Less than FOUR months to go!!! In just 110 days I will turn the big 3-0. August seems to be approaching faster and faster yet my challenge is not really being completed! There has been a reason for my slackness and that is that I have rebranded Butterfly Crafts and launched a brand-spanking-new website.

As such I have sort-of made come to the realisation that this challenge will not be completed in the next 110 days but rather than give up I decided that I would change my goal posts and have everything completed (where possible) within my thirtieth year which buys me a little more time!

But here is an update so far...

1.Own a sewing machine, - Each month I buy myself a John Lewis voucher, the idea is I would save them up for when I need "housey" things, but I am now saving them up to buy my own sewing machine.

2.Learn to knit socks – I have the yarn, and the pattern. Just need to sit down and figure out dpn needles!

3.Visit Buckingham Palace – Done!!!!

4.Swim in a lake or stand under a waterfall - I cant find a better option than the Serpentine at the moment, but now I have more time I will see what happens.

5.Own a home (the BIG challenge) – I can categorically say this will not happen in 2012 but I am working towards it. Perhaps in my 30th year.

6.Be debt free except from a mortgage if Num 5 happens – One down, one to go and that can definitely be done before August.

7.Visit Dickens House – DONE!!!

8.Go to a soap making workshop - DONE!!!! - in fact I will be spending Easter weekend making up some lovely more soapy goodness.

9.Learn to hang wall paper –We will be redecorating quite a bit at my parents house and yes, I will be roped into it!

10.Spend a night on the Norfolk Broads – Sort of DONE!! and going to Norfolk again in June.

11.Learn to make pastry – Soon, hopefully soon!

12.Learn the succession of kings and queens from William the Conqueror in 1066 – I have been given a few hints and tips on this, just need to learn it!

13.Make and wear my own dress – I wont be making my birthday dress as I will be treating myself to something very special, but this year I will be making a lovely dress.

14.Read five books from my bookshelf - One and a half down, three and a half to go!

15.Have a make up lesson – DONE!!!

16.Do something every day to make me smile – I cant stop smiling lately, I guess that's what happens when you are totally in love.

17.Learn to change a car tyre – I'm still laughing about why I included this!

18.Be able to jog a mile without stopping - with my leg issues this is a BIG thing but I am trying as hard as I can.

19.Go to Rome or Sorrento – DONE!!!

20.Sleep for 6.5+ hours sleep a night consistently – Some nights are good, others are bad, and some are unmentionable.

21.Visit Giant's Causeway – Well, I'm off to NEW YORK in August so Ireland will have to wait. Perhaps a road trip next Spring is in order.

22.Have a dinner party - I think I can tick this one off now! I have hosted dinner for my parents at my boyfriends house and prepared lunch for his parents too. I will have my party planning skills put to use for my birthday though.

23.Have Butterfly-Crafts mentioned in a newspaper or magazine – DONE!!!!

24.Sleep under the stars - I am an option in mind for this, watch this space, just need a mozzie net!

25.Live as much of a handmade/homemade/economical life as possible - I am aware of this every day and so far this year I have been making all the cards I need to send people and gifts where possible.

26.Begin to have the stamina, strength & body shape from pre-leg issues – the gym is definitely helping. I will never be a ‘gym bunny’ but I do feel much better to go after work and at the weekend for a little brain space. I really miss rowing but that’s off limits at the moment, one day though, one day.

27.Watch: Casablanca (done), Dr Zhivago (done - yawn), Gone With the Wind (done), The Philadephia Story (done), A Street Car Named Desire (done - yawn), The Godfather (done), Citizen Cane (done) and Ferris Beulers Day Off (done - crap film) so just Goodfellas and Schindler's List to go.

28.Go to a comedy club – This will now be happening when we go to NYC in August.

29.Finish my knitted patchwork blanket – This will definitely be a "30th year" project

30.Visit 15 exhibitions at museums and galleries – Well there was Handmade Tales at The Women’s Library, Afghanistan at The British Museum, Out of this world at the British Library, Eadweard Muybridge at Tate Britain, Electroboutique at the Science Museum and a few others I've currently forgotten!

If you haven't seen my blog for a while you may notice something a little different, a change of appearance! Yes, to celebrate being in business for THREE years today, I have been working very hard to relaunch Butterfly Crafts into something which I hope looks a little more professional - so what do you think?

There have been quite a few changs going on, along with a LOT of work behind the scenes. Not only do I have a gorgeous new branding appearance (I love the green!) but you can now buy handmade goodness direct from our main website!!

The relaunched Butterfly Crafts comes in two parts:

1. The MAIN website is where you can learn all about the company, what the background is, who the team are along with events we will be at etc. There is also a special page for supporting the handmade community where I link to lovely handamde crafts people.
2. The SHOP - this links directly off of the main website but can be reached directly too at www.butterfly-crafts.com/shop and the biggest difference here is that listings are in £GBP which is something i have been dying to do for three years. If you are overseas fear not, there is a currency conversion available.

The main bonus with having my own shop is that you can choose whether to register an account or not, it would be better if you do as you can log in, but if you want to stay as a guest - that's ok too!

Another big change is that I will be working to fill up the ZIBBET store should you wish to purchase there - here items are originally listed in $US and you do have to create an account in order to purchase.

I will tell you lots more about the relaunch and what it means over the next few days but I am so pleased to finally be able to tell you all about it!

Some of you may have noticed that it has been a little quiet in my blogger lately and also if you follow my Twitter Feed or Facebook Page. There is a very good reason for this...I've been super busy working on some changes!

I don't want to give away too much right now, but this "butterfly" is getting ready for a transformation, and that transformation is taking up a lot of my time and my lovely web developer's time (a.k.a. my boyfriend - he gets paid in home baked goods) which unfortunately means I have not been very social at social networking!

If my grand scheme falls into place (insert Dr Evil style mwah ha ha ha laugh) a slightly new butterfly will emerge towards the end of March 2012 to coincide with our third birthday celebrations - every girl needs a new party dress right? Changes are being made not only to the way Butterfly-Crafts will look moving into the future but also the way in which you can shop and purchase lovely handmade cards and gifts. Selling online is no mean feat and I have put a lot of thought and research into what I want to do with Butterfly-Crafts and the direction I see it moving in and therefore the changes that are to be made are hopefully made for the better!

Well, that's as cryptic as I care to be right now, but please do keep following along and very soon, I hope you will see an even more beautiful butterfly-crafts emerge!