Dear Blog, I've been neglecting you and I'm sorry. I've just been so darn busy! Setting up as a freelance graphic designer is fun, it's exciting, it's something I've be wanting to do for the longest time, but, heck, it's exhausting! There isn't a day goes by when my emotions don't go from 'oh my god, what am I DOING?!' to 'this is where I belong'. For the last two days I've been at my desk from 7.30am - 11pm,  I have a crick in my neck from a bad night's sleep and I feel like I haven't been outside for such a long time. But, you know what? Today I'm loving it.

Dear Cast of The 39 Steps, Watching you in the Criterion Theatre at last weekend was so much fun. It was clever and witty and thoroughly engaging. I even got Mr WoJ to agree to come to the ballet AND an opera with me. I think he was swept up in the moment, so thank you, on all counts.

Any recommendations on what we should see?

Dear Sheraton Park Tower Hotel, You're good, really good. Shame my boyfriend didn't realise that the mini bar was automated and charged £22 to the room within minutes of arriving (a miniature bottle of gin and a jar of cashew nuts, in case you're wondering). But, hey ho, it was funny and we had a great stay, it was so nice to get away and spend some time together (not something we get to do very often).

Dear Weather, Seriously!!

Dear Sophie, Have you seen that BDIB is back? Yay! And although I only have one of this month's Scavenger Hunt photos I'm determined to get them all!

Dear Blog (again), This is the 300th post, time for a follower giveaway soon?

Linking up with Friday's Letters



I hope you're well, I'll be catching up with blogs and commenting over the weekend (fingers crossed). Can't wait to see what you've all been up to!

Love

Dear Accessorize, Can you please add a drop dimension to earring descriptions on your website? Please. I just can't tell from an image on a white background how big they actually are. I'm not a fan of big Pat Butcher style earrings, I prefer something more subtle. I was certain that what I had ordered would be of the less-than-an-inch-drop variety but I was wrong. And now, thanks to the fact that I can't return earrings for hygiene reasons (which is fair enough) I have two pairs of earrings that I will never wear and I'm £20.00 poorer to boot.

Is a drop dimension too much to ask? Or do I have to refrain from buying earrings online? Shame as my local Accessorize shop isn't much bigger than my cupboard under the stairs and obviously holds limited stock...

Oh, and you sent me the wrong purse. I ordered one with stripes, not sequin birds. *sigh*

Dear Weather, Please warm up, please warm up.

Dear Self, Please remember that you don't have to be at your desk for 12 hours a day in order to prove that you are working hard. You're doing just fine. Now, remember to eat and go outside once in a while...

Dear People with Young Children, Not all restaurants are family friendly. If you let your kids run around, shrieking in a restaurant they will think that it is okay do so so. It is not. Teach them that a restaurant is a place for staying in your seat, using your 'indoor voice' and displaying good manners. My parents managed to make me understand, so I'm sure you can do it too. If you can't, please go to Pizza Hut. Thank you.

Dear Cineworld, Turn the heating up please, I can concentrate and the enjoy the film all the more if I can feel my toes.

Dear Style At Every Age, Thank you for bringing Amaretto and cranberry juice to my attention. My best friend also thanks you (despite our hangovers).

So here we are at the end of another week. I had great fun at the clothes swap last weekend. I picked up some great bits that I can use for my next swap and found a rather lovely summer dress for myself (yep, I absolutely do need another summer dress (no I do not)). I'll post my latest swapping finds soon - as soon as I find a minute!

Linking up with Friday's Letters



Have a great weekend

Love

Hello, how are you? I can't believe that it's Friday again already!! The days are zipping by at the moment. I'm full steam ahead with setting myself up as a freelance Graphic Designer and honestly, I can't tell you what I do all day but I'm sure as eggs doing something! It does feel great to have a purpose again, to have real, genuine, enthusiasm for something.


Dear Alex, You made me think about notebooks (loving your new blog design btw).

Dear Salisbury's, You had a 50% off sale on notebooks (I stopped myself at two but could easily have bought more). Thanks.


Dear Tinker, Please stop sitting on my keyboard as I try to type. I love you but it's just not helpful. Although you do make me laugh when you sit on the table and watch the cursor moving across the screen. I'm waiting for the day that you decide to pounce!

Dear Tripod, Sorry I dropped you and snapped your head off.

Dear Self, You're an idiot, why did you drop your tripod and snap it's head off - how are you going to take outfit shots now? Huh? Huh?

