Amelia is...

The day I was kitten as a cat...

2011-02-27T14:50:00.003Z

I am still crazy busy at the moment - balancing university and two jobs is hectic but I love always having something to do. These are my favourite postsecrets from the selection this week, go and have a look for yourself. The first one is not something I agree with, or (obviously) a secret of my own. I believe marriage is sacred, I can't imagine marrying having even the slightest sliver of doubt that it wasn't the right thing. I understand that you can't always control what happens in life, and often people can grow apart - but I wouldn't enter into something so important if I didn't believe in the relationship entirely. The second secret represents my how I feel a large amount of the time. I worry that I might just get everything I want and still I won't be totally happy. In fact I believe that will be the case, because when are we ever totally happy? I don't see it as a bad thing anymore though, because the bad times and the unhappiness I have suffered through have made me a a stronger person.

The day I saved your life...

2011-02-21T00:58:00.003Z

I don't know why the theme this week on postsecret was libraries, but I liked it. The library is one of my favourite places to seek solace. Studying on Oxford there are some incredible libraries that honestly I could get lost in for hour upon hour. I love the smell of library books, they seem to tell so many stories. These are my two favourite postsecrets from the selection this week. I have always thought libraries were incredibly sexy places - and the film 'Loverboy' only serves to confirm this to me. On my last day in Oxford I actually made a whole load of secrets (ones I never showed you, or anyone) and deposited them in secrets places, including library books. I hope someone found them, I hope they took something from them, I hope the poems I love could have saved them in the same way they saved me.

The day I recalled...

2011-02-19T17:03:00.005Z

I loved the valentines postsecrets from Sunday. There is something so fascinating about an event like valentines day, it brings out a whole host of human emotions and no more clearly is that expressed than on postsecret. These are my favourite three secrets from the selection this week. Oh, and my own valentine? It was lovely.

The day he missed her...

2011-02-06T19:04:00.001Z

I don't need it anymore, I don't need you anymore.

The day after the ball...

2011-01-30T15:42:00.002Z

I went to a ball in Oxford last night which was abolsutely lovely. I had the best time and it was so nice catching up with everyone - I will post some photos soon. This is my favourite postsecret from the selection this week, go and check them out for yourself at www.postsecret.com. I know have been completely inactive recently but I do truly appreciate all your lovely comments and rest assured that I will return soon, hopefully with a total blog overhaul and some wonderful new secrets.

The day I hoped...

2011-01-23T14:11:00.000Z

I hope I make him smile.

The day I introduced you...

2011-01-14T16:55:00.001Z

This is my nephew. I thought I would show you all a photo, doesn't he look just lovely? I cannot wait to meet him and show you all a proper photo. Only 4 months to go!

The day before I started my placement...

2011-01-09T15:28:00.003Z

Everything has been so hectic recently, what with my two jobs, university, christmas and new year. I start my placement in a school tomorrow so I will be there every day 8-5 for five weeks - truthfully, I am terrified! I am trying to get organised for all the work whilst also balancing work and seeing all my friends. The best news came on Friday though, my sister is having a little baby boy and I couldn't be happier for her. This is my favourite postsecret from the selection this week, go and check them out for yourself. I spend a strangely significant amount of time considering what would happen if I died. Who would come to my funeral? what music (if any) would they play? Who would cry and who would feign sadness? I might just leave you with some words from a great man:

I hold it true, whate'er befall;

I feel it, when I sorrow most;

'Tis better to have loved and lost

Than never to have loved at all.

The day I went to work...

2011-01-02T14:04:00.002Z

This is my favourite secret from the selection this week at www.postsecret.com - go and check them out for yourself. I go into placement in a local school in just over a week so I am trying to prepare at the moment. It seems like I have so much to do and simply not enough time! What are you all up to?

The day I was a tourist...

2010-12-30T19:16:00.002Z

I discovered this strange little postcard in a little shop near where I live. There is something really creepy about it, not least because I think the children pictured are brother and sister. I'll be back soon, enjoy!

The day I had a break...

2010-12-28T12:59:00.001Z

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas. This is my favourite secret from the selection this week at www.postsecret.com - go and check them out for yourself! I am still really busy with work and other commitments but I promise to get back to you soon.

The day before...

2010-12-24T11:21:00.002Z

Seasons greetings faithful readers. I know I have been silent for a while and I can only apologise for that. To mark my return I am revealing to you one of my most important secrets yet. My sister is pregnant and I am going to be an aunt. I could not be more happy about this news. I went to the first scan over a month ago and it was the single most amazing experience I have ever had. At that point the baby was only 7cm long but it looked completely fully formed and was waving at us. I hope you all have an amazing Christmas and I will return soon with my blog overhaul and regular secrets, I promise. Love and best wishes to you all.

The day I came back...

2010-12-20T22:16:00.002Z

I am sorry I have been completely MIA for the last week. I have been really busy with university and work (they've got me doing a 46 hour week!). I actually made a secret in the week but just haven't had the chance to post it yet. This is my favourite secret from www.postsecret.com this week. Let me know what you've been up to!

The day we went to see Ross Noble...

2010-12-12T11:01:00.003Z

I am very lucky to have always known what I wanted to be. I can't imagine being anything but a teacher. I hope that my passion and determination will shape me into the type of teacher that has the power to change a child's life. I fully expect to have my life changed by the children I will someday teach. This is my favourite postsecret from the selection this week, go and check them out at http://www.postsecret.com/.

The day I spoke to Anna...

2010-12-09T19:17:00.002Z

I have had a long day at work but my evening got off to a really lovely start when a friend from Oxford skyped me. As glad as I am with the choices I've made over the last few months I do really miss Oxford and I miss my friends. That feeling fits in with the tone of this secret, is it something you can relate to?

The day I finished...

2010-12-08T15:04:00.002Z

I have done all my christmas shopping and I only have a week and a half left of university so after next week I will be around much more. This means I can finally commit to the blog re-design I've been promising for months. Here is my latest secret, I hope you like this one - is it one you can relate to?

The day I started to wake up...

2010-12-07T22:47:00.002Z

I am back. I would go into details about why I've been so silent for the last few weeks but it isn't blogworthy or worthy of me giving any more thought to. So instead let me tell you all the good things that have been happening (here is my top five):

1. I have been awarded a scholarship for my teaching course.
2. I have started the process of becoming a volunteer with the Samaritans.
3. I have my very own signed photo of Katie Price.
4. I start my first school placement in January at Ewell Castle School.
5. I have, after many years of resisting, finally indulged my love for leopard print.

To those of you who only know me via the world of blogging some of those things won't make any sense to you - trust me that they are all very exciting developments. I am sorry to have not kept up with comments, thank you all for your kind words. Care to tell me your good news in five easily digestible points?

The day I said sorry...

