100 Things I Loved In 2024

1. Subscribing to Austin Kleon’s substack (where I nicked this idea for 100 things)
2. Throwing my hat into the ring.  This time last year I’d applied for the Great British Bake Off (deadline 2nd Jan) and already had an initial interview (3rd Jan)... I then waited and waited, but no further call came.  I really loved that I tried, though, and that’s the thing I’m celebrating.
3. Traitors season 2.  (Already completely obsessed with season 3 in 2025)
4. Getting up at dawn to write on the warm balcony in Crete
5. The Royal Academy Summer Show.  By far my favourite exhibition and 2024’s offering did not disappoint.
6. Making an active choice not to be silent in certain situations where I have chosen silence in the past and it’s done a bit of damage to me.
7. Starting the year reconnecting with my January yoga whatsapp group - always so useful at the dark and trickiest time of the year.
8. Seeing Macbeth at the Donmar with Ben
9. The cover doesn’t suggest this is a marvellous book, but I really, really loved The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page.  A subtle, enchanting story, with charm and razor sharp observations of how people are.
10. Yoga.  All of it.  Absolutely love it and I’m chuffed to report I went to, on average, 4 classes a week this year.
11. Seeing Ollie sing live in public for the first time.  So good!
12. Eventually sorting my health out after a bumpy (mostly perimenopause related) start to the year.  Listening to your body carefully is perhaps the most important skill of all.
13. On the same vein, a big shout out to HRT.  The calming effect is truly fabulous.
14.  Mediations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman.  One of those reads where I wanted to highlight every page.
15. My fabulous clients that inspire, surprise and delight me.  What a privilege it is to do what I do.
16. Scuba diving again after a 19 year hiatus.
17. The scuba dive master handing me 3 litres of his homemade olive oil to take back home with me.
18. Nailing a new pavlova variation - ginger and pomegranate.  Soooo good.
19. Going to London with mum for my lovely cousin’s 60th birthday.  A fab night of dancing, roulette, family reconnections and an espresso martini ice sculpture!
20. My tastebuds deciding that booze tastes awful and having booze free (and more importantly hangover free) good times.
21. Launching Storytelling for Small Business and working with the loveliest group on it.  The live workshops are coming back in the Spring!
22. Briefly appearing in the My Alopecia and Me documentary on the BBC iPlayer.
23. Rediscovering how much creative collaborations feed my inspiration, energy and soul.  More of these please!
24. Spending much of the year reading books about maps in preparation for The Cartographer’s Compass.  Loved every minute!
25. Drafting a book proposal and working with a wonderful illustrator, Tara.  I’m not sure I ever believed I’d manage to even draft a proposal, such is the resistance, but it’s now in the world and will be sent out in 2025!
26. Killer sudokus.  Blooming love ‘em.
27.  Kaos on netflix.  I’m gutted they’re not making a second season.  I just loved this.
28. Going on a solo business development retreat to a wee airbnb in Culross.
29. Doing a few escape rooms in Glasgow.  I do love a treasure hunt!
30. Celebrating with Ben who got some exceptional exam results.
31. Being an expert of planning on the Ideal Home website.
32. Seeing Haddo House run the family experiences that I designed with James Johnson in 2023.  Lovely to see hard work live on.
33. Speaking with my mentor, Karen, on stage at the Digitial Boost bootcamp.
    
