You know what?  I feel a bit sorry for my man.  Not only has he been stuck with me for longer than I care to admit, but, when he stayed with me down here in London last week, it appeared that the gods were against us.  On Monday we hit Soho to check out Time Out’s vintage shopping trail followed with a goldfish bowl of gin at Star in the Sky – only to discover on our arrival that it was closed.  On Saturday we headed to the Natural History Museum to see the Wildlife Photography Award – but tickets had sold out.  The following day brunch was scuppered by some black pudding that had decided to grow a slimy grey coating whilst still within the use-by date and our Sunday matinee was cut short when my DVD player decided to have a hissy-fit halfway through Three Lions.

The poor lamb.

But, you know what?  These unfortunate incidents turned out to be less disastrous than I thought.  In fact, you could almost call them happy accidents.  Rather than admitting defeat, we swapped gin in Soho for beer in Finsbury Park, and Soho Joe’s for Papagones, who make up for any shortfalls in the pizza department with chocolate and hazelnut ice cream to DIE for.  Photography was replaced with a rather successful shopping trip (especially as HMV had started to accept gift vouchers again), black pudding with the much healthier option of grilled tomatoes (which incidentally go very well with a bit of pepper sauce) and the movie with a games of cards – made all the better by my inevitable victory (ha!).

So, my point?  Well, just because things don’t always turn out the way you hoped doesn’t mean that other good stuff won’t happen.  Last Friday I had a horrendous interview for a job I really wanted.  Needless to say my impersonation of a rabbit caught in headlights did not impress the interview panel and I was not successful.  I admit I was gutted – and telling my workmates was excruciating, especially as everyone expected me to do well.  But, you know what?  Maybe it wasn’t meant to be.  Just like it wasn’t meant to be for me to find a publisher last year, or for me to be discovered by a best-selling glossy, Charles Saatchi or a hip and happening craft shop in Shoreditch.  But that’s okay.  Because something much better is just around the corner.  And I fully intend to have a bit of fun whilst I find it.

It’s Sunday afternoon, it’s snowing, and despite my initial reluctance, I’m quite enjoying a bit of Teenwolf whilst hibernating underneath my new patchwork throw.  I’m debating getting out my knitting as my sister has set me a new challenge – cable knit – but first I thought I’d reflect a bit on what I’ve been up to over the last couple of weeks.

In other news – I now have a pair of Hers and Hers cushion covers ready to fly over to Canada – and another chum has commissioned me to make a draft excluder.  I am just waiting for her to send over the measurements before I get stuck in.  I’ve also decided to solve my carrier bag storage issue by making myself a holder with draw strings at the top and bottom – and I might just put a couple on Etsy too...

dried – call me a bit of a kid, but I like to get my hands dirty and use wallpaper paste!  Okay, so not exactly a fine artist’s material, but it works for me...
So, other than being busy getting covered in glue, I admit I haven’t been up to much, other than applying for a secondment at work (fingers crossed) and pulling a muscle in my back whilst putting on some body lotion.  Yes, really! 

Oh, and for anyone thinking about putting down roots in London, check out my latest blog at Anglo Info http://blogs.angloinfo.com/underground-overground/2013/01/15/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go/ to see how the capital works for some people but not others...

And, no matter what you do, keep warm – and stay safe!

It’s the third of January and two days since I returned to my chilly, empty flat and returned to work.  Despite my New Year’s resolution to “get my shit together” (drink less, eat less, exercise more, find fulfilment and balance in my home and work life, yada yada), my motivation is struggling to get beyond hitting the snooze button – or reaching for yet another piece of chocolate orange.

And that is not all.  I now have orders from two very good friends and will be sending one collage and a pair of “Hers and Hers” cushion covers over to chums over in Canada and hand delivering a pair of earrings and a bracelet to another friend when I meet her for coffee in two weeks time.  Thanks guys!

I also managed to make a start on novel number two between Christmas and New Year... okay, so I only managed an edit of the 1,800 words I wrote about three years ago plus an extra 500, but it’s a start.  And with plans to meet my creative “buddy” this weekend, hopefully I’ll soon be back into the swing of things.

Oh!  I almost forgot!  I’ve also now got my very own business card!  SO EXCITING!  So if you happen to bump into me whilst on our travels through 2013 you might even get one – or order something from my Etsy shop and I’ll make sure I pop one in the post to you...

HAPPY NEW YEAR PEEPS!