2010-12-05T10:46:00.003Z

I feel awful for posting absolutely nothing this week, I have been so busy that the one secret I did manage to make I never actually had the chance to post. Anyway this is my favourite postsecret this week, go and check them out for yourself! I do this all the time. Pretty much in every secret I make there is a hidden message for someone. I hope that my friends/family will read that specific secret and know that I am trying to tell them how I feel about them. It reminds me of one of my favourite secrets that I made over a year ago (you can see it here). Enjoy!

The day I knew you wouldn't...

2010-11-29T11:28:00.002Z

This is my favourite postsecret from the selection this week, go and check them out at www.postsecret.com. I connected with this secret as soon as I saw it. It is actually something I do via my blog on a regular basis. The messages I leave are quite ax explicit as these ones, and often they are embedded in the secret, but often they are comments about friends/family. It would be nice to be able to say these things to people but then you never know what people are thinking about you, right? I hope you all had a lovely weekend, I will catch up with you this week hopefully. Enjoy!

The day I was fine...

2010-11-26T12:48:00.002Z

I really hope we get snow soon - snow in November seems like some kind of strange luxury. It does mean, however, that I am going to have to invest in a coat at some point. I am so tired today and I think I am coming down with a cold so whilst I would love to update you further on what I have been up to I will have to settle for another day. Let me know what you are all up to though, that might just brighten my day a little. Enjoy!

The day I forgot...

2010-11-22T23:54:00.003Z

Here is my latest secret, I hope you like it. A number of things changed when I left Oxford - most of them for the better. I have completely got my life back on track and I feel happier now than I have done for a long time. I know the path I am following now is the right one but I can't help feeling as though I have let a number of people down, including my parents. I feel that now, more than ever, I have to prove myself and to constantly defend my choice to other people. It is not simply enough for me to know that I made the right decision because not everyone else understands that. I would love for my parents to be as proud of me as they were when I was accepted to Oxford, but I don't think they will be. I would love for it to be less obvious that the decisions I've made are a disappointment to them, but it isn't. I would love for it not to matter, but it does. More than anything I would love for this secret not to be true of how I feel most of the time, but it is. I suppose only time will serve as a way to heal the past, and the choices I make now play a large role in that.

The day it increased...

2010-11-22T16:10:00.003Z

This is my favourite postsecret from the selection this week, go and check them out for yourself at http://www.postsecret.blogspot.com/. I judge other people based on a variety of other things - it is something we all do. I rarely take anything from these snap judgements, because it is always more important to find out what someone is like from spending time with them. It is interesting, however, that little things about your room/handbag/house/car can tell other people a small amount about the kind of person you are. Is this a secret you can realte to? enjoy!

The day I checked...

2010-11-19T12:24:00.003Z

Here is my most recent secret, I hope you like it. I have been really busy lately so it is fortunate that I made some secrets in the limited downtown I had earlier this week. I need to do an updated post on what I've been up to but that will have to wait as I am heading off to university for a class, enjoy!

The day after...

2010-11-15T12:31:00.004Z

This secret is one I have been preparing to reveal for a while. I am undecided as to what it says about me - whether I've never experienced true love or that I absorb myself so much in literature that real life doesn't stand a chance. More importantly, is this a secret anyone else can relate to? I'm not sure it is possible to feel the pain of love more acutely than when indulging in Wuthering Heights...I guess only time will tell. Enjoy!

(I am using a larger picture format, is it better?)

The day we missed each other...

2010-11-14T22:33:00.002Z

This is my latest secret, I hope you like it. There are certain people who you just know will have a positive effect on your life. A person who has all the qualities you admire and who can bring out the best qualities in you. I can't really explain this secret further at the moment, but just know it is very important (an update to follow). I hope you've had a lovely weekend, enjoy!

The day I swapped...

2010-11-14T08:30:00.003Z

I always thought when I lived away from home that the feelings of longing to be there were more to do with the comfort of my house than the people. Living at home now I can see it much more clearly. I love spending time with my family - we don't tend to spend a great deal of time together so it is really the little moments that are the most important. My home is defined by the people in it and ultimately I am too. Go and check out the other postsecrets this week at www.postsecret.com. Enjoy!

The day I thought of us...

2010-11-13T18:34:00.002Z

... and what it had become. Here is my latest secret, I hope you like this one. Sorry for only posting one secret this week - I've been really busy with various things which I'll update you on at some point. Thank you for all the lovely comments lately, it is so nice to know that there are people out there reading this. Enjoy!

The day I moved on...

2010-11-08T14:06:00.002Z

So this is my first secret after reaching my 400th - I can't believe I have so many. I want to start this new period off with a really positive note. I feel really great at the moment, I have such high hopes for the future and I am so happy right now. This photo totally represents how I am feeling and it is nice to have something that captures the moment so perfectly. I am going to leave this post here before I start gushing and you all begin to feel nauseous. Enjoy!

The day I dedicated my post to Marika...

2010-11-07T08:19:00.003Z

I found out some really sad news this week and I have been trying to get my head round it for the last few days. If you read my posts regularly you will know that for the last 4 months or so I have been volunteering in a charity shop. On my first shift, and quite a few subsequent ones, I worked with this lovely old woman called Marika. She was eccentric and wonderful and told me such interesting stories about her life. Sadly her husband had terminal cancer and she was caring for him, despite her own health problems. A few months ago her husband, David, passed away. I hadn't seen Marika for a long time as she suspended her volunteering at the charity shop whilst he was particularly ill but I had been keeping up with how she was from a fellow volunteer who knew her well. About a week ago I decided to write to her, so I sent her a card letting her know how much we all missed her at QEF and how sorry I was for her loss. I went into the charity shop on Thursday and found out that she passed away 3 days ago. I wonder if she read my card, I wonder if she knew how important she was to people or how much of an impression she made on my life even in the short time we knew each other. I didn't know her very well and our connection in life was brief but nothing better reminds you of the fragility of human life than the passing of a friend. I want to dedicate this post to her, and the following poem:

Everything passes and vanishes;

Everything leaves its trace;

And often you see in a footstep

What you could not see in a face.

The day I felt sick...

2010-11-02T12:03:00.003Z

Here is my latest secret, I hope you like this one. I created this secret by using some purple sequin stars and I wrote the message by scratching letters into them with some tweezers. You can just about read the words on it, but for those of you who can't it says 'I want to cure your troubled mind'. I would love to explain this secret to you but at the moment I am having some trouble putting into words how I feel about this, I'll get back to you when I have had some time to think about it. Is this a secret you can relate to in your own way? I'd love to know, enjoy!

(I was in such a hurry posting this secret that I forgot to mention that it is my 400th secret to date, hurrah!)

The day we shared...

2010-11-01T12:55:00.004Z

In the rush of my weekend i almost forgot about postsecret. Here are my three favourites from the selection this week. Do go and check them out yourself and let me know which one spoke to you, enjoy!

The day my feet recovered...

2010-11-01T12:35:00.002Z

I am completely exhausted. I spent the entire weekend working (over 23 hours in total) and now my feet are aching all over. How has your weekend been? This is my latest secret, I hope you like this one. I am going to catch up on work for uni today and then tonight I have training for my job. Let me know what you are all up to, enjoy!

The day I said thank you...

2010-10-30T01:13:00.004+01:00

Another double-sided secret for you to digest. I suppose what these latest few secrets should tell you about me is that I've been doing a great deal of reflecting lately. I don't know if it is the total change in all aspects of my life that is prompting me to look back but honestly all I want now is to look to the future (and for the first time in a really long while it is looking bright). I guess what I am trying to say is that I am happy. I am happy with who I am, with where things are going in my life, with the support of my family/ friends and really, truly happy with the support I get from all my fellow bloggers. I'm not sure if it is because you don't know me and therefore your opinions are really impartial, or whether the anonymity of the internet would allow you to say what you really think - but the fact that you are all lovely in spite of this means that your comments are all the more heart-warming. So thank you and as always, enjoy!

The day I worried...

2010-10-29T11:15:00.002+01:00

This is my latest secret, I hope you like it. This should probably be part of a pair with the leaf secret from a couple of days ago. There are some people you simply can't have in your life - because they are a destructive force or because they make you a destructive force in your own life. It doesn't mean that you don't care about the person, that you wouldn't do anything for them if they needed it...you just can't have screwing you over again and again. This secret is my way of saying I care, just perhaps not enough to make it work. Can you relate to this? Enjoy!

The day I remembered you...

2010-10-27T11:07:00.011+01:00

I would like to share something with you. It seems crazy that revealing this to you feels somehow more difficult than revealing my secrets each day but for me poetry is a window to the soul. I know people have the same thing with music, movies or books, but for me poetry can move me to tears with only a couple of well placed words. Here is one of my favourite poems and the inspiration for this secret, 'Remember' by Christina Rosetti:

Remember me when I am gone away,

Gone far away into the silent land;

When you can no more hold me by the hand,

Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more day by day,

You tell me of our future that you plann'd:

Only remember me; you understand

It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while

And afterwards remember, do not grieve:

For if the darkness and corruption leave

A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,

Better by far you should forget and smile

Than that you should remember and be sad.

The day I worked...

2010-10-26T19:34:00.002+01:00

So I have been working at the cinema I told you about. So far the job is going quite well, it is tiring but quite interesting and I get to see snippets of all the new films which is quite cool. I created this secret by using some beautiful leaves and a brown pen - I hope you like it. Any suggestion of my blog re-design do let me know, enjoy!

The day I reflected...

2010-10-24T20:47:00.002+01:00

Here is my latest secret, I hope you like this one. I created this secret by using some beautiful coloured sequins and letters. This is a secret I have been keeping hold of for a while - and it wasn't one I was sure I wanted to reveal. It feels good saying it out loud, and it feels good putting it down on paper. It seems strange that one year could comprise of all of your favourite moments and of those moments which are better forgotten. On a more positive note I am thinking of doing a blog overhaul in the next few weeks - any ideas or suggestions? your input is welcome. Enjoy!

The day I recovered...

2010-10-24T15:56:00.002+01:00

Here is my favourite postsecret from the selection this week, go and check them out for yourself. Sorry I haven't got back to you since before my birthday - I have had a hectic few days. I instantly recognised this secret as something I do. I actually spend a great deal of time thinking what I would take if my house was on fire. What would you rescue if your house was burning down? I'd love to hear from you, I think it is fascinating. I'll get back to you with my own secret a little later, enjoy!

The day before my birthday...

2010-10-20T19:21:00.002+01:00

So tomorrow is my birthday, I am turning 21. I haven't got any plans until the evening and I don't have university tomorrow so I think I might go shopping and have a relaxing day to myself. I'll definitely be making a secret so look out for that. Enjoy!

The day I used the internet...

2010-10-18T11:46:00.004+01:00

My internet is down at home so I've had to come in University to use a computer. Unfortunately that means the secret I had planned to upload a few days ago will have to wait. Here is my favourite postsecret though:

I love reading true crime books and one of my favourite areas to read about is school shootings. As someone who wants to be a primary school teacher I find it particularly interesting as it tells us a great deal about the power of bullies. It is something that doesn't really happen in this country (mostly due to strict gun regulations) but I'm sure everyone has either been a bully of suffered at the hands of bullies at some point in their school career. This postsecret spoke to me for that very reason, can you relate to it in the same way? I got the job I mentioned last time I posted - I start at some point later this week so that is pretty exciting. The job is at a cinema which means I'll get to see early screenings of films that are coming out - the new Harry Potter film to be exact. I've actually never seen a Harry Potter film just to further infuriate any fans out there, but I'll let you know what I think. Enjoy!

The day I interviewed...

2010-10-15T09:18:00.002+01:00

So I have a job interview today. I have been applying for jobs all over the place, pretty much anywhere that has anything available as I desperately need some money to keep me going. This is my second time at uni so in order not to get into more debt I have decided not to receive any student loans (read: I am broke). So send me good thoughts today and then hopefully I might ace my interview. This secret was created by using various different bits of card. I love finding new colour combinations that work well and this sort of reminds me of liquorice allsorts or something - either way I like it. What do you think? Have a nice day, enjoy!

The day I thought of Rolf Harris...

2010-10-13T22:55:00.002+01:00

Can you tell what it is yet? I've been playing with the idea of image deconstruction. I love that you can take a recognisable, fully formed image and completely deconstruct it by taking it apart and reorganising the pieces. Anyway, this secret is about being unable or unwilling to ask for help when you need it most. I am more stubborn than most people so I know that admitting you need help can be tough but I have been in situations where it really is the only option. Can you relate to this secret? Enjoy!

The day I tried...

2010-10-10T23:35:00.002+01:00

Here is my latest secret, I hope you like this one. I don't tend to use neutral colours because they don't really show up when scanned in but luckily this has worked, what do you think? I have a busy day ahead tomorrow so I probably won't post again until later in the week when I've had a chance to make some secrets. Enjoy!

The day I finally got some sleep...

2010-10-10T13:59:00.002+01:00

I've not really had much of a chance to get any proper sleep recently. I decided to be lazy today and sleep in a little bit to catch up on all the missed hours. What better way is there to wake up than to realise that new postsecrets will be up? This is my favourite from the selection this week, go and check them out for yourself at postsecret. There are few things I would actually judge my friends for but how they treat my family has to be pretty high up. I always find it interesting that there is that unspoken dynamic between friends that you can bitch about your family as much as you want but that they have to sympathise without saying a bad word about them. What are you doing with your Sunday? hopefully relaxing like I am. Enjoy!

