One Little Word

Although I don't follow Ali Edwards one little word fully, I love the concept behind it.  Plus, I'm a list girl and always planning and making goals, so this year, I've picked a word.

Yes, Growth .... no, I'm not expecting to get taller, although, I wouldn't turn that down!!

Let me explain the reason I've picked this word.  Last year I felt ever so slightly lost.  My world became the bears, the bears and the bears again.  Those that know me, know I'm slightly ever so obsessed with my home.  I like it clean and in order .... but that never happened last year. In fact my world was turned upside down.  Don't get me wrong, I love them to bits and I honestly wouldn't change them for anything, but I lost a bit of me as I was so caught up with them.  I didn't scrapbook much, I didn't do the home projects I had planned. I didn't read much, I didn't go out very much either.  I just stopped being me, if you like.

So I need to completely change my attitude and gain more confidence, so this word just seemed perfect for me.

So here's the breakdown of my word

G - GAIN KNOWLEDGE : I want to learn new crafts; and crochet is on top of that list. Other crafts include illustrated faith, interior design, felting, knitting, doll house building and sewing.  My love is still scrapbooking, and again this year I will be doing Project Life (and finishing 2015's)

R - READ ; Last year I hardly read much at all. I did start the Marie Kondo decluttering book but never finished it completely ( I will this year).  I tend not to read the classics or anything deep and meaningful. I'm a fluff girl, and I'm happy with that, but even that didn't happen last year. So I got back onto the Goodreads site and although I'm not setting the bar high, if I can at least read 6 books (minimum) this year, I'll be happy.

O - ORGANISE & DECLUTTER : I actually didn't do too badly last year with my decluttering, but I need to up my game this year.  I'll share with you in another post how I did with my 80 day declutter list. I also need to organise our files, our finances and all our paperwork.  I want to be ready with cards, and although its a way off, I want to be ready for all the holidays, Christmas included.

W - WELLBEING : Last year I reached my target weight in Slimming World and I'm happy to say I've stayed at it. Simon sadly, didn't do so well, but he's rejoined, so my focus is to help him achieve his. So healthy eating is on the cards for us, which for me, means trying to cut down on my sugar intake!  I'm also including my confidence, style, skincare and makeup in this category.  More importantly, I include my faith, I need to reconnect with it and get back to who I am and what it means to me.

T - TECHNOLOGY : I want to blog more, get to grips with Facebook, photography, instagram, twitter and my computer appliances. I adore Instagram the people are just so friendly and I've actually made lots of friends on it, and some I'm meeting up with this year.  Facebook has always been a bit of a mystery to me. I don't play the games on it, but I know there is so much more to it. So I will try to get on there more. As for computers, well I'm still trying to get to grips with my mac book. I've always been a pc girl, so its taking a bit of time, but I'll get there.

H - HOME : Home truly is where my heart is, and I need to give it a make-over.  I have a list of projects that I had planned to do last year, which included the kitchen being given a major face lift. I really need to make new blinds and soft furnishings too.  Plus, the little house still needs a lot of work done on it too.  All in all, paint brushes will be needed in abundance.

There you have it ... my word. I will be blogging my progress on each of these issues and also how my word is helping me through the year.  So, lets do this

Quick update

Goodness, where do the days go?

I've been trying to do a catch up on blog reading, but I'm falling so very behind. Then I feel bad about doing a blog post myself. So I think in order for me to move on, I may start reading afresh tonight and not panic about catching up.

So here we are; May already. I often worry about time flying and I'm not achieving much, but at the moment, I'm just happier that it means one day closer to summer.  I can't tell you, how fed up I'm getting at trying to toilet train the bears in the garden when its raining and cold.

Still, we're getting there ... they are without a doubt. GORGEOUS.  A bit of a handful to say the least, but with the weather getting better, it means some of that puppy energy is being released in play and these two can chase each other around the garden for hours.

April, was a good month, I started my organisation (only to find the draw dividers I bought were too small). We had some hot days which meant summer clothing. The bears went to the groomers, not to be groomed, but to get used to the noise and smells. Their first cut is happening later this week.  Also, we finished at puppy school, which to my embarrassment, just after Bertie got his rosette, we were asked to leave as he wouldn't stop barking!

 April, also bought me a new haircut.  I had a good couple of inches chopped off and much prefer it. I may even go a little shorter at the next cut.

There it is, a quick catch up from me today, while the bears are sleeping.  I will try my best to blog more and not leave it so long. I even managed a little scrapbooking at the crop last week, so you never know a layout might be shown soon.

Thank you too, for all the lovely, lovely comments I had on my last post.  It really does mean the world to me to have such wonderful friends that understand and accept me. xxx

A Fresh Start

With this beautiful weather we're having at the moment, my mind has been mulling over changes that I really need to make.  A spring clean if you like, of my home, my style, my life and my blog.

So firstly, I apologise for not blogging much recently, or for my lack of blog reading & commenting lately; I'm sure it won't come as any surprise for you to read that my life has been turned upside down by two furry puppies.

