Can you believe I'm still tidying up?!

Of course it's not because it's a big job, but rather I am a big proacrastinator. It's still at that awkward stage where I need to put the last little bits away and make those final decisions about where to put all those things that don't have a proper home, or even fit anywhere. I find the best way to deal with these sort of decisions is to ignore them, shut the door and wander off.

Hence why the room is still a mess.

I do a similar thing with my beadwork.

For a while now (11 months) I have been working on a project using gorgeous large, flat-back crystals which I adore. Over that time I have played around with my original idea, but was never fully satisfied and then a few days ago it struck me how I wanted to alter it.

So today I had to go into the West End of London and took the opportunity to visit John Lewis and peruse their glass, crystal and china departments. I almost never have an excuse for this sort of thing, so made the most of it. I looked at, touched and fondled just about everything they sold. The last time I go to do this was for a christening I went to around 13 years ago, so I was feeling deprived. I wish more people I knew would get married, or have babies, thus giving me a good reason to browse items I have no need for.

If you have a need to buy such a gift and don't want to, or want a companion, then I'm your woman. Get in touch and we can oogle china together. Or I'll just go for you if that's easier.

Anyway, on with my task and after much debate I decided on two items to buy. One is a handmade glass in a great shape and the other is a small piece of beautiful, simple porcelain. I'll get working on these over the next couple of weeks and hope to turn them into two very limited edition kits. Wish me luck, and make sure you sign up for my newsletter to find out when they're available. My last very limited kit sold out in minutes so I don't expect these to hang around long.

For now they will sit on my 'shelf of precious' items alongside some of Marsha Hendrick's beads, art medals made by me and Marian Fountain amongst others, a small mouse I bought somewhere along my travels, the Cootie medal from Dustin, a broken piece of wax from me making a medal, a lampwork bead on a key by Keira Wells and charms and pieces also made by me.

The items on this shelf change randomly depending on what items I want to look at as I walk by it. I like to think this means I can add 'curator' to my CV.

Once I had bought my new delights it was time to leave the store and come home, but, before I knew it, I was in the food hall. I had heard all about the hall and its rave reviews when it opened, but had avoided it for years as I knew I wouldn't be able to escape empty-handed, or stomached.

Sure enough there were many delights to tempt me: fresh gazpacho, cold pea and mint soup (I have a thing for cold soups), amazing cheeses, yoghurts in previously unheard of flavours, meats to tempt even the staunchest vegetarian and chocolates in new and must-be-tried flavours. I managed to resist most of the chocolate as I don't have much of a sweet tooth and they were far too low in cocoa content for me (I'm mainly a 100% girl) but this bar promising to contain cheese, walnut and grape was too much to resist. It said it contains 70% bitter chocolate so here's hoping it doesn't disappoint. I also treated myself to some raw chocolate treats as they quite clearly promise to be bitter. Again I am hopeful.

I have decided to keep them both as my reward for when I eventually finish tidying up. So don't hold your breathe for a review.