January 30, 2026 | Cold Mid Winter Days

January 29, 2026 | Makeup Goodies

Positively surprised by this lipstick from Mercilen (a Chinese brand, I had never heard of it). I ate, drank, talked and it remained intact; I had to rub my lips with micellar water twice to get it out. I loved the color (looks dark purple, but on the lips it's a pretty red wine colour) and the case looks beautiful.

The one that looks like a birthday cake (it didn't have a brand name; maybe it's a copy of some korean beauty brand?) is perhaps a little too light in colour for my lips, but the velvety texture earns it some points. And it looks cute on my dressing table, so I'll call it a win.

January 28, 2026 | Orange and Blue

January 23, 2026 | Johanna Basford

I've always loved Johanna Basford's coloring books, and I got one on sale at Amazon. It remains to be seen if I'll actually have the patience to color anything or if I just wanted the book because it is beautiful. In any case, no regrets. It's a joy to look at.

Happy New Year | January 08, 2026

Happy New Year! 2025 ended in Somerset (with a glorious winter day, trees heavy with hoar frost) and 2026 started in Somerset (a party at the Cozy Club, where we barely made past midnight and missed the new year's complimentary champagne).

Next morning we drove to the sea in Weston super Mare. The tide was low and the wind was glacial, so we sheltered at a very nice café and I had cheesy fries + soda to soothe a mild hangover. Then we went back to mother in law to cook and serve fish stew. Next morning we finally got to visit Vicar's close in Wells, which is apparently europe's oldest residential street with the original buildings still intact. It was really lovely and I want to go back with my camera. This was followed by a somewhat hungry drive home, since we couldn't find anywhere to eat.

And this was the end and the beginning of my year! Here's to a beautiful 2026, and all I ask for is good health and solvency to me and all my loved ones - and you and yours, too.