12 goals for 2012

I've snagged this idea from Ruth, who snagged it off someone else ....

So here are my 12 goals for 2012 (along with a bit of waffling & explanation :-)
1. Lose weight.
My motivation is a photo my MIL took of me that I hate..

gah, cant believe I'm putting this up here, ah well, we'll call it extra motivation.

You can see my double chin, flabby arms, big thighs... I know an hour glass shape is meant to be sexy but when you have an  hour glass shape from the side view as well its not a good look.
My measurable target is either to fit into the red dress I wore when I got engaged, or lose a stone, maybe even both.

2. Exercise at least once a week.
My motivation is again, the picture above, toning up is needed, I also want to feel healthier & be able to do more
My measurable target is to do at least 20minutes of extra exercise a week, this will be counted as anything out of my normal routine that is physically exerting enough to bring on a sweat, raises heart rate & makes it hard to talk.

3. Get ebaying
My motivation is the items I can buy with the money raised, we need a new oven as mines wearing out, its Ryans big 30 this year & our 10 year anniversary, our garden fence also needs replacing ....... and of course there's always new craft products on the market and new things to try.
My measurable target is to have a new fence paid for out of ebay money.

4. Clear my roof
My motivation is my dislike of clutter, and the embarrassment of when people come into do maintenance or checks that its full **blush**
My measurable target is to have 1/4 of the roof clear by the end of the year, this does not include moving items around. Most of the stuff I hope to ebay off.

5. Finish Scrapbooking 2010
My motivation is that I started off so well last year doing this until about 1/2 way through the year, my memory is also awful so memories are slipping away so I want to get them recorded.
My measurable target is to have all 12 months of 2010 scrapped.

6. Scrapbook 2011
My motivation is similar to above, memories fading etc etc
My measurable target is to have all 12 months of 2011 scrapped .... this is a lot of scrapbooking!

7. Blogging
My motivation is my enjoyment of blogging, and even more so, my enjoyment of reading YOUR comments.
My measurable target is to have at least 1 blog post written per week, rain or shine, migraine or non, busy or  not I aim to have it done.

8. Out and about
My motivation is to stop my social anxiety affecting my life, it does rule it quite considerably & though I'm seeking help with it it primarily comes down to ME to fix it.
My measurable target is to join a club, catch a bus, a train, take the kids out to an event/activity with just me, and go somewhere I havent been to before.

9. Career
My motivation - Kai is now at school and  I'm in my 30's I not only need to think about what career path I want to take, how to get there and DO something about it, before I'm passed my prime.
My measurable target will be to research a career and make steps towards getting there.

10. Cards
My motivation is the mad rush I used to get into last year to get cards finished, this year I want to get ahead with them
My measurable target is to have cards ready at least a week before the upcoming birthday/event.

11. Extra income
My motivation is rarely having free spending money to treat us or get something we want.I'm going to do this by filling in surveys, using vouchers, cashback sites & entering competitions. Possibly even selling my own crafty makes.
My measurable target will be to raise £100 or equivalent in goods.

12. Debt free
My motivation is similar others I've mentioned to do with lack of cash.
My measurable target is to not be in our overdrafts, pay off our loan & have nothing on the catalogue.

So those are my 12 targets, I'll keep you up to date each month on how I'm getting along
What are your goals for 2012?
If you fancy joining in & blog your 12 goals for 2012 please leave a link in the comments so I can come have a nosey :-)

Rocking MY World Friday

Well hello there! I know, I know, I've been a tad absent this week, phew, its a busy ol' time of year, trying to get everything sorted and back on track after the end of year celebrations etc .... add in the odd stress head aka mind numbing migraines = K staying away from the lappy. But I'm back and better than ever .... well, one can always hope.

So, my positives, my first weigh in! I was weighed on the 5th Jan at 10st 3&1/2lb - lighter than I expected, I thought I would be over 10&1/2 stone. Today I weighed in at 10stone exactly, woohoo!! This was all from adding more fruit & veg into my diet & cutting out more of the carp (please not, that IS carp, NOT a typo for carbs). Next week I'll be adding a bit of Zumba-ing into the mix as well.

Cheap christmas decorations & shopping with my Mom - While putting the Christmas decorations away I'd first sit in the room I was about to de-xmas and see if we need anything added. While taking the decorations down I'd fix anything that needed fixing, and make a note of anything I couldn't fix. While out shopping I've been picking up replacement decorations dirt cheap. And shopping with my Mom means that if there's something a bit too pricey I can go "MmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmoOooooOoom" in that up & down way kiddies get :-) Sometimes, just sometimes it works, like yesterday when I got some stunning metal pressie-outline decorations, I'd need 2 packs but was only willing to pay the price of 1 pack, so my lovely Mom paid for them for me, yay!

Talking of kiddies, mine have settled back into school nicely after the hols ... I however am struggling with the early, fast paced mornings but I'm sure I'll be used it just in time for the next holidays.

Having a good general ingredients stock pile so that when Zack brings me a list of ingredients last night for a recipe he's making at school I have everything needed, woohoo!

Whats made your week that lil bit better? Join us over at Celtic House.

365+1 - Day 2

So I'm already behind, but I've decided putting up the photo a day after the prompt will give me the WHOLE day to get a photo, & get it blogged :-)

Todays Prompt: New

As I put the Xmas decorations away I fix and alter the old to make them like New.

To join in or see others photos click on the camera piccy in the bar on the right.

