3 thank yous

Back in January, on my birthday weekend I read on two of my favourite blogs that I had won prizes in their giveaways!  Yes, 2 prizes!  I'm someone that hasn't won anything in years, no decades!  Must be my lucky year.

From the always beautiful blog 'The Bottom of the Ironing Basket' Simone sent a wonderful package filled with all kinds of sample beauty goodies from Space NK.   Now my bathroom is pampering central.  Be gone wrinkles and dark circles!!!

From Deborah aka  'Metropolitan Mum' the book 'Amazing People of London'.  Can't wait to spend a quiet lazy Sunday afternoon with this book and a big mug of tea by my side.

And finally, I was delighted to receive a request from Felicity at 'Gifts of Serendipity' to use one of my very favourite photographs of gorgeous pink peonies on her blog.

So ... Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.

A favourite blog

Have you come across this blog "Missed Connections"?

I really enjoy looking at the drawings and paintings by Sophie Blackall, a Brooklyn based Australian artist.

Sophie captures in her art the anoymous messages people leave on missed connections websites in their hope of tracing someone they saw, spoke to, sat next to etc, someplace, somewhere.  All are looking to make that connection again.  All hopeful.

This is one of my recent favourites.   Take a look ... I'm sure they'll be a few that you love too.

Friday, January 8, 2010

- m4w

When I put your coat collar up to protect you from the cold...

on the corner of E Houston and Bowery...

and I looked in your eyes...

I was very tempted to kiss you...

but I don't steal women from other men...

still...

I was tempted...

Sophie Blackall also has an Etsy shop where you can purchase prints, and occasionally original pieces of her artwork.

Best bits of 2009

I've been tagged by the lovely Very Bored Housewife in sunny Spain to come up with 5 highlights of my 2009. How excited am I? I get so thrilled when someone mentions my newish blog or becomes a follower (thanks all 9 of you so far). So you must be able to imagine how I'm feeling now? Maybe you felt the same when you began your little blogs as well? Bit like that first date feeling - well maybe not quite! Enough of that...

Here goes - my favourite bits of 2009.

1. My little Ruby turning 1 year old in September. Kind of hard to believe that she had reached her first birthday and a little sad to be honest. Where had my little baby gone? But of so proud of her on her 1st birthday (and every day) in the cutest dress opening her pressies.

2. Florida vacation. Love love love the US and especially the Florida sunshine. Days spent on the white sandy beaches and in the crystal clear sea. We are BIG beach lovers and this was the most perfect time for us together, especially for my son Luca who is a beach boy through and through.

3. Celebrating 10 years since Huzz and I had our first date. Best 10 years of my life. Here's to the next 10 Huzz.

4. Best friend Elisha's wedding to Matthew. When all the guests were singing "The Wonder of You" by Elvis - brilliant (and tearful). Also, once I'd finished my speech - slight relief would be an understatement!

5 Snow at the beach just before Christmas. See post below. Amazing and wonderful and such fun. As said, we love the beach, even in a snow storm! Could've been a once in a lifetime experience as well (although maybe not with global warming and such).

And now to 5 more fab bloggers out there (if you haven't aleady been asked) what are your 5 highlights of 2009?

London Zest

Deer Baby

Perfectly Happy Mum

Spain Daily

Westendmum

Happy 2010. Keep on blogging!

Pipped at the post

Don't you get a bit pee'd off when you have a great idea for a blog (undoubtedly the most inspiring blog post ever !) and you're just a tad slow off the blocks in getting something done about it. And then ... bummer you find the very same idea on someone elses blog. Then of course you feel like you can't post your fantastic inspiring blog after all as it would look like copying! It's happened a few times to me and tonight, Martha Stewart (of all people) just emailed half the world some festive ideas very similar (well it is that time of year I guess) that I'd also been planning. Planned blog post now in the trash! Well, how on earth can I compete with the domestic expert? Lesson learned: must blog faster!