How to make it on your own.

So the last few weeks, I have been feeling a little lost I probably should re word that to felt lost after my break up  I kinda stopped working and I just felt all kinds of crap. We've all been there, it's never nice to be treated badly by someone else and have to be left to pick up the pieces, but it's always a bit of a blessing in disguise. I neglected my blog, social media, emails (damn hackers!) and my business because you know what, I felt like I had nothing of value to share I didn't want to be seen, I felt some how like I had failed. (I have had a few nasty tweets from people for not being present on social media but the lovely comments have way out weighed this so thank you) These feelings are probably all pretty natural feelings. It has taken a lot out of me, but I am finally excited to be getting stuck into things again and making exciting plans with some wonderful people and you know what I am a completely different person for it and lets all take a moment to thank my amazing Mother.

Things aren't meant to be easy, so I've  been told I guess if they were we wouldn't appreciate the good times and the nice people we surround ourselves with. Currently right now things are great which is such a contrast to how I felt a mere month ago. I'm happy and genuinely glad it happened.

I read an Article in Oh Comely Magazine Issue twenty four lost and found that summed up a lot of my thoughts, the instant I read it everything was clear and I know longer cared or was upset, strange. Also it was odd that one of my University friends had illustrated the Issue check out Harriet lee-merrion's work It was an article written by e k haralambous - finding words for happiness, here is an extract...

"The hardest thing in this world is to accept loss. It is painful to go along with something you wish wasn't happening. To be grown-up and say "I'll find another house" instead of never letting go and crying. "Ow, there is a hole in my life where my home use to be," to anybody who will listen. You bargain for all things, you would give anything for things to be different. You say. "God, I'll try harder. God, I'll be different." That's understandable, but it's disregarding the only thing that bring closure: agreeing, admitting, acceptance"

Acceptance is about understanding that a house is just bricks and mortar, the same way a heart is muscle and blood. You can't fashion a heart out of cement. You can't put the house within you, deep into your chest, hard as you try. Acceptance is having  the strength to give up bargaining things, especially what you don't have, for what you've lost. While this doesn't make you happy, there is solace in the certainty of such clarity. And solace, as you know, is the close cousin of lady Joy"

Talking of Joy it's nice to find joy in my drawing again and planning lots of fun projects with wonderful people. I also stumbled across a little something on my dining table courtesy of the borther Huck's publication of How to make it on your own, a little Zine of inspiring people out there running their own company doing their own thing pretty inspiring and has given me a few light bulb moments and ways I want to branch out the studio.

So if you are feeling lost, down, broken hearted, try and make positive steps so that everyday is a little bit better then the last. And here is How to make it on your own when you feel down with some simple things to do :

- Learn to be alone
- Don't blame yourself
- Set goals

- Believe and trust your gut

- If someone say your beautiful take the Damn compliment! haha

- Don't dwell on things, probably not going to achieve anything

- Don't take crap

- Its a temporary fix 

- Know your worth

- Always listen to music that makes you feel bad ass.

- Start something new, gym, a new project anything that keeps your mind focused

- If Someone asks you to go out,  be it shopping, a drink, a date do it!

- Get outside

- Appreciate what you have 

- Surround yourself with good people, if there aren't many about find an animal.

- Eat good food. 

 I thought I'd openly share how I felt just in case you are also feeling a little low too.Words can help even in the hardest of times. So go out there and make it happen because at the end of the day no one else is going to pick you up and do it for you.

p.s. Thanks Dolce Gusto for the coffee.

Ella Masters Studio Summer Sale

I have decided to have a wee Half price Summer sale all items are half price and I will be adding the new San Francisco print tonight too! Also this month 10% off all items sold will be going to my Race For life campaign. You can Shop at Ella Masters Studio here, every order comes with a free gift.

Race for life Diary PT 3 - my workout playlist and progress

It's certainly been a while since my last Race for life update* - you can sponsor me here , 10% of all orders for the next month are also going towards Race for life, why don't you sign up? but in that time I have officially join my local gym and have been trying my hardest to go everyday, running between 3k - 8k a day which alongside eating healthier  has resulted in a stone weightloss, yippie, but less hip width means its not so great when you're running on the tread mill and you have to tug your trousers back up the whole time, should probably go shopping for some new ones are some point. Training has been great for gaining my confidence running, I'm not a natural runner - look at the size difference so its just getting use to being comfortable running and not worrying I look like a tomato.

Current daily exercise is quite simple before I head to the Studio and work, I do 5K on the tread mill, then 2,000 meters on the rowing machine, cycle a couple of miles then do legs and arms. Nothing too crazy I really need to do a lot more upper body work.

Anyway the race is just over two weeks away and I wanted to share with you my current play list for running to and working out. The music on my phone is just rubbish so I recently snapped up a few new songs to play while running, the louder the better, also the more sassy the better.

 Current running play list 

- Katy Perry Dark Horse

- Beyonce - Why don't you Love me 

- X Ambassadors - Love song drug song

- Taylor Swift the whole of 1989

- Kiesza - Hide away the Ben Howard version is just as good

- Paloma Faith - Can't Rely on you

-Plan B stay too Long 

- Friendly Fires - Blue Cassette 

- Mark Ronson - Uptown funk

Probably not the most exciting, but these keep me motivated and focused while running so you won't catch me complaining. What's on your work out playlist?

*Sponsored post - Race for life

the little things

Everyone loves a good pamper session, so during a recent Next event - shoebox jukebox, a few weeks ago I snapped a few photos of Ree getting her nails all prettified , I am still a massive fan of nail art ever since seeing the amazing Gem Fatale doing her thing with nail art. The Lovely ladies from the painted lady did a fab job, alas at the time my nails were in a ghastly sight, so I wouldn't dare share them with the world. I am currently sporting a french manicure and its defiantly small things like getting your nails done that can really cheer you up.

life lately

 

So you are probably wondering where the hell i have disappeared to,  not cool hey?! Busy having a bit of me time and enjoying some space I guess, but here are a few things I've been doing. 

The little one had his first trip to the seaside, a little trip down to Clacton on sea, Tedstar splashed about in the sea and I thoroughly enjoyed stuffing my face with Ice cream.  

Naps have been pretty awesome and having time to myself has been nice. Not often over the last six months I have had the chance to switch my brain off. Cue long walks with my sketchbook enjoying the sunshine.

I have finally joined the gym! After a month of going nearly everyday I can safely say its the best £17.99 I have ever spent (a month) Excitedly squeeze my bum into a size 10 pair of skinnies the other day so yay for those 8k sessions, talking of tread mills been training away for my 5k with Race for life.

Got to sell my wares at the lovely BUST spring/summer Craftacular last weekend, hung out with Zoe and my mother and ate way too much cake.

Fun night staying in the Four Seasons in Canary Wharf  and eating too much Italian food courtesy of a rather lovely man - I shall say no more, the views were rather beautiful and the Martin Miller's Gin was an absolute treat.

So that's not everything, but all the bits I remembered to photograph, its funny how quick you forget to snap photos of every meal or pair of shoes when you are out of the blogging loop.