My 2019 Bucket List

Happy 2019 everyone, wishing you all a loving and gentle year! I am using the first few days of this new year to reflect on 2018 and make plans for 2019. First up is my bucket list. I'm not big on resolutions because I find them not as "action based" as I'd like but bucket list are exactly that for me. A random mix of serious stuff that I dream of and small fun things I'd like to enjoy. And because writing things down makes them so much more real and well, makes me a lot more accountable, I thought i'd share them here :). In no particular order:

1. go to EYF

2. read 24 books

3. find a home

4. get a massage

5. watch fireworks

6. increase my income

7. go to the sea

8. grow Wild Handmade

9. cook from cookbooks

10. get my driver's licence

11. do a 100 days project

12. use the stash

13. swim

14. sew a pinafore dress

15. get a switch

16. make out

17. get better at yoga

18. try more plant dyeing

19. do 2 no spend challenge

20. plan a summer trip

2018 reading challenge / an update

Ever since I started using Goodreads a few years back, I have set each year a reading challenge for myself. Last year was 30 books. This year I went with 36 which meant an average of 3 books a month. Doable right?

10 months later, it's October, and so far I have read 23 books in 2018. 

20% of me is like ugh I will never make it to 36 this challenge is a FAIL. The other 80% is honestly quite impressed with 23 considering how much I've worked this year (I was unemployed for 6 months in 2017 so plenty more to read back then). I think if you would randomly stop people in the street and ask them how many books they've read so far this year, 95% of them would say less than 10 (I 100% just invented that statistic but I really don't think most people read than much nowadays).

So I'm happy with my 23. I have like 5 I am currently reading (all different genre, so I don't mind having multiples at once, there's always one that fits my mood this way). Pretty sure I can reach 30, which would be awesome.

Looking back at the 23, I can easily "read" into my year so far. I have been tired and looking for comfort reads hence lots of re read and fantasy. Plus a few self improvement books which is a big 2018 theme for me, trying to figure some things out and take better care of myself. Books really do say a lot about ourselves, don't say? 

What has your reading year so far been like? 

Are you on Goodreads? Feel free to add me there :)

A THANK YOU & A NEW YEAR

Merry December everyone! Hope you had a lovely week filled with food, presents and warmth. The holidays aren't my favorite time of the year but I did try my best to enjoy it this year, mostly by watching all my favorite movies, knitting presents for everyone and going out for fresh air as often as possible. Like everyone here had predicted my stressing out over the imperfection of my knitting was very much useless because everyone loved their presents! If I'm to do it again next year I will have to remember to start knitting in June at least though! I too loved my presents, which included a SEWING MACHINE! So so exciting!!! (like I needed a new crafty obsession right!) :)

It's very clear now that 2014 has been knitting year for me, and honestly between health issues and unemployment I'm pretty sure I have to thank all that pretty yarn for saving me from being completely depressed. More seriously, I have met amazing, kind and generous people who have inspired me and encouraged me when I needed it, so thank you all who stop by this little blog, my Instagram or Ravelry. You are the best and I still think that the Internet is magic!

2015 now! I'm excited for this one! I've recently grabbed my copy of The Happiness Project (have you read it? It's amazing <3) and started working on my goals and on getting organized. There's just something about to do lists and goals on paper that works for me! I want to focus on spending time doing the things that matter rather than wasting it dreaming of what I could have done. My focus for January will be Work and my motto, Be Brave. So I will try to. I'm also hoping to write more on the blog, and focus on the stories along with the projects. Remember at the beginning when blogging was almost like a diary? I miss it sometimes. Hopefully, there will also be traveling, crafting, moving and let's not forget the knitting. But that's for another post ;)

Wishing you all a very lovely end of year and an even better New Year! 

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on. 

Robert Frost

HELLO STORY WEEK 2

Week 2 over on the Hello Story classroom had us worked on fill in the blanks. Which is super fun to do, whether you are 7, 25 or 50. And is AWESOME when journaling, or at least figuring out how to start to, is an issue for you. Which might explain why i was so productive this week! Using the class prompts and ideas, i so far did one layout and two Project Life inserts.

The layout is a first for me, on many aspects. First photo-free layout. First hey i actually managed to cut out that fancy title without making a total mess. And first heavily emotional, kind of creepy before i die list. Making that layout took me a month. Because as comfortable as i am with monthly to-do list, or birthday challenge list, this one felt way more serious. Like, you do not kid with a before i die wish list (or maybe we should? i still don't know). They were some things i din't need thinking of, they were on the list before i even knew i had a list. like #1: become a mom. Some others are super recent, crazy ideas of mine, and maybe i won't care for them in 20 years, but the 24 years old me do want to see them happen. So they made the list too, like #13 Hike the PCT. Some are very basic concepts: feel alive, enjoy it all, learn new things, but forgetting about them is so easy when you are so busy with the little tasks of the everyday. So they made the list too. I could have added more, and maybe less, but i think they are a good image of me right now, and where i want to go. About the right now: don't forget to add a date to this kind of layout! You'll thank your past self in ten years. Also, the L stands for my name (Léa).

 Well, lots of serious talking up there. Here are some fun details then: the layout was created on photoshop (because i don't like Word very much, but that's up to you.) The two fonts i used are Jellyka BeesAntique Handwriting and Traveling Typewriter. They're both free. I printed them on white paper and then hand cut everything the best i could (i do not have a silhouette, so it took quite a while. Because there are no photos,i picked two papers i LOVED (both crate paper)then glued everything down. A little bit of sewing (i do not have a sewing machine.)Basically, everything was handmade. I'll let you figure out how long this layout took me... ps: it was worth it.