The day I thought about you...

2010-10-07T13:52:00.002+01:00

Here is my latest secret, I hope you like this one. As you know I have had a crazy 6 months: I left Oxford, applied to new courses and started University again all while working about 4 different jobs. I thought the first time I would have a chance to slow down I could relax and take some time to think about things. I finsihed my job on Tuesday and since then I have been driving myself completely insane. Keeping busy seems to be the only thing that could keep me from thinking about everything all the time, and now I don't have as much to do I am inside my head all the time - truthfully, it is driving me crazy. My solution at the moment is to drown out my thoughts with bad TV and making secrets, we'll see how it goes. I hope you are all good, enjoy!

The day I made a choice...

2010-10-06T19:27:00.002+01:00

Here is my latest secret - I hope you like it. I went shopping today for some new stationary (is there anything more exciting?) and found some beautiful sequins which I used to make this. I have finally had a chance to catch up with making secrets which is great - I don't feel like such an awful blogger now. I have a great secret to show you tomorrow so you can look forward to that. Speak to you tomorrow, enjoy! x

The day I counted...

2010-10-04T20:43:00.003+01:00

So I think this secret is going onto my list of favourites - not just because of what is represents to me but also because of the journey it has taken to create it. What do you think of it? and does it mean anything to you? I am glad to finally be able to decorate both the front and the back of some secrets - I was sticking them in books before and obviously that meant no two sided secrets. I've yet to decide what to do with this secret: deposit it somewhere, send to postsecret, send to a reader, give to someone important? let me know what you think. Enjoy!

The day I started again...

2010-10-03T22:46:00.002+01:00

Today has been wonderful. This morning I finally had some time to catch up on sleep. I got up and wrote some letters, made some phone calls and then set about doing some work for university. This evening I watched x factor and then made some new secrets for this week. I created this secret by using a picture from a fashion magazine I picked up at work. See if you can spot the song reference, enjoy!

The day I worked through it...

2010-10-03T14:37:00.002+01:00

I agree with this postsecret in part. I love that I have an outlet for my secrets and I love that so many of you are interested (this still surprises me). I sometimes wish I had a private outlet for my secrets or even some secrets that I could keep to myself. I feel compelled to share my secrets with you and I love doing it but there are certain secrets I wish I could take back. I guess I am always going to feel like that, I just need to learn to moderate and I'm starting to understand that. How do you feel about secrets? go and check out postsecret for yourself, enjoy!

The day I ran out...

2010-09-28T19:56:00.003+01:00

... of energy? of time? both really. Anyway, here is another secret from my ever expanding collection. I found this beautiful postcard in the charity shop I volunteer at, isn't it lovely? Please let me know how you have all been! I miss blogging regularly but what with my job and my new course I've been too busy to catch up with you all - I would love to know what you've all got going on. Enjoy!

The day I managed to post something...

2010-09-26T16:48:00.002+01:00

I am so sorry for being completely MIA this week. What with work, my own enrolment, busy evenings and really rubbish internet I have found it difficult to find the time to blog. In replacement for my lack of secrets go and have a look at http://www.postsecret.com/ today as there are a whole load of wonderful Sunday secrets. This one is my favourite because I could instantly relate it to my life. Losing contact with people or falling out with someone is something we have all been through I'm sure. At the time you don't care or you actually want the person out of your life. I've lost people that way and I think it is horribly sad. I'd rather have those people in my life causing upset than to not be friends at all. Is this a secret you recognise about yourself? enjoy!

The day I couldn't comment...

2010-09-23T07:57:00.003+01:00

Just a quick note to say arghhhh blogspot won't let me comment any of you back. Please excuse any delayed comments - I have been trying since yesterday evening but alas I can't get it to work. I will hopefully be posting my own secret later when I get back from work and shopping. Enjoy!

The day Rachel moved out...

2010-09-19T18:48:00.002+01:00

For the last couple of years I have felt as though I was moving backwards. Things didn't quite seem right and the ultimate goal was getting further and further away. Especially when I left University I really felt as though I didn't know what I was doing with my life. I am so thankful to be in a place now where my life is on track - I know what I want and I am on the right path to achieving it. I still have moments where I doubt myself, and I can't 100% know this is the right thing...but it feels right at the moment and I guess that is all you can hope for in life. Sorry for being so rubbish with responding to comments recently, I promise you that I will catch up with all of you when I have some time. Enjoy!

The day there were technical difficulties...

2010-09-19T18:42:00.002+01:00

I have been trying to use blogspot all morning and it wouldn't work. Oh well, success this time. Here is my favourite postsecret from the collection today. Working with children quite a bit of the time always makes me think about how I would raise my own family. I think people often believe they will shy away from the techniques that their parents followed, and I suppose this is a good idea in some. My parents are by no means perfect, there are certainly parenting techniques I would not want to replicate with my own children. However, on the whole I think the way I have been brought up has really shaped who I am and how I lead my life. Teaching your children good values and morals is such an important part of parenthood and something I vow to do with my own children someday. Do you feel as strongly about it as I do? My own secret to follow, enjoy!

The day I read it...

2010-09-15T13:42:00.002+01:00

I am having a day to sort things out before I go back to work and enrol at my new university next week. Things are so crazy at the moment that I haven't really had a moment to myself. Anyway this afternoon I am going to dye my hair and organise all the things I need to get done while I have a small amount of time. How has your week been so far? enjoy!

The day I came back...

2010-09-14T18:45:00.002+01:00

I have been away for a few days to see my cousin which was really lovely - I hope you haven't missed me too much. This is my latest secret, I hope you like it. I created this AI by using a lovely paper bag from a card shop. I really like finding these different patterns and designs in the most everyday thing. I hope you have had a good week so far, I have another secret for you tomorrow. Enjoy!

The day I went away...

2010-09-12T11:39:00.003+01:00

I am sorry that I have been a little bit distant recently, my comment upkeep will improve soon! I am going to see my cousin for a couple of days which should be lovely. I don't have any of my own secrets to post for you at the moment so these postsecrets will have to keep you going. When I return on Tuesday I will definitely have secrets to share, promise. The first of these postsecrets is one that I rarely share with anyone. I am not American, nor have I ever been to America, but I am fascinated by the events of 9/11 (and by that I mean I own books, documentaries, films - the whole thing). Friends have commented that this preoccupation is both morbid and a little weird. Honestly though I find something strangely cathartic about reading about tragic loss, great heroism, lucky escapes and the most horrible endings. I cry when I read about it, I put myself in the position of those people and wonder how I would have coped. I guess you could call it escapism? Whatever it is I have never found anyone who quites understands it. The second of these secrets really spoke to me. It means something quite personal to me which I won't be sharing today if you don't mind, everyone can have secrets right? Please do let me know which postsecret was your favourite, and go and check them out at www.postsecret.com for yourself. Enjoy!

