diving back in

'dive' illustration by aaple

I've been away a lot. The longest I've ever been away from my blog, ever. I had a bit of enough last year, you may have noticed. Work and mojo crises, holidays and visitors, and then my lovely computer, well if it had a belly it would have been belly-up. I have missed sharing my finds and thoughts and photos and little-rants-every-now-and-then. So without feeling guilty about being away, or over-thinking too much, or wondering "what-amI-going-to-write-about-and-will-it-be-witty-and-interesting-enough?" I am diving right back in (on my eensy laptop).

Hello.
It's nice to be back.
It's going to be a good year.

Do you like the new layout; is it a bit spiffy, or a little niffy?

heartfelt and handmade

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It's impossible to miss Valentines Day posts, and Oh I Do Love them, but it sure can get expensive. I prefer gifts that take time, not money, and I thought I'd write a last-minute Valentines Post full of ideas for the last-minute people amongst us.

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* Write a love letter. A proper one with nice paper and sweet things inside. Write about how you met, list the things you like about them, write your hopes for your future together. Document your silly jokes, anything.

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* Find a nice rock. Write 'you rock' on it. Or buy a wooden ruler. Write 'you rule' on it.

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* Set up a treasure hunt. Leave clues and presents around the house; or do a suburb-wide one, leaving clues at places like where you first met, your favourite cafe or other special places (it takes a bit of explaining, but people love to help out in the name of romance). You can make the last clue lead to somewhere you can wait for them.

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* Bake a cake (Oh-Goodness look at this one), or your love's favourite dish. Anything in the shape of a love heart is pretty swell.

* Google 'vintage valentine' images, choose your favourite and print them on card. There are some really corny and sweet ones.

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* Buy tickets to their favourite band. Even if you don't really like them.

* Leave messages in unexpected ways; arrange all the shoes in your house into a giant love heart, use straws or toothpicks to write a message on the table, or sauce on a plate, or add giant speech bubbles to furniture. Arrange two sets of clothes on the bed holding hands.
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* Write a song. Draw a picture, sew a giant love heart with sparkles. Whatever.

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* Leave sweet post it note messages in their favourite books, movies, in the kitchen drawer, on their favourite mug, anywhere they will find them over the next week.

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Do you have any other ideas?

Love on, peeps xx

Lovel-ly day

Did you know that I have not blogged for a whole WEEK! Oh my. And now I have so many things I'd like to tell you, and lovely photos too, but if I tell it all at once your lovely reading list will be clogged.up.

But you know what? I may have to do it anyway. Sorry.

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I almost forgot today was the great V-day. I have been in two minds, one said ignore it and carry on your merry way. One said Oh! but what a wondrous occasion to watch Johnny Depp movies and eat an awful lot of ice cream! In the end I am pottering around the house, listening to my favourite tunes and thinking of all the people I love. And all the people who love me. Also clearing out my drawers and hoping it doesn't rain on my laundry. That too.

Oh V-day. What a love/hate relationship we have. I love love, but you take it from sweet holding hands to a full-on pash with garlic breath, beard rash and too much saliva. I like being alone, but I hate to be lonely, and you have a way of cramming red roses and various plastic crap down our throats. Cardboard cut outs of hearts and cheesy songs. Overkill, yes? That said, everyone secretly wishes for something horrifically romantic to happen. Or moderately romantic. Or at least original and heart-felt slightly romantic.

Whatever you're doing today, I hope you have a love-ly day, with sincere sentiments and holding hands. And I hope it doesn't rain on your laundry either.

x Pepper