The Challenge 101 Goals in 1001 Days

Over the past year my life seems to be drifting, after much soul search I find there are things I have started and never completed and there are things I have wanted to do but never started. So I have derided it is time to bring some focus into my life, and I am taking the day to day challenge of 101 goals in 1001 day.Unlike the New Year gaols 101 in 1001 is base on 2 years 8months 26 days, yes I know its sounds completely random, but that's the beauty of this time frame but:-

• It gives me time to achieve each goals and beat procrastinations
• it helps me to be accountable and prioritise my time 
• It helps me to develop my talents and grow as a person
• It helps me to develop my relationship with my friends, family and community

Coming up with 101 gaols has not been easy, this has been achieved through checking out the list generator on Zero One website and other members who have taken or are taking the 101 in 1001 challenge. Writing down my goals made them more tangible and sharing them with you and others on Zero one website instills a sense of accountability and hopefully will help motivate me. Some things on my list may seem rival and others may seem out of reach, but none are unrealistic, each goal poses a challenge in staying the course, if it were all easy it would be no challenge or fun

I have tried to categorised the list and will post a blog of some of the goals I have achieved. Do come along for the ride, I will need your support, your encouragement and your comments. 

Start date  - July 29 2012

End date -  April 26 2015

1001 days equals to 

2years 8monts and 26 days

almost 33 months

just over 143 weeks

Now deep breath HEAR ARE MY 101 GOALS I WANT TO ACHIEVE IN 1001 DAYS

1. Make a list of goals I want to accomplish in 1001 days
2. Add a page to my blog to monitor my 101 in 1001 challenge
3. Review goals each week
4.  Read the bible in a year
5. Cultivate and protect my life with God
6. Read one books per month for 30 months
7. Read one psychology book
8. Read one classic 
9. Set up Skye to speak to my daughter 
10. Get a proper bar fitting from a proper lingerie store
11. Finish 3 of my sewing projects
12. Try and save at least £1000. in a year
13. See at least one theatre show in a year
14. Go to bed early every single day for one week
15. Have dinner by myself in a nice restaurant 
16. No eating after 8pm for one entire month
17. De-clutter my wardrobe 
18. Get all my good boots shoes heeled and repaired
19. Take all my winter coats and clothes to the cleaners
20. Get a family photo taken
21. Make at least 5 dresses for me not skirts
22. Treat myself to a massage/manicure, pedicure 
23. Take an interior design class
24. Learn new photography techniques to take better photos for my blog and website
25. Learn how to use Photoshop
26. Apply for one job application per week until I get a new job
27. Increase client to my on-line and custom sales business
28. Increase income to at least £1000.00 by the end of this year to be self sufficient and not reliant on family 
29. Complete a wholesale time sheet
30. Promote my freelance business separate from my on-line and custom sales business
31. Increase clients to my therapy business
32. create spreadsheet for my business expenses and income
33. Create a budget and track my spending
34. Maintain at least 30 listing in my on line shop every month
35. Order business cards for my dressmaking business
36.                                                           Order business cards for my on line business
37. Get a decent battery for my laptop
38. Buy a hard drive to back up my files
39. Get my blog contents up to once a week for 3 months
40. Learn to use SEO to optimise my blog and on line website
41. Learn enough HTML to make small change to my site on my own
42. Put at least one video on You Tube this year
43. Collaborate even in the smallest way with a brand I love
44. Organise the blogs I read into a reader
45. Participate in an on-line challenge
46. Create a data base for all my contacts
47. Host 2 give away on my blog
48. Document and post a tutorial on my blog
49.                                              Help a friend solve a problem
50. Visit my mother once a fortnight to help with the housekeeping
51. Call my mother at least once a week
52. Once a month hang with a friend
53. Have a meal out with both my kids together, does not include Christmas or other special occasions 
54. Host a party inviting old friends
55. Email or call my brothers and sisters once a month x5
56. Compliment a stranger once a month - does not include a client during work
57. Donate money to a charitable cause
58. Volunteer for a charity or Samaritans
59. Participate in a support event
60.                                                                       Buy fresh flowers at least twice a month for the house
61. Clear all the cluttered / junk in the house 
62. Throw or give away said junk
63. Re-organise my craft room to be a place of inspiration
64. Decorate hall and lounge
65. Buy and get laminate flooring laid in hall and lounge
66. Decorate kitchen
67. Replace nets in house with vertical blinds
68. Make curtain for bedroom (fabric has been there for 2 years)
69. Buy and make new curtains for lounge
70. Buy and replace broken fence panel in garden
71. Maintain garden regularly
72. Buy and get installed new shed 
73. Paint shed and garden chair
74. Paint fence around garden 
75. Get oven repair
76. Make covering for lounge arm chairs
77. Do all ironing and keep up for a month (ouch)
78. Construct a workable housekeeping plan and keep to it for 4 weeks  
79. Ride in a hot air balloon
80. Go to a book store and leave a note in a random book for the new owner
81. Visit an art gallery or museum
82. Grow own herbs in pots
83. Go on a great date
84. Go to an auction
85. Visit an antique fair
86. Go to a musical 
87. Have a beach day
88.                                                               Try a new recipe once a month
89. Exercise at least 3 times a week for 4 weeks
90. Cook and eat homemade meals every day for one week
91. Take my iron tablets regularly
92. take a dance class
93. Try palitaes 
94. During pleasant weather take a brisk walk for 2 miles once a week
95. Juice at least once a week
96. Get a medical health check
97.                                                           Take a trip to at least 3 cities I have never been to before
98. Visit Ireland
99. Save to visit a good friend in Jamaica
100. Take a boat or canal ride
101.                                          Review completed goals donate £2,00 for each uncompleted goal or share a good bottle of champange with friends as a reward for competing the 101 in 1001 goal challenge 

