Evening all!

Well I don’t know about you lot but, for a change, I’m pooped.  This week, however, it is for a good reason.  You see, I’ve just got back from a day at Twickenham watching the Barbarians play Fiji with my pa.  It’s the first time I’ve been to a rugby match – and the first time I’ve managed to coerce by dad down to London on his own – and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  And, by the end of the match, I felt qualified to shout at the referee as much as everyone else.  I mean, another video referee?  Come on, man!

Since last week’s blog, things have been, as always, busy – but in a good way.  As well as enjoying the delights of London, from a spa and afternoon tea at the Montcalm Hotel (who knew finger sandwiches could be so good!), checking out Artist’s Who... private view in Bermondsey (on until 3rd December – so hop to it!) and today’s addition to my list of pastimes, I’ve been sampling the delights of our second largest city, Birmingham.  I popped up there last weekend to check out the Christmas market (very nice), enjoy a curry in the Balti Triangle (Al Faisal’s to be exact – NOM!) and dance the night away (two nights running – oops!) and had a great time.  But, you know what?  Sorry Brum, but you’ve got a long way to go before you come anywhere close to my lovely London.  However if you decide to donate that DKNY handbag I saw in Selfridges to Shelly Berry Original, I may be persuaded otherwise...

In other news, I’ve been painting again.  In fact I’ve been painting the same painting again.  I decided that my latest offering needed touching up a bit - according to some people it doesn’t look any different, but I’m happier with it.  But my palette is still out, just in case I decide to play with it a bit more.  Oh, and keep an eye on my Tweets this week too for some special offers at the Shelly Berry Original Etsy shop, especially if you’re struggling for ideas writing that Christmas shopping list.

Right, time for some ukulele practice – yep, added that to the list of hobbies this month too.  Laters!

Today is a good day.  Not only do I have the day off work, but I’m spending this afternoon in a spa before heading to Brimingham for a weekend of fun and frolics.  And the best bit?  I have Monday off work too.  Woo hoo!

Okay, so Birmingham might not be the obvious choice for a girly weekend away, but with Europe’s largest Christmas fair (so I’ve been told), a thriving nightlife (“Snobs” has been recommended to me – please tell me if you know anywhere better!) and more than a few curry houses to fuel our fun, it is actually looking to be a darn good weekend.

Of course, I’m hoping to do a fair bit of Christmas shopping too.  As far as I’m concerned, Christmas shopping is all about finding that perfect something for your nearest and dearest – and if it is something unique, all the better.  The next few weeks I’ll be trawling London’s markets in my quest for the perfect gifts for my friends and families – Camden, Greenwich and Spitalfields, look out – but I’ll also be browsing the web too.  No, not Amazon, but virtual craft markets like Etsy, notonthehightstreet.com – and of course CRAFTfest.

Yes, I know, I’ve been banging on about if all week on Twitter (and here for a while too) but not only has it given me the opportunity to show case my own work, but it’s also given me loads of ideas for my own shopping too.  Obviously I can’t go into detail (you have to wait for Santa to visit!) but I’ve got a few people sorted – and some ideas for a couple more too.  And, even though CRAFTfest finishes tomorrow, I should be able to pick up any bits I’ve seen after the event as all items are sold via Etsy and other online shops.  Groovy!

Anyhow peeps, I better go – I have a weekend away to pack for and some serious shopping to do...

Good morning everyone!
Well I hope you all survived the storm.  I admit I was feeling very nervous about it last Sunday when setting up my stall at Merton Abbey Mills Craft Market with my esteemed fellow arty type Laura (click here to check out her stuff!).  Luckily, we both survived with nothing more serious than a bit of windburn - and despite the

of a giggle and enjoyed some live music, I for one don't have the time - or the thermals - to become a seasoned stall holder.  So I have decided to sign up to CRAFTfest - the virtual craft extravaganza created by Creative Connections.  My page is now online here so come and take a look.  Craftfest goes live on 16th November so hopefully I'll see a bit more traffic to my Etsy Store - woo hoo!

In the meantime I have been catching up with my chums at Artists Who - and been inspired by their work and their passion for the creative life.  I shall be going along to their private view on November 29th to check out their exhibition - and to give myself a kick up the bottom too!  If you fancy seeing what they are up to, check them out here - or head over to the Vibe Gallery and Bar, 100 Clements Road SE16 between 28th November - 3rd November.
Have good week folks!

