Daily: Reflect on at least 5 things for which I'm grateful (Happiness Manifesto #2)

I had the mintest date in the world. I know it’s silly that I saw the boy three days ago, but a few days of me being little miss grumpy pants all on my own made our time together totally brilliant! YAY! One thing I like about not living with a boy, I get to be grumpy in my own self eating chocolate, watching crap on telly and not have to take it out on him. It’s a winner!

I’m also grateful for afternoon naps, my two favourite craft magazines which I’m about to cosy up along with a hot chocolate to and Lush productarama!

I am going out with the perfect boy. Is it because he bought me excellent presents? Ummm maybe a smidge! Tickets to see Chicago, an old fashioned victorian sewing box, a handmade owl (it’s my new obsession) printed mirror and Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume are four very tiny reasons why he’s amazing. If he’s really good, I might even tell him so.

So today is the end and before a new one begins I wanted to reflect on all of the positive things that have happened in the past year. Here is my top ten:

I quit my nine to fiver seriously demeaning and insanely dull job in favour of a fun one which allowed me to make more art.

I moved to my 41st house which was a big change. I stepped out of my secret little bubble and into a new way of living and discovered that settling down is not on my agenda, at least not just yet.

I had my first proper exhibition with two other ‘real’ artists.

I discovered old friendships in The Cumberland Arms (a dad sort of pub)

I won a trip to Korea (Thanks again Lucy) my spiritual home.

I launched a rather successful new look Cluny Gallery and was awarded a grant to run a Pilot scheme

I found a job that I really really love. A job where I get to do fun stuff and make a difference. A job where I get to learn how to weave willow and make christmas dinner for 100 homeless people.

I had some pretty horrendous dates, some not so horrendous dates and met an idiot who broke my heart for like a whole day but then I found a keeper and kicked myself for not realising it all sooner, then I laughed at myself for being typically me.

I helped to make my relationship with my family stronger

I’m spending Old Years Night with some of my closest friends at home where it’s warm and where slippers can be worn with ballgowns and bedtime is only a small walk upstairs.

Merry Old Years Night folks

Agent 99 for coming to visit, yay yay yayyy.

For the start date for my new job, It becomes more real every waking moment

Boys boys boys, too many, yet not enough

Managers going into meetings allowing me to think about my list of grateful things

Poetry, I’m getting excited about poems again, I nearly wrote one last night… baby steps baby steps

A phonecall from my best buddy

Getting paid to help with an artists project at The Great North Run on Sunday

My new job being in the arts!

My quiff that I am sporting… more hairspray, more mousse

kitty cuddles

Jewellery made out of paper, ooh I wanna go.

Getting a fantastic new arts related job, my approach and outlook on my career has never been so good

My manager for bringing in a huge cheeseboard from her meeting this morning. Now I want to indulge in a cheese and cracker evening

Mark for getting me all excited about the Art Fayre on Saturday when I was feeling drained and lost all hope to the point I was considering dropping out.

The stationery cupboard

Being in my flat and the prospects of lone living being a reality now I have a job that allows me to afford it

Huge huge world maps that work has let me have, oh the books so many books.

Secretly folding bits of paper at work when I should be sorting out the cupboard of leaflets

The thought of a yummy pasta dish Absnasm posted about earlier

The Knitting and Stitching show and the fact Lucyann is coming with me… crafty crafty goodness

Pretty boys and kissing

Cheese.. did I mention the cheese?

lovely weekend, doing very little. Firstly going to an art opening and being told by my old tutor, an acclaimed artist of a glowing reference he gave me for a job I didn’t get, I later told him I’ll probably be putting him down for several more references. Then drinking with some new friends who are running a gallery and finding out they know loads of my other friends and then being invited to a barbeque, which unfortunately I can’t make

Sorting out my flat and more specifically making plans for my soon to be studio

Going to Ikea and falling in love with this

Finding a place for Lucyann on the business mentoring course so we can set up our business a lot sooner than we originally planned

more cups of tea and ginger biscuits

Finding £20 in my jeans pocket that I had totally forgotten about

Being able to get up earlier for work, so that I can leave earlier

and a long weekend ahead, what more could you ask for?

My contract at my temp job is being renewed so I can stay here until March next year…brilliant

Sorted out what I’m going to do for the exhibition with measurements noted and everything, I also have a checklist.

Possibility of getting some volunteers for the exhibition

Lucyann for her new found love of knitting and making. I told you crafting is fun

The long weekend ahead filled with friends and creativity and art and sunshine grub

lie ins on saturday and sunday AAAAND Monday!

Pink painkillers

Going to see art tonight at an opening with wine and friends

my plastic necklace that looks like sweeties

sweeties and chocolate cake

being bought a salmon lunch yesterday by my manager who I heart!

the pond outside where I work, a real pond with overgrown seaplants and lillies blossoming proudly

eating lunch in the summer sun

living on my own

feeling quite negative lately so I must stop that right this instant. Life is good and it’s sunny outside, and I’m wearing my favourite sixties tunic dress, life is good.

Spent all last night with a night off bookbinding and application filling and had some yummy salmon and brown rice and vegetables followed by some digestive biscuits, my gawd how nice are digestive biscuits with tea?

Watching 6 episodes of Sex in the City back to back thinking about all the positive things about being single and living an independant carefree lifestyle

A long soak in a hot bath with smelly goodness from Lush

Reading craft and interiors magazines in bed thinking about how to transform my flat

An exciting new project involving papermaking and faerietales

Designing in my head a wall installation for my living room

Rediscovering old cds I haven’t listened to in years: yesterday Belle and Sebastian, this morning: Badly drawn Boy

The exciting things that are coming from an exhibition I’m in next month

cups of tea

Having a fun filled weekend, dancing like a loon at a rock club even though I lost my keys and had to get a taxi back to the place I had just left to find my flatmate

A craft filled day selling books and Lucyanns Brooches and then drinking in the sun with friends

A lovely meal at Wagamamas with Lucyann and the chocolate fudge cake afterwards

Cups of tea first thing in the morning

Working at my new job with some lovely people

Flirting with my new crush

Sorting out my exhibition and workshop which I am sooo excited about

Getting some resources for my workshop at my current job

Being lent a snazzy new mp3 player so I can discover the wonders of podcasts and learning Korean

Planning another meal at Wagamamas… this time involving Sake with Absnasm and Lucyann2 again

Making my first ever sale

Setting up the business here

Mananging to drag myself out of bed at 9.18am exactly after a night of drinking free booze.

The nearly finished books

A lovely weekend which will involve bands, drinking, selling (hopefully) and catching up with an old friend

early morning saturday shopping before the crowds set in.

my cat for being the crazy feline she is baffling at her newfound taste for eating elastic bands and dipping her paw in PVA glue, then getting stuck to the couch.

My new hair

How quick it is to dry my new hair

My friend Gisabella for being optimistic, beautiful and funny

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