The day I caught up with sleep...

2010-09-08T12:58:00.002+01:00

Do you want to know a secret? (well, another one) this secret is about you. What I love about blogging is that you can create your own world seperate from your real life. Obviously my real life permeates my blogging life - these secrets are all real and all reference a part of my everyday life. However, I always feel completely safe revealing each AI to my readers. You have created an environment that is so accepting that there is very little I feel I couldn't say to you. I guess what I am trying to say is thank you, it means a great deal to me. Does blogging mean the same to you? Enjoy!

The day we were challenged...

2010-09-06T20:09:00.002+01:00

My College at Oxford are appearing on University Challenge tonight which is pretty exciting - they don't seem to be doing very well yet though. This is my latest secret. I created it by using sequins and some gold letters, I hope you like it. I like the way the pattern begins to look like ropes, it sort of fits with the secret too. How has your week been so far? I am back at work which has been a bit slow this week. Enjoy!

The day before work...

2010-09-05T23:43:00.002+01:00

This weekend has gone so quickly! It still feels like Firday afternoon to me, anyway...how has your weekend been? This is my favourite postsecret from http://www.postsecret.com/ this week, go and check them out for yourself. I always wish I stopped to appreciate all the great experiences and opportunities I have had. It is difficult in the moment to know that this is something you will remember for the rest of your life, and I guess it is difficult in that sense to truly appreciate it. It is so nice to be able to look back on all of my secrets and remember some of those moments. Having a visual representation of them better allows me to recall them. I hope you have a lovely week, enjoy!

The day I saw Florence...

2010-09-03T22:32:00.007+01:00

I hope you have all had an enjoyable week, I have been working and tomorrow will be no different as I am doing my shift at the charity shop. I was given a couple of blogger awards this week which is really exciting and such a massive compliment. I am not brilliant at doing these but I thought I would give them a go, so here we are:

Breee from http://www.vivalabreee.blogspot.com/ tagged me in her 'this or that' post. It gives you a little bit of a chance to find out some more information about me as I choose between this or that (as the award tag suggests)...so I hope you enjoy it:

Makeup
blusher/bronzer - bronzer
lip gloss/lip stick - lip stick
eyeliner/mascara - mascara (I own 15)
foundation/concealer - foundation (mine smells of fruit)

Body
perfume/body splash - perfume (Kate Moss)
lotion/body butter - body butter
body wash/ soap - neither

Fashion
dresses/skirts - both, all of the time (I don't wear jeans or trousers)
stripes/plaid - neither, I like florals
scarves/hats - hats, of the pork pie variety
heels/flats - flats

Hair
curly/straight - both
long/short - long
light/dark - I have been both and I can categorically say that brunettes have more fun
up/down - down

Random
rain/shine - rain (I hate summer)
summer/winter - winter
autumn/spring - autumn

Thanks for Breee for the tag, and go and check out her blog because it is really lovely. The second award I have been given is from Hotcakes at www.imissyouhotcakes.blogspot.com/. She writes a lovely blog about coping with her long distance relationship, I so admire her for trying to make it work through a difficult situation.

As part of the award I have to sum up my blogging philosophy on five words, so here goes:

Creativity Fun Sensitivity Catharsis Friends Honesty (oops, that is six)

Usually these posts are passed onto a certain number of fellow bloggers, but I would like to pass it onto any of my readers who would like to participate - enjoy!

The day I worked at LCF...

2010-08-31T22:47:00.004+01:00

So today I started my job at London College of Fashion. I will be working there for a few weeks before I start my new course at Roehampton. Everything seems a little bit hectic right now but hopefully it will all sort itself out. I had my friend Pete over tonight and we have some wine and talked a bit which was lovely. I really need some sleep at the moment as I am going to have a really busy week. I created this secret by using some stickers - I hope you like this one. I have been given a few blog awards lately and I am really looking forward to posting them. Thank you to all my fellow bloggers who enjoy each post, it is so nice to know that you like what I'm doing. How is your week going so far? Enjoy!

The day I couldn't fight it...

2010-08-29T19:13:00.002+01:00

This is my most recent secret, I hope you like this one. I actually think it is going into my list of favourites - what do you think? I created this AI by using the inside of an envelope and some lovely card. Enjoy!

The day I prepared...

2010-08-29T19:01:00.002+01:00

This is my favourite secret from postsecret this week - go and have a look for yourself at www.postsecret.com. This is a secret I have never shared (partly because it is a little bit weird) but every time I see an ambulance racing to or from an accident I always say a silent prayer. As soon as I saw this secret I thought I should probably share it with you. I hope you are having a good weekend, enjoy!

The day I returned...

2010-08-27T16:33:00.002+01:00

How are all of you? Thanks for the lovely comments while I was away. This is my latest secret, I created it by cutting these berries out from some old Christmas wrapping paper - I love how it looks like the whirly DNA thing (I'm no scientist, okay?). My time spent in Winchester was really fun, despite having a bit of a disastrous night out. I am glad to be home and I still have a few days before I start working at LCF so hopefully a bit of downtime for me. What are you up to? Enjoy!

The day before I went to Winchester...

2010-08-25T23:05:00.002+01:00

I wanted to post this before I go away tomorrow as I'm not sure when I'll have a chance to blog. I am all about flowers recently, aren't I? Maybe it is my happy disposition at the moment. I created this secret by cutting the flowers from some wrapping paper from last Christmas - I have used it before but you might not recognise it. I want to thank you for all your lovely comments recently, it is so nice to know that people are interested in my little blog. I also want to thank My Name Is S. for writing about me in her latest blog post, she writes the loveliest blog so go and check it out: www.stirred-words.blogspot.com. Speak to you in a few days, enjoy!

The day of the final...

2010-08-24T12:20:00.004+01:00

Here is my newest secret, I hope you like it. Now that I am no longer sticking my secrets in sketchbooks I can have double sided secrets. This may not sound that exciting but after a year of making a secret every day the little changes seem like a big deal. Anyway so this secret was created by using some beautiful 3D flowers given to my ages ago by my friend Anna. They don't show up very well in my scanner unfortunately, but trust me they are lovely. The second image is the back of this secret with my message. Today is the Big Brother finale and I could not be more excited about it - last BB ever. If you are watching it then let me know who you want to win. Enjoy!

The day you texted...

2010-08-24T11:03:00.002+01:00

I promised you this yesterday and then got distracted by my book, sorry. This is a guest secret created by a good friend of mine. We actually spent Monday evening making some secrets together which was really love. I am completely in love with this secret - in part because I know what it is about and also because I think it looks fantastic. I always find it really refreshing to see how other people interpret what I am doing on this blog. This looks nothing like any of the secrets I've ever made which I find really interesting. My own secret to follow in a little bit, enjoy!