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!

Here I am again, sat on a cramped train on my way back to London after a weekend ooop north.  I guess I should consider it training as, in pretty much exactly a week’s time, I shall be starting my annual epic Christmas journey to festivities in Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Durham – with a hell of a lot more baggage.

Yes, the Christmas crush has started – and although it has been more than a little manic, I think I am winning.  Apart from a bit of something from Fortnum and Mason for my beau (bet that has got him thinking, he he) and a mad rush back to House of Fraser after some rather disappointing customer service from Yodel (summary: parcel left with neighbour who denied all knowledge of it, no customer service phone or email, and, to round off the saga, when I finally retrieved the package it was damaged and the mother in law’s gift smashed) I have my shopping under control and a week to get it all wrapped up in front of my festive fairy lights and lots of crappy Christmas telly - I’ve already watched my faves Love Actually and a Muppet Christmas Carol!  All my Christmas cards are written and posted to the correct addresses, and I managed to avoid a major faux pas by double checking the name of an old mate’s fella – and not addressing it to her horrible ex instead – eek!  I’ve also managed to survive my work do with minimal damage, impressing my manager with my figs wrapped in Parma ham and winning the hearts of my colleagues with homemade Christmas Bakewell tart.  The less about the following shots of tequila and karaoke the better...  
Even if hangovers and indigestion hit, I’ve had my highlights done and getting my barnet restyled on Friday too.  Teamed with my new sparkly top and deluxe reindeer antlers, there will be no stopping me when the celebrations start in earnest when I finish work on Thursday.  And, as if the Christmas countdown hasn’t been keeping me on my toes enough, I’ve been busy elsewhere too!  For starters... I’VE OPENED MY ETSY SHOP!  Hurrah!  Check me out at www.etsy.com/ship/ShellyBerryOriginal - and please tell me what you think.  I’ve already been told that I should be concentrating on my paintings and piccies rather than my crafts but would love to hear other opinions too.

 for telling me about them!  Unfortunately I have to admit I have been procrastinating a wee bit about another task on my to do list, and that is to start novel number two – DAN DAN DAAAA!  Actually, I did start writing it a long time ago but got distracted by what soon became novel number one, and I fully intended to be picking it up where I left it on this very train journey – but appear to not have it saved onto my trusty netbook but  have tucked away on my external hard drive back at home.  I just need to dig it out, dust it off and get typing... before 2013 rolls in at least :)

Well, that’s all for now folks... I guess it just leaves me to say

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Readers... I have a plan.  It isn’t particularly cunning, but it enables me to keep focused on what I want in life and where I want to be.  My plan is haphazardly divided into three parts; Plan Part A is to be a published novelist (which I rambled on about last time I blogged), Plan Part B is to pursue my other creative pursuits and Part C is to sort out the rest of my life.  Keeping them separate stops me getting too overwhelmed and, most of the time, they bumble along quite nicely without bothering each other.  But the other week my desire to buy a flat (a la Plan C) inspired my dream to create things for a living (see Plan B) – and escape the rat race.

You see, when I last looked into it, I discovered that I could just about afford to buy a flat in Walthamstow.  Having already explored it a month or two ago, I recently returned to have a look around the Lloyd Park area.  I was pleasantly surprised – the surrounding streets looked nice enough, the park itself had a lovely community feel and, to top it off, it was the home of the William Morris Gallery.

I admit that, unlike my mum, Mr Morris’s designs don’t really excite me, but what I love about him and his contemporaries was their creation of the Arts and Crafts Movement – the rejection of mass production in favour of carefully crafted wares made by skilled artisans.  It’s a concept I very much admire – and one that I feel is having a bit of a revival at the moment.  However, these days, your average person has more free time than the working class Victorian and many of us are embracing craft into our own lives.  

Whatever the reason, I will not be defeated!  I have already created accounts on both the aforementioned websites and shall be getting some of my stuff on line for people to buy asap.  So, if you need a little bit of something different to stuff your stockings with, watch this space... or, if you see something you like on the site, just drop me a line via my contact page and I’ll see what I can do!