Hope you have a fab weekend! I'm off to a clothes swap tomorrow, not one I've organised this time, so I'm hoping for some good finds and to pick up some tips for my next one in early April. I did find a few good bits at the last one I held - I'll try to do a post soon!

On Sunday I have my brother and his family coming for supper. Last time I cooked lasagne and youngest nephew sulked and refused to eat because it wasn't chilli. So I'm cooking chilli. I guess that's a compliment, right?



Love

Tinker in a calmer moment...

Hello,

It's been a little while. Things have been, I'm not even sure how to describe it, let's say, weird, uncertain and frustrating.

At the beginning of the week I thought I'd got it all sorted. Apparently, I 'misunderstood'. And now I just feel let down, frustrated, angry (not to mention a little stupid).

The thing is I didn't misunderstand, I was mislead and that's how my week, which started off as positive and that felt like a new beginning ended feeling totally screwed up. The situation is worse than before. The good news is that it is getting sorted, there will be a resolution, hopefully by the end of the week. So, maybe next week's Friday Letters will be on a more positive note.




Dear Style Is, The Dream in Green boots that I ordered with my Spartoo prize vouchers have arrived and they are fab.u.lous! Expect to see them in many future outfit posts.

Linking up with Friday's Letter.

Hope you are all well.
Love

Dear Hall, Stairs and Landing, Christmas is over and now I have you in my sights, soon you will be sanded, painted and transformed until you are almost unrecognisable. Then the kitchen gets it.

Dear Self, Stop thinking of new ideas. You can do anything but not everything. Look at the pile of books you have to read, the wool you need to transform in to pretty things, the seeds you have to nurture, the clothes to mend, the recipes to cook. Just. Slow. Down. Pour yourself a glass of wine, relax a while and do one thing at a time.

Dear 2012, I had a list of resolutions, I failed in all but two. You were a pretty good year all-in-all, with lots of 'firsts' - I went on my first blogger met up, appeared on the radio, had a course of acupuncture, tried reflexology, organised my first clothes swap (and more after that) and purchased an original piece of art. We also made lots of plans and 2013 will see many of them come to fruition. So, thank you 2012, it was a pleasure.

Dear Friday, What took you so long!

Linking up with the other letter writers here.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Lots of love

Dear Christmas, You were fun but I'm glad you're over. Time for some calm and a little normalcy (and a few more weeks of consuming Christmas chocolate).

Dear Resolutions of 2012, Yeah, that didn't really happen did it? I would say I'll try harder this year but let's face it, I won't.

Dear Celebrity Big Brother, You're still on air? Seriously?

Dear Natwest, It's been 23 years but I'm leaving you. That infernal code reader security wotsit was the final straw. And your 'advisor' told me to carry it in my handbag as "it's not very big". Have you seen my handbag? have you? Do you REALLY think I can fit another thing in there!! Tsk.

Dear Santander, Hello, it's nice to meet you. You had me at the idea of using a text message instead of a code reader thing-a-me-bob. And cash back on credit card purchases. I think we're going to get along just fine.

Dear iPhone, I'm so sorry that I dropped you again, this time not only breaking your screen but stopping it working altogether. I have bought you a new jacket, I know it's not very stylish, but it is only temporary. I'm on the hunt for something fabulous for you to wear.

Dear Self, Try eating a piece of fruit instead of chocolate once in a while, do some exercise (just a little) and at the very least crack open the cellophane on that meditation DVD you purchased well over a year ago.

Linking up with Friday Letters here.



Hope you have a great weekend, no matter what you're up to.

Love

Dear Fringe, Welcome back. I tried to live without you but it turned out that I just couldn't. I feel like me again.

Dear Work, I'm worried. Really worried, why won't you just tell us ALL what's going on? Rumour, speculation and heresay are no substitute for facts - cold and hard as they may be. We're all adults here, we can handle it.

Dear Self, Worry not about the things you can not control.

Dear Self, Now that you have cracked your iPhone screen twice, this time to the point where it no longer works, will you please invest in a rubber case?

Dear Blog Friends, Sorry for my absence. I'm just dealing with the necessary at present and trying to grab some calm in between.

Dear Friday, I am not at work today, it's just you and I. Let's wrap Christmas gifts and put pretty bows on everything!

Love

Dear Lavenham Great House Restaurant, Thank you for the excellent service, the delicious food and for the best G&T I've had in a long, long time.

