I don't know if you've noticed but there's lots of people moving house at the moment. Everywhere you go there's 'for sale', 'sale agreed' and 'SOLD' signs decorating the streets. It's great to see the property market starting to move a bit finally!

Setting up home is something that excites me a lot. Thinking of all the lovely ways to decorate rooms in my home and adding individual, personal touches to enjoy really is a joy. As you've probably guessed, I love vintagey/retro style things and I want my home to be packed full of unique, fabulous cluttery goodness. My aim is to get a mix of old and new (but inspired by old) and to end up with this ecclectic mix of things for everyone to feast their eyes on. Apart from a fabulous mirror I've got ready to pop on my chimney breast, I fancy dotting little glass jars and tins around to put trinkets in or just for ornamental value (I might have to put one aside for myself!)

Blogger extraodinaire, Jo Bryan has been kind enough to commit a blog post to Prettyful Things. In it she picks out some of her favourite pieces and we love her selections!

If you would like to read what she had to say about Prettyful Things and follow her great blog, you can do both of these things right here.

Hiya and Happy Pancake Day (for tomorrow)! I thought I'd blog you a recipe (courtesy of Delia - who better to go to for a recipe?) I've also suggested some pancake filling suggestions in the spirit of it all so here goes...

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 12-14)

For the pancake mixture

• 110g/4oz plain flour, sifted

• pinch of salt

• 2 eggs

• 200ml/7fl oz milk mixed with 75ml/3fl oz water

• 50g/2oz butter

Preparation method

***

Of course you can fill them with anything you want whether it be lemon and sugar, nutella, a sprinkling of cinnamon. If you're feeling really adventurous, why not melt down a Snickers or Mars bar for a really scrummy treat? Whatever you fancy is fine!

I've been dying to get some lovely post for ages so I decided to be proactive and do something about it.

As someone who had penpals when I was little (all arranged by the school) I used to love writing to someone and learning about them and getting excited as soon as I'd posted my reply wondering when I'd next hear from them.

My friends and I used to write 'holiday letters' to one another but the rule was that we weren't allowed to open them until the plane had taken off. Once, one of my mates went to the extreme lengths of writing a letter for each day of the week that I was away which was AWESOME. She'd also made a cassette (how old am I) of songs that we loved, for me to listen to whilst I was away

I reckon we all have old memories like that and I'd love to hear about them. For more details and to get involved, join up here.

My latest blog for Flush The Fashion is now online. Check it out here!

My first guest blog for www.flushthefashion.com. Read my article here. Enjoy!

When I was at school I used to dread Valentine's Day. It seemed that nearly everybody around me was receiving cards and gifts  and I used to wonder to myself when my time would come! Tragic, but I'm sure most people would have thought the exact same things at some point (apart from the lucky girls who had been adored ever Valentine's Day  since they left the womb.)

Fortunately, up until I received my first proper Valentine's card at the age of 16, my friends were Valentine's repellent too, so we took it upon ourselves to show love and support for each other and give each other homemade cards. Some might say it's sad, some might appreciate the sentiment. We did (and still do) all love each other and these girls have had a lot more staying power than the numerous lads  that I admired from afar. It's obvious that my cards were better invested in my friends!

However, a boyfriend/girlfriend is a different matter. Receiving a card and a token gift is a lovely thing and I won't deny that I love it. I just don't think that Valentine's Day is the only time you spoil and romance one another. My fiance and I treat it as a 'date night' and tend to get each other a little token gift  and go out for a meal or something just to spend some quality time together.   I hasten to add that we do tend to go out just before or just after Valentine's Day to avoid the cheeky premiums that restaurants stick on the exact same meal you will have and pay less for 24 hours later!

My friend and I were in London for Valentine's Day last year as we were both coincidently down there for our separate work purposes. So, rather than be alone, we met up for a Valentine's night meal and felt really rare packed into a restaurant with lots of loved up couples. Nice.

Maybe the modern approach should be to spend Valentine's Day with someone you love and care about whether that's your partner, a relation or a friend. A good excuse for a bit of quality time with someone does no harm and it stops all this nonsense about loving or hating Valentine's Day. It's just another day, just make sure you spend it with someone you care about.

