Mighty Life List in Progress

It has been a really tough week. My husband's 19 year old cousin is missing, the outcome is veering toward tragic and it has shaken the family to the core. It has highlighted the need for me to grasp onto life with two hands and appreciate my family and loved ones in an all emcompassing, wildly over the top way.

Today I sat outside under the umbrella while Sienna splashed in the paddling pool and I made a good dent in my Mighty Life List, which I previously posted about here I am at 64 out of a 100 so far. Here is a sneek peek...

Experience a White Christmas with my family

Have a gift wrapping/craft room/personal office/room just for me! in a home

Visit Israel and Biblical Landmarks

Celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary with a mystery overseas holiday

Go on a cruise with my besties

Attend a Joyce Meyer Conference

Own a house with a pool and pool house

Victoria's Secret Online

Apparently NZ is 8 years behind the US for online shopping. I have been buying a lot more online over the last year and am often surprised how easy it is, even with overseas orders. It can be disappointing however when you find a website you love and they dont ship to little old NZ. So imagine my joy when I stumbled across Victoria's Secret Website and browsed their great selection of clothes, and they are in the middle of a 50-75% off sale. Yay! Here are a few of my favourite things. Check them out. The prices will surprise you.

Click here to view

Mighty Life List

Speaking of Goals I stumbled across this blog that I loved!! It is basically a Bucket List (if you have seen the movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, you know what I am talking about).

The author of this blog lists her 100 Things to Do Before I Go and then encourages others to send her a sample of theres, so you are able to look through and become inspired to write your own. They can be big ticket items or small stuff. For example one is Have a croissant at a French cafe and another is take a Road Trip across the U.S which is actually one I would like to steal.

Sooooo I think New Years Resolution Number 2 for 2010 is to write up my Mighty Life List, why dont you make that one of your goals too.

So what would be at the top of your Mighty Life List?

New Years Resolutions Number 1

OK OK, I finally need to start on my New Years resolutions. They are pretty much all in my head - in draft form. I will share a few via my blog. I find the key to setting acheivable goals is putting effort into writing out all the steps, for example......

One goal for me this year is to decorate Bianca's Dolls House, (I will upload a pic at a later date).

It stands to Bianca's hip and has three rooms and a bathroom, I want to paint the outside cream and then wallpaper all the interior walls, in different designed paper, but obviously tying all the colours in so it looks cool.

I have collected Four Sullvanian Families so far and need to buy the furniture

I want it to all be ready for Bianca's third birthday in September

So my main goal would read: Have Dolls House ready for Bianca's 3rd Birthday, and then all of the steps in italics I would write underneath the main goal. Having it in list form, makes it not so overwhelming and I can start with one step at a time, maybe doing one room a month.

But what will happen is that I will start it and then get enthusiastic and just get it done, I hope.

There is a saying "If your goals are unacheivable then they are hurting you" I think that is so true, when we set goals we can reach it boosts our confidence, when we make them too broad or difficult it just makes us feel bad about ourselves when we dont reach them.

I set 10 goals for 2009 and acheived 7 of them. They were a mix between personal, relational, spiritual, decorating projects, craft projects.Check out the images for this dolls house! When I was searching for dolls house inspiration online I found incredible stuff that would blow your mind. Heaps more photos can be found here of this lady's Blythe dolls and house.

Gorgeous Interiors

This is a gorgeous, colourful home, that immediately caught my eye over at one of my favourite blogs belle maison you can check out the whole tour here

Lady Bug Party

Check out more here

Butterfly Birthday

I love this website for inspiring party ideas.

Party Inspiration Part 2

My God-daughter is turning 1 in March, and having a garden party theme. I have seen so many gorgeous little girls birthday parties on blogs and sites.

Check out these sites for great ideas http://www.thepartyparlour.com.au

For invitations http://www.waterlillidesigns.com and http://www.fairydustdesign.net

Here are some pics of Bianca's 2nd Birthday. For those of you who know me I like to throw a party with all the trimmings but I do however like to think of cheap alternatives to keep costs down

I found this material at Spotlight for a couple of dollars and it made tablecloths for four picnic benches

Cheap bags from Spotlight, name tags on the computer and voila, gorgeous loot bags

Me and my besties made up these sandwiches, attached tags and wrapped them up with pink serviettes, and natural twine. A cheaper alternative to catering or buying from the bakery

My first attempt at cupcakes, it can only get better from here!

Living Areas With Style

Since I have been collecting interior pics for quite some time it is interesting to go through them and notice the common threads. Often if we are put on the spot and asked what our style is we dont know how to answer.

I have found it very enlightening saving web pictures I stumble across. I can see how my style has evolved and I have especially noticed with living spaces how I am drawn to splashes of vibrant colour that catch the eye and gives energy to the space. All of these pictures are different and not necessarily what I would have in my own lounge but I love taking ideas from them all.

Laundry Before and After Pics

Our laundry is unfortunately situated in our kitchen, for the last few years we have tossed around ideas of putting up a wall and door and various other expenses renos. But in the end I went with a curtain which cost all of about $60 for fabric and sewing. I am so happy with it, as you can see it hides all the crap and I love the boarder which I picked up for a $1 at Spotlight.

BEFORE AFTER

Snaps from Home

I took some snaps today of things around the house that make me smile. Yay my pansies are looking great in my teacup and I cant get enough of crochet nana blankets at mo.

For those of you who have been to my house you know my bathroom and toilet leave much to be desired... so I brough Chris a calendar for Christmas and we have heaps of quotes for life, good reading for those long toilet stops.

The new 'hoops' in Bianca's room that I got off the etsy site

Chris's Christmas present and a cute pair of latte mugs I got from Living and Giving yesterday

In desperate need for more places to hang things in Bianca's room, Chris put up these daisy hooks I brought off Trade Me months ago.

Party Inspirations

2010 is here. One of my resolutions this year is to start blogging again. It may only be a handful of people that read it, but its main purpose is to encourage my journal writing. Over the years I have kept sporadic diary's but writing to myself never inspired me enough to keep it up.

With a year full of birthdays, baby showers, weddings and many other events. I thought it fitting to kick things off with some party images I love