The day I watched...

2010-08-23T15:09:00.003+01:00

This is my latest secret, I hope you like it. I created this secret by using a variety of coloured pens - excuse any wobbly lines, they were drawn freehand. I start working at London College of Fashion next week so this is really my last week to relax a little bit and to sort some things out. I have spent the last couple of days making quite a few secrets so you can look forward to seeing those in the next few days. I also have a very exciting guest secret to post which I will reveal later. Hope you had a good weekend, enjoy!

The day I was late...

2010-08-22T17:43:00.002+01:00

Either my internet is acting weird or something is wrong with blogspot, are you experiencing a similar problem? It won't let me log in most of the time which is frustrating and the rest of the time it won't let me upload pictures. Anyway, I hope it goes away. This is my favourite secret from postsecret this week - go and check them out at http://www.postsecret.com/. There seemed to be a lot of secrets with the same theme as this one, I don't know if that means anything. It immediately stood out to me as one that represented an alternate viewpoint - from family and friends of a suicidal person. I truly hope someone who has considered killing themselves reads this postsecret and reconsiders. I love that such a simple art project has the power to save people, and I truly believe that it does. Enjoy!

The day blogspot wouldn't work...

2010-08-21T17:04:00.002+01:00

I have been trying all morning to post this secret and finally I managed to get blogspot to behave. I created this secret by using the pattern from the inside of an envelope as the background (doesn't it look like a fuzzy tv?). I then made a speech bubble and added my secret. For a while I have been hiding additional secrets in the title of my post, in the words that I write, sometimes in the file name of the picture or within the secret itself. More often than not these little secrets go unnoticed - in part because some of them wouldn't make sense to anyone but me. I do this because there are parts of a secret I don't feel I can reveal in their entirety. I have wondered for a while if any readers have noticed these, I suppose you might now. I hope you are having a relaxing weekend - look forward to postsecret tomorrow, enjoy!

The day I spent money...

2010-08-17T21:13:00.004+01:00

So here is another secret I made recently. I created this AI by cutting various flowers from different bits of fabric. I hoard fabric and it is actually quite good to use some of it up doing things like this. This week has been spent reading mostly so far - I have become so engrossed in different books recently that I haven't found time for much else. How is your week going so far? Enjoy!

The day I cooked...

2010-08-15T09:51:00.002+01:00

So this is my favourite secret from www.postsecret.com this week. Earlier in the week I posted my own secret about believing in God but this is also a secret I had considered posting, how weird that it turned up on PS? That is the great thing about sharing secrets though - finding that someone else has been hiding your secret too. Is this a secret you can relate to? I would love to know. Enjoy!

The day I napped...

2010-08-14T19:36:00.002+01:00

Is there anything more blissful than an unplanned mid-afternoon weekend nap? I don't think I've had one in a while but it was bloody amazing. Anyway, in my sleepy state I have decided to post this secret - although the colours are really messing with my eyes, yours too? I created this design a while ago when I was looking after the kids. I was never quite sure what the message would be but this seems to fit perfectly. How is your weekend going to far? Enjoy!

The day you gave blood...

2010-08-13T22:26:00.007+01:00

Do you want to see something beautiful? Here are some postcards and cards I found today in the charity shop:

Gloria Swanson, New York, 1924 - photograph by Edward Steichen.

Laurel and Hardy, 1930 - photograph by Lansing Brown.

Audrey Hepburn, 1955 - photograph by George Daniell.

Marilyn Monroe, Hollywood, 1960 - photograph by Eve Arnold.

Charlie Chaplin, 1931 - Culver Pictures.

Louise Brooks, 1928 - photograph by Eugene Robert Richee.

Hope you all have a great weekend, enjoy!

The day I couldn't sleep...

2010-08-13T01:14:00.002+01:00

I really can't sleep. I have to get up early tomorrow but I really can't stop my mind from whirring. I love how the colours in this secret confuse your eyes into looking for a pattern. I found these little flower sequins a few weeks ago when I was walking round a supermarket. I think they are intended for table decoration but I love having something new to add to my never ending collection of craft stuff. This secret is quite a hard one for me to think about and particularly hard for me to post on here. I'm not quite ready to explain the feelings behind it but hopefully I will be at some point - I don't have to share everything, right? Part of me hopes this isn't one you can relate to because it isn't nice...then again it is always nice to find out that others share your secrets. Enjoy!

The day we talked about you...

2010-08-12T18:48:00.002+01:00

Evening all, hope you have had a good day and your week has been okay so far. This is the first time in about 3 months that I have had a bit of a break from work. I drive myself a little bit crazy at times like this but I have decided to have a massive clear out in my room and that is keeping my occupied. I spent an hour or so today making some very beautiful secrets to show you over the next few days. Luckily my AI related nerves about posting after my one year secret have subsided a little. This was created by using some lovely paper that I found in a local art shop. When posting this I wasn't sure if it would read as happy or sad. For me this is a happy secret but I am sure for some of you it will relate to your own life in a completely different way, let me know because I always love to see how someone else interprets each secret. Enjoy!

The day I lost it...

2010-08-10T22:28:00.002+01:00

This is my first secret since finishing my one year project and truth be told I am a bit nervous about it. I don't know if it is because I won't be keeping this secret or if I am worried about ruining something that seems to fit so perfectly already. I have already decided that the secrets I make from now on I will be sending to friends/ leaving in random public places/ giving away to readers or maybe even sending to postsecret. Somehow it doesn't seem right to keep the new ones, I have achieved my goal of a year of secrets and have them carefully contained within several books. Obviously if you see a secret you particularly like and want to claim it then just let me know - I will happily send it to you. This AI was created by using a postcard of a Rothko painting, if you are not familiar with the artist go and have a look online because the paintings are beautiful (better still see if you can find a gallery displaying any). I hope you are having a good week and thank you to everyone for all the kind comments recently...you are all such nice people and you make blogging an absolute pleasure. Enjoy!

The day I ordered books...

2010-08-09T22:10:00.003+01:00

I know I still haven't blogged my own secrets since my one year AI but I keep finding wonderful things to show you. These are some postcards I discovered during a shift at the charity shop I volunteer in. We have a couple of baskets just filled with postcards and other bits. I thought these were an amazing find, don't you? I had a fourth postcard but I gave it to a friend as a gift so unfortunately you can't see it - it was just as brilliant as these three though. I love the colours, the design but the messages amused me so much I couldn't resist bringing them home with me. Who would you send these postcards to? Enjoy!

The day I made a list...

