Sunday, January 9, 2011

Aim high - even if you don't make it

It's not that I don't make resolutions, I invariably do - it's that I don't really like to use my blog as a personal billboard for everything that I do/see/think. It's a knitting blog, so I mainly keep it about knitting. Which is probably just as well, because I've started myself off to a spectacularly disastrous personal year so far. What I wouldn't do to start 2011 off all over again.

But, since there's not much knitting (half of nothing is still nothing) to show for 2011, I will share a few of the things I'd like to have a crack at/stop doing/start doing/experience/wish I could buy this year.

Number one thing is to eat more vegetables. I saw this post today and thought it was a great, simple and effective way of getting more of those green leaves into my body. I love all the leaves - all herbs, lettuces, spinach, rocket, cabbage, kale - I just don't eat enough of them. So, there's an easy one to start - The Big Bag of Salad.




On the subject of green leaves, I'm fascinated by these vertical gardens I see cropping up from place to place. Inspired by the one I saw in real life in the Anthropologie store in London, and appalled by the FAKE PLASTIC one in a surf shop in the new Westfield Centrepoint in Sydney - I wouldn't mind having a crack at this kind of gardening. Who can kill a succulent, right?




Winter's coming - and I think I'll invest in a camel coat. I have an old one from my life in a cold climate - it's almost vintage now - but it's too warm for my skin tone and blonde hair. I'd like a cooler beige one, not unlike this one here that I spotted on a fashion blog.



I love, no adore, no, am completely addicted to coffee. So much so that it was a problem when I travelled - there is hardly any good coffee around in unfamiliar places where tourists congregate! I was reduced to ****bucks (i know, the shame!) on more than one occasion. And although we have an espresso machine, I find this a little too much hassle when I'm on my own. I love the idea of a drip filter system, and then today when I saw this one, my heart skipped a beat. Oh the beautifulness of it. I want to be the person who makes her coffee in this thing wearing her camel coat.



I cleaned out my studio downstairs today, and was wholly unimpressed with it's pale green walls and general dankiness. Not much to inspire in that place. So I decided that this year it's going to have a revamp - mulberry and stone walls, a couple of cheap kitchen units from Bunnings down one side to hold the dyes and the stocks, and some new flooring (courtesy of the NRMA, we had a leak down there a few weeks ago). I am looking forward to doing this all by myself - I've never tackled a DIY project before!

Every body deserves a little respect, and so does mine! I intend to get used to some physical activity in 2011, and vow to even try to enjoy it.

There are always travel plans - our spontaneous European adventure in October has really done what travel always does, makes you want more. Husband wants to go back to Italy - I'm hoping for a searing hot summer experience in Spain, and all four of us would like to go back to Paris! Also, in a pie in the sky dream, knitabulous yarn is going to take me to America in 2012. For that, I need a business plan. So I plan on making a plan Stan.

What about you? Do you have any high hopes for 2011?

12 comments:

Rose Red said...

On the subject of killing succulents, I have to admit that I have done it! More than once, I'm afraid! But I'm sure you will have much more success than I.

missfee said...

filter coffee is the current hipster thing - you are cutting edge trendy you!!!

love the wall garden - there are these felt bags I have seen on the internet somewhere......

Donna said...

Italy is high on my list, too! I also think that the hubby should be taking me to Hawaii every year on our anniversary, but right now that's a pipe dream.
And I can kill any kind of plants. Except weeds.

Justine said...

Styley!

I'm so rubbish with plants I'm continually killing bags of salad! In Chile I was constantly fascinated with a nearby building which was being reclad with plants - so cool!

I dreamt about going to New York this year, but is taking Blaise to Borneo later in the year(and theres a little trip to Sydney in June!!) if you want a buddy on your US trip email me, JustJussi needs to visit TNNA or Rhinebeck!

Anonymous said...

im completely over travel. i never want to leave my backyard ever again. and i loooove the idea of your DYI project. personally i think that should be number one on the plan stan, because all things flow from having the right creative space. i might even come help you paint...

1funkyknitwit said...

lol.. love your dreams :D

I don't own plants.. there's a reason for that , however LOVE that wall, maybe I should have a plastic one better chance of survival ;)

Coffee a MUST in life !

Doing up your studio is a a fab way to start off a creative year and getting that yarn of yours to the US. I too need to get stuck in and at least tidy mine, now there's a start !

HAPPY NEW YEAR Ailsa !

Katriona Robertson said...

Happy New Year!

Italy is lovely in summer - and you'll still get that searing heat, especially in Tuscany! I want to do Spain in the summer too, spend forever & a day in Barcelona...

*sigh*

Love the Anthropologie wall everytime I walk past it. Did you see the building in Mayfair where it's all over the outside of the building?

Grandma Flea said...

There's also a wall garden in Melbourne - wish I could remember the name of the place - it's inside the shopping area leading to one of the city railway stations built around an old ? tower or something - so helpful!.

It's here:http://www.lushe.com.au/page/3/?s=melbourne

I have also seen in the Sydney Botanic gardens, down near the Palmhouse exhibition hall, a display of Bromeliads (love Broms) growing up an area under a tree - if my memory serves me etc they weren't just growing up the tree - anyway, good luck with it - it sounds like it will be fun.

I'm all travelled out I'm afraid - but I'm a lot older too. The last trip in 2009 when we were away too long and had a bag stolen in the final week just about finished me for o/s even though there are a lot of places I'd love to visit.

My next aim is to do a small boat excursion up the Kimberley coast in 2012 - something I've yearned to do for years but didn't because of the cost - another factor was Gpa Flea's proneness to seasickness, even when we snorkel, which we'll be able to do on the reefs up there too. I't will cost us, for 8 days, close to what we spent in 9 weeks o/s last time - but if I don't do it before I die, I'm going to come back and haunt whoever is holidaying on their inheritance!!

I hope the rest of 2011 is better for you.

Bells said...

oh that's so good. The bag of salad. That's the answer I've been looking for. Thank you for the best thing I've seen all day!

And really, who does want to broadcast their every thought on the blog? Not me, that's for sure!

Anonymous said...

I've been thinking a lot about the perfect camel coat as well. Its a tricky colour for blondes, but can be so fabulous if ou get it right.

Hope that the year improves for you! I'm in Paris, so its all right for me..

Yoga Knitdra said...

Revamping your creative space to inspire you sounds great, and I'm sure you'll make a lovely little nook for that fab coffee filter!

I too have killed a few succulents, over watering usually.

Unknown said...

Coffee is not my thing but that looks so hip/trendy.
Vertical gardens have been around for a while but now there are cheaper more enviro friendly options around.

ps. I have a new blog. www.whichwaydiditgo.blogspot.com