Post Comment Love & Blogger Showcase 24-27 May

Hello there and welcome to this week’s #PoCoLo a friendly linky where you can link any post published in the last week. Both Morgan and I know you’ll find some great posts to read, maybe some new-to-you blogs too, so do pop over and visit some of the posts linked and share some of that love - and as it’s a Bank Holiday weekend, the linky will stay open for an extra day.

How’s your week been this week? I’ve had a week for getting organised - mostly at work - but it’s shown how a bit (or in my case a lot) of this kind of activity can really calm our brains. I might have taken some time to plan and sort through things, rather than doing, but I’m feeling quite a bit more in control. And now I can concentrate on getting the right things done, which always helps.

I missed going to Chelsea this week but have enjoyed seeing the coverage and remembering my day there last year. And with no new Chelsea photos to share, I’ve resorted to one from last year - just look at those colours. If only my garden looked as good right now!

Blogger Showcase: Tinka from Little Tinkablee

1 Who are you?

Hi, I’m Tinka. An aspiring author, currently writing her dream and fighting my invisible demons while trying to help others do the same. I’m a welsh girl in Liverpool with my three cats whom I adore very much. I’ve been with my partner since high school (he was my high school crush). I love animals, learning and creating new things, books, art, writing, off path nature walks, taking pictures and making memories when I can.

I suffer from a few mental health problems that have left me home bound for two years before and has overruled my life since. This year is the year I take back my life, start writing my dream and win my battles one baby step at a time.

2 How did you discover blogs/blogging?

I discovered blogs not long after blogging became a thing, and then vlogging became a thing but I’ve never had the time and then when I did have the time, I just never had the confidence. After all who cares what me, a stranger who can’t even leave her own house has to say?

3 Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging originally to help myself. I needed a way to get myself out there and overcome my fears, one of those fears was communicating with others online (I have terrible social anxiety that isn’t just limited to real life interactions). I’ve let my mental illnesses take over and rule my life to the point I have hidden myself away from all human interaction other than that of my boyfriend who just refuses to give up on me.

But then it quickly became about helping others as much as it was about helping myself. Following, talking and befriending some amazing bloggers that are sharing their own stories and journeys has help inspire me to keep sharing mine in the hopes that it can help someone or at least let someone know they aren’t alone in what they are going through. I’m hoping that others will come to be if they are seeking help and don’t have anyone from isolating themselves or fear of being judged by those they know.

Sometimes it’s easier to talk to a stranger online about things, easier to open up. And I can always guarantee that all conversations are strictly private, between us and with no judgement. I never view myself as someone who has the right to judge. 

I also started blogging as a place that I can share my amateur poetry, photography and my writing. It’s a place, a small corner of the internet I can call and make my own. My thoughts, feelings, opinions, pictures and advice. It’s something that I can finally call my own, something I haven’t been able to do since I let my mental health slide further and it became my life. 

In short, I started blogging to help get my thoughts and ideas out there in the open and where I could see them and neat it up however I like (something I wish I could do with my mind) and to help others while on my journey, while spreading as much positivity as I can, when I can. 

4 What is your favourite topic to write about?

I don’t really have a favourite topic that I enjoy writing about. I just love writing about things I’m passionate about, whatever comes to mind that day or week, it could be anything really. 

5 Are you blogging for fun or do you have goals?

Both. I’m making sure that my blogging experience is a fun one, hoping that that then comes across my blog too. I also have goals for my blog. My main goal is to help people. I want my blog to be as helpful as I can be and reach as many people as possible in the hopes of helping them in some way or inspiring them in some way. 

I’m also hoping to start selling my ‘LittleTinkablee Anxiety Candle Range’ coming soon this August. As well as selling other products I make. I want all my products to be able to help people in some way though and so I’ve been taking a lot of time into researching and thinking up things that people can really use or love. 

6 What is your favourite thing about blogging?

My favourite thing about blogging so far has been meeting other amazing bloggers, being opened up to new and wonderful opportunities, and knowing that I’ve helped inspire or just in general helped someone out through my blog. 

7 What are your 3 best posts?

• Coping with Anxiety Outside

• Heavenward by Olga Gibba ~ Book Review

• Animals have mental health too

8 Describe yourself in three words?

Awkward, friendly, loyal 

9 Are you a tea and biscuit or coffee and cake person?

Both. I love some tea and biscuits, but I also like coffee and cake, though now I’ve almost completely cut coffee out of my diet…I still love cake though. 

10 What’s your idea of a perfect night out?

My perfect night out, away from everyone, with my boyfriend and close friends, sat under a starry sky, a fire crackling away and drinks on the go. Not camping though, we have our own little trailers that we’ve rented out for the night. Easy going, with music playing and marshmallows on the fire. 

11 Your perfect night in?

My perfect night in is with my boyfriend, sat binge watching T.V Shows, eating too much chocolate and junk food, maybe a little drink on the go. 