Sorry that I'm such a massive disgrace and haven't blogged for a trillion years. 2010 was one of the most random and brilliant years of my life so far and thats why I've somehow managed to neglect this little blog. I am very sorry indeed but at least you know it's been a good reason :) I suppose I better summarise my 2010 so you don't think I'm telling porkies but it's been really funny looking back at my blog from early last year and thinking that I didn't know just how amazing my year was going to be.

The main highlights are:

• I got engaged! My lovely (now) fiance popped the question by whisking me away on a romantic trip to the Lakes. I had no idea at all and all the time and effort he put into it was amazing. I'm a very lucky girl.

• I won at least one thing every month including a whopping 10k in a cookery competition. I know some of you saw me in some magazines so thanks for getting in touch and congratulating me! I still can't believe it!!!

• Your continued support in my first year totally online. I really appreciate it.

So really I had a blinder of a year and I hope you all did too! Here's to 2011, and I promise that I'll try harder to blog a bit more.

Thanks once again for your support x

There's a nice blog I follow and it was asking people to comment on what makes them happy. Rather than the obvious things that spring to mind (obviously I love my family, fiance and close friends loads but that goes without saying)  I tried to think of things that make me smile, smirk or laugh till I'm almost passing out. So, the things I came up with were:

• Seeing a friend you haven't seen in ages and feeling like you have never been apart. I've learnt that your best friends are the ones you don't need to see ALL the time, but when you do it's like you've never been apart. Oh, and receiving random emails/texts/letters(delete as appropriate) from those friends to remind you or tell you of something hilarious that happened or better still...that they are thinking of you for whatever reason. That sort of thing never fails to make me smile.

• My work. Very rewarding indeed.

• Shoes. I have a slight addiction to them but they make all the difference to even the most boring outfits!

• Winning competitions. I get a total buzz when I get told I've won something and hopefully one day I'll be able to win something that will make a difference to those dear to me.

• SEEING PEOPLE FALL OVER. Nobody is excluded from this, not even myself. I literally have to be dragged away from the scene when stuff like this happens before I get shouted at or assualted. Examples of my lack of control extend to seeing people fall up the stairs in department stores, feeling myself fall out of Starbucks down a kerb and onto my knees (classy, I know.) Shameful, yes...but I do check to make sure people are relatively ok before continuing to hyperventilate with laughter.

Last weekend I went on a lovely trip to our fair capital. Apart from the fact it was free (winning stuff is the best), it was just a nice chance to get away. We were lucky enough to stay somewhere smart, eat somewhere quite posh and just be thoroughly spoilt in general.

I even got my hair put up in a 'Bardot' by a lovely stylist called Kelly (who works in the Hersheson's Blow Dry Bar in Topshop Oxford Circus) which actually stayed in for two whole days. Here is a picture of it on day two while I was coveting some gorgeous shoes (excuse the grainy phone picture)...

I would recommend getting your hair done there to anyone. I felt really glamorous! I also had an excellent personal shopper called Amy who picked out some lovely pieces for me and I settled on a gorgeous green maxi dress (roll on the hot weather!)

Because I don't get much chance to shop or even window shop right now, I was actually really shocked at what the recession has done to the high street. Even in London, there were lots of empty shop units and I noticed that the quality of the garments was now poorer yet they were more expensive than they ever were. One thing I'm really proud of is the fact that even when prices have risen and quality has diminished elsewhere, Prettyful Things has always managed to stay consistent on affordable prices and great quality. I'll investigate the situation next time I'm back in London to see if it has improved at all and it's a great excuse to go back for another holiday!

I'm currently experiencing withdrawal symptoms from Mad Men - BAD times. Especially since I've heard that the BBC might not be buying the next series which is terrible news. For those of you who have seen Mad Men you will know it's a feast for the eyes...for those of you who haven't please try and see even one episode, I promise you will be hooked. The costumes are exquisite (bless you, Janie Bryant) and I'm not-so-secretly very jealous of the fact the cast get to dress up in it all. The set designs are second to none and the lady responsible, Amy Wells, was also the set designer for the 'A Single Man.' My favourite character is Joan Harris played by Christina Hendricks. She's beautiful and enigmatic and she knows it.

