Well, what a week. What with unofficial Christmas drinks with friends, mountains of cake and mince pies in the office and two food-laden parties, I'm already feeling as stuffed as a turkey! Hopefully there will be a bit of respite now until the big day, when I will be cooking roast pork for my ma and pa. Yes, my mother has given me free rein of the kitchen on Christmas Day. I just hope she's also stocked up on plenty of wine to help me along... Like most of you, today I shall be doing some last minute shopping before meeting some chums at the Serpentine Gallery. I'm in the process of convincing them to go to the Winter Wonderland after but this is proving more of a challenge. This weekend I shall also squeezing in a final run to keep the muffin top at bay and finishing off a couple of homemade Christmas presents which I started last night in front of Love Actually (Christmas movie number one - The Muppet Christmas Carol is scheduled for the epic parcel wrapping session tomorrow). Sadly I can't publish any photos of my handiwork yet or it would spoil the surprise... but I'm pleased with how they're turning out. Well, as we're all so busy, I shall say goodbye for now. Oh, and Merry Christmas one and all. I have a feeling it's going to be a good one...
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Well, it’s certainly been a while since I blogged here hasn’t it? I hope you all caught my latest contribution to Anglo info, but it you didn’t click here to read my thoughts on buying in London. Yes, you read that correctly – buying. It is possible, I promise. If you’re willing to compromise... So, what have I been up to since I last shared my news here? Well last month I went to a Hen Do up in Sheffield which, including cocktails and karaoke, was a traditional affair with a bit of crafting thrown in for good measure. The day started with pot and glass painting and fascinator making which was right up my street. I was quite chuffed with my creations but sadly won’t get my champagne flute until the Big Day in July – but was reunited with a mixing bowl I painted up there last summer when visiting another friend.
think Real Ales, live music and a plethora of stalls selling food – and crafts. I succumbed to a traditional narrow boat lantern, painted in primary colours that now proudly sits in my little terrace – and bought one for a friend too. There were plenty of other examples of English craft and culture on show, from the cringe worthy (Morris Dancers), the tasty (fudge – mmm!), the alcoholic (a wee dram anyone?) to a surprisingly good One Man Band and puppeteer – who could not only sing but got my toes tapping too! As you can probably tell, I proper enjoyed myself – and intend to go the Angel event in September too for a free canoe lesson and more pot painting.
The rest of the Bank Holiday was filled with other traditional activities (read barbequing and drinking) and by the end of it I was pretty knackered. But, a week on, I can’t wait for the next one. Which I will be in Peru for. Doubt that one will be particularly relaxing either... It’s Friday! The weekend is here! And today is my “work life balance” day so, rather than dragging my ass to the office, I am sat in my dressing gown talking to you lovely people. Cool, non? So, what am I going to do on this gloriously wet spring morning, you may ask? Well I have a gratis lunch booked at 1pm (keep your eyes peeled on Capital Life for the review!) and then I think I’ll treat myself to the stupidly expensive May Ray exhibition. At £14, it better be good. You see, that’s the problem. Going out can be an expensive experience – which in general I am cool with (well, you have to be in London!) as long as I have a good time. Last week I made the mistake of going to see the Folly Mixtures at Madame JoJos – okay, so it was only seven quid, but by the time you’ve bought your dinner in town and had a couple of glasses of wine, the cost starts to mount up. I wouldn’t mind if the show had been organised to the extent where you could see the stage without standing on your chair (no, I’m not even joking) and if JoJos hadn’t filled their venue to such a ridiculous extent that I am pretty damn certain that it breached a number of health and safety regulations. And, if the show had had a bit more to it, we might have stayed beyond the first half... I know people have been saying it for ages, but maybe staying in is the new going out after all. Last weekend I had two really great evenings quaffing wine and munching takeaway/cheese and nibbles in the front rooms of two of my chums, talking Tooting (it’s hip, dontcha know?), men (ha!), the trials and tribulations of that thing we call work (uff) and everything in-between. I admit, in the week I have been a bit of a hermit too – but this does mean that I have been busy making stuff! After a very painful introduction to cable knit (sorry sis) I managed to create a lovely cosy headband (modelled by Mr Pink) just in time for spring, and also threw together my “Bag Lady” carrier bag holder – and am thrilled to announce that I can remember chain stitch from my home economics classes at school. Yay me!
The jury is out as to how far I shall venture into the wide world this weekend, but, if the weather doesn’t start to improve, it may not be far – which means that at some point I shall have to stop procrastinating and compose a letter to be sent to the two literary agents I have chosen to approach. Yes I am scared – rejection is never a nice feeling - but I guess a girl’s gotta to what a girl’s gotta do to get what she wants out of life. Anyways, I’m off now for a lovely bath before facing the world – and whether you decide to stay in or brave the weather, have a fabulous weekend. Adios! 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. My festive flat! 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! |
THE JUICEHere you will find my latest news, including what I have been up to and what I have been writing (and making). Hopefully you'll like what I have to say - and perhaps I will motivate you to get creative too... Archives
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