Dear Secret Santa, Chocolates. Perfect, you know me so well!

Dear Three Day Weekend, I am going to enjoy every single second of you.

Dear Blog Friends, Forgive me for such a short post. I'm exhausted.

Hope you all have a great weekend!
Love

Hello, hello!

Failed at Friday's Letters last week... again.

Dear Monday, We're never going to be great friends but just occasionally we seem to call a truce - like today.

Dear X Factor, Chris Maloney. Seriously?

Dear Boiler, Thank you for not having a terminal or expensive fault. If you could see your way to lasting just a few more years I'd really, really appreciate it.

Dear Boyfriend, Thank you for getting the boiler fixed and my apologies for being a grumpy cow, you know how I hate to be cold.

Dear Pampered Chef Party Demonstration Lady, You're good. You're really good. I came along with a steely resolve to spend no more than £30. I restrained myself for approximately 15 minutes before I crumbled and spent a small fortune.

Dear Show and Stay, Thank you for making the experience of booking a show, hotel and train tickets to London an absolute breeze.

Dear Workmen, Thanks for cancelling two days before you were due to insulate my loft and fill my cavity walls. If you could pull your finger out that would be awesome!

Dear Self, Stop moaning and look on the bright side - you're warm (hurrah!), you have a trip to London to look forward to (ditto), your boyfriend has finally got through a stupidly busy time at work so you'll be seeing more of him (huge hurrah!) and the acupuncture you're having for your sinusitis is beginning to take effect. Life is good.

And so to Inspiration Monday. I joined in last week but didn't find a minute to take any outfit shots. I honestly didn't know if I was coming or going for most of last week and it's set to get busier!


This shot was taken surreptitiously, which explains a lot! I have a nightshirt that would have suited this inspiration so much better but work draw the line at PJ's, more's the pity!

Hope you have a fab week.

Lots of love

Dear Boiler. Thank you SO much for deciding to stop working in the second week of November. So considerate of you. First the oven and now this... what's next? (You know there is going to be a third).

Dear Boyfriend, Pleeeease can you call the man to come and fix/replace our boiler. Cold makes me grumpy, which ultimately makes your life more difficult, so it's in your interest to sort it out. Please.

Dear Blog Friends, Please do not think me a weak and feeble female for leaving the boiler to my boyfriend to fix. I'd do it myself but he keeps telling me he'll deal with it.

Dear Charity Shops of Ipswich, Brace yourselves - I'll be heading your way tomorrow in a determined and purposeful manner.

Dear I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, I am very surprised to find myself watching (and enjoying) the show. I'm team red. David Haye and Brian Conley are a genius combination. These celebs have all been somewhat of a surprise, I'm not sure I want any of them to leave the jungle, except for Nadine maybe...
I can't believe that another week has gone by again so quickly! Thumbing through my diary today I was shocked at how little time remains before the Christmas madness begins once again. The good news is that apart from my best friend and by boyfriend, my Christmas shopping is done (thank goodness for Amazon wish lists).

Hope you have a great weekend.
Love

I missed Friday Letters in a blur of activity, so here are some Monday Letters instead.

Dear Monday, You suck. The only time I like you is when you have 'bank holiday' written in front of you. You always come around too quickly and you spoil Sunday evenings.

Dear Clothes Swappers, You guys rock! You turned out on a rainy Saturday morning, full of gusto and laden with bags of clothes. I did however fear for my friends safety as she carried five ball gowns towards the rails and you mobbed her. Play nicely now.

Dear Christmas, I know that people aren't talking about you yet, but I haven't forgotten that you're coming. I'm stocking up my pantry in preparation (I can't be the only person to have purchased a Christmas pudding in early November). This year will be less frantic. I promise.


Dear NoneSuch Things, I love your site. The tapes I ordered arrived and are already adorning the front of my Christmas cards, with lots more projects planned.




Hope you all have a fab Monday (do the best you can with it, the week will improve). See you tomorrow for Everybody : Everywear, this month the theme is 'boots'. Guess which ones I'll be wearing?

Love

Dear Friday, How nice it is to see you again. I may moan about how fast the year has gone by (November already?!!), but I will never, ever be sorry to see you.

Dear Sophie, Well done for organising a photographic scavenger hunt for October. Maybe others will join in for November? The list is a good one…

Dear Caroline, So, what are you going to make with your Christmas fabric? I'm nosey intrigued.

