Monday 31 December 2012
Sunday 30 December 2012
My personal challenge of 2012
If you've been following my blog you will have been with me on my own personal challenge of 2012. I've always carried a few too many pounds and now my youngest is 10, I can hardly blame it on the children any more. So after seeing a truly awful picture of me in Ideal Home magazine and with a few personal goals to work towards, I set about my 'Move More, Eat Less' campaign.
I'm always busy but not necessarily active, so with a beautiful park behind our house, I started walking. Not far, just a lap around the park but it probably takes about 20 mins and doing it every day has seemed to work. Yes, I've had moments when I just couldn't be bothered and have had nudges and encouragement from Jeff to get out there. I will come clean and say my walks have virtually stopped during the past couple of busy months but now life should even out again, I WILL find that 20 mins every day again.
I also decided to 'Eat Less' not diet. I've done Weight Watchers in the past and it worked for me then but the pounds crept back on. So in the right frame of mind, which I think is half the battle, I made small changes - smaller portions, more fruit and veg, smaller portions of carbs and a 'taste' of the nice stuff rather, than a full portion, so I didn't feel cheated and started craving .
As a result of the little changes, I have lost 3 stone from March through to October. I've been careful with what I've been eating but not had time for the exercise, over the past two months but have stayed the same.
My new goal for 2013 is to try and lose another 1 1/2 to 2 stone gradually. I have a week in Ibiza booked towards the end of May to motivate me, so hopefully I can carry on with the good start I've made this year. Thank you to any of you who have left comments along the way, it's not easy and I honestly don't think you can do it if your mind is not with you but here's to a 'Motivated Me' in 2013.
Saturday 29 December 2012
Personal 2012 Review
So now a little look back at some personal highlights of 2012
JANUARY
Well what a way to start the year - my little house amongst the pages of a glossy magazine. It's been something I've secretly wanted to achieve for a while now and it was wonderful to see it in Ideal Home Magazine - all 8 pages of it!
FEBRUARY
February saw me start a very personal campaign - a 'Move More, Eat Less' challenge. This was prompted by a truly horrible photo of me in the a fore mentioned glossy magazine and fuelled by our first foreign holiday in 13 years! I started walking in the park every day and made sensible choices in what I ate. I will share with you in another post how I have got on!
MARCH
In March, we decided to put the house up for sale. We had seen a property we liked, with the extra space we required but sadly after 6 months on the market and very little interest (given the current economic climate we find ourselves in), we have decided to stay put for a couple more years.
APRIL
Sophie and I finally found time to take a sewing lesson. We learnt how to use the machine and sew a bunting flag - just the start and encouragement we needed. Later in the year, we progressed to cushions with french seams! Next year we plan to have a go at bag making - wish us luck!
MAY
Looking back through my blog, I realise how much I comment about the weather and of course this year has gone into the record books as the wettest year on record! We certainly have had our share of wind and rain here in Somerset. Not too many posts about enjoying the sunshine sadly.
JUNE
June was the Jubilee but we missed it, we went to Majorca instead!
It was our first family holiday in the sun, our first foreign holiday for 13 years, our first time flying..... and certainly not our last. We had the best time, spending quality time together - so much so, we've already booked a week in Ibiza for next year.
JULY
July saw more dreadful weather - this bit of flooded road has become a regular feature every time it rains, as the ground becomes so saturated. We were lucky with a few days of sunshine, when we went to stay with my parents in Cornwall.
AUGUST
I think the whole country will remember August as the OLYMPIC month! We surprised ourselves as to how 'into' the Olympics we got - so much so, we decided to surprise the children with a trip to London. We didn't have tickets but just wanted to experience the atmosphere and buzz of the Olympic City.
SEPTEMBER
After making the decision to 'stay put' I decided to start resolving little niggles I had about how we lived. The kitchen corner was tackled, giving us much needed worktop space and hidden recycling storage.
OCTOBER
Sophie's room was given a much needed makeover - her birthday and Christmas present. It was well worth doing, giving her all the storage and space she needs. Sam's room is next on the list for 2013.
NOVEMBER
Well November saw more rain!! It's also the Birthday month for Sophie and I - how did my baby turn 13? So to celebrate becoming a teenager, we did some pottery painting. I think I may have enjoyed it more than the girls!
DECEMBER
And finally December, where we have just spent a lovely family Christmas together here at home. Yes the house is small and yes we would love more space but we all squeezed in and enjoyed a family Christmas together.
So that was my year, I wonder what 2013 will be?
Well I know I will be enjoying a week (of sun) in Ibiza and my Granny will be celebrating her 90th Birthday. Sam will be off to Secondary school and Sophie and I will enjoy our sewing sessions. I will be continuing on my personal fitness campaign and am looking forward to learning how to use my new toy - an i-phone at last!
Friday 28 December 2012
dots and spots 2012 Review
It has come to that time of the year, when I enjoy looking back through the blog, picking out my dots and spots and personal high lights of the year. Today it's the turn of dots and spots and a look back through our fourth year in business.
JANUARY
January saw us back at Top Drawer, exhibiting for our 2nd time. We had a bigger stand, fabulous new products and caught up with old friends/customers and met many new too.
FEBRUARY
In February we launched our new range of mugs - made in Norfolk.
MARCH
Well March was a little different - at the end of the month I got to meet Theo Paphitis (one of the Dragon's from Dragon's Den) as part of his Sunday, Small Business Shout Out, Get Together. Well worth tweeting!
April saw the start of my new project - Swans of Wells. I was lucky enough to 'get creative' with a five foot fiberglass swan for the Jubilee Celebrations in Wells, Somerset.
MAY
Martin Roberts from the BBC's Homes Under the Hammer was to be the auctioneer after the Summer long event, which sadly was a rather wet one when it launched at the end of May.
JUNE
June saw us celebrate 4 years of dots and spots and another photo shoot at the studio.
JULY
In July, we moved or rather grew into slightly bigger premises, taking over the neighbouring unit too! It gave us the much needed additional space, for all we have planned for 2013.
AUGUST
In August we had a stand at the Shepton Mallet Show where we enjoyed a rare day of sunshine.
We also launched our FABULOUS New website, which my husband had been quietly working on behind the scenes. It is so much better than the last - Well Done Him!.
SEPTEMBER
In September, we introduced ribbon to our website and launched our 50% FRIDAY which is proving to be a hit with you all. It will continue into 2013 at the end of January.
OCTOBER
In October, we were busy behind the scenes photographing all our new products to be launched at Top Drawer in January 2013. We did sneak out the new spotty paper bags to share with you, as they were too good to hide away throughout Christmas.
NOVEMBER
November (and October) were extremely busy for us, so many orders were going out daily. We coped due to my fabulous helpers and being more organised. Jeff also did a sterling job as Postmaster Peabody.
We also had a fabulous write up in Somerset Life Magazine 'Dotty about Somerset'
DECEMBER
And then you have December, which saw us have a stand at Christmas at the Barn, plough through all the orders and manage, behind the scenes, to finish all the new products and get a 72 page catalogue to print!
So a great year for dots and spots and I'm already excited about what's to come in 2013.
Wednesday 26 December 2012
Merry Christmas
Christmas Eve - cosy
Christmas Day - excitement!
I just love this photo of Sam building lego before breakfast!
Special family time with my gorgeous children.
The table set for lunch
The table during lunch!
Boxing Day - laughter
Family time
And now - relax.
Everyone has now gone home - a day or two on the sofa is now booked.
Merry Christmas
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