This Lizzie Dress is perfect for achieving a great Mad Men look. You can cinch in your waist with the skinny belt provided or team it with one of your own chunky waist belts that we've seen carried over many seasons now. Team it with a shrug, cardigan, pashmina or tailored jacket (with the collars up) and some pearls. This dress is so versatile you could wear it during a normal day with pumps or for a special occasion with heels and clutch.

Speaking of Mad Men...I found this cute little thing to do called 'Mad Men Yourself'. You get to make a little character of yourself in the style of a Mad Men cast member. I love it.  Or, get yourself a Lizzie dress and do it for real.

Like many of you, I think Audrey Hepburn is one of the most stunning and graceful women ever to walk the earth. My friend got me an amazing book about her, 'The Audrey Hepburn Treasures' which contains replica mementos and lots of beautiful pictures. One of the things I enjoyed most about reading this book was the stunning pictures of her clothes. As muse to Givenchy, (hard work, I'm sure) she was spoilt with the most sensational outfits.

Audrey was also famous for her simple outfits which were just as important to the creation of her style that we know and love. We have a jacket and dress from Emily and Fin that share Audrey's name and seem inspired by her and her image. So, for a piece of Audrey chic, get these lovely pieces before they're gone.

I was just thinking to myself today how excited I am for 2010. Things are going well here at Prettyful Things and I'm currently sourcing and chatting with potential new designers and brands for you to be amazed by! There's new stuff arriving within the next week so I'm sure you're as excited as I am! I'm also over the moon to say that your favourite designers are continuing to stock Prettyful Things so you will be able to look forward to new stock from This Charming Girl and Samantha Jane Wray :)

Another reason I'm so optimistic is because I was lucky enough to win a luxury trip to London! I know, what an excellent way to start the year! I hope I can win some more lovely surprises! For those of you who have met me, you might say I'm a bit of a competition addict...all fit in around work of course! For those of you who didn't know... at least you do now! Seriously though, I would recommend it to anyone. It's a nice little unexpected boost when you find out you have won anything, no matter how big or small. And it's (mostly) free if you do online ones! That's my first tip for an exciting 2010. I'll blog about anymore when I think of any.

I'm off for my beauty sleep. night night xxx

It's the last day of Prettyful Things in Norton tomorrow and I'm very excited about continuing to grow my lovely business online. However, as I've been saying to many of you who pop into the shop and have become close friends...I will miss you lots and owe a lot to you and your support.

Thinking over this past two years at Billingham Road, I have been supported from the very first week by some very special and loyal individuals who offered without hesitation to help spread the word to like minded people. I feel that I've become part of a community there and will continue to stay in touch with many of you in both a  personal and professional capacity. It's quite comforting to think that these sorts of values and communities still exist in such a ruthless and selfish world and my faith in others has been restored in the acts of kindness I have witnessed and experienced, all through having this little shop.

I hope that through the website and events that Prettyful Things may be part of, this whole amazing experience can just get bigger and better.

Thanks so, so much.

Natalie x

I LOVE corduroy and I'm not ashamed to say it. When I was at college and uni I loved cord trousers and when they came to the end of their natural life, they were not considered 'fashionable' and I could no longer find them anywhere *sob*. I'm still looking...

A lot of my customers have been loving the cord jackets and dresses that are in my shop at the moment because they're really versatile and I think they look amazing teamed with big, bold accessories like brooches, beads or perhaps some statement shoes (as if we need an excuse!)

I know for a lot of people it conjures up images of farmers and elderly gentlemen but for me it's quite the reverse. I think its gorgeous and makes me look forward to those autumn/winter months when I can wear it to keep me cosy. Mmmmmm toasty warm...

At the end of the day, cord is a forgotten classic. Keep updating it with on trend accessories and it will love you forever.

Hello and welcome to my first blog!

I figured that since I've taken the decision to go totally online from 31st December, I will keep a personal touch to the website by letting you know my thoughts and any news here! I'm very excited and I hope you find it interesting!

This past two years in Norton have been amazing and I've made lots of lovely friends and met some very interesting and inspiring people. I have also made friends with lots of lovely online customers from all around the UK, and in places like Finland, the U.S. and Australia! Due to this increasing success, I've decided to trade solely online!

Thank you for your support, I hope you will continue to keep in touch and carry on shopping at Prettyful Things. I'll let you know of any events I'm doing or organising so that I can still keep in touch and obviously you'll find out about any offers and things like that via the mailing list

xxx