Dear Mr Kipling, Your Halloween inspired Fiendish Fancies were exceedingly good indeed. A perfect post poorly pick-me-up! Thank you x (Yes, I ate them all and no, I didn't share them.)

Dear Sarah, Your idea to get fish and chips for lunch today was inspired, the studio may smell of vinegar but my tummy is happy and full - a big improvement on earlier this week.

Dear Zara, You know those boots? Well, I've changed my mind. I want these, or maybe these (fickle much?).

Dear Men of Britain, Tache up - it's Movember!!



Hope you have a lovely weekend - keep warm, eat well and laugh a lot.
Love

Friday already? It's been another busy week.

I had an idea that it might be fun to look back and see what I was doing around this time last year. October 26th 2011 I posted an Inspiration Monday outfit (a few days late). Look at the weather, I'm wearing sunnies and no socks!


I thought that it would be fun to recreate the outfit. I don't have that particular cardigan anymore, it died at the claws of my cats - cats and delicate knitwear do not make good bed fellows. But I do have the jeans, belt and bag. I also have the ballet flats but the weather does not encourage me to go sockless (warmth wins over style, every time).



My Friday Letters

Dear Sophie, A butcher? A florist? A pawnbroker?

Dear Self, Stop saying yes to everything and take some time back for yourself. You need to focus on one thing before moving onto another, this constant juggling will wear you out! Also, you've purchased more than enough to see you through the Winter months recently. Stop now.

Dear Oven, You could, at the very least, have finished cooking my sausages before you blew up and stopped working. Microwave meals suck.

Dear Pumpkins, You're doing so well, not long to go now. Please have one last growth spurt before you fulfill your destiny.

Dear Boo, Thank you for calling the other day, it's so typical that that one particular day I had something on that couldn't be rearranged. I'll look forward to seeing you soon though, I have some spa vouchers if you're interested in some pampering? Heck, we could both do with the rest! x

See all of the Friday Letters here.


I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. I have set myself the task of knitting five gingerbread men. I tried earlier this week but failed, possibly because I was texting and playing with Girl Cat at the same time. I also have to make a huge Eton Mess for an event I'm attending in the evening - A Night of Magic. I'm so excited! What does one wear for such a  thing?

Love

Dear William Bird, Welcome to your new home. I think you'll look fab sat on the wall on my side of the bed.

Dear Work, Still nothing changes. Please try harder.



Dear Zara, PLEASE do not sell out of these boots before payday. Thank you in advance.

Dear Louis Walsh, You are a puppet. Stop it.

Dear X Factor Judges, We know you hate having to make a choice and send someone home, it's 'such a difficult desicion', but we all know that you made up your mind the moment the final two were revealed. Get on with it, you're going to give Dermot an ulcer (we love Dermot).

Dear Alan Carr, Thank you for your comment on Twitter last week after Rylan's 'performance' - "He looked like a bearded Ferrero Rocher". I can't remember the last time I chuckled so much and for so long.

Dear brand new baby niece, You're a cutie, thank you for not crying or vomiting the first time I held you. We're going to get along just fine.


I hope you all have a happy weekend!

For the first time I'm linking up with Friday Letters. It's been a good, bad, long, short week. Yep, one of those, but I'm entering the weekend in a good mood so it can't be all that bad.

Dear Friday, You couldn't come soon enough. I'm looking forward to a stylish luncheon tomorrow with two fellow bloggers followed by some shopping (obviously). And then meeting my very first niece on Sunday (three nephews are quite enough - you can imagine the noise… and the dirt!).

Dear New Niece, Please don't cry when you're given to me to hold. Please don't cry when you're given to me to hold.

Dear Work, Sort it out. Seriously. Sort. It. Out.

Dear Next, Thanks for delivering my parker much earlier than expected. Blogger lunch outfit sorted. Now to decide on which boots - eeny, meeny, miny, mow…

Dear Fellow Drivers, Driving very close to me will only make me go slower, it's not as if I dawdle, I have 280hp at my disposal, but I will not go through tiny, rural villages at 60mph. Get over it.

Dear Tink, The new cat food you're currently snubbing is not going to away just because you ignore it. It disappears because your brother eats it - he'll get fat, you'll go hungry.

Dear Socks, The clear liquid in the bowl is water. Clean water. Please drink from here instead of from puddles.

Dear Downton Abbey, Thank you for being every bit as good as the first and second series. When I grow up I want to be just like Maggie Smith.


Hope you all have a fab weekend!