101 in 1001 update

With less than a year to go it's time to check in with my 101 in 1001 list. I still have a way to go!

Start date: 30 August 2009
Finish date: 27 May 2012

1. Research family tree
2. After doing family history, visit some of the places my family lived
3. Make my first quilt
4. Build a website from scratch
5. Get married!
6. Have a go at geocaching
7. Write a book
8. Write menu plans- seasonal and cheap- every week for a month (0/4)
9. Grow potatoes
10. Join a screenprinting class - I haven't done this as such but I did teach myself screenprinting as part of 52 crafts so I think I'll cross this one off.
11. Go on safari
12. Read a book in a day
13. Do something creative every day for a week (7/7)
14. Take a book (maybe the one in no.12) to a coffee shop and spend the afternoon there on my own
15. Record a craft video tutorial Yes! Did you see my potato printing video?
16. Eat 5 things I've never tried before (5/5) I tried Haggis in Scotland and bloomin' lovely it was too!
17. Cook 5 things I've never cooked before (4/5)
18. Make a photo book with my favourite photos 
19. Get a piece of freelance writing published - and get paid for it
20. Make a scrapbook of a big event (eg wedding, holiday etc.)
21. Try waxing (at a salon, not eyebrows)
22. Write a routine for cleaning/house management
23. Go to opera for the first time
24. Go to the ballet again
25. Donate blood
26. Go to a cookery school for the day
27. Make & write thank you cards for Amanda & Kate
28. Perform 20 random acts of kindness (1/20)
29. Read 10 books that I haven't already from this list (3/10)
30. Participate in a craft fair
31. Blog daily for a week (7/7)
32. Blog daily for a month (30/30)
33. Finish my Emily Peacock cushion kit
34. Make a zine
35. Learn to make clip frame purses
36. Learn to knit
37. Learn to crochet granny squares
38. Organise and tidy craft room
39. Go to an auction
40. Find the perfect trousers
41. Get a promotion
42. Climb Snowdonia
43. Have another horse riding lesson
44. Select and take part in a “big” charity event like the Moonwalk
45. Take part in a beach cleaning event
46. Get up at 7am every day for a week (7/7)
47. Complete Edinburgh MoonWalk in less than 8 hours I did it in 7 hours :)
48. Learn another craft I haven't already done
49. Set up a craft night/afternoon
50. Set up a water butt
51. And a compost bin
52. Make my own duvet cover and matching pillow cases
53. Visit a farmers' market or farm shop once a month-
54. Continue to run the Christmas giving tree at work every year (2/2)
55. Visit an art gallery
56. Go to pilates once a week for a month (4/4)
57. Make lunch to take to work every day for a week (5/5)
58. Visit an outdoor market in London
59. Have a pedicure
60. Cook a ten-course meal (I have no idea what would be in a ten-course meal but why not?!)
61. Go on a picnic
62. Buy an original piece of art
63. Update my blog template
64. Make a skirt
65. Make a dress
66. Go to a classical music concert
67. Do a furniture makeover (find a piece of old furniture, make it over and document it)
68. Buy a Diane von Furstenberg dress
69. Buy a vintage dress
70. Donate something to freecycle, or a charity shop, once a month, on average- 
71. Make sourdough bread
72. Make some reusable shopping bags to fit in my handbag I screenprinted some bags a couple of weeks ago
73. Visit five countries (4/5) - USA, South Africa, Mauritius and Dubai
74. Write a letter to myself to be opened on my 35th birthday 
75. Find a photo of myself that I like and frame it
76. Make a cake for Ben's 36th birthday
77. Have a session with a personal shopper I did this a few weeks ago and great fun it was too.
78. Learn about a historical period
79. Read 10 biographies/non-fiction books (1/10)
80. Have a boudoir photo session
81. Make something from each of my craft books- donate to charity any books I don't make anything from
82. Finish working through the book, “ The Creative License: Giving Yourself Permission to be the Artist You Truly Are”
83. At least once a month, go to sleep without reading first
84. Buy new glasses
85. Go to New York again (with Ben)
86. Re-stock etsy shop
87. Write 10 letters to loved ones
88. Get my hair cut every 8 weeks
89. Meet an internet friend in real life
90. Eat a piece of fruit every day for a month (0/30)
91. Learn to make something in my new tagine pot
92. Make something and give it to a friend for no reason
93. Make 50 handmade presents (14/50)
94. Plant a tree
95. Have a spa day
96. Give snowboarding another try
97. Watch 20 of the Times top 100 films (1/20)
98. Read a newspaper every day for a week (0/7)
99. Learn how to use my mac (I really need to learn the shortcuts I'm so used to with Windows!)
100. Start an art journal
101. Sleep outside

Can you handle another candle?

Is it just me or do birthdays seem to come around quicker when you're older? When I was small I remember it feeling like it was forever until the long winter and spring months turned into July and I could look forward to another candle on my birthday cake.

This year's birthday can be summed up by: David Tennant, Shakespeare, BBQ, rain (lots of), Pimm's, streamers, flowers, good friends, family, pepper salad, cards, love and fun.

And another candle. Can I handle it? Yes I think I can. 

PS - can you handle another candle? is courtesy of one of my birthday cards.