My Goals For 2022

Last year was not my best year for achievements. I didn't visit many places, I wasn't able to meet any new people, I didn't reach any milestones, and the less said about how little I blogged, the better. I can blame some of it on pain, illness, Covid and lockdown, but I admit I was also unmotivated and uninspired, and felt a bit 'meh' towards life in 2021. But then, who didn't?

I hope 2022 will be a much better year, and that I can find the motivation and pain tolerance to achieve more this year. As usual, there are loads of things I would like to make time for during the year ahead, from visiting new places and going to gigs again, to crafting more, and smashing my Goodreads reading goal, and much more. I'm going to talk about some of my goals for 2022 with you today, to make myself accountable, and hopefully motivate myself in to achieving at least some of them before the year is through. (Yes, I know it's a bit late to be talking New Year's resolutions, but hey, when do I ever do anything on time?!)

So, here are some of my goals for 2022:

Read 40 Books

After reading 42 books in 2021, I want to keep up my reading pace again this year, and make time to read (almost) every day. (I say 'almost', as there's always a few days when it's just not possible). I've set myself a new Goodreads reading challenge of 40 books for 2022, but I hope to read more, and beat last year's tally. I'm only on book five of the year so far, so I need to pick up the pace if I want to make it.

Take a Holiday to Cornwall

If I can get one thing out of 2022, it would be a holiday to Cornwall. We've just booked a week in Perranporth for early summer, and I can't wait for a week of sun, sea, sand, and sight-seeing. I'd love to fit in visits to St. Ives, Portreath, Mawgan Porth, and the seal sanctuary while we're there, and also take a tour bus along the coast again, either down to The Lizard or along to Land's End, as I've not seen much of those parts of Cornwall. I also want to paddle in the sea at Perranporth, walk on Porth Beach, take a boat trip to spot some sea life, and return to Gridl for breakfast. The reality is, I'll probably be spending most of the time in the caravan resting because it'll be painful and exhausting, but I want to be optimistic, and believe I can have some fun, too. 

Go to a Concert

Thanks to Covid, it's been over two years since my last concert, and it's been torture. Gigs are life. I'm having major withdrawals, so I hope I can satisfy my cravings with at least one gig in 2022. I need a live music fix.

Do More Cross Stitching

I love cross stitching, but I did very little of it in 2021, and only finished one piece all year. I just couldn't find the motivation. I'd like to find my groove with it again this year, cross stitch regularly, and make lots of pieces. I've already been working on some retro Christmas bauble designs I didn't have time to finish over Christmas, so I'm off to a good start.

Do More Painting

I want to make more time for water-colour painting. I didn't dig out the paints often in 2021, but it's something I enjoy and find relaxing, so I really should try to do more of it.

Make Something With a Loom

I bought a small circular loom a few years ago and still haven't made anything with it, so it's about time I did. I don't have a clue what to make with it, but I always thought weaving looked like fun. Maybe 2022 will be the year I find out if I'm right. Or maybe it won't.

Explore More Local Places

I've lived in The Cotswolds all my life, but there's so much of it I've never been to or explored properly, and I'd like to change that. I want to do more exploring close to home this year, and see what cool places we can find.

Visit the Bluebell Woods

I'd love to go for a walk in the woods when the bluebells flower this spring, especially as we never made it last year. There's a woods near Faringdon in Oxfordshire called Badbury Clump which gets carpeted with a sea of violet bluebells from late April or early May, and it's so beautiful. It's well worth a visit if you're in to nature.

Go See the Lavender, Confetti, and Sunflower Fields

I'd also like to do a few things I've never done before, and visit lavender, sunflower, and confetti fields in my area. Mostly to take photos, but also to enjoy the general prettiness of a sea of colourful flowers. The confetti fields are fields of flowers like delphiniums and cornflowers that are grown and harvested for wedding confetti, and it sounds so lovely. It's at Wyke Manor Estate in Wick, near Pershore in Worcestershire for anyone who's curious.