Gift Money Wallets

I usually give my niece & nephews money at Christmas along with sweets to open. Though this part is a no brainer I put my thought behind how to present these gifts. This year I opted for wallet style cards to hold the money

The outside of the boys "wallets", I tried to make it look similar to the velcro ones they normally have.

A purse for Layla, a bit more colourful  and girlie. These were stuck to a wrapped roll of sweets

 The inside, side view. All made from a single 30cm x 10xm piece of card (so 3 made out of 1 sheet of 12"x12")

A slot made for the money to sit in, It stays in here quite nicely.

Instructions can be found on Craftdee Donnas blog HERE

The sticker on the inside was printed from a design by Mommy by Day ... Crafter by night blog HERE I hust digitally signed it from us :-)

365+1 - Day 1

I'm joining in with Suzies 365+1 photos in 2012 .... sometimes I'll be going by her prompt & sometimes using a special photo taken on the day. I'll try & keep up blogging daily but if time prevents this may turn into a weekly summary.

I'm not the best photographer AT ALL so I'm hoping that this will improve my photography skills but mainly be a record of everyday life in 2012.

If anyone else wants to join in go look HERE

Todays prompt is CELEBRATE...

Part of our New Years celebration is to wash the previous year right out of our hair LITERALLY .... Kai is holding a little bath fizzer here which refused to totally disappear.

My Little Pony - A Biography

A pony sat upon its shelf, wrapped in its plastic & card container. It was warm, dry & usually an interesting place to sit, much more interesting than lying in her packaging in a pitch black, musty smelling box.
Though surrounded by other Ponies, each in their own packaging, she was very lonely.

One day a woman came in & picked her up, before taking her to the counter where she was placed inside the bag. She lay in the bag for who knows how long, it could have been hours, days or even weeks. There was no way of knowing, no way of tracking time passing by.

Suddenly the pony felt a jolt as she was lifted out of the bag & out of the packaging. Fresh air!! The air was warm & she could hear the laughter of children in another room. Adults were chatting away & there was the aroma of  freshly cooked food. The pony was gently placed down on her hoofs, the ground was sticky and soft, not particularly big & circular in shape. The pony stood very still, taking in her surroundings when suddenly the lady who had taken her from the shop stood behind the Pony & lifted the circular ground up with the pony still on it.

Through a door & into the hallway went the lady, still carrying the pony on her circular mound. As a second door opened the lady began to sing "Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you...", Others joined in the singing & the pony was placed on a table facing a little girl, still standing on her circular mound. The girl, with short brown curly hair gave a grin & blew towards the pony, it was then that the pony noticed that there were 2 candles either side of her which, by the spiral of smoke arising from them, had obviously just been blown out.

The pony was taken off her circular mound, which she could now see was a birthday cake, covered in butter icing, and taken to have her hoofs washed before being given to the little girl.

The pony was over joyed, here was a little girl who would play with her, & be her friend! Not only that but she would finally have a name, her own name, not Cherry Jubilee like all her identical sisters but one of her very own.
The little girl placed her down and ran off but another girl quickly grabbed her and helped the pony gallop around the room.

Later that day, when it had all quietened down & most people had left, the birthday girl picked the pony up again. She dressed her in a tennis outfit, brushed her hair & put a head band on her.

She then swapped it for a rain coat & hat.
Over the course of the next few days the pony found she had several new outfits - a bedtime outfit, complete with slippers & a roller skating outfit, which the wheels really turned so she could glide along.

The pony sporadically had her hair brushed & plaited, sporadically had her clothes changed, & sporadically played with in the bath along with another pony & a sea pony, but was never really played with. The little girl seemed happier drawing, gluing or playing lego than paying attention to a little pony.

As the little girl grew up the Pony was given to her younger sister, who played with her a little bit more before the pony was packed away in a box, along with barbies, doll furniture & lots of dolls clothes.
There the Little Pony lay, wondering if she'd ever see the light of day again, feel the small hands of a child, hear giggling laughter. Years went by, every now & then the Pony felt the box move. She would hope & hope that she was going to be taken out by a child, & at the same time dreaded it incase she was destined for the dustbin.

Even more years went by before she felt the box move again, she slid from side to side but thankfully the dolls clothes padded her from potential damage. Then the box was again still, she could see a chink of light from the gap in the box where the flaps of the lid didnt quite meet. Who knew where she was now.

A month went by before the box was opened, there stood a woman with green curly hair, it reminded her of her sister, clover. There was something familiar about this woman, something the pony half recognised. "Oh my gosh!!!" the woman said "its my old My Little Pony, ooooooooo, I have plans for her!!!"
"plans?" another voice asked before another female came into view, it was the woman who had bought the pony, older, yes, but definitely her.
"Yep, there are some amazing altered ponies out there, AMAZING, I've been wanting to give one a go at somepoint"
The pony wasnt sure she liked the sound of it, a make over would be lovely, she felt grubby having sat in a box for so long ...... but how far did this woman want to alter her look?
Into a handbag she went, along with a sea pony generically called Sea Winkle & her sister Bow-Tie

On a warm day the woman took her out of a bag & handed her, with the other Ponies, to a little boy who'd got a tub of bubbly water outside. The little boy carefully washed them, dried them & combed their hair. He then placed them on the outer ring of a trampoline.
The pony could see him at a little desk, drawing them.

As the woman came out the little boy showed her the picture & pointed at the pony saying "I'm calling that one Mario"
She had a name, a name of her own, not a name she would have guessed but it was hers.
The little boy often played with the ponies, galloping them over the hills of the sofa, across the grass of his bed and "Mario" was finally content, here was someone who played with her, someone who'd given her a new name, someone who was her friend.