There's a light on the porch here for someone

Last night we went to see Band of Horses and I still can't find the words to describe it.

Beautiful, fantastic, amazing..none of those words do it justice. They just blew me away. The music was loud and beautiful, the guys were in good spirits, the atmosphere was buzzing and it was just a fantastic night.

The title of this post is a line from one of their songs, "Neighbor". It's one of my favourite lyrics. We get woken up in the morning quite a lot by this song so I always associate it with feeling cozy and safe and this line sticks out. If you're interested, I've added the video below. Go on, have a listen!

They're playing a few more dates in the UK over the next few days and I believe will be back in the summer to play some festivals. If you have the chance to see them live I would thoroughly recommend it. 

They really do give you the warm and fuzzies. 

Project Wednesday

So I've been complaining about the weather a lot lately and at some point, (mid-moan probably) I realised that I've been putting a lot of things off. Things that I want to work on, but had convinced myself I couldn't because it was too dark to take photos, there wasn't enough time in the day, it was too cold/wet etc, etc.

I also realised that I'd be a daft old mare to put things off for stupid reasons like these. January is all but gone already! What I needed was a plan to motivate me into action..so here's what I came up with.

Ladies and Gents, introducing...*drum roll*...Project Wednesday!

OK, OK I know, the name is beyond naff. I might change it later if I can think of something better, but for the meantime at least, “Project Wednesday” it is.

This will basically a chance for me to focus my energies towards achieving 3 simple goals rather than chasing a whole bunch of ideas in my head and getting no where with any of them. Each Wednesday I will share my progress with you all which I hope will keep me motivated and on track!

The three goals I've chosen are:

1

Wardrobe Overhaul

I‘m stuck in a fashion rut right now folk. Leggings, dress and cardigan combo at work, jeans and hoodies on weekends. It's enough to make Gok Wan cry.

And did you know that apparently the average woman uses 20% of her wardrobe, 80% of the time and the rest just sits there gathering dust? Sounds about right in my case, so the aim of this project is to;

a) get me out of my fashion rut, 

b) get me using more of my wardrobe and 

c) to have a general tidy out, giving stuff to a charity shop or re-vamping it where I can.

2

Crafting Corner Makeover

I now have a corner designated for my sewing machine and other crafty materials. It's definitely fit for it's purpose, but not very inspiring as you can see.

3

Kitchen Wall Makeover

Yup, I can now count myself in that list of people who have thought; "I bet exposed brick would make that room look amazing...I'm going to give it a shot". The wall you can see is the one that I intend to destroy makeover. I've stripped a little wallpaper, but haven't really got further than that. Mainly due to fear.

This is the project I'm the most nervous about. If I screw it up, not only am I going to have to figure out how to fix it, but I might just have a tutting husband standing behind me as I go about it. Which wouldn't be good. 

So there you have it folks. I'm feeling all kinds of excited about these projects and sharing my progress with you all. Do let me know what you think!

I'd say that I had spring fever, but I know it isn't spring..

"With a bit of luck it'll last until the weekend.."

Those were my words weren't they, in my last post? Well guess what? "it" (the sunny weather) didn't last. Not. At. All.
It came out to taunt me while I was trapped at work, but decided to go play somewhere else as soon I was set free for the weekend. Ta for that sun. No really. Thanks a chuffing lot.

Never the less as you can see from the photo above, I did manage to take some photos. Unfortunately I didn't get up to much other than a mad cleaning blitz so my pictures are simply of random things that made me smile throughout the day. 

Coffee. 'Real deal' coffee with sugar and cream. Never fails to make me smile. 

Spring's a comin'. The daffodils say so!

Soon my very discreet (!!) wellies can be put to good use once again. This again, makes me smile.

The photograph of the daffodil pushing itself up through the dirt made me feel stupidly inspired and happy. It reminded me that spring is on it's way, even if it doesn't always feel like it. Soon it will be easier to do things and more importantly, feel like doing things! 

Have you noticed how, in the winter, not only is it harder to do anything due to the colder and darker days, but it's harder to want to do anything? It's like your 'get up and go' gets up and goes south for the winter along with the birds. 

But sun or no sun, I needed today. When January started my head was literally buzzing with new ideas. So much so that it was almost overwhelming at times. Then I just lost my enthusiasm. It was always too cold, too grey or too dark to do what I wanted to do and so I fell into a funk.
Today reminded me that the days are getting longer and this feeling of being stuck in a rut is all in my head. If I want to get something done, there's no point using the short days and weather as an excuse..just get on and do it! Or as much as you can at least. The rest will follow in it's own sweet time.