2010-08-08T12:48:00.002+01:00

This is my favourite postsecret from the week - go and check them out at www.postsecret.blogspot.com. This secret immediately spoke to me because I love talking to old people. I will often engage strangers in conversation and usually it will be someone old - partly because they aren't threatening and partly because they always have such interesting stories to tell. I volunteer in a charity shop every week and what makes the job so fantastic is that you get to talk to some of the most interesting people. I hear fascinating stories and anecdotes about life. I have also been looking for a retirement home to help out at but so far my search has proved fruitless. I hope something does come up because this secret expresses a desire I have held for a long time. Enjoy!

The day I organised...

2010-08-07T12:01:00.003+01:00

I am going to start blogging my own secrets soon but before I do that I thought you might like to see a guest secret that I was given a very long time ago. I never uploaded this secret - maybe because I was busy or maybe because I was having a tough time and this secret made it all too real. A very kind friend anonymously posted this to me and it really did make me feel better. When you are upset and unhappy just the smallest gesture from another person can brighten your day. I find that often with this blog, the lovely comments I receive each day make me feel better about sharing a difficult secret. Enjoy!

(click on this secret to enlarge it)

The day it finished...

2010-08-04T22:17:00.002+01:00

This is the final of my favourite secrets from each month I have been blogging. This is one of the last secrets I created and it is probably one of my all time favourites. I think when you are really sad or in a desperate situation you wish there was someone who could come and take you away from it all - I suppose some sort of white knight. In real life that doesn't really happen, you can't always rely on other people to come and help you and often when you do you end up disappointed (I know my life is certainly more Erin Brokovich then Pretty Woman). When it comes down to it we all have to look after ourselves. I saved myself and I'd much rather have it that way than have someone save me. Enjoy!

The day she was sleeping...

2010-08-03T10:26:00.003+01:00

This is my favourite secret from June. It seems weird choosing secrets that I have only made recently because I haven't had the time to decide how I feel about them. It takes me a couple of months to come to terms with each of the secrets I make - when I first make them I always think they are rubbish so it takes me a little bit of time. This secret, however, I felt at the time was an instant classic. I don't know whether it is the message, the design or simply the mood I was in when I made it but I love this one. I don't know if you have noticed but I love patterns - creating perfectly alligned sequences of shapes and concentric circles. Essentially I don't do well with random, I like things to look ordered. Anyway, as you know I have made some pretty big changes in my life as of late and this secret represents that desire. I guess half the problem is figuring out what you want first and then trying to find it. I am so fortunate to have been offered a place on a fantastic course and I really believe it will be the start of many exciting new changes in my life. Enjoy!

The day I went back to college...

2010-08-02T10:58:00.003+01:00

I am looking after the kids every day but Friday this week. They are both going to summer clubs so I am dropping one of them off at the college I did my A Levels at and the other one off at Claremont school for tennis. Having the middle of the day to myself allows me to get some blogging done which is great. This secret is from May and it is one of my favourites because it is the most difficult secret I have ever made. So many people have told me how heartbreaking they found this secret - and I am glad that is how it reads because my heart was breaking when I wrote it. Not because I was in love with anyone but because I was losing a really close friend, someone who I never thought would hurt me, and there is nothing harder. Honestly the secret didn't really come to me until I sat down to type the words and it was only then that I realised quite how horrible the situation had become. I always try to find the good in each situation and if nothing else the heartache helped me produce this secret. Enjoy!

The day I looked...

2010-08-01T11:16:00.007+01:00

This secret is fromy April, do you remember this one? I was inspired to make this secret by something that I made ages ago as part of my A Level art coursework. I created a textile book filled with flowers which I embroidered myself - this is the title page:

This AI is an expression of that feeling you have when you have just had enough. Enough of other people's behaviour (or your own), of bad luck or just enough of feeling miserable. I made a decision when I created this secret to stop letting bad people upset me and to start making changes in my life. If you have been following my blog lately you will know that I made the decision to leave university. I think the stress and pressure I put myself under was actually making me physically unwell and I hadn't felt happy for almost a year by the time I left (that was probably reflected in my secrets). Now I have left I have spent some time figuring out what I want and have been accepted onto a new degree course to do primary education. I am really excited about it and I've never felt so optimistic about the future. This secret, for me, respresents the end of all that unhappiness and that is a beautiful thing. Enjoy!

The day I saw Peter...

2010-07-31T22:53:00.002+01:00

I've had such a nice day. This morning I caught up on some much needed sleep and then this evening I went to go and see Toy Story with a friend (it is really good, go and see it). This secret is my favourite from March. When I created this secret I also made a few plain postcards with a similar rainbow coloured design. I have one left and the rest have been used to make thank you notes for various people (and another AI). This remains one of my favourite secrets because it expresses a variety of different meanings in the simple message. There are so many moments I don't ever want to forget, experiences that have shaped the person I am now. There are people who mean so much to me that I know had I never met them I would be a far less interesting individual (not that I am all that interesting). There are so many things and people that have yet to happen to me - and I really can't wait to find out what and who they are. This secret initally represented a particular memory but over time has come to symbolise so much more to me. Enjoy!

The day I gave blood...

2010-07-30T16:36:00.003+01:00

Here is my favourite secret from February, remember this one? I worked again in the charity shop this morning - I am really enjoying volunteering every Friday. I then went out to lunch with a friend and gave blood this afternoon. I almost fainted twice so I am feeling a little bit fragile, then tonight I am going babysitting. Busy busy busy. This secret is one of my all time favourites because so many people have told me that they love it. I really do have the best friends and it became particularly apparent to me during the tough time I was having a couple of months ago. It is so nice to know that there will always be people there to look after you, not that I need looking after too much of the time. Enjoy!

The day my clock broke...

2010-07-29T11:35:00.002+01:00

This is my favourite secret from January - I still love this secret (the way it looks and what it means) and even after a year the number of secrets I have still surprises me. Admittedly there is enough low level drama in my life to keep me going, but most of the time I have to draw on deeper, more personal secrets in order to create them. I remember when I posted this some very kind reader responded by saying it looked like a patchwork and that my blog was essentially a patchwork of secrets. That idea has stuck in my head ever since and always makes me smile when I see this AI. I love the comparison because it is so accurate. As a whole a patchwork quilt can look a bit messy, the squares don't totally go together but when you look at it closer the work that has gone into each individual piece is so very personal. Is this how you see Amelia Is... too? Enjoy!

The day we started our diary...

2010-07-28T20:16:00.002+01:00

This is my secret from December. I wonder if the secrets I have been choosing as my favourites are also your favourites? This secret is one that always sticks in my mind partly because of what was happening when I made it and also in part because of the lovely comments I received when I posted it. I don't think I believe in soul mates - maybe it is sad but I think most relationships develop into marriage as a result of time and age. Even so the romantic in my believes there is someone out there looking for me, someone who could make me completely and totally happy. Whether he will find me is a totally different story. Enjoy!

