With exactly fourteen months until the big day (turning 30) I need to step up a gear and get cracking on my challenge but also blogging about my progress in a little more detail as people have been asking me about it. I shall start with an overall update:

1. Own a sewing machine – possibly for my 30th birthday present, hints have been dropped by me anyway!
2. Learn to knit socks – I have sock yarn to make stripey socks.
3. Visit Buckingham Palace – will do this over the summer with a couple of friends.
4. Swim in a lake or stand under a waterfall – I may swim in the Serpentine over this summer or next summer.
5. Own a home (the BIG challenge) – saving for this every day where possible.
6. Be debt free except from a mortgage if Num 5 happens – working towards this every day
7. Visit Dickens House – possibly over this summer or definitely next
8. Go to a soap making workshop – DONE!! And I have been studying towards a CPD at home course and soap will soon be available for purchase in my shop.
9. Learn to hang wall paper – Dad plans to do some decorating later this year and I will be roped in to help no doubt.
10. Spend a night on the Norfolk Broads – DONE, well sort of! I will blog about this soon!
11. Learn to make pastry – not yet.
12. Learn the succession of kings and queens from William the Conqueror in 1066 – not yet.
13. Make and wear my own dress – I have three patterns now, just need to buy some fabric.
14. Read 5 books from my bookshelf - I currently own 40 books that I have not yet read – one down and four to go.
15. Have a make up lesson – DONE – will blog on this too.
16. Do something every day to make me smile – I actively try to do this every day even if I couldn’t manage writing it in my journal.
17. Learn to change a car tyre – Um…..
18. Be able to jog a mile with out stopping - with my leg issues this is a BIG thing.- As of TODAY I am able to go to the gym again and I have a lovely personal trainer called Alicia so I’m working in this.
19. Go to Rome or Sorrento – ALMOST! Im going to roam in Rome in October,
20. Sleep for 6.5+ hours sleep a night consistently – Excuse me whilst I laugh uncontrollably!
21. Visit Giant's Causeway – hopefully in Spring 2012
22. Have a dinner party – potentially my 30th birthday party,
23. Have Butterfly-Crafts mentioned in a newspaper or magazine – DONE!! – I need to blog about this too!
24. Sleep under the stars – not yet
25. Live as much of a handmade/homemade/economical life as possible – I strive to do this every day
26. Begin to have the stamina, strength & body shape from pre-leg issues – see number 18 and picture of "old" me!
27. Watch: Goodfellas, Casablanca, Dr Zhivago, Gone With the Wind, The Philadephia Story, A Street Car Named Desire, Ferri Beulers Day Off, Schindler's List, The Godfather and Citizen Cane – I joined LoveFilm and am slowly working through this list.
28. Go to a comedy club – not yet
29. Finish my knitted patchwork blanket – Um……
30. Visit 15 exhibitions at museums and galleries – I think I’m at about 5 visited, I need to blog about each one.

I will strive to have some more frequent individual blogs posted more regularly and will do a full update as close to the first of each month depending on what other blogs I have scheduled.