Back...

The Mister is currently softly snoozing beside me after doing some chunky crocheting {oooh, I think it's a cowl!? *excited* ... will share soon!}...so I thought I would snaffle these few moments to stop in and say Hi...

It's a brand new year and I already feel like I have dropped the ball in this space - however, in a slight change from last year, I refuse to feel too badly about it. I seriously needed some time off after working so hard in the lead-up to Christmas {between the two of us, running our businesses and launching our new one!}, some time doing nothing to ring in the new year, to recharge my weary body and oh-so weary mind and do a little bit of nothing - some time not worrying, and not trying to juggle it all.

Mister Bell and I are in Belfast doing a good bit of exactly that!

Spanner in the works time, however, as I am, at this point, fairly under the weather - the whole Belfast side of the family have been fighting Swine Flu {yes, you heard it right!} for several weeks and now I seem to have succumbed. It's all so very frustrating as there is no hard and fast symptoms, and the doctors don't even check any more but I am swinging between feeling pretty crappy and rather hideously rough... a week in, and I am already bored of being so sore and tired.

I would rather get stuck into the year now! ;) But, what can you do??

We wanted to run sales in our shops to celebrate the snow and to thank you for all your support this year - but now, orders will be going out a little slowly because of the above... still, we wanted to say thank you nonetheless so there is 20% off in my shop, and in Ryan's, until I am back in the workshop - which will {hopefully} be a week tomorrow...

Ryan blogged more about the sale HERE :) Our codes are 'SNOWDAY10' = a lovely great whacking 20% off!

So far the year has been off to a lovely start apart from being not well - we cooked a big Hogmanay dinner for the family {traditional Scottish fair, a big steak pie!} and have spent lots of days snuggling on the sofa together, watching movies, Mister Bell playing his new computer games... leafing through cookery books we got as Christmas presents, baking together - cooking and eating good food...it's been lovely.

We even hit up Ikea in a bid to get organised - so far we have tackled the front room and it's looking great so far...shelving and storage on each side of the fire-place... DVDs all alphabetised and organised, space in many a nook for pretty things and book-shelves waiting to be filled. Now we are on the hunt for a rug - something on a budget, as sadly {really, really I mean sadly} I can't stretch to this one! ;)

I bought a new orchid to stem my floral craving though. I felt it was a necessity and an apt reward for braving Ikea {twice in two days!}.

Okay - I shall go for now, my energy window has passed and I am running on empty.

Hoping to be back soon, and able to share all sorts of new things with you. I already know 2010 is going to be a busy and exciting year for me with huge changes and new horizons... can't wait to kick this flu and get royally stuck in!!

Happy New Year everyone :)

xo

p.s. the image above is Charlie Harper. R bought me the *amazing* Todd Oldham book for Christmas, and I just adore it... good thing too, as he almost broke his ankle and wrist falling down the stairs at the train station in Glasgow carrying it home! That's love for you, egh? ;)