The day we made magnets...

2010-07-27T17:51:00.002+01:00

This is my favourite secret from November. I don't think there is anything nicer than someone telling you that they consider you to be one of their best friends. I made this AI for my cousin who is not simply my best friend but my family and basically like a sister to me. We have always been really close and I love that. She is the person I would tell my secrets to (although obviously you are too), she is the person I would want to comfort me and she is the person who knows what I really need and want. I hope I can be that person for her too. Enjoy!

The day I tried...

2010-07-26T09:18:00.005+01:00

This is my favourite secret from October, I hope you like it. I know this may seem weird but this was one of the hardest secrets to create for me. Obviously I love my parents but this remains an unspoken thing in our family. We don't hug, kiss or express our feelings for each other in any way and really I like it that way. You may think that sounds awful but I guess it works for us. Showing my mum this secret is probably the closest I have ever got to telling her I love her - and there is something quite beautiful about that (even if it is a little bit fucked up). This secret has long been one of my favourites because although is expresses something that any reader can identify with it also taps into a feeling with is totally personal. I think children always have this feeling that they don't want to become their parents and I was probably the same. Now I think I would be extremely lucky to share any qualities with my mother. Maybe one day I will tell her some of this, but I wouldn't hold out hope. Is this an AI that you related to your own life? enjoy!

The day I watched...

2010-07-25T12:53:00.002+01:00

This is my favourite secret from September of last year. I think this secret was popular with so many of you because of the time and effort that went into creating it. It takes about a month to press flowers and even then they can be so delicate. I really love this secret because it was one that I think so many people connected with. When I asked people to choose their favourite secret after a year of blogging an overwhelming number chose this one. I also love what it represents to me as a secret. I have been told that I come across as someone who is confident and self assured and really this couldn't be further from the truth - hopefully my secrets have shown you that. To admit that you are not as strong as people think you are is really difficult...especially when you are like me and don't like expressing your emotions to other people. This AI, as a result, is an extremely important one for me and hopefully one that you can still connect with. Enjoy!

The day I remembered you...

2010-07-24T14:58:00.002+01:00

This is my AI from August of last year. It is so nice to look back over the secrets I have made and consider how many things have changed in a year. This is a secret that always changes - for most people loneliness comes and goes and often you feel most lonely when you are surrounded by people. I think it has more to do with whether you are connecting with people...being alone isn't always the issue. This secret isn't true of how I feel at the moment but I'm sure the feeling will come back again. Part of what I like about the secret is that it reminds me that loneliness can be a beautiful thing too. Sometimes I look back on the periods where I have felt this most acutely and they have been the times when I have made the most important life decisions. I am lucky to have such great friends...because however upset I might be feeling I always know there is someone I can talk to. What do you think about loneliness? Enjoy!

The day I showed you...

2010-07-23T13:15:00.003+01:00

As part of the celebration of my year of secret I would really like to go back over some of the secrets I have made and the thought process (and creative process I guess) behind them. I have chosen a favourite secret from each month that I have been blogging - and two from July as that is when I started and finished. This is my favourite secret from the first month I started last year. This secret was created by using a beautiful postcard from the V & A that I had been keeping for ages and had not really found a use for. This secret may be a year old but the message is still true to how I feel now - a very rare thing for me to find. I have always known that I want a family and for me a husband is an important part of that. It has long been a concern of mine that I won't find anybody and that my plans for a family will have to be put off. Equal with that worry is the thought that I might just settle for someone in order to have the family I want and later find that our marriage won't work. I suppose you just can't know with these things and ultimately is it really worth worrying about? Honestly...I still don't know. Enjoy!

The day I reached a year...

2010-07-21T14:34:00.004+01:00

This is the final secret of my one year project - I hope you like it. I am so happy to have reached a year of blogging but for me the real celebration is that I have made a secret every single day for a year. I am so grateful to everyone who reads this, sends me lovely comments and is supportive of what I have achieved over the last year. Blogging each day had helped me connect not only with family and friends but also with complete strangers about some of my most difficult secrets. It has also given me a chance to rediscover my love for art and to actually use so many of the different things I hoard. More than anything this project has encouraged me to discover things I didn't even know about myself. I have so many more secrets than I ever thought possible and this whole process has been like a year long therapy session for me. I have learnt to come to terms with each secret - and in most cases to let go of them, forget them or even accept them. Each secret acts as a little gateway back to a certain feeling or situation and I am so lucky to have a whole year of them to reflect on. Thank you again for all the support and kind words over the last year - you really are the reason why I think I have been able to keep this up. My plan for Amelia Is... now is to keep on blogging but to make secrets as and when they come to me rather than a single secret every day. I hope that this will give me a bit more freedom and probably allow me to do a little bit more creatively. This week I plan write some more about the last year and what has been going on - so watch this space. I hope this year has been as exciting for you as it has been for me, enjoy!

The day I wanted to come back....

2010-07-21T14:22:00.002+01:00

This is my secret from yesterday. I created it by cutting up some sequins. Enjoy!

The day I didn't do it...

2010-07-21T14:18:00.002+01:00

This is my secret for Monday, I hope you like it. I created this secret by using some yellow paper and bits from a magazine. I love mixing different patterns and I think these look great together. As you may know today is my blogiversary - it has officially been a year! I have made a secret every day for a whole year and I can't even begin to explain how amazing the experience has been. Enjoy!

The day we talked...

2010-07-20T15:09:00.002+01:00

I have a bit of a ritual when it comes to reading my own secrets. I really like to spend an hour or so going through all the secrets on my laptop or in their books and thinking about what each secret means (or meant) to me. Sometimes it can inspire me to write a response to a particular secret where the situation has changed - this secret is exactly that. It reminds me a little bit of the thorns that grow around the castle sleeping beauty is imprisoned in. Enjoy!

The day I saw Henri...

2010-07-20T15:06:00.003+01:00

I haven't seen my cousin Henri for such a long time - both of us have been completely rushed off our feet so we have barely even spoken in the last month or so. Unfortunately her Grandmother passed away recently and I can see that the strain of losing someone so important could massively effect everything in her life at the moment. I decided on Saturday to go and see her for as much time as I could spare between her finishing work and me babysitting in the evening. I spent about three hours with her but it was so lovely to catch up and just enjoy being together. Enjoy!

The day I read about Bluebell...

2010-07-20T15:02:00.002+01:00

This secret is from Friday. My favourite colour is green and I think the different tones in this secret are so beautiful together. I have been babysitting so much recently that I really haven't found the time to make secrets with the detail and precision that I like. I would much rather be a week late blogging than create rubbish 5 minute secrets - which is why I have only really been blogging every weekend. Enjoy!