Journaling a ‘could do list’ in 2016

notebook love: it’s a thing.

The delight of Christmas has slipped passed and in draws the New Year.

After the wave of initial excitement, new resolutions, restored hope and desires, most of us slink back towards old habits pretty quickly, and the long drawn out winter starts to wear our patience thin.

This year, I decided to set a series of ‘could do challenges’ (12 no less!) to finally pluck my Bucket List out of my mind and onto paper. I’m hoping this will give a little more focus to my life: I recently completed a rather mammoth part of my life studying that has dominated every ounce of my brain for the last six years. I felt a bit of ‘could do nudging’ couldn’t do any harm!

My love of notebooks was made very happy by this decision, as I decided to journal my feelings around these challenges. I’ve always been drawn to diary and journal keeping but never been very successful in keeping it up. Worse still, it always seem to rear up when I’ve been going through less than positive phrases, so I hoped to turn a trend. I must admit, the Keel’s diary I bought a few years ago helped somewhat with prompt questions, but I’ve been almost as hopeless at filling that in as everything else! I’m still rather chuffed with my new notebooks and I hope that as it is linked to challenges and bucket list that this more occasional journal style will suit me well!

I split my list in two: a list of things I hope to accomplish at some point – travel to new countries, trying new activities, seeing new sights – and the 12 month list with things I hope to do this year. I’m looking forward to writing down these experiences as they come along and finding a new way to keep a journal.

What I’m Making…
I finally got some time in my study this weekend and played about with dry clay
It was lovely to do some something creative for a few hours, especially as it was howling rain outside!

Making with air dry clay.

What I’m reading…
I started Kate Atkinson’s Behind the Scenes of Museum over the holidays and this week I’ve been getting back into it. The main character is called Ruby which always makes me think of the Rolling Stones song! She’s one of my favourite author’s but I’m a bit behind on her latest work. The first book I read of her’s was Emotionally Weird for a third year degree module. It got me hooked!

What I’m listening to…
I finally downloaded Birdy’s second album and it’s such a treat! Her voice is so hauntingly beautiful and it doesn’t disappoint.Her third instalment is due out March so this is perfect to get me through till then! I hope she’ll announce more UK tour dates later in the year, at the moment her only date for the UK is 10th May in London.

What I’ve been buying…

I discovered the joy and fun that is Retro Kids adding to my lamp addiction. Don’t be fooled by the name, this shop is definitely for grown up’s too! Retro and kitsch lovers will be thrilled by their collection of toys, soft furnishings, lighting and décor. My first purchase was the mini cloud light in white by A Little Lovely Company. It is adorable and comes in blue and there is also a larger version available.