How to brighten up winter

I’m not someone who really gets sad during winter – I like the cold and wearing layers and pinecones on fires. However, it’s always good to have a few tips up your sleeve for when leaving for work in the dark and arriving home in the dark (that’s what we do during June and July) begins to grate…

Wear colourful brooches
I recently ran an Emma Makes competition and Emma from Freedom Creative – another crafter – won it. On Saturday I was so surprised and excited to find that Emma had sent me one of her brooches – it’s the same style as the ones shown here but is a bright red Japanese paper and hasn’t left my top since I put it on. You can find her work here.

Wear bright tights
I recently discovered – through friends – an American tight site that sells bright opaque tights for all sizes. So I bought some. And with the exchange rate the way it is, you could buy some too and dance around in them while all the businessmen cry into their ties about export prices.

Here’s the site – and I did the math for you and worked out that each pair is only $17 New Zealand dollars. They’re thick, bright and comfy and they fit – so no more pulling your tights up all day if you’re taller than 160cm.

Watch old videos
Yesterday I flicked on C4 while doing some handsewing and they were playing One Hit Wonders of the 80s. It was SO GOOD! This was my favourite: