You Are What You Give... with Miranda Sinclair
Miranda helped me style Scribble & Daub's first ever trade show over a decade ago - truth be told, I’m not sure how much the crowd appreciated our gorgeous high gloss, high colour creations - but we did! - and it was the beginning of a friendship and ongoing professional admiration that led to me making her wedding invitations (inspired by legendary hotel Le Colmbe d'Or's menus) and now this lovely interview...
Miranda was senior stylist at The World of Interiors for over a decade, and now offers set design, styling and creative direction under her own name. Her work is characterised by a witty and playful aesthetic - as evidenced by this fantastic recent shoot with a cast of famous faces including Jo Brand & Richard E Grant. Sought after by leading names in the design world, including Beata Heuman, Burberry, and Balineum (though I don’t believe your business has to start with a ‘B’ in order for you to work with her..!), she has an uncanny knack for creating beautiful, joyful images that belie the extraordinary creative efforts it takes to achieve them. I am thrilled she is sharing her decorative wisdom, gift ideas and Christmas traditions with us today…
As a child, what did Christmas look like for you, what were your family's traditions?
My favourite thing about Christmas when I was a child was the Christmas build-up. It was all about the prep. Decorating the tree with my sister whilst listening to Christmas carols and eating mince pies feels like a special memory repeated each year.Also decorating the christmas cake - we used to make Father Christmas, snowmen, elves, out of marzipan with lots of lurid food colouring - all lying on a thick sheet of pristine white royal icing. I'm sure it must have looked rather revolting and I don't remember ever actually eating it, but my mum always let us take over and apply our sticky creations on top of the cake in pride of place.
I used to go on winter foraging walks with my Dad collecting holly and evergreen leaves to make a wreath for the door. As my sister got older she became the Xmas decorating project manager of the house and her schemes were always ambitious. I remember my fingers bleeding as I attempted a holly leaf garland to drape above the dining table under her creative direction - but it did look sensational!
Have you continued these traditions, or created your own?
I have in spirit. Some are logistically challenging as I raise my family in South East London - we have to go a little further afield to be able to forage for pretty berries and leaves so that we are not just pruning the neighbours gardens.I have gained new respect for my mother now that I am one. Each year the amount of self control it takes to let the kids decorate the tree how they wish and not 'correct' it once they have gone to bed.
A new tradition we have adopted is to pick one new Christmas tree decoration each year to add to the collection. It is really lovely, it becomes so considered and I can see the children regard them as real treasures. Elliott (eldest son) and I are aiming for a tree that resembles Harold Lloyd's one day! (Editor’s note: Harold Lloyd was a silent movie star in the 20s whose Christmas tree in his LA mansion featured over 8000 baubles).
In terms of the actual day that is very traditional really - spent with family, stockings hanging on the mantle piece- Kings Speech- Christmas Dinner, all the trimmings...
What is your most prized Christmas decoration and why…?
Very, very hard to pick a favourite! There are the wobbly roughly painted characters made by my children when they were very small -paper angels encrusted with layers of glue and glitter, painted stars, a rather terrifying looking Rudolf - I love them all so much.
I also have some beautiful crepe paper streamers I bought in India which are lovely- the colours are not like the colours of crepe paper I can find in the art shops here.
Each year my mother in-law buys us a fairy for the tree from a craft maker local to her- they are made from scraps of fabric and have such character. The fact she picks a different fairy for us each year is really lovely- they are favs too as we have quite a collection now.
Do you have any unusual or signature decorating traditions? What can we borrow from the interiors world when decking the halls, any clever stylist tricks & tips?
Having done a few Christmas shoots with a set theme, colour scheme or mood, I adopt the exact opposite at home. I think the thing I love the most about Christmas decorating at home is that more is more. It's the opposite of Coco Chanel's famous rule of removing one item. In my house the tinsel sits alongside the beautiful paper streamers. All the rules are out the window. Sticky tape and blue tac everywhere and the idea of styling (which is something I consider constantly in my day job) is forgotten. In this way the whole thing feels like a party, fun, eccentric and something the whole family feels part of. If in doubt add more and if all else fails just turn the lights off and light lots of candles (away from the tinsel or that holly leaf garland!).
I would say though, in regard to fairy lights - the flashing light mode is an absolute no no and warm white is the only way to go… although my 5 year old strongly disagrees - but you have to draw the line somewhere.
What is the best Christmas gift you have ever received?
Six years ago I went into labour on Christmas day and had my son on Boxing day - he is the best Christmas present I ever received! Other than that - I love an experience as a gift - a trip to the theatre or the ballet.
And the best one you have given?
Last year my eldest son got to pick his first guitar. The whole experience of visiting Denmark Street with his Dad, choosing a guitar, then waiting to receive it on Christmas day was special. It is a treasured present and one I think he will remember...the experience as well as the actual gift.
You can choose anything from the Scribble & Daub shop, what would it be and why?
Can I pick 2? (Ed. - Of course!) I would pick the Scribble & Daub x Daydress Bisous pyjamas - two brands run by two brilliant women (I did not bribe her, I promise!). I would live in these for the rest of December ...and probably January too - hibernation season.Please share a wish list of 10 items that you would love to give & receive this Christmas...
To Give:The Shop Floor Project - Sailing Ship Pop-Out Crown.
"I saw these paper crowns from The Shop Floor project and immediately started racking my brains for who I could gift these to… I love them and for me they fit the checklist for the perfect Christmas gift - it has to be something joyful, totally impractical and something they wouldn't buy for themselves. (Editor’s note - this item is a popular choice, and was also selected by Sophie of Cote de Folk a couple of weeks ago, so I have substituted the Halo here for variation!")
The Traitors Board Game"I imagine my whole family will buy it this year so there may well be more than one under the tree - but its always great to buy the host of a Christmas get together."
The Jolly Christmas Postman by Allan and Janet Ahlberg
"For anyone with small children this Christmas. This book should be in the home of every family. It's so wonderful. I find children's book design and the world of play and illustration really inspiring and the Ahlbergs were the masters of this genre. I mean, they did Funnybones, say no more!"
"Food gifts are always a good idea. The selection of sweet treats from Scribble & Daub present an array of gems - it's great when the packaging is kept as a trinket box long after the sweets have been gobbled up. I think the Boissier Cherry Pearls would be welcome amongst all that Christmas chocolate."
"Christmas cocktails are also a good treat or gift to arrive at a party with, and this one that tastes like you are enjoying a spritz on the Amalfi coast and is my fave. As I have hit a certain milestone birthday recently, many of my friends (and by that I mean me...) cannot bounce back from the Christmas hangover quite so…bouncily! A non-alchololic cocktail kit is a great present - accompanied by all the accoutrements such as lemons, tonics and maybe a few posh olives. And if they are bitterly disappointed by the low ABV they can always slug in a measure of booze with it - still yum."
To Receive:
Sketching Notebook from The Kensington Paperie
"I start every project I work on with drawing. And it would help with the back-to-work January feeling if my sketchbook looked like this beauty from The Kensington Paperie. I have actually been lucky enough to receive one of these before and loved it, so this is a note to my family - dont worry about repeats, I would be thrilled."
Cut-Out red Blanket from The Cloth House
"I think Blankets make a really good Christmas gift, especially for a textile nut like me. I usually like antique blankets and quilts - but this one is beautiful."
Rainbow stripe tracksuit bottoms from St Berts
"A friend of mine has just re-launched this brand that focuses on loungewear with a nostalgic nod to sportswear from the 70s and 80s. Their tracksuit bottoms are perfect for working from home whilst still having to answer the door and dash out on errands. My son has an excellent selection of striped tracksuits - reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums. Perhaps these are a way of doing a similar thing as a grown woman without looking insane..."
Nocturne Magnesium Night Balm from Verden.
"Anything from Verden is a fantastic treat, but this would also help me, as I do sometimes struggle with sleep."
Shetland Woollen Brushed Jumper
"I have quite a few pink jumpers and I love them, however, I am on a long quest to find the perfect replacement for a favourite that shrunk in the wash. I wonder if this pale coral pink Scottish knit might be the one."
Thanks so much Miranda!
To discover more of Miranda’s wonderful work, follow her on Instagram or visit her website.