Visit the Zoo

I'm a big animal lover, so I love a good trip to the zoo, and hope to visit a few this year. I would love to pay another visit to Whipsnade Zoo this summer to do all the sections we didn't fit in last time, and I really want to visit Longleat Safari Park to see the koalas and wombats, as I've never seen either animal in real life. It's a bit of a drive from Oxfordshire, though, so I'm not sure it would be possible without an overnight stay nearby. I'm also planning to fit in at least one day out at my local zoo, The Cotswold Wildlife Park, although, I'm sure we'll squeeze in several. It's such a lovely, relaxing place to walk around, and get some exercise while enjoying the animals, and I think it's good to challenge myself to push through my chronic pain every now and then to make it to the end. 

Take a Trip to the Seaside

I'd really like to take at least one day-trip to the coast this summer, and spend some time at the beach, paddling in the sea, watching the waves, and eating salty fish and chips straight from the paper on the sea front. (My holiday to Cornwall doesn't count). I grew up with multiple day trips to the beach every summer- usually to Poole or Woolacombe- which I haven't done much of as an adult, and I miss it so much.

Have a Good Clear Out

I feel the need to have a good declutter, so I want to gradually go through my stuff- clothes, bags, books, craft supplies etc- and clear out anything I no longer want or use. It'll probably take me most of the year with my health, but if I can cull some stuff by the end of the year, I'll be happy.

Reorganise My Bookshelves 

Reorganising my bookshelves was on my list of autumn goals, but I never found the time or spoons to see to it. It's definitely on my list of priorities before spring because the shelves are over-run with books I've read piling up towards the ceiling, and it's all such an eye-sore that it's actually stressing me out to look at it. I need to clear everything off, put my DVDs in to folders and store the cases, get rid of any books I don't want, and reorganise everything. Hopefully then my bookshelves will look pretty again, and I might even have space for new books.

And those are some of my goals for the year ahead. 

I don't know if I'll be able to achieve them all and I'm probably being a little too optimistic, but I'm going to give it my best shot anyway. 

Wish me luck!

Have you set any goals or resolutions for 2022?

My Goals For 2019

It's a brand new year, so I guess it's time to set some goals for the year ahead! 

Don't worry; I'm not about to start spouting some "new year, new me!" bollocks. It's a new year, but you're still going to get the same old me... whether you like it or not! (Probably not!)

I'm not one for making big, unattainable, life-changing resolutions that I'm never going to achieve because where's the fun in failure?, but I do like to set myself some smaller goals to aim for each year. Goals like reading more books, places I want to visit locally, crafts I want to try, and plans for my blog for the year ahead. Goals I actually have a good chance of achieving but that still provide a challenge. This year, I've set myself lots of those kind of goals for the coming months, and if you'd like to hear about some of them, please keep reading!

So, in 2019, I would like to:

Read More

One of my top priorities for 2019 is to read more books. I finally got my reading mojo back in 2018, after years of being distracted by blogging and the Internet, and read more books than I've read in years. While I only finished about 17 or 18 books last year, it was still an improvement on the 7 I managed to read in 2017, and I would've read more if I could've. I'm hoping to do even better this year, and make time for even more books because it's something I really enjoy. I'm being realistic, and have set myself a goal of reading 25 books, which I should be able to achieve, but I'd like to get through even more if I can. I've just treated myself to several new novels with my Christmas money and I'm already over 200 pages through my first book of the year (Birdbox by Josh Malerman- which is amazing so far!), so I'm sure I'll make a dent in the challenge really quickly. If you have any book recommendations, let me know!

Do Lots of Crafting
I've realised that I'm rarely happier than when I'm creating and making things with my own two hands, so I want to spend 2019 doing as much crafting as possible. I want to make more time for the crafts I enjoy, and also challenge myself with lots of new crafts to learn some new skills. My crafty goals include:

♥ Do Lots of Cross Stitching

I didn't cross stitch as much as I would've liked last year, so I want to make up for it this year by cross stitching regularly, and making lots of fun designs.

