played a lot when I was at school, picked it up again recently and I absolutely love it; I think this is in fact my only new years resolution this year. And of course it needs a whole new outfit. For which I will be heading straight to Tory Sport - of which alone is enough to convince anyone to take up a new sport! I met the founder of Varley a few weeks ago who also do super-chic active wear if you’re in the market. Quite neutral colours for me but they did do a great pillar-box red puffer that I’m hoping might pop into the sale one day soon…
I’d love to know… what tools and tricks, products and rituals do you love this time of year?
Interview - Ulla Johnson
From our Christmas print edition…
Ulla Johnson is at the top of the sartorial game - creating and maintaining her eponymous fashion label since 1998, bringing joy throughout the seasons to a legion of fans (and to over 500 stores) around the world.
Born and raised in New York, there is a grit and determination that accompanies Ulla’s creative spirit and entrepreneurial acumen. Her rise to the top of global fashion says as much about her substance as her style. Raising three children while raising the bar with sustainable fashion, Johnson is very conscious of the needs of women around the world to feel their best while juggling life.
We chat with Ulla about the values she holds high for her designs and her business; on creating garments responsibly with deep respect for nature and culture; and ultimately to empower the next generation of women...
January Arts & Culture
A new year themed what to see, visit & plan this month…
Take a day offline, without social media or internet with millions of others around the world, on Sunday 12 January
See Daisy Edgar-Jones in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof at the Almeida Theatre until 1 February
Visit Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake at Sadlers Wells until 26 January
Don’t miss the Francis Bacon Exhibition at The National Portrait Gallery, until 19 January
After rave reviews, ‘What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank’ is reopening from 20 January at The Marylebone Theatre
The five-star sold out production of The Years transfers to the West End starting 24 January
Beat the January blues and join Rose Ferguson’s The Jan Plan
Get outdoors with The National Garden Scheme - starting the year with Snowdrop and Spring Flower garden tours
Book ahead for Sarah Raven’s Spring (Tulips) Open Garden at home in East Sussex (dates from 24 April through to 2 May)
Visit Picasso: Printmaking at The British Museum, until 30 March
Chelsea Flower Show tickets are selling fast so do get yours. It will be Spring before we know it…
Book to see The World of Tim Burton exhibition at The Design Museum until 21 April