While on the subject of Valentine’s Day gifts, how about this beautiful heart print by Rifle Paper Co, available from Papermash in the UK? It’s also available as a card which you could also frame, I guess. Perfect to show your special someone just how much you love them.

Apologies for the tiny photos but these are two of the dresses I’m coveting from Next at the moment. The red tea dress is such a pretty colour and the navy tea dress has a print of little red and white hearts all over it and would be a perfect Valentine’s Day gift (are you reading this, Jim?! Size 22 – hint, hint!). They’d be perfect travel wear for our trip to Thassos in the summer and are already making me think of warmer weather. I don’t know about you but I’m a little tired of the cold now and can’t wait to leave the house without a coat or woolly tights. Winter has its charms (hot chocolate and a roaring fire being two of them) but I’m looking forward to baby lambs and the first of the daffodils. Roll on Spring!

Apologies for the big “NEW” button on this photo but I had to share this gorgeous dress with you? It’s taken me all my willpower not to buy it for myself this afternoon. It’s from Laura Ashley and is a rather pricey £85, hence my reluctance to buy on a whim. Maybe I should start writing a letter to Father Christmas…

Isn’t she lovely? Isn’t she wonderful? The Ines skirt from Toast has made me burst into song it’s so pretty. Now if only I was thin enough to fit into one *sigh*. Back to Weight Watchers tomorrow *sob*.

Oh, how much do I want this calendar? This slice of letterpress and silkscreen loveliness comes from the marvellous Ilee in Seattle, U-S-of-A. I may have to buy this *and* the Linda and Harriett one to satisfy the calendar pixies this year…

I’m in love. Head over heels. Surprise, surprise it’s with a paper item (predictable, moi?). Specifically, the 2011 Linda and Harriett calendar. Isn’t it beautiful? I have the 2010 version on my bureau and it brings me such pleasure so I think I’m going to have to splash out $30 plus shipping to bring this piece of gorgeousness into my life. Hey. I’ll be looking at it for 365 days so that works out quite cheap on a cost-per-view basis. Kind of…

Came across the fabulous Literary Gift Company on Home Shopping Spy and India Knight’s fabulous blog. Just how much do I want the I Capture the Castle bag (top left)? It’s my favourite book of all time and I urge you to read it if you haven’t already. I also want to buy the “Go away, I’m writing” mug for my friend Graeme and the Virginia Woolf tape and Louisa M Alcott notebook for myself. My brain has definitely been turned because I am too fond of books. For the better, I hope!

Regular readers (okay, I know there’s only one of you!) will know that I have something of a problem with stationery. I adore the stuff and keep drawers and boxes of notebooks and labels in my bedroom, all waiting for me to find the perfect use for them. It’s not as if I need any more, oh no. But these Paris Labels from the fabulous Papernation are calling my name. Just how sweet are those illustrations? I’m such a Francophile anyway that these would be the perfect addition to my stationery portfolio. Must resist. Must resist…

Apologies for the tiny pictures but these are the latest two additions to my winter wardrobe – a grey cable knit dress and a berry scarf cardigan both from Next. They’re warm and toasty and are going to be the mainstay of my autumn and winter clothes collection, especially in wet and chilly Northern Ireland. It’s only the beginning of September and it already feels as though winter is just around the corner. I was hoping for an indian summer but I think I might be asking too much as it hasn’t been over about 20 degrees here all year, let alone in September. I’ve definitely got that back-to-school feeling. These can be my new uniform.

How much do I love this fox design lampshade from Lush Designs? Our lampshade in the sitting room is old and stained and manky and I’m desperate for a new one to replace it. This might just be the one. But what colour? I’m torn between the red and black and the plum and orange. Help me!