Can you introduce us to you and what you do?
I live by the sea in Hove, East Sussex, with my husband, teenage son and cocker spaniel, Otto. My daughter is at University, so comes home in the holidays. My week is defined by my two jobs that are quite a contrast to one another. I work half my week in a freelance capacity as Wishlist editor for slow-life magazine, The Simple Things. My monthly Wishlist pages involve sourcing products that are in tune with the season, as well as writing a focused piece on an independent shop and maker. I like to champion simple, functional, homeware and clothing brands alongside new talent. I also create regular creative content for the magazine, including multi-paged seasonal gathering stories and craft tutorial features. Whether creating bespoke menus and one off custom-made props for my food shoots, I’m in my element when I bring my own personalised creative approach to a creative brief. My other job is as a teaching assistant at a local primary school. I’m passionate about the creative subjects and wellbeing, so created a no-dig garden for the school two years ago. I run a twice-weekly garden club with the children where we grow all kinds of vegetables, herbs and flowers. Outside of work I can usually be found in my kitchen or on my allotment.

What inspires you most?
The seasons. I find comfort, familiarity and nostalgia in them all. As an enthusiastic home grower and cook, I feel very much in tune with them. I find just getting outside in nature, whether walking on the beach or heading to the nearby South Downs can provide inspiration and ignite creativity. In many ways nostalgia inspires me - from childhood gardens to recipes my mum would make.

How long have you worked with the Simple Things magazine and what has been a highlight for you?
I worked with The Simple Things for 10 years now, which is hard to believe! I was an avid reader of the magazine before I ever worked for them. It’s a magazine that definitely chimes with my own interests - I think that is why I have been creating content for them for so long. My highlights are always the seasonal gatherings. So much work goes into them. Together with the feature editor, I come up with a loose story to base the gathering. From there I create a menu (typically 6 or so recipes), cook and style the food, source the props (and sometimes make them if I can’t find what I want), rope in friends and acquaintances to model and plan the shots that we need to get for the spread. I work with photographer Emma Croman, who captures the most amazing images. I’ve worked with Emma on all my shoots and she has become a good friend whose work I very much admire.

What are you most looking forward to this spring?
Getting down the allotment. I grow pretty much everything from seed. At home, I have a small courtyard garden and balcony with a couple of small three-tiered cold frames, so I start my seeds off in there. However I soon run out of space and end up with trays of seedlings on planks of wood balanced over my bath! I’m hoping to get my balcony and courtyard in better shape this year. My plan is to grow salad and herbs on my balcony and flowers in the courtyard. The allotment will be home to my favourite veg - chard, spinach, fennel, beetroot, leeks, climbing beans, courgettes, squashes and pumpkins. I’m planning to grow more cut-flowers on the plot this year too.

Do you have any local restaurants or shops you would like to shout about?
We’re spoilt for choice in Brighton & Hove. A favourite shop of mine is CookBookBake, a wonderful local bookshop, specialising in cookbooks. Situated on a parade of shops just behind Hove seafront, their offering is exceptional and they’ll happily let you just browse too. Just a few doors up is Sugardough, a local independent bakery that’s a go-to destination for a baked treat (they have a branch in Brighton too). Other local favourites include Gunns Florist for seasonal blooms, and Stoneham Bakehouse, a Community Supported Bakery.
Sometimes it's nice to go a little beyond the town. Just 25 minutes drive away is Field Food, a beautiful barn situated on a farm amongst ancient woodland, near Lewes. Libby and Henry create the most wholesome and delicious food using seasonal, local produce. Their ‘Slow Down Sunday’ communal brunches are by far the best way to spend a Sunday morning in spring.

Credit to The Simple Things magazine and photographer Emma Croman for photographs.