The End of the Year

A belated merry christmas to one and all!

I had a refreshingly technology-free festive period, which goes some way towards explaining my lack of social networking presence over the past fortnight. No cameras, no computers, just family, friends and an obscene amount of mulled wine.
Instead I spent my post-deadline downtime knitting and sewing presents for my nearest and dearest, stuffing my gob with all the calorie-laden foodstuffs I could find and dedicating an entire two days to powering through the Hunger Games trilogy. It's aces. If you haven't read it, you really should. I was actually close to tears when I turned the final page.

My fam and Oli really pulled presents out of the bag this year. Alongside a moka pot (from dad, to prevent me from stealing his) a Jedward calendar (from Ol, he knows me too well) a zebra onsie and fluffy slippers (from Mam, who worries about me in my nippy flat) and knitting patterns galore (from my brother and his fiancee Holly) I was the ecstatic recipient of two of the best items of clothing I have ever laid my eyes and mitts on in my life.

A canary yellow baroque print shift dress! A black velvet cape!! CAPE! YES! Combined with chunky-buckle pirate boots and a towering beehive, I feel like Dick Turpin's mod wife. Yes, that is a good thing.

Velvet cape - from Oli via Oh My Ears And Whiskers
Baroque shift dress - from Mam via Joe Browns
Bag - Tea and Cake
Boots - Eccentrix

I've got a hefty list of New Year aims to achieve. Giving up smoking is most definitely on the agenda, as is learning enough German to facilitate a move to Berlin, but my main goal is to start giving blogging the attention it deserves. I bloody love reading the ramblings of each and every blogger on my reading list, but never seem to allocate a decent amount of time to show my admiration on their comments page.

My friends Jenny , Celyn and Ello both have amazing style that deserves heaps of attention. Tanya's eccentricly beautiful vintage wardrobe and hilarious rants fill me with envy and giggles, and Miss Tallulah's incredible colour combo skillz and cat love are a joy (I'm missing her blog whilst she's on hiatus SO FRIGGING MUCH), Kirsten's cracking writing and humour skills never fail to crack me up (and her clothes are always cute as a cream puff). Kat's introspective updates and unique, minimal aesthetic make me want to high five her every time she posts, and La Sophia's dry humour and flawless sense of style make her blog one of my must-reads. So in 2013, I'm going to get my arse into gear and send out all the digital love and kudos all you bloggy heroines deserve. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Betti Baudelaire xxx