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) and even though I hate to say it...old people. 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.

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