CRAFTfest Week 1st to 8th September

I have joined this wonderful team of crafters hosting a CRAFTfest event from 1st to 8th September  at Creative Connections

CRAFTfest is an virtual online fair, which present an ideal opportunity for you to show off your beautiful creations without having to lug your product around with you or being rained on. Being part of this wonderful group will give your an opportunity to connect with a host of new new on line friends helping you to promote your creations within CRAFTfest week, and you will also be helping others members promote their goods.

As a buyer this will present an ideal opportunity for you to browse through an exciting range of quality handmade products from the comfort of your armchair.

During CRAFTfest week sellers will participate in showcasing their goods through an interactive album and through different social networking sites. 

If you are interested in creating a stall and would like to participate in CRAFTfest, check out the CRAFTfest site. There is a joining fee of £5.00 with load of support from the team leaders and no commission on sale. 

Above is just a small sample of what you will expect to see during CRAFTfest week

CRAFTfest week presents a great opportunity for you to connect with people and gain maximum exposure.

1st to 8th SEPTEMBER

Three size Up times Three Dresses

I posted a couple of weeks ago about three dresses I was commissioned to make. They have now been completed and collected. The dresses are a copy of the blue dress below.

The client loves the cut of this dress and this is the fourth dress she has commissioned. You can check out the first one here

All dress have now been completed and she has commissioned a hipster skirt. I will be posting here once I have completed

Handmade Collection in Handmadehighst

I am really delighted to announce that I am now exhibiting my collection in Handmade High Street. 

Handmadehightst is an independent creative craft store, based in Issac Walk Colchester and managed by Maryann a passionate crafter and mother of 5.

Maryann offers crafters an opportunity to display and sell their original handmade craft to the public. There is a small rental cost to pay of £28.00 per month plus 5% commission on any goods sold.

It's early days so no sale yet, but I am excited to be part of this community, and I am looking forward to working with Maryann at Handmadehighst.  

If you are in Colchester take a walk down Issac Walk and be sure to stop by and browse through the beautiful items in this lovely shop.

If you cannot make it to Handmadehighst, you can check out my current collection in My Online Shop and also at WoW Thank You

Black Cropped Jacket

Cropped jackets have been linked with cattle herders throughout Mexico and with the American cowboy of the wild west, which promoted an image of toughness and beautiful tailoring.

In the 1960s the cropped jacket was popularised by the first lady Jackie Kennedy who was known for her great sense of style and the classic channel cropped jacket with matching skirt suit and pillar box hat. The office drama Mad Men set in the 1960s also reflected the popularity of cropped jacket of the time. 

The cropped jacket was essentially a short jacket with a hemline that sits at waist length, however in the 1980’s the cropped jacket re-emerged losing it formal style, fitting into a wide variety of fashion genre styles, becoming even shorter with the hemline rising to the ribcage. 

This lovely cropped black jacket was commissioned by a client and it a mix of cotton and viscose, being black makes it a very versatile addition to any wardrobe, as it can be worn with a dress for a more formal look or jeans for a casual informal look.

If you would like one made just for you check out here for more information.

Plus Size Dress in Vintage Lace

One of the things I love about designing and making for client is the preparation 

First the consultation with the client 

Trying to figure out what the client like? Teasing  out what the client imagines their outfit should look like and what I envisage the outfit to be, could be a recipe for disaster.

Once the design of the outfit has been decided and I am on track with what the client is thinking. We start to think about the choice of fabric, this can be a real headache. Sometimes the client will know what they want, but their choice of fabric, may not go with their design or their shape, or they may want to hide behind the fabric, which does not bring out the best in the client

When choosing fabric for clients I can easily spend a couple hours browsing through a selection of fabric. With each fabric I pick out, I image the client personality, their shape, colouring and how this will look with the design. Hopefully the client will love my choice. 

Although I was asked to look for blue and cream. 

I selected this lovely distressed pink lace fabric and matched it with a dark coffee beige satin with a pink base tone, a perfect match and best of all the client loved the choice.

After cutting out the pattern, I hung the pieces over night as this allows for uneven edges to drop out, then I re-cut, which give me a near perfect size grading.

