7 things for 7 days

I recently saw a post by missdanielle.com about mini-goals she's set for herself. The idea of 7 things for 7 days was originally posted by Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter and I thought I'd join in with my own goals :) My 7 things for next week:

1. Keeping fit

I'm aiming to do one type of exercise every day. I like to jog but I also want to add more weight training for toning. I love Pilates but haven't done it in a while so I hope to do at least one session next week.

2. Taking care of my skin and hair

We've been getting a lot of chocolate gifts and sharing them in the house lately. It hasn't been great for my skin! I'm booking a facial or will do my own face mask at home :) I also just cut my hair this week so need to keep it conditioned.

3. Choco-detox

Not to eat any more of the chocolate in the fridge! And to take a multivitamin every day.

4. Read my Spanish

To spend more time this week studying and practicing my Spanish.

5. Get in touch

To message an old friend I haven't contacted in a while.

6. Organize my beauty products

I want to give away anything I don't use regularly or put it up for swap. I love those big clear beauty trunks for organizing makeup, I'll try to find one of those too.

7. Look at further degree courses  

My last thing to do is probably the most important right now. I've graduated from uni but I'm considering doing a further course. It's quite daunting just thinking about studying again after a few years of work, but I'll check all the different courses that are available and make a short list of the ones I might go for.

For the original 7 things post you can visit Louise's blog here...

 

Have you set any goals for yourself recently?
Or if you've also done a 7 things post please leave your link here and I'd love to check it out :)

Five easy ways to freshen up your home

We've decided to give our decor a bit of a change. I really want a fresh new look but without any large projects or big expenses. Here are some quick and easy things we plan to do for an "instant lift". Maybe you can try them in your house as well: 

1. Change your wall colour

Painting a wall is one of the most simple and inexpensive ways to create a dramatic change to a space. It could be a shade you've never tried before or just a favourite colour you love to surround yourself with. My living room was painted a green tea shade a few years ago but we would like to change it back to white, to give a more light and airy feeling. The white we've chosen has an underlying pink tone which provides warmth. For a cooler shade, choose a white with blue undertones.

2. Decorate with plants or fresh flowers

A new house plant or placing flowers around the house is such an easy thing to do and can really add colour and life to your home. Try picking out an accent colour that is already in the room, for example a vase of lovely pink tulips if you have pink throw cushions. For the living room we're repainting to white, I think a light green arrangement with touches of white blossom will look really pretty.

3. Put down a cozy rug

If you have hard flooring like mine, a cozy rug is so nice for adding warmth and a homely feeling. Once the painting is done we'll put out some very old but beautiful handwoven rugs we have. It takes a lot of cleaning but it's definitely worth it. If you have allergies I suggest ruling out any shag type carpets and stick instead to those with tightly woven strands where dust, pollen and other allergens have less room to hide.

4. Switch up your art

Change the placement of any wall paintings or frames on tabletops. Just like changing around your furniture, it can give a whole new look to your room. You could even add something new and personal, like a photo you took recently with a loved one or a quote you want to remember.

5. Group accessories

I like to group decorative pieces, like candles or ornaments, in groups of 3s, 5s or 7s. This always seems to feel more complete as an arrangement. Recently I was given a gorgeous scented candle made with soy wax and a natural wood wick, I love how it crackles when it burns and fills the room with a rich comforting scent. For fragrance, I also like to use essential oils - lavender, bergamot and lemongrass are perfect for creating a relaxing atmosphere :)

Three Simple Salads

Three delicious and simple salads for the week ahead...
1. Mix watercress with chopped smoked salmon, avocado, red onion and capers. Make a vinaigrette with 
olive oil, sherry vinegar and mustard powder.
2. Mix cooked couscous or quinoa with orange zest and juice, olive oil, maybe honey, sliced oranges, raisins 
or dried cranberries, chopped red onion and chopped almonds. Serve over greens, or not.
3. Slice fresh tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. Layer with basil leaves, dress with olive oil, salt and black pepper.

(c) picture by sweetfigtree via 1,2
see nytimes for loads more quick salad recipes