♥ Design My Own Cross Stitch Pattern and Then Stitch It

I'm thinking of trying a simple geometric design to start with, as it shouldn't be too hard to get right. I've wanted to try creating my own patterns for years.

♥ Attempt More Embroidery Projects and Improve My Embroidery Skills

I haven't done a lot of embroidery, so I'd like to try to master it this year.

♥ Make Something on a Loom

I bought a small loom last year as I thought weaving looked like fun, but I still haven't made anything with it. This year I will. I just don't know what I'll make yet.

♥ Learn How to Needle Felt

It's a random craft, I know, but I'd love to give it a try. I actually bought a needle felting Christmas decoration kit this Autumn, but never found the time to make it, so this would be a good place to start.

♥ Try Card-Making

I've contemplated making my own cards for years and have never given it a try, but Aycan's DIY reindeer pom pom shaker Christmas cards have inspired me to actually attempt some this year.

♥ Learn to Crochet

Learning to crochet a granny square blanket has been on my to-do-list for years, but I still haven't got around to it. I really want to find the time to fit it in this year.

♥ Make More Hoop Art

I really want to make more hoop art, and try more elaborate designs, so I'm going to get started on this soon. I'd love to be able to fill a whole wall with my hoops.

♥ Learn How to Use a Sewing Machine

I learnt once, but haven't used one since I was about thirteen and had to study textiles in secondary school, so I can't remember how to use one. Back then I was useless with a sewing machine- probably as I had no interest in crafting and CBA- but now I'd love to learn how to use one again, and like to think I'd master it easily this time around. I'd love to be able to use one to make my own clothes, patchwork quilts, and bunting one day.

♥ Make Felt Wreaths

Over Christmas, I'd hoped to make felt floral Christmas wreaths, but ended up being too ill to make them, so I need to play catch up and make them this year instead. I also need to make a couple more of my floral spring wreaths, and I hope to blog tutorials for them, too!

Improve My Photography and Photo Editing Skills

One area of blogging I really struggle with is photography, particularly photo editing, which makes me want to pull my hair out on an almost daily basis. I just cannot get my photos to look good, no matter what I do. It consumes me, and stops me from publishing content far too often, and I need to find a solution before it drives me crazy. I know I say this every year, but I want to work hard on improving my photography and flatlays this year, and learn some new skills to make my photos look as good as they can.

Rebrand the Blog

Last year, I gave Polka Spots a brand new look with a Pipdig blog design, which I still absolutely love, but I never did find the time to rename and rebrand the blog. I've hated my blog name for almost seven years now, and it makes me cringe every time I see it, so I want to take the steps to rebrand and rechristen the blog to something less cringe-worthy ASAP.

Work Hard to Improve the Blog

This year, I'm aiming to work hard on my blog and provide quality content that I hope you guys will enjoy and want to read. I want to improve the quality of my writing, flatlays, and photos, and feature a variety of interesting topics. I'd love to include more crafts, beauty, books, stationery, fashion, homeware, and adventures on the blog, and work with more brands in 2019. I'd also like to be more interactive with you guys here and on social media, grow my readership, and work on self-promotion. Let the hard work commence! If there's anything you'd like to see more of on the blog, let me know in the comments!

Improve My Instagram

Despite its flaws (algorithm, anyone?), I bloody love Instagram. I love sharing photos from my day, and filling my grid with colourful and meaningful photos from my life that I can look back on. I particularly enjoy sharing perfectly unpolished little snippets on my Instagram Stories, and of course, gaining inspiration from others. I want to make the effort to fill my grid and stories with quality photos this year, and make my account something I can be proud of. I don't plan on going for a theme, but I want it to look as colourful as possible. If I can grow my following and engagement along the way, that would be wonderful, too.

