You open them up and they aren’t very nice inside.  It’s all them seeds and stuff. *shudder*

Frosty Sunrise by me'nthedogs'

A little late I know, but it is still the new year really ;o)

I’m hoping to make 2010 the year everything falls into place – or at the very least have a few more things the way I want them.  Although 2009 was a bit of a pig for me on the whole and the end was an absolute nightmare, it lead to me being where I want to be and where I want to be heading with my life I am not quite there yet.  So, there are a few resolutions I have made:

Eat properly, be healthy and get fit

I know, this is pretty much everyone’s New Year’s resolution, right?  Probably because it’s a pretty important thing!  I was pretty fit and healthy about 18 months or so ago, but when I get stressed, which I have had my fair share of over the past couple of years, I eat crap and don’t exercise, usually something to do with no time.  I lost a chunk of weight last year but had to stop the weight loss plan I was following for health reasons.  So, I’m going to get eating properly, lose the rest of the weight and start doing a lot more exercise.

My boyfriend Zac and I have been planning on growing our own veggies, which I am looking forward to, it’ll definitley give me some exercise, and hopefully at the end of it some healthy food too!

I also plan on selling my car, I barely need it any more, and can’t justify the cost.  Living in Bath, it’s goign to be pretty easy for me to get about by bike or on foot, and me and Zac plan on getting one car between us which I can make use of when I need to travel further.

Build Up My Business

I have lots of plans for Minerva Jewellery this year, which I’m really excited about.  My website is nearly finished, and I’ll hopefully be launching in the next couple of weeks.  I’m also going to start offering Web Development, Design and Product Photography services.  There’s an awful lot to do to make all this happen especially since I am working full-time as well, but everything’s set in place for me to be able to do it, and I am looking forward to the challenge!

Keep in Touch

Over the past few years I have become notoriously bad at staying in touch with family and friends, remembering birthdays, etc.  I put most of it down to stress and illness, but I don’t want it to continue!

Meet New People

I’ve plenty of friends, but they all seem to be pretty geographically scattered.  Probalay comes from having lived in five different towns and cities since I was eighteen!  I’d love to get to know people locally and have more friends close by.  Not quite sure where I am going to find all these people just yet, but I’m going to make an affort to get to know them when I do find them!

It’ll be interesting too see how much of this I have achieved come January 2011!

But lots has been happening!  A trip to France, a trip to Holland and a trip to Cornwall has kept me busy mostly.  I really don’t normally get to travel very often at all, but seem to have been making up for lost time this past couple of months!

I’ve also started a new job.  I was planning on looking into freelance and contract work, but was lucky enough to find a Web Developer role, working from home, with flexibility over working hours.  Being able to do this was exactly why I wanted to go freelance in the first place, so a permanent role that allows me to do that seems like a pretty good deal to me!  At the moment I am on a 10 week trial, so I just have to keep my fingers crossed that they are happy with this set up and they keep me!

I have also been working on some jewellery of course, and I am hoping to have some new pieces to show very soon, they’re just not quite ready yet.

Just to add to the big decisions, because one at a time is quite clearly not enough, I decided to quit my job and handed my notice in on Tuesday.  I have been growing increasingly unhappy at work and decided it was way past time I left.  Plus the fact that I really need more time to devote to my Jewellery, it seemed like the right, if a little scary thing to do.  I have always wanted to work for myself more, and I plan on doing freelance and contract web development work alongside working on my Jewellery – I can’t wait!

So here’s my first Lava based offering – Lava and Sterling Silver pendants, both available in my Etsy Store.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=62852

I’ve been tortoise-sitting for my boyfriend this past week, while he has been on a course in London – she’s free roaming on my decking.  We wondered how the cats and her would get on and it turns out pretty well.  They’re a little curious of each other but not really all that bothered!

Here are a couple of sale items alreay listed, keep checking my store though, there are plenty more to come.

So, for starters here’s some freshly made earrings, ordered by a friend for a birthday gift: