JANUARY - FIRST FRIDAY

Happy 2018!!  Welcome to the First Friday of the new year:)The cocktail this month, in the spirit of the New Year, is a Champagne Cocktail.  It is simply a sugar-rimmed champagne flute, dry champagne, a dash of bitters, splash of orange, and garnished with an orange twist.  

All through the holidays, my head was swimming with ideas and projects I wanted to do around the house.  But I decided to be in the moment and enjoy the holidays.  I got quiet on social media and slowed on making for the shop.  I feel refreshed and ready to tackle projects.  

In the spirit of the New Year, I thought I would take this First Friday to put some of mine and Josh's project goals, for the year, out there.  The feeling of excitement for the new year is something I have not felt the past couple years, and having project goals seemed overwhelming.  I started Honey Locust Home in the January 2015, and it seems it has always been hanging on by a thread, and a little all over the place.  Mostly because our life was transitioning during this time.  There was a brief moment when I did not feel this way, and then we moved again.  I have embraced change, and all that comes with it.  After all this moving and change I am finally feeling rooted.  There is again flow and familiarity to our days. You don't have this when you are new to an area and home.  The lack of familiarity and flow make it hard to make plans.  The past year has been going with the flow and tackling whatever was coming at us.  

So while I am not about resolutions, I am about goals.  There are so many project to tackle, but here is what we will focus on this year.

In the shop, I am looking forward to keeping it stocked,  as well as, introducing some new products.  My goal is to have a standard line always available that will include, Soap, Bath Bombs, Lotion Sticks, and Lip Butters.  The scents will be Fresh, Mermaid Magic, Lavender Mint, Patchouli Mint, Lavender Patchouli, Green Monster, Calendula Goat Milk, Mayan Gold, White Tea and Ginger,  Rosemary Litsea Cubeba, and Eucalyptus Lemongrass. There, of course, will be seasonal and different scents added throughout the year.  Are there any scents you would like to see in the shop?

I am also looking forward to adding new products.   Currently, I am planning to add natural deodorant, bubble bars, facial cleanser, beard oil, and body butter.  The plan is also to do a better job letting you guys know when I add products to the shop.  Are there any natural bath and body products you are looking for in your life?

Josh and I are somewhat ambitious about the projects we want to get done, around the house.  Up first will be pulling our den/dining room together.

Here are some before pics:

And here is an inspiration photo:

photo source: Found Vintage Rentals

I love the colors and feel in this picture, and really hope I can bring this look and feel to our den.

Next on the list is the soap room.  I am excited to have my own space to create and hope to finish it by March. The soap room is an interesting space to put together.  It will mostly be about function, and less about the decorating.  However, I need to give the decorating some attention. I will spend a lot of time in there and would like to love the space. I honestly don’t even know how to plan this space.  I have ideas, but I am having a hard time putting my ideas on paper. 

This project might need to unfold as we go, without a plan on paper.

Josh has already started working on building an aquaponics system.  Hopefully, it will be completed by the end of January.

Here is a before of the aquaponics area:

This will take us into spring where both Josh and I want to give a lot attention to the outside.  We are so ready to put in vegetable and soap gardens.  Josh is also planning on adding a couple of beehives.

I also want to make some cosmetic changes to the exterior of the house, shed, and chicken coop.

Here is the coop now:

 Before of the shed:

I hope you come back and see how these projects turn out.

There are also, so many, small projects I want to tackle around the house, here are a few; painting the master bedroom, painting the upstairs hallway, adding window treatments to the living room, adding flower boxes to the house.  The list goes on and on. .

Well now that I feel mostly excited and a little overwhelmed I will wrap it up.  Do you make plans for the new year? What are they?  Whatever they are I wish you all the best this year!!  

xo Mindy