Shop For Presents Throughout the Year

I want to do my best to pick up birthday and Christmas presents for my family and friends throughout the year to help spread-the-cost, and be super organised this year. I don't want to be skint at Christmas or be panicking about finishing my shopping days before Christmas again, like I was this Christmas.  It's too stressful. This year, I'm going to be prepared. In fact, I've already added four small presents to the present stash, so I'm off to a good start! I find picking up presents over the year really takes the stress out of gift-giving, and it gives me more time to find the perfect gifts, too.

Get Stuck in to Surveys Again

I didn't participate in anywhere near as many paid surveys in 2018 as I did in 2017, as I couldn't always be arsed to put in the effort for a few pennies. but I'm intending to get stuck in again this year.  I'm going to do it to pay for all those presents, but also to make some extra cash to live on because I barely have enough to get by. If you'd like to know more about earning money through online surveys, I wrote a post all about it here.

Look in to Ways to Manage My Arthritis

Over the last year or so, the arthritis I've suffered with since I was a pre-teen, has deteriorated and started to become problematic after two decades of being manageable. It's began causing excruciating pain, swollen joints, regular stiffness, and difficulty using my hands for every day tasks, which sure is sobering at the age of 33. Last month it was the worst it's ever been, so I know it's time to start looking in to new ways to manage my symptoms to see if anything out there can help. Anti-inflammatory drugs haven't worked for me, but I want to look in to anti-inflammatory diets as there are foods there are known to help with inflammation. (This isn't about dieting, but adding more foods with anti-inflammatory properties in to my diet in the hope of helping my joints). I'm also planning to speak with my rheumatologist again to find out if there's anything we can do to manage it, and have an appointment to see him again in a couple of weeks. I need to make sure I try everything I can to make it more manageable before accepting this as my new normal.

Lose the Extra Weight I Gained Last Year

Last year, I gained a little weight from spending so much time on bed rest and not taking care of myself as well as I should have, and in all honesty, I don't feel comfortable in my own skin anymore. I've tried to love the extra padding I've acquired, but the truth is, I don't. I don't even feel like myself anymore. I honestly don't give a shit about being plus size, but I definitely felt more comfortable in myself when I was a size or two smaller, so I'd like to get back to that. To be honest, the main reason I want to lose those extra pounds is so I can fit back in to my clothes. Most of my clothes no longer fit me and I can't afford to buy new ones, so it would be easier if I could fit back in to them. I miss my favourite dresses!

Eat Better

Continuing on from the last goal, I'm also aiming to eat better, and look after myself properly. It's time to start taking better care of myself.

Continue Training Rosie

My three-year-old Tibetan terrier, Rosie, still needs some work when it comes to recall and shutting up when she's asked (that dog could bark for England), so I'm going to continue training her until we've cracked it. I'd love it if she could have the freedom to wander off the lead in public and play with other dogs in the park without worrying about her getting hit by a car or going missing. She has the run of our garden at home, but it would be nice if she could have that freedom on her walks, too.

Have a Clear Out

I feel the need to have a good clear out at home, and get rid of some of the clutter- not only to raise a little extra cash, but to make some space, too. Sometimes it feels like my stuff is closing in on me. I also need to sort through and organise some of my digital files and photos, too, and try to keep on top of it. I think I'm going to make a start on this soon and start the year with a good spring clean.

Visit Somewhere New

It's unlikely that I will get a holiday or weekend away this year, but I hope I can at least visit somewhere new before the year is through.

Some Places I'd Like To Visit in 2019

♥ Brighton

♥ London.

♥ Badbury Clump woods, when it's carpeted with bluebells in the spring.

♥ A lavender field in The Cotswolds.

♥ A sunflower field, if I can find one close to home.

♥ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

♥ The beach.

So, those are some of my goals for 2019... what are yours? Have you made any New Year's resolutions for 2019?

101 Things On My Bucket List

I have no intention of kicking the bucket any time soon, but being an ambitious person, I've always had a bucket list etched in to the back of my mind of all the things I hope to achieve before I die. 