34.  Big Bear Bakery in Battlefield, Glasgow.  Not going to lie, this one is pretty much an obsession.  Their sourdough bread and cardamon monkey buns are the best you can get!
35. Going on a road trip with the boys to Argyll in the autumn.  I think my heart belongs there, such is the pull.
36. Seeing numbers grow again at Beadwildered.  This is a bi-monthly beadwork group in Glasgow I’ve been involved with since 2005.  The group took a real numbers hit with the pandemic, so it’s lovely to see it bounce back finally.
37. Hanging out with the lovely team at CHARTS on various bits of consultancy I did for them across the year.  It was particularly nice to get invited to the Christmas lunch.  
38. One of those bits of work involved a flight, in January, to Campbeltown.  Slightly travel sick but the views were worth it.
39. A visit to the new Margo restaurant in Glasgow City Centre.  I’ve always been a fan of the Ox and Finch, so when they open a new place, I’m there!
40. Geometric knitted dresses from Sugarhill Brighton (you’ll also find a lot of my jumpers are from there too!)
41. I’ve been a director of Albatross Arts CIC for a few years.  This year they pivoted and it’s working brilliantly.  I’m delighted to play a small part in that!
42. Posting my daily wordle score in a secret wordle facebook group.  It gives me a lot of pleasure!
43. Bursting with pride at Ben producing and starring in Present Laughter by Noel Coward, with his pals.
44. Although it’s something I’ve stopped doing, I really loved running the live Story Quarter workshops.  They might come back in some form at some point, but until then, you can download the planner for free at the link above.
45. I love facilitating strategy days and training for arts and heritage organisations.  In 2024 I started the year with a board development for Aberdeen Arts Centre, and finished with one for the Northumberland Archive Charitable Trust.  
46. Hearing the news that a previous client secured the book deal we were aiming for in our sessions.
47. New beanie hats in different colours.  Purchased from far and wide… you can’t have too many beanies!
48. Doing an illustration course which was inspiring, fun and also confirmed that I don’t want to be an illustrator (which is an excellent realisation and a good investment in itself).
49. Beyonce’s new album, Cowboy Carter.
50. Coming back from Summer holidays with a distinct increase in OOMPH!
51. In February I was invited on to BBC Radio Berkshire to talk about why New Year’s Resolutions fail.
52. Expanding my earring collection with new ones from Kam Creates, Jack and Freda and loads of other places.
53. Finally finding a new cleaner.
54. Also finding a lovely occasional gardener.
55. Finishing a big beadwork project which, at times, felt impossible.  But my beaded Yellow Submarine with 11 hidden references to other Beatles songs actually exists in the world now.
56. Winning the Founders Award (best in show) for the aforementioned Yellow Sub at the Beadworkers Guild.
57. Following on the same theme, I’m also proud to have become a trustee of the Beadworkers Guild.  It’s a privilege to be able to contribute towards the survival and celebration of a craft I love dearly.
58. Collaborating with Gillian Park on a creative development day in quite possibly, the most gorgeous venue I’ve ever facilitated in - the library at Dumfries House
59. Attending Creative Mornings Glasgow whenever I can.  Hands down the best networking events ever!
60. Setting myself the goal of 100 days of content about oomph and actually (pretty much) achieving it!
61. Forming a small but beautiful book group with pals.
62. Perfecting my cinnamon bun making.
63. Wild swimming in Charles Jenks’ artwork at Jupiter Artland followed by an excellent lunch!
64. Finally getting an air fryer, adding an air of playfulness to the kitchen.  Love a new gadget!
65.  Gone Fishing with Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse
66. Ted, the dog from Gone Fishing has written a “Pawtobiography” which I got for Christmas.  Ted’s overbite just makes him the funniest wee dog.
67. Launching Coaching With Sarah as a subscription service in January and see it go from strength to strength through the year.
68. Another one where I applied for something and didn’t get it.  This time it was to be chair of Creative Lives.  Felt the right fit to apply for and got lovely feedback from the interview so a process well worth doing.  
69.  Gogglebox. Obvs.
70. Going to a client’s exhibition opening and seeing the delightful red dots below her paintings.
71. Playing yahtzee with the boys.
72. Finding out that I’m going to be in a book called the Uncertainty Experts which will be out in the summer.  Exciting!
73. Painting my front and side doors a lovely shade of teal.
74. Discovering the books of Janice Hallet - Twyford Code being my favourite so far.
75. Travelling to Manchester to support Albatross Arts deliver a bit of creative team building chaos at a construction company conference!
76.  The Assembly with Michael Sheen.  One of the most heartwarming and lovely bits of telly I think I’ve ever seen.
77. Watching my wisteria grow.  A rare plant that is thriving in my garden.  Hoping to change that in 2025, but for now, let’s celebrate the wisteria!
78. Starting a new big beadwork project for the Great British Bead Show’s challenge in May.
79. My mum’s delight and tears when Ollie played Yesterday for her.
80. Going in the sea and in a sauna, alternately on a Sunday morning with pals.  
81. Discovering new puzzles.  My newest loves are Queens on Linkedin and Susie Dent’s Two Words.
82. Making pistachio and raspberry cake.  Not the cheapest of cakes to make, but so, so good.
83. Getting time, on holiday, to read loads.  My favourite was Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson.
84. Joining Nick Thorpe’s Second Wind course where we are navigating our way (or maybe that should be intentionally drifting our way) through midlife.
85.  Black Doves on netflix.
86. Investing in some bone conductor headphones so I can listen to books whilst swimming.  Still not entirely smooth as a process, but when it works it’s fab.
87. Having a house-full in the summer with all the family here.
88. Popping into the Keith Haring exhibition at the Modern Institute with Ben.
89. Taking Ollie to see noahfinnce - I’d taken Ben a few years ago to see him and this time was just as lovely.  A room full of young people society would be quick to label misfits.  One of the most welcoming and safe groups of people I’ve ever been in an audience with.
90. Relaunching the Marvellous Online Course Course, extending it to lifetime access and inviting all cohorts back to the lives.  Radical generosity is wonderful in business.
91. Packing up the kits for both a live and an online version of The Imperfectionist.
92. Dipping my knife into a new jar of marmite.
93. Buying a billowy, marshmallowy new duvet from M&S.  Best investment I’ve made this year.  Good bye cold feet!
94. Visiting Tebay services (southbound).  We’ve done it so much it feels like a family tradition.  Such a familiar place where we can get some food with a nice view and scoff at the prices in the farm shop.  Idyllic!  
95. When we’re heading northbound on the M6 and have timed it right, we stop at Rheged.  Same company as Tebay and with an art gallery and arty gift shop, I’d say it was even better!
96. Reaching December when Panettone season officially begins!  I could eat a big one in a single sitting if I put my mind to it.  Glorious!
97. Going crazy with some gold feathers and a glue gun to make a christmas wreath.  So much fun!
98. The delighted, warm feeling when my kids open their christmas presents and I know that I’ve nailed it this year (which definitely doesn’t happen every year!)
99. Playing crib with Ollie on New Year’s Eve

    100. Ending the year bringing The Cartographer’s Compass into the world and having some fab people sign up to it.  Bring it on!