I’m being deadly serious. I’ve been trying to learn the words to Royals for ages, ever since Jason started singing it non-stop and teasing me for my inability to learn the words to songs.

And yep, I know what you’re thinking. I’m shooting for the stars these days, and that’s a fact.

** After last week’s resolution, we spent about six hours (six!) yesterday shooting a little film over at my Mum’s. And just as soon as I find a way to recover iMovie from my broken hard drive, I’ll be editing that sucker and attempting to make it look half as swish as the imagined version currently running in my head does. So maybe that’s my more…productive…resolution for the week? **

This week I’m going to work harder at bringing *all* my ideas to fruition, no matter how daunting a project may seem.

I’ve been having all sorts of ideas for short films I’d like to put together just recently, but a number of things, including my failing laptop, the time it takes to put together film projects in comparison with photographic ones, troublesome winter daylight hours, and a fear of venturing into new creative territory have all combined to scare me off jumping in feet first and getting started. But this week I’m going to start looking into getting a new laptop and perhaps pop to the library (old school) to see if there’re any great books about film editing techniques, and then start to put together some little film projects. My worries about ‘Not Wasting Valuable Working Time’, and ‘Creating Substandard Work’ are going to be pushed aside, and I’m going to challenge myself to be more creative and courageous.

Yep. I’m excited for this one :)

p.s. Photo entirely unrelated. I just do so love those beautiful Autumnal squashes.

Image found via Pinterest, originally from Stylesight.

One of my new year’s resolutions was to wear more yellow, but now it’s winter I think I might just put yellow on a temporary hiatus and replace it with red. I want to wear red lipstick, red nail varnish, and that red jumper that’s been lingering in the back of my wardrobe since last year because it’s just so darn hard to style. Not all together mind you, or I’d run the risk of looking like Mrs Claus.

My red obsession was triggered when I found this gorgeous image (^^^) on Pinterest a week or so ago. I love how pared down the rest of the model’s makeup is, so that the focus is entirely on her beautiful red nails and lipstick. I *never* wear red nail varnish (child-sized nails and grown up colours don’t marry well) but now’s the time to try, I think.

What’s your resolution for the week ahead? :)

Image by Lana Elizabeth.

When macaroons first become a ‘thing’ a few years ago, I told myself I’d never, *ever* have a go at baking them. I’d discovered them on David Lebovitz’ blog (one of the first blogs I ever fell in love with!), and balked when I read all about the debate between freshly ground vs. store-bought almond meal, the moment at which an egg white can be considered old enough to be turned into a macaroon, and the need to rest them for hours in order to achieve glossy tops and that illusive macaroon ‘foot’.

I guess I just kind of made a rule in my head that they were the type of thing that only actual ‘proper’ bakers should attempt, along with Genoese sponge, and filo pastry, and brandy snaps, and croissants. But watching contestants on the Great British Bake Off whip them up as a mere trifle-top accessory makes me think that perhaps they aren’t as devilishly hard to make as I’d thought.

So this week, I’m going to dip my toe into the delicate, rose-water scented world of macaroon baking for the first time. These raspberry and white chocolate ganache macaroons sound wonderful, and the recipe doesn’t seem *too* tricky.  How beautiful do they look?

So, wish me luck! If any of you are macaroon aficionados, feel free to leave me a top tip in the comments below…or at least let me know where I can go to buy some lovely ones when mine inevitably explode.

Are you starting this week with a resolution or challenge of your own? :)

p.s. Macaroon, or macaron? I never know.