My bucket list is made up of hundreds of goals that include the places I want to visit and the experiences I want to have, to the things I want to learn, and the personal accomplishments I want to make- and everything in between. I want to do it all! I know it's unlikely that I'll ever manage to achieve them all, especially now I have chronic illnesses and chronic pain that keep me house-bound and prevent me from living a normal life, but I still like to dream. I have to hope that one day I'll be able to achieve my dreams, or there's really nothing to keep fighting for.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to share some of the goals on my bucket list with you today, so here we are. Don't worry, I won't list them all; I'll stop when I reach 101 or you'll be here reading them all 'til Christmas!

Here's 101 goals from my bucket list...

1. See the Northern Lights.

2. Go whale watching / see a whale in real life in the wild.

3. Visit Austria.

4. Own my own home.

5. Learn how to drive.

6. Go to Australia to see all the weird and wonderful marsupials.

7. Do a parachute jump / sky dive.

8. Get a Sasha Unisex tattoo.

9. See Niagara Falls.

10. Learn how to crochet a granny square blanket.

11. Go back to college / uni and gain another animal care qualification.

12. Work in animal care again (preferably in a zoo or animal rescue centre).

13. Visit Italy.

14. See an active volcano.

15. Do a bungee jump.

16. Learn how to play the piano.

17. Take a road trip across America. (I want to see all corners of the country).

18. Experience New Year's in New York City.

19. See the Alps.

20. Go back to Paris and explore it properly. (I've only ever driven through it on my way south).

21. Explore northern Scotland.

22. Own a Kate Spade novelty handbag.

23. Experience Autumn and Halloween in New England.

24. Swim with dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, and tropical fish.

25. Learn how to surf.

26. Live by the sea.

27. Get some resemblance of a life back.

28. Take a hot air balloon ride.

29. Visit an elephant orphanage.

30. Go on safari in Africa.

31. Learn how to make my own dresses and skirts.

32. See Evanescence and Panic! at the Disco perform live.

33. Make a cross stitch of my own design.

34. Own an African pygmy hedgehog.

35. Visit Greece.

36. Step foot on a white sand beach with palm trees.

37. Go snorkeling.

38. Visit the Anne Frank house.

39. Learn how to make a patchwork quilt.

40. Return to NYC one day.

41. Experience a white Christmas.

42. Take a sleigh ride in the snow.

43. Get an Alice in Wonderland tattoo.

44. Learn how to make my own jewellery.

45. Have a big walk in closet.

46. Work with tapirs, giraffes, anteaters, aardvarks, and armadillos.

47. Be pain free again.

48. Visit Hawaii.

49. Try a freak-shake.

50. Get a sleeve tattoo.

51. Travel first class.

52. Visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

53. Learn how to play the violin.

54. See the World Trade Center memorials.

55. Experience Christmas in NYC and see the Rockefeller Christmas tree.

56. Get a novel or short story published.

57. Learn how to take and edit great photos.

58. Own a DSLR camera.

59. Dive the Great Barrier Reef.

60. Take a road trip across Europe.

61. See the tulip fields in Holland.

62. Experience the Holi festival.

63. Visit Amsterdam.

64. Sleep under the stars.

65. Go glamping.

66. Ride a rollercoaster.

67. Go to Reading Festival.

68. Learn how to paint with gouache paints.

69. See a snow-capped mountain.

70. Go skiing. 

71. Visit Disney World.

72. Learn how to design images for my blog.

73. Learn another language.

74. Dye my hair a rainbow of colours.

75. Get something pierced.

76. Take part in a colour run.

77. See The Grand Canyon.

78. Experience a lantern festival.

79. Take a creative writing class.

80. Learn how to use a sewing machine.

81. Visit some European Christmas markets.

82. Make a rainbow cake.

83. See dolphins in the wild.

84. Own a designer handbag.

85. See the Easter island heads.

86. Do the whole tourist thing in Edinburgh.

87. Get my teeth done.

88. Visit New Zealand.

89. Go kayaking / canoeing.

90. Travel by sleeper train.

91. Stay in a the fanciest room in a five star (or higher) hotel.

