~ 2016 Freebie Calendar ~

Following on from my last post about 2016 Calendars from Snapfish - today seemed like the perfect time to share my yearly freebie For the easily distracted... calendar download- hurray! Although a quick look at my blog archives is saying I didn't actually make one last year - I apologise for that - this year I am on the ball haha.

Like previous years, I've chosen my favourite photos from the last 12 months - and I actually had a lot more photos than I thought to chose from - it felt like it had been a slow photography year (its definitely been a slow blogging photos year) but I've actually taken quite a lot more photos than I realised, hurray.

As well as photos, I've also added some of my favourite photography quotes and I will admit, its those that make this so exciting to me. Sometimes I don't have the words to say how I feel about taking photos (just sometimes...) and the ones I've included really do sum up a lot of my own opinions better than I ever could.

I really love the final result so I hope that you do too - click on the following button to download your own copy.

Everything's the same. Everything's completely different.

One of our wedding photos taken by the extremely lovely and crazy talented Katherine Mager - and its taken on film (we had digital and film hurray) at an abbey ruin, with a real film light leak on our wedding day. Be still my heart... thank you Kat.

Before we got married, everyone told us that 'nothing changes... you're still the same people and life still goes on'. And now that we've been married a month I can see that its true. We're back at work, back to watching our tv shows and films in the evening and now we even have spare time - I'd totally forgotten what that was 1 month ago haha.

But what no one told me is that at the same time - everything is completely different. Sure there's the seemingly obvious things like wearing a wedding ring and changing your name (which someone should have warned me is the biggest faff ever)... but its the surprise times you notice - holding Thomas's hand and feeling the ring there or seeing it on the counter when he's washing up. Getting post that actually shows your new name and the slight bewilderment of seeing it on paper. Perhaps at some point I'll be so used to these things that I barely notice but I kind of hope not, I want to enjoy it all as much as I can.

After the wedding, Thomas asked me how I was and how I felt and I replied

"I feel like I've gained something I didn't even realise I was missing." 

And that's the best way I can describe it - everything is the same but everything feels different, I feel different, we feel different. I still can't really believe its happened but I like it and now I can't imagine life without that feeling.

30 AFTER 30

Today is my 30th birthday! Happy birthday me! :)

(Photo from last night rounding off my twenties with cocktails! So much fun!)

(Photo from last night rounding off my twenties with cocktails! So much fun!)

I always see those 30 before 30 posts around but if there is one thing I've learnt in my last 29 years its that I'm not disciplined or organised for before lists hahaha. I always admire people who look like they have their sh*t together though . So I decided to write an 'after' 30 list... in the pretence that one day I might get my sh*t together too haha. Though I guess its really more of a bucket list.

Here goes:

  1. Go on the longest zipline in the UK. I don't know anyone who would go with me but its definitely number 1 on the list ha. And why not bump it up to the longest zip lines in the world - amazing!!

  2. Visit the Grand Canyon. Not a small goal I know, but as its a bucket list, I might as well go big or go home!

  3. Do something radical with my hair - I have no idea what - maybe a pixie cut or rainbow hair dye haha, but something a bit different that's really not playing it safe. I'll probably hate it. Update: I cut it short, I love it.

  4. Donate my hair. Now that I don't dye my hair this is something I've been thinking about doing and if I grow it really long and cut it short - thats pretty radical right ;)

  5. Figure out my personal style. My Dad bought a book for himself on Gentleman's style last year and although I giggled a bit, I actually thought it was great that he wanted to present himself how he wants. I've put together secret boards on Pinterest of clothes I like on other people, but when I look at them and think "would I actually wear that?" the answer is usually no. Any tips for short, hourglass shapes who likes layers and not showing much flesh would be very much appreciated!

  6. Look at the stars in Northumberland at Dark Skies Park. I love stars.

  7. Oh thinking about it - I need to see the stars in the Southern Hemisphere somewhere too! I'll look the best place for that one up!

  8. Road trip around the UK. The more I travel around the UK the more I realise I haven't seen much of it at all. I suppose I need to learn to drive first...

  9. Learn to drive :)

    In fact there's so much I want to learn, so here's a quick list of things to learn:

  10. Learn how to make croissants (who doesn't love pastry?)

  11. Learn how to make a really good sauce.

  12. Learn how to sing (our neighbours are going to love me singing in the shower even more!)

  13. Learn how to knit (I'm on with this one but I'm excited about it!) Update: Still not as great as I would like but I’m made quite a few things now.

  14. Learn how to sew and actually use my sewing machine.

  15. Learn to play an instrument - but what instrument?

  16. Do 3 random courses on Coursera and learn about things I don't know about. Update: I did a degree and a diploma on Lighting and Building Services, so this one is being crossed off!

  17. Get a tattoo. Another thing I never expected to want to do - especially after one of my aunts freaked me out by trying to convince me to get one on my boob when I was a teenager ha. But one day, I think it will be the right time and for the right reason. I'm quite taken with constellation tattoos at the moment - I do love stars.

  18. #yogaeverydamnday - I would love to be one of those people who does yoga everyday - but seriously - where do people find the time? I know... you make the time... but where?! I'll figure it out at some point. I'm determined.

  19. Start and complete a photography project. I always have ideas of things but I never find one that really sticks. I'll keep thinking over this one. Update: I did a 366 project in 2016 and thinking of doing more every leap year!

  20. Go all out at the Edinburgh Fringe. See as many things as we can, eat in the nicest places, stay at a lovely hotel.... like I said before. Go big or go home ha.

  21. Watch a thunderstorm in Italy. I'm one of those weird people who loves storms and the UK is pretty rubbish for them, so to see a spectacular one in another country would be amazing. I wouldn't go as far as chasing storms though don't worry.

  22. Volunteer for The Dog's Trust (or any dogs home really - maybe even foster some dogs?).

  23. Walk the Three Peaks. And do more walking challenges. Getting my Fitbit was one of the best decisions I ever made and I know now that I really love walking. I would also love a walking holiday around the Lake District.

  24. Eat at at least ten places featured on Diners, Drives Ins and Dives or You Gotta Eat Here. Oh boy it all looks so good! These TV shows are so dangerous ha.

  25. Make my own clothes - either by sewing, crochet or knitting - hopefully even all three!

  26. Successfully plant and manage a garden (when we finally buy a house). I'd love to have a lovely garden that I've created and can maintain.

  27. Go away for a weekend on my own - Thomas isn't going to like this one ha. But since dealing with depression and recovering from it slowly every day, I realise how much I want to have time to myself, to heal, to grow, to like spending time with myself and I'd love to be brave enough to just do it and enjoy it.

  28. Do something completely random that no one would expect and love it. I know this is a bit vague but I always feel like I play life so safe, I want to so something new and say yes to an experience that I never thought I'd have - I think I'll wait to say yes to it rather than decide on what exactly that is. Hear that Universe - I'm ready when you are. Update: Got completely into Tarot. Didn’t expect it, absolutely love it. I’m totally open to more new experiences though Universe :D

  29. Try a vegan diet for a month. Update: Tried it but after cutting out gluten as well, it made me feel quite ill. I’m sad about that, but gluten free vegan is crazy hard, not suited to me and impractical for me too unfortunately.

  30. And finally, anyone who knows this won't be surprised... get a puppy. Or ten. Part of me is still heartbroken that I don't have one at 30 - I thought it would be the one thing I'd definitely do by this age but as Thomas keeps reminding me 'one day' and one day its going to be amazing!

What do you think? Have I missed anything that particularly screams "do this in my 30's" ? I'm pretty excited about it on the whole - I hope I actually do get my sh*z together and actually do them too :)