12 What would your best friend/OH/Mum or kids say is your best quality?

I asked my sister since we’ve always been so close and she said, “You’re strong minded.” (which actually really surprised and moved me).

Thanks Tinka for sharing more about you and your blog. Thanks too if you’ve been in touch about featuring in this spot in the future, we’ve still spaces on our list so if you’ve been meaning to, but haven’t yet - please do!!

You can connect with Tinka on her social channels here: Pinterest - Twitter - Instagram - YouTube

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Leather and yarn, a dangerous discovery

The nicer weather is one of the things that encourages me out of the office at lunchtime, the other is of course not bringing lunch from home. I’ve a simple need, which includes food at lunchtime, but that’s probably a whole other post. Although I will say, bringing lunch from home has quite quickly become habit and one that’s easy to do, and obviously much more cost effective.

After having my nails done the other week, I’ve set myself a new promise to get myself out more at lunchtime. There’s plenty of shops to mooch around in Greenwich town centre, and my plan was to head to the bag shop to have a browse and replace a bag I bought from there many years ago, which has sadly now stained. But before I got there, I got distracted. I’m not sure what caught my attention but I soon found myself in Coco Barclay, a shop I don’t think I’ve been in before.

It’s main purpose is for handmade leather bags and purses, but there’s plenty more. And it was the plenty more that caught my eye. The bags were lovely, but there was so much more. The leather tassel nearly came home with me, and now I know where to go when I need a bag to go with almost any outfit. In fact I think that should be any outfit, as I think if they don’t have what you want, they’d relatively quickly be able to find it and no doubt do exactly what you want.

These caught my eye, the multi-coloured one especially. But as I was on my way around the corner to the bag shop I resisted…

There were cards too, which is always useful to know for those card emergencies. There is a great card shop in Greenwich, but sometimes having something a little different works well, and these hexies on a card blank are just that. It’s also a great idea, which I’d never thought of before.

It was they type of shop that had something to see everywhere you looked, especially for me the lover of colour and patterns. Patterned eye mask anyone?

Or a pile of wraps or shawls?

And remember that tassel from earlier, there was more. Leather tasselled jewellery. I do like a long necklace, and these were gorgeous.

MOH has just asked what I would like for my birthday, I didn’t know - but maybe now I do. I also remember what caught my eye and enticed me in. There was a small sign that said there was wool, so of course I was going in.

The small basement was full of wool and shawls, and that’s why this shop was a dangerous discovery. So close to work, and so much loveliness.

But on the plus side, it should get me out of the office more!

Possibly the prettiest geometry?

Life is full of patterns. They’re everywhere you look, don’t believe me?  Then, perhaps you’re not looking hard enough. I mean, take the picture below, what’s the pattern there?

There’s many. The obvious pattern is the tiles, with its pretty pastel triangles that draw your eye along and through creating a pretty geometric pattern.  But there more. The three mirrors, and even how the items are laid out on the worktop.  Stepping back, the wash basins and even the spotlights add a further layer of detail.

And you’re probably wondering where these fab loos are, well they’re in The Sipping Room in Canary Wharf. That’s where the UK launch of the 4K Outdoor Oven from Everdure by Heston was held, and well, it would have been rude not to check out the loos wouldn’t it? There were certainly more than usual…

So, I’m guessing that it’s a popular haunt with the Canary Wharf workers, and it’s easy to see why as the bar and terrace are also lovely. I’ve some pictures of those too, but am saving them for another day, and you never know I might make another visit to see if the decor changes to match the season.

Quotes on mirrors, seem to be a bit of a thing in City/Canary Wharf bars. Perhaps it’s one following the other, perhaps it’s a thing more widely and I’ve just not picked up on it. But then again the places I visit outside of town, have a completely different vibe so quotes on mirrors probably isn’t their thing. I do like this quote though, on face value, it’s true but there’s also something deeper that each of us should remember, isn’t there?

There were lots of fabulous touches around the ladies loo - including this fur ‘rug’ or mat for the lantern - and that’s what I was wondering, as in April when it was a bit chilly the fur rugs were in keeping with the season, but in the midst of summer (if and when it arrives) they might look a bit odd.

The sweets though, they’d be welcome come rain or shine. A great addition to the loos!

There were also two more of my favourite things (I’ve moved on from the sweets). I meant the succulents, how fab is that bowl or saucer of succulents. I’ve a plan for succulents in my garden this year, which involves a picture frame and a visit to the garden centre. There’s much to do in the garden before I can play with that idea though, so that’s a case of watch this space, but don’t watch too closely as it’ll be a little while.

The other favourite thing of mine is mixing old with new. Not everything needs to be brand spanking new, sometimes it’s nice to keep a bit of the building’s history, especially in this case when it seems to be helping to hold the building up! I know a sharp corner looks good, but does it have as much character as something like this? I think not!