92. Take a helicopter ride somewhere with an amazing view.

92. Go to Tokyo.

93. Eat gelato in Italy.

94. Visit Highgate Cemetery.

95. See penguins in the wild.

96. Get a tattoo to represent my chronic pain and all I've been through and overcome.

97. Go horse back riding.

98. Run a successful blog- make it the best it can be.

99. See the pyramids in Egypt.

100. Travel all over the world and step foot on every continent.

101. Live a full and happy life.

Well, that's my bucket list.,, what's on yours?

30 Things I Want To Do This Autumn

Whenever September rolls around again, I always become particularly aspirational and find myself thinking about all the things I want to do before the year is through. Perhaps it's because September is the start of the new school year, and it's still ingrained within me to learn, get to work, and achieve stuff? Whatever the reason, I feel particularly motivated and creative right now, and have come up with so many goals I want to achieve this Autumn, from carving a pumpkin on Halloween to learning how to use my new camera. I thought it would be fun to share them all with you today, so here they are. These are 30 things I want to do this Autumn...

1. Go for an Autumn walk at least once.

I don't really mind where, as long as it's pretty, the leaves have changed, and I can go crunch through some fallen leaves, and take photos of the pretty Autumn foliage. 

2. Make it to the bonfire, and watch the fireworks.

My town has one of the best fireworks displays around on bonfire night, but I haven't been in a few years. I miss enjoying it with my family, so I'm hopeful I'll find a way to go this November. 

3. Play with sparklers like a big kid.

(Responsibly, of course. If you actually play with sparklers, kids, you will get hurt)!

4. Carve a pumpkin.

In my opinion, carving a pumpkin is a must every Halloween! I'm already looking forward to carving one, and enjoying that amazing Jack o' lantern smell. I also want to buy some mini munchkin pumpkins to decorate the house with, and use for blog photo props.

5. Make pumpkin dog treats for Rosie.

The innards of the Jack o' lanterns we carve alway end up in the bin, so I want to use them to make dog treats instead this year, using one of the dog treat recipes I found on Pinterest.

6. Have Autumn and Halloween-themed movie marathons.

Forget the scary movies, I'm most looking forward to watching Hocus Pocus, and Practical Magic again!

7. Make French onion soup from scratch.

I haven't made it in a few years, but it's delicious, and always goes down really well with my family. It's the perfect Autumn comfort food.

8. Explore a cemetery.

It's been ages since I last explored a cemetery, and I'm itching to visit one. They always look particularly pretty during the Autumn, so it's the perfect season for wandering around graveyards.

9. Visit Pitt Rivers and The Ashmolean museums in Oxford.

I know I've been going on about this for years, but I still haven't made it to either, and I really want to pay them both a visit.

10. Visit Blenheim Palace.

I haven't been since I was five or six, so I'd love to visit it again, and experience it as an adult. 

11. Buy / scavenge some Autumn blog props for my photos.

I seem to be lacking in good photo props for Autumn; everything I own is so bright and colourful! I'll probably start with buying some munchkin pumpkins and gathering foliage, and go from there.

12. Learn how to use my new camera properly.

I was given a new bridge camera for my birthday in July, and I'm still getting to grips with all the features. I'd love to be able to use them all for best results.

13. Work on improving my blog photography and photo editing skills.

To be honest, I'm always working on improving my photography, but my skills need a lot of improvement, especially when it comes to photo editing. I suck at it.

14. Read every day.

I've read more these past few weeks than I have the rest of the year combined, so I want to continue reading regularly, and spend more time off the Internet.

15. Paint regularly.

I find painting so relaxing and therapeutic, so I'm planning to paint as often as I can, and work on improving my watercolour techniques. I'd also like to try gouache paints, so I'd like to treat myself to a set and give them a try this Autumn.