I'll be honest! I've struggled. They're hard work and full on, but they're also loving and fun to have around (when they're not squabbling). But this also brings me back to changes I need to make.

My blog used to be my crafting projects mainly, but this is happening less and less these days, and one of the reason, I suppose I don't blog ... I just don't have anything to share.  Now, I'm not saying I won't be crafting anymore; but other things have been taking my fancy recently. Which is where the change will be happening. I did ponder closing down this blog or at the least just keeping it for crafting, and then start a new blog, but after chatting with a couple of friends, I've decided to keep this one, and see how it goes. (hence the new heading lol)

OK, First up ... Me.  Over the past few months, I feel I lost who I am. I've lived in jeans and tatty clothes and I hate it.  I don't know the last time I painted my nails, and I know that's not a big thing ... but its who I am.  Some may remember, I said recently, that I needed to find my style again; so now is the time to do it. After my birthday last year, Simon and I joined Slimming World, and I have to say, I love it.  I can eat rice, pasta and potatoes ... Simon can still have meat and bread, so its really fitted into our life. Well, a few weeks ago, I'm happy to say I reached my target weight. Yes, running around, cleaning up after 2 pups certainly helped. So nearly all my clothes no longer fit; and I'm forever hiking up my jeans and putting new holes in belts. I'm not really even a jeans person, but I seemed to have lived in them, as they have pockets for dog treats, and plus when a dog is hanging off your leg, it doesn't hurt as much as when you're wearing a dress. But enough! .... Time to find a stylish me.

Next up; our home.  The little house is looking amazing. Yes, it still needs work, but its all shiny and new, so that sort of puts our main home to shame. So I've decided it needs bringing up to date more and a good organisation and clear out.  I still have boxes and boxes of my parents things here to sort though and even here, I seem to have lost my mojo.  This was the first year, I never actually decorated our home for Valentines or Easter. I have lots of painting plans and makeover ideas ... and it just generally needs a good sort out and clean.

Organisation! .... I used to be a bit of a nut about it; but open any draw now and it will be a mess. Plus we spend more time looking for things than ever. I'm late with birthdays these days; well that was never the case.

Cleaning! ... I have a tendency to be a little over the top. Well, I did used to; but this is another areas, I seem to have lost my way in. I need to start and work my way through rooms.

Cookery; That is probably the only area that seems to have improved, and I'd say that is down to slimming world books, but I still want to improve this area of our life too.

Gardening; yup, I've certainly been spending a lot of time in the garden. Not actually gardening, just walking pups around saying; "be quick" or "do your business" ... neither of which has helped the lawn or plants lol.  So this year, our garden needs a complete overhaul and be more dog friendly.

So ... there it is; my plan.  If you've read this much, I'm thankful to you ... but I will totally understand if you need to say goodbye to my blog. Like I say, its going to change; it will be filled more with my everyday journey into this new life, I need to make.  My blog will probably be more like my instagram feed (less so many puppy photos) but its the everyday things I need to concentrate on.  I'll be posting on here my organisational finds; some of my Pinterest links too ... and hopefully even some of my youtube finds.  The reason for me doing this, is my blog will be more like my diary, and will help me find things quicker when I need them.

Please don't feel you need to comment on all my future waffling but I think changing this to my new "lifestyle blog" (I love those words lol) will really help me, and give me the push I need to get my act together and change.  I may post random things on here, so I apologies now, but like I say, its here more as my own personal Pinterest board.

Yes, I'm hoping to still craft; project life, planner and sewing, but I just need the push to get me back into being "me" again.

I can't leave without a photo ... so here was how March shaped up.  Dentist, coffees, friends,bears and a pretty new car ordered.

Thank you all for reading, and honestly, I will understand if you need to remove me from your blog list. xxx

Me on a Monday

I wasn't very good at doing any blog posts last week, so I hope this week is better for me.  So to start the week off I'm joining Sian in her "Me on a Monday" .... now there is no way, I'm going to do a selfie every week, but here is me this beautiful, sunny day

Its me wearing my fitbit, and a summer dress (ok, you have to imagine the summer dress, but it's pretty lol)  .... I'm determined to do more exercise and get moving, and this little band helps me measure my exercise/steps and even my sleep.  The good thing is hubby has one (obviously not as colourful) so its good to have someone to be in competition with.  I will say, he beats me hands down on how many steps we do each day. But more often than not, I don't manage my 10,000 steps, its probably nearer the 8,000 mark, so I need to do more.

This past week and weekend have all been little house related projects, and I'm getting very excited as the kitchen is starting to go in; so here are a few photos of what's been happening with the build.

Windows are in on the garage/shed 

Bathroom starting to take shape

New Red door on ... still some door furniture to go on, but looking good

Kitchen is starting to go in. It needs moving closer together, but oh I'm just loving how it's looking. 

There you have it ... so far, we've got about another 3 weeks to go (its running behind but I'm keeping my fingers crossed, not long now)

I'm hoping to, to be back this week with some actual crafting, in the form of Project Life. I'm behind by about 8 weeks, so I need to get my act together and stop faffing about lol.