More on this train of thought to follow shortly..

I shouldn't be here

No really, I shouldn't be here. I'm supposed to be designing new things for The Small Things store, but some how I've ended back surfing le internets. 

So, seeing as I'm here an' all, I may as well update you quickly on the progress of The Small Things. 

I've agreed to hold a stall at a craft fair which will be raising money for "charidee". That's not until April though so I have plenty of time to make new things. Having a date in the diary will also act as an incentive to stay motivated. Although things like Blogger, Twitter and Ebay have a habit of getting in the way!

Unfortunately the weather remains uncooperative. The last couple of days have been all beautiful and sunshiny. Which is great for the soul, but not so great for photo taking when you're stuck at work though. With a bit of luck it'll last until the weekend so I can take some photos of something...anything.

However, in the meantime we'll just have to make do with my little pin-up bag gem from the flickr archives. Enjoy folks.

A Little Fall of Rain

OK, I know this is Britain and I know it rains a lot, but come on! Enough already with the wet stuff!

I can't take photos of anything and it's driving me nuts. I can't go out without getting soaked and the lack of vitamin D is making me feel mopy. I have to get up in the pitch black and come home in the pitch black and it's making me want to build a fort in the spare room and not come out. Ever. Or until spring time at least.

Grumble, grumble, moan, moan.

The Small Things and The Bag Pixie

Once upon a time there was a a little store called The Small Things. There a girl could find all manner of gorgeous accessories and bags all lovingly made by a little bag pixie. Over time, The Small Things grew in it's success and kept the bag pixie very busy. "Come out and play with us" said her friends, but alas, the bag pixie had to stay in her sewing room and make more bags for the store. "Not today, maybe later" she would call back. But she never went out to play.

She worked and worked and worked until one day, the bag pixie decided that she didn't want to spend all her days making bags. She longed to go outside and play in the sunshine. After a particularly busy summer of bag making the pixie eventually decided that she was pooped and shut down The Small Things shop. As she shut the door on her studio, her trusty sewing machine crossed it's bobbins and made a wish, that the bag pixie would return one day to sew once again.

A year and a day later, the bag pixie started to think about her sewing machine again and felt sad that she had shut down her little store. "Perhaps, she thought, it is time for me to return to The Small Things. After all, I am wiser now and will make sure that I spend some time in the sun as well as in my little studio."

So she returned to her old sewing room and there sitting where she had left it all covered in dust, was her trusty sewing machine. "You're back!" it cried and then sneezed bobbins all over the floor from all the dust.

The bag pixie realised that she missed her designing and creating pretty things and after giving her sewing machine a good dusting down decided that it was time to re-open the doors to The Small Things. 

And then she and her sewing machine lived happily ever after.

The End

Translation: I've decided to re-open my long neglected shop, The Small Things!

Image credit

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride

Does anyone know have a cure for post holiday blues?

I'm not going to go on about how much I hate my job and how I wish I could do something else. Yes my holiday was amazing and yes I would have liked it to last longer, but everyone has to work in some form or another. There will always be bills to pay and besides, I actually really like my job. I'm very lucky to work where I work and with the people I do. And yet, something's missing. 

I want to buy a motorhome and travel around

I also want chickens...(that could be interesting in a motor home)

I want to make playlists for every mood

I want to make mixed tapes for all my friends like I used to

I want to get better at playing the guitar

I want to start painting again

I want the days to get longer

I want to steal Dan's ipod touch

I want to go clothes shopping and buy myself a whole new wardrobe

I want to be brave enough to wear that red lipstick I bought at Christmas

I want a dog

I want to learn to speak Welsh again

I want to sit in the park and crochet like an old woman

I want to spend a whole day in bed and not worry that I'm wasting it

I also want a TV in the bedroom

I want to write a novel

I want, I want, I want, I want. That little list took me about a minute to write. They were just some of the ideas that have been running through my head these past couple of days. 

As you can see, they're not all practical or realistic, but they make my heart sing a little bit whenever I think about them. But I have a mortgage and a job and responsibilities. And that might sound sad, but don't feel too sorry for me. That mortgage? I wanted it. Those responsibilities? I chose them.

I've just got to find a way to a way to bridge the gap between my real life and my dream life.

Maybe that's what I can think about tomorrow.

Picture credit