16. Get cross-stitching.

I want to finish the flamingo cross stitch that I cast aside earlier in the year, and get the Christmas sampler I'm working on finished in time for Christmas. I think I can complete both by December if I cross stitch every day this Autumn. Challenge accepted!

17. Learn how to crochet a granny square blanket.

I've wanted to learn how to crochet for years, so I'd love to finally learn how to make a granny square blanket this Autumn that I can then curl up under over the Winter.

18. Fill my wardrobe with clothes in all the beautiful Autumn colours like burgundy, teal, forest green, mustard, plum, rust, and raspberry. I love all the Autumn fashion colours so much.

19. Dye my hair.

I haven't been able to dye my hair since May and my roots are getting ridiculous, so this one is a must.

20. Buy some new ballet pumps.

My last good pair have fallen apart, so I'm in dire need of some new ones.

21. Sit down and reply to all blog comments, and emails.

I'm ashamed for letting it slide and intend to reply to everything ASAP. I want to be reliable again. I've just been having problems being on my laptop for long, as the electricity is making my heart race faster!

22. Take as many blog photos as possible before the decent daylight is gone for another year.

It's hard to take good blog photos during Winter when you don't own blog lights, so I'd rather make the most of the bright Summer daylight before it goes, and take them in bulk now.

23. Give my blog a rebrand and redesign.

I've been dying to do this for years as I hate how my blog looks right now, and my blog name makes me cringe. There's a blog design I really want to buy, but I need my finances to improve before I can afford it, so this one will depend on whether things improve financially.

24. Blog as much as possible.

This will depend on my health, but I'm determined to blog as much quality content as I can, and bring Polka Spots back to life.

25. Prepare some Christmas blog posts ahead of time to make December less stressful. Christmas is exhausting with chronic illness, as I've realised these past few years, so I want to organise what I can ahead of time to lighten the load during December to take the pressure off.

26. Get started on my Christmas shopping.

I want to start putting presents away now to spread the cost, and be all organised come December.

27. Up my survey-answering game so I can afford Christmas presents.

I don't have any financial support right now, so I've been answering surveys online since January to earn a little money for myself. They're mostly paid in gift cards and on a good week I might make £15 from each site I use, but it adds up, and it's a great way to afford presents and treats for yourself without dipping in to your wages. I want to spend more time answering surveys every day, so I can earn more, and afford Christmas presents for my family and friends. I'm going to write a post on earning through surveys soon, if you guys want to know more about how it works.

28. Have another clear out to raise some extra funds for Christmas.

I've had a lot of clear outs this year already, but I'm sure I can find some more stuff to sell to earn a few pennies.

29. Clear out under my bed.

I've got so much crap stored under my bed, and I've been meaning to drag everything out to reorganise for ages. It's in desperate need of a tidy.

30. Continue training Rosie.

My dog still has a way to go with her training, so I'm intending to put the effort in, and keep teaching her things until we've cracked it.

What are you goals for Autumn?

101 Things I Want To Do Before I Die

I'm not planning on kicking the bucket any time soon, but I have a bucket list that could stretch all the way to Scotland and back. 

I've been feeling quite aspirational recently, and have added so many life goals to the list that it's now over five hundred strong! What can I say? There are just so many things I hope to achieve and experience one day. I'm a dreamer.

I thought it would be fun to share some of my goals with you guys, so here we are. Don't worry, I'm not going to list all 500+, I've chosen a selection and will stop at 101.

FYI, the Listography Travel and My Future books are both brilliant books for recording your travels, and listing some of the things you hope to experience one day.