(Note to self must buy a new cutting board)

The rose was made using the lace fabric and I added a peach toned satin to bring some interest to the rose and the dress. Look out for the tutorial for this rose, which I will be posting here soon

TA DAH one shabby chic rose

I generally only do one fitting to iron out any fit issues. I delivered the dress today, and thankfully the client loved the dress, how can I tell, Well client generally hug me if they are really happy with the finished item.

I love how the dress has turned out. Yet another dress for  a wedding. The client love it even more, as she has asked for a new dress for the autumn/winter. 

SCAMMERS

You know there are some days that try your patience, well I had one of those days today.

SCAMMMER NO 1

I listed and sold this item on Ebay. The buyer emailed saying that the item was faulty and marked and was not holding its charge. Thinking that the item may has been damaged in transit. I agreed to refund once I received the goods.

THIS IS WHAT I SENT

THIS IS WHAT I RECEIVED

WAIT FOR IT

THIS IS THE OTHER SIDE 

 Needless to say I contacted Ebay and advised them of what has happened, then sent the buyer an email to say I will not be refunding until I receive my good intact.

SCAMMER NO 2

I made a wedding dress for a local shop in April and have not been paid, sorry I have been paid a 1/3 of my labour cost, bearing in mind that I also bought fabric to make the dress. Over the past months I have been assured that the money will be in my bank by the close of day, by the end of the week, by the end of the month, with various excuses why it has not been paid, I will not bore you with it here. 

Today I left a message on her voice mail, politely stating I was disappointed with how I had been treated, leaving no doubt in her mind that I would not be happy to work with her and then rang her shop, thankfully the assistant who is aware of how I have been treated, handed the phone to her boss without alerting her to who it was. Yes you guessed it, loads of excuses, before I had time to say what I thought. Having told her and receiving yet another feeble apology, I was reassured that the money would be in today or Monday. Within 5 minutes I received two call to confirm that the money would be going in. Why the urgency, well I am aware that a new dressmaker she engaged has not delivered professional work, so it has left her out of pocket and losing customers. Well only time will tell or until Monday. Gut feeling is this will happen, as I may be needed. Ha!!!!

SCAMMER NO 3.

My power pack for my laptop died on me today in the middle of filling out an application. I can't really afford a new one and no time to search for one on Ebay, yes I know Ebay again. Anyway, I decided to check out the small outlets in the town. I finally found a small computer shop, always like supporting small businesses. the man in question issued me with a power pack which he suggested I could used, although it was not the same brand as my laptop, he assured me that it would be fine, then he hit me with the price, £45.00 without the right connection, stating that a comparable one for my computer would cost me £80. to £90.00. I thank him politely and drove to one of the major outlets, received a brand new power pack for £49.50 with extras, that I don't need, but may come in handy for someone else. 

What can I say, I am an easy going person that doesn't often let things get to me, but today really tied my patience.

What has tried your patience lately? how did you resolve it? did it leave you out of pocket? or pulling your hair out.

JUST A GENTLE REMINDER TO YOU JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE HONEST WITH PEOPLE DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY WILL BE HONEST WITH YOU

WISHING YOU ALL A GREAT WEEKEND. 

How to Hide Your Blogger Navigation Bar

I changed the look of my blog today and I have also hidden the navigation bar at the top of the blog. I know there are some good reasons for keeping the Navbar, as it is allows bloggers to follow me easily, also it provides easy access for signing, access to my dashboard and design templates. Removing the navbar has I feel given a cleaner look to my blog.


There are several ways of achieving this which includes adding CSS into your HMLT. But Google has made it relatively pain free or those of us who are not computer whizzes. If you would like to have a go, all you need to do is:

Once you have logged in 

Go to Blog Overview --then to Layout----
Click on Edit Navbar - A pop up will appear and you will be shown 6 Navbar Design, see picture below.
From there you can choose a navbar which compliments your blog of simply 
Click on the last option, the Off button then Save and your Navbar will disappear.
If you change you mind, simply go back and click on the navbar which suits your taste.

How painless was that.

Navbar Configuration

	Blue
	Share Next Blog»
	Tan
	Share Next Blog»
	Black
	Share Next Blog»
	Silver
	Share Next Blog»
	Transparent Light
	Share Next Blog»
	Transparent Dark
	Share Next Blog»
	Off

Save `

Wedding In Italy

This lovely dress was made for a client having her wedding in Italy. The wedding occurred in mid June, although I finished the dress in April ready for her travel to Italy,


I did not feel I could post until the wedding was over, unfortunately I have not received any photos as yet, but if I do I will post here. These are my photos of work in progress and the completed dress

Work in Progress

I took the photos of the finished dress in my garden and my neighbour of 70 plus saw the dress and was very impressed.I am hoping to get some photos and  I can't wait to see the finished dress. I did hear through the grapevines that she looked absolutely beautiful on the day, but what bride does not.