I won't talk much of the two inserts i did, because you already saw the first one. I used it on my WEEK 22 project life spread, which you can see below or in its full version right here. Week 22 was my birthday so this specific fill in the blank file about me as a kid and me right now was kind of perfect.

The other insert i will show you in a little while, i am using it for my recent trip to London (which i will be documenting Project Life style).

So, congrats if you made it this far! Do you like fill in the blanks? Do you have a before i die kind of list? I'd love to hear about it! (so i don't feel so alone in telling my life around here ;))

PROJECT LIFE WEEK 22

Long time no see dear Project Life! I am crazy behind on my spreads, and by crazy i mean something like 10 weeks behind (i know...). It's ok though, because i have this awesome 4-steps technique to catch up saving my life right now:

1/ Get all of your photos printed. And hey because you have waited sooo long, you can probably get a good deal online (i myself use photoweb) rather than print them at home last minute like you do way too often

2/ Arrange all those photos in your pockets, inserts...

3/ Add cards in all empty pockets. If your are using a kit or PL Core Kit, then that should be super quick too.

4/ Find some time here & there to add your journaling, dates, stamps, embellishments... it can be as simple as you want (i am embracing simplicity right now, that's like my new favorite word)

Oh, and don't forget about 5/ share the finished spreads with us :)

So today i am finally sharing a new spread here, week 22. And as i write this, i have completed steps 1 to 3 for the 7 following spreads as well. Yay me!

Week 22 is a bit special because it was the week i turned 24. So i decided it deserved a little extra insert. I knew i wanted one of this 6x12 slot to be about my feelings towards birthdays as well as my 25 before 25 challenge. Both subjects i blogged about, so i just pasted the text, had some fun with photoshop and then printed it all on that cute pink paper. 

It was the other side i wasn't sure about. But in the meantime Ali's class Hello Story began and week 2 topic (of which i'll talk more on Friday!) ended up being perfect for it! That "Hello Me" piece was made with photoshop as well, using the class material + two photos of me aged 2 (i think) and 24. This was super fun to do, you can read the text on the photo below if you feel like it, should be clear enough (you can click on it ;))

 Because the inserts are quite text heavy, i didn't journal much on the actual spread, except to tell some bits and pieces about what else happened on that week, like my sister offering me a Kindle, which has already become my new best friend (my iphone isn't too happy about it). One of my 25 before 25 challenge is to read 10 new books, which thanks to the Kindle only took 2 months instead of 12 ;) I'll do a post about that soon(ish).

 Final word: that red card "take a picture" is GORGEOUS, i wish we could get a patterned paper with that print on it, and stickers, and flairs and... you get my point!

Have a great week, and don't forget, it's ok if you are behind on Project Life :)

25 BEFORE 25

1.    Decide where I want to live
2.    And go there
3. Read 10 new books
4. Make a quilt
5. Open my cooking books 
6. Buy a new DSLR
7. Master the M mode
8. Go back to the gym
9. Less is more: get rid of what i never use
10. Get a driver license
11. Save money to pay back my student loan
12. 5 posts a week
13. 2 new tattoos
14. Go on a Road Trip
15. Get a job
16. Go to the sea
17. Fall in love
18. Make sushi
19. 3 new regular features for the blog
20. Learn Web Design
21. Get a few plants…
22. …Keep them alive!
23. Sunday Yoga
24. Healthy breakfast
25. Have fun!

See you in a year, hopefully with a full list crossed off!

SMOOTHIES FOR BREAKFAST

One of my goal for January was to start drinking smothies for breakfast instead of the cakes, cookies, muffins... that i usually quickly grab before leaving in the morning. It's not the greatest season for smoothies if like me you are not a winter-fruits' fan, but thanks to my freezer, i made it work.

I tried a few different, recipes, some i didn't like at all. I tried one with clementines (is that how you say it in english too?), but the "skin" of the quarters never mixed properly. Not good. I did one with mango, pretty tasty but a bit too pulpy for my taste. I did one with peaches and honey, delicious! And my favorite recipe so far: raspberry, blueberry and some banana. Berry fruits are my favorite and make delicious smoothies!

Besides fruits, i added green leaves (mostly spinach) and yogurt to all of them, which made a perfect breakfast or energy snack (after sport for instance). The great thing about spinach is that it's really good for your body but you can't taste it at all!

I don't drink one everyday (i think diversity is important for you and your body), still go to Starbucks some mornings, but every time i have one, i feel so great! And full of energy. Which you know, was kinda the point ;)

Can't wait for Spring and fresh fruits!

JANUARY 2013// GOALS

Hello 2013! So glad you're here. 2012 was fun, but i'm ready for you to be awesome!

Kicking of this first months with my Energy resolutions as part as my Happiness Project. After all this food and drinks and staying in bed all day (classic holidays schedules for me), it's time to move! I've picked some easy and not so easy goals for this month, we'll see how it goes. And so i don't feel like it's all about sport and exercise i've tried to make some of them a bit creative: i love music, and could not survive at the gym without my ipod, so make a playlist should be both fun and how so helpful. Smoothies! Love them, but always buy them. But i do have a mixer at home, so i'd like to give it a try. And i always like the food i make myself better (mmm homemade pizza!) so sounds like a good idea.

Good luck with your goals, and remember to keep it simple!