1. Work in animal care again. Preferably with zoo animals, or in a rescue centre for pets or wildlife.

2. Live by the sea.

3. See the Northern Lights.

4. Own my own home.

5. Take a road trip across America.

6. See all the weird and wonderful Australian marsupials in person.

7. Read the entire works of Stephen King.

8. Achieve complete body confidence.

9. Take a hot air balloon ride.

10. Learn how to make a crochet granny square blanket.

11. Go whale watching. I'd love to see a pod of them breaching the water someday.

12. Take creative writing, art, and photography classes.

13. Get a short story published.

14. Own my first pet dog. Currently in the works.

15. Find that special someone.

16. Learn how to drive.

17. Visit Italy.

18. See Evanescence perform live.

19. Do a parachute jump.

20. Learn how to surf.

21. See New York at Christmas time.

22. Make a patchwork quilt.

23. Visit Paris properly, and do the whole touristy thing. (I've only driven through it by car).

24. Learn how to make jewellery.

25. Go on safari in Africa.

26. Take a road trip around Australia.

27. Get loads more tattoos, including a sleeve, and something Alice in Wonderland themed.

28. Find a way to reduce my pain so I can manage it better, and live a more normal, full life.

29. Own a DSLR and know how to use it properly.

30. Get an African pygmy hedgehog.

31. Take a holiday in Greece. (Read: Wherever Mamma Mia was filmed)!

32. Own a Pin Up Girl Clothing dress. Or sixty.

33. Make a bunch of embroidery hoop art pictures for the wall. I want to have a crack at this soon.

34. Go to a festival.

35. Visit Highgate Cemetery.

36. Sight see around Edinburgh.

37. Work in a zoo.

38. Experience New Year's Eve in New York.

39. Go to the elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka.

40. Learn how to make my own dresses and skirts.

41. Do a bungee jump.

42. See Niagara Falls.

43. Dive the Great Barrier Reef.

44. Learn how to play the piano.

45. See the Grand Canyon.

46. See Wicked at the theatre.

47. Spend a day at a spa.

48. Learn how to ski.

49. Master the art of cake decorating.

50. See the pyramids.

51. See dolphins in the wild.

52. Learn how to make the perfect roast turkey with all the trimmings for Christmas.

53. Do The Sound of Music tour in Austria.

54. Learn how to walk in heels.

55. See a narwhal in real life.

56. Travel on a motorbike.

57. Go out for high tea somewhere fancy.

58. Own a Lulu Guinness lip clutch.

59. Have a house full of animals.

60. Get something resembling a social life.

61. Get toucan tattoos on either side of my collar bones / shoulders.

62. See Panic! at the Disco live.

63. Donate blood.

64. Get more piercings.

65. Learn how to curl my hair so that the curls hold all day or night.

66. Own a pretty, pretty petticoat.

67. Take a road trip around Europe.

68. Learn to bare my legs and arms with complete confidence.

69. Swim with sharks, sea turtles, and tropical fish.

70. Do a 365 photo challenge.

71. Go on the London Eye.

72. Visit Amsterdam.

73. Sleep under the stars during a meteor shower.

74. Learn how to paint properly with water colour, oil, and acrylic paints.

75. Read all of the books I own.

76. Go kayaking and sea kayaking.

77. Visit Land's End.

78. Travel around the beautiful scenery of northern Scotland.

79. Step foot on all 7 continents.

80. Try sushi.

81. Work with giraffes and tapirs.

82. Go to a concert of a band I like outside of the UK and Ireland.

83. Sight see around a city by helicopter.

84. Visit Chicago.

85. See Peter Kay live.

86. Travel first class by plane.

87. See an active volcano.

88. Go white water rafting.

89. Ride a camel in the desert.

90. See a beluga whale in real life.

91. Visit Germany at Christmas time.

92. Spend a day at Harry Potter world.

93. Go horse riding.

94. Visit the village where The Vicar of Dibley was set.

95. Buy house plants and keep them alive.

96. Own my own car.

97. Visit every country in Europe.

98. Take pictures with an underwater camera.

99. Holiday on a tropical island with white sandy beaches and palm trees.

100. Make a rainbow cake.

101. Visit Tokyo.

What's at the top of